Hi everyone,

Just to let you know that Morag and I are doing another Charity Crop this year - this time to raise much needed funds for the Cob Foundation.

The crop will be on Sunday 11th May at the Shelly Farm Community Centre in Monkspath. Tickets cost £40 and we have just a few spaces left - please contact either Morag or myself if you would like to join us.

I am still having blogging problems so haven't been posting much - but here is a picture of the last crop class I did on Sunday:

I might run the same class again at Hobbycraft - if you are interested please email me.  Cost would be £10.

Sorry it's a short and sweet post but thanks for looking - busy planning from Solihull.

Such a busy bee

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't been posting much, I seem to be out of the habit of blogging at the moment! I do seem to be tweeting a lot more though and if any of you are interested I am joining in with #100HappyDays which is a lovely idea of thinking of something nice that happens to you every day for a 100 days - more details are here http://100happydays.com/

I have also been busy in my studio designing my next few workshops - more details are on the workshops tab.

I have also been having a play with some new goodies:

These are made with UTEE and a silicone mould I bought from Lakeland - any excuse to get the melt pot out eh!

These are made using a sizzix die I won last week - whoo hoo!

and hopefully I will post back soon to show you what I have actually used all of them on!

Its also my mother-in-laws birthday today - Happy Birthday Shirley! and this is the card I made for her:

Just lots of inking, stamping and layering - such fun to do!

Thanks for looking - Busy sewing from Solihull

A crafty weekend

Hi everyone,

I have been fairly busy in my studio planning new classes and doing a bit of sewing but this weekend I managed to catch up with some papercrafting.

I have finally managed to use these lovely bottles to store some glitter (have had the bottles for two years so that's how long it's taken me to get around to making these!), only very simple just a nice little play really:

used various Tim and Graphic 45 stamps, inked the plastic lids with Ginger Alcohol ink and topped them with Tim tattered flowers.

Then I have just spent this morning making my mother-in-laws card for her birthday in a couple of weeks (ahead of myself for once - yah!):

Just used various stamps layered up over a book page - inked with Spun Sugar, Antique Linen and Old Paper.  Bottles are Graphic 45 and inked with Worn Lipstick and Victorian Velvet finished with a piece of chipboard, a lovely parisian charm and Tims Happy Birthday stamped onto a banner.

A lovely enjoyable morning!

Thanks for looking - busy, but very happy, cutting out bits of paper from Solihull

New workshops

Have finally managed to sort out a couple of blogging problems by using Google Chrome to upload my pictures and changing my template to redisplay my pages at the top. 


Therefore if you are interested in taking any of my workshops please click on the Workshop tab above.


Thanks
Nicki

Still testing

ok so I cant upload pictures to blogger anymore so now am trying this:

Here is my latest crafting masterpiece a rug made from pom poms:

Nx

Hello everyone

A big hello to the wide world out there! I am still here being busy making things although I have had a few dramas with DS2 falling over and landing on his face - we still aren't sure if has a broken nose or not! and then both children having a stomach bug but I have been busy sewing - funny how I have fads of sewing and then fads of papercrafting. 


I have prepared some card classes at Hobbycrafts too - I just cant seem to upload any pictures to blogger at the moment so this is a quick test post to see if I can at least post something!


Thanks for looking - busy making pom poms in Solihull

Happy Christmas Everyone!

Hi everyone,

I am still here honest!  Have had an extremely busy October and November creating lovely items to sell in the Solihull Handmade Boutique and then an equally lovely December slowing down and catching up with friends and relatives and, finally, a bit of sewing!

This fabulous wall hanging is from a kit I bought from www.QuiltersTradingPost.com at the Malvern Quilt show and is based on a pattern from the Ho Ho Ho Let It Snow book from Art to Heart.  I have also done the quilt top using the same fabrics but not had chance to back or bind it yet.

Here is a picture of our haphazard tree this year:

decorate by the children and containing mostly handmade or holiday bought ornaments.  Note the addition of this years new favourite - pompoms!

I watched Kirstys Christmas programme and when doing my last workshop of the year last Thursday in Hobbycraft I managed to pick up a couple of pom pom makers - I haven't had such fun in ages:

this little haul probably took less than an hour to make! I timed one and it took me 2mins 47 seconds!  As someone who could never make pom poms I was happy with as a child I haven't really ever made any so now I feel like I have returned to my childhood and have pom poms everywhere!  Looking forward to day in with the children today eating chocolate, playing the xbox and, of course, making more pom poms!

Wishing each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - my life will be back to normal after Christmas as the Handmade Boutique shuts its doors today :( still it has been a wonderful adventure and I have learnt lots so I am now looking forward to taking my crafting skills even further next year.

Thanks for looking - ready for Christmas from Solihull

Why me?

No-one pointed out that the commissioned plaque I showcased yesterday had no flowers on it!  Woke up at 6am this morning with that thought in my head - put me in a right panic and I had to dash back into the shop this morning armed with a big bag of flowers and trusty glue gun!

Still all sorted now and ready for collection and at least I got to pop into Fat Face for the first day of the sale too :)

Then nipped to Hobbycraft and got in a right flap as they had no white A6 cards left!  had to have two lots of 5x5 and a set of 5x7 in the end as I couldn't leave with nothing - right??

Thanks for looking - lacking in sleep from Solihull

Another shop day!

I am spending another day today in the wonderful Handmade Boutique.  Here are some of my latest items (please excuse the really poor photos - there isn't much my camera can do at 6.30am even with daylight bulbs bright enough to land aeroplanes!):

My first door plaque commission:

I have also finally found the time and mojo to produce some more pictures:

Cogs:

 

 



Journey:

and a Christmas one (not long now you know!):

I have also made some lovely vintage boxes which contain some notecards and envelopes:

and of course I will be taking in loads more of my tags, gift bags and place settings!

Phew - am worn out already!

If you are in Solihull today please pop in and say hello - we are situated on Drury Lane between Fat Face and Regis.

Thanks for looking - sore fingers from Solihull

Wicked Blog Hop

Its my day! Yay.


I joined in this blog hop a few weeks ago thinking it would spur me on to make something fabulous with some lovely Halloween fabric I have been coveting for a few months now but nothing happened!  I pondered and thought and surfed the net for inspiration for three weeks to come up with some ideas but I couldn't get any inspiration from anywhere.  So in a last minute panic last week (we have been on holiday these past four days) I decided to just use my lovely ghastlie fabrics and make some more simple placemats/coasters. 

I had never used mug rugs or coasters before joining in these hops but now have a lovely little collection dotted all around my house and they are so useful so here are my latest ones:

I hadn't got the heart to cut this one up any further and needed a large mat to cover a counter space in my new kitchen so this one is about A3 size.

The back is made up of some skull material:

and to quilt it I just did a random cobweb.

This got my mojo going a bit so did another four of various sizes:

all with the same backing and quilted cobweb.

Sorry they are not overly inspiring but I love them and they are already in use in my kitchen!

A big thanks to Mdm Samm and Wendy for hosting this hop - I have enjoyed it even though I didn't use the fabrics I intended too!

Please visit all the other wicked hoppers that are displaying their spooky creations today too:

Quilt To The Edge
Stitchduchess Crazy & Sane Quilting World
Pampered Pettit
Feltfree på Åsly
Quilt Matters
Life, Quilts and a Cat Too
Sunshine Girl  you are here
Secretly Stitching
Englating
Seams Like a Dream
AnnieOak Designs

Thanks so much for looking and joining in the spooky fun - Busy Creating from Solihull

Back to work

I am back in the Handmade Boutique again today - whoo hoo.

Had such a busy week - feet haven't touched the ground and I still don't seem to have a lot of stock!

If you are in Solihull today please pop in and say hello we are situated on Drury Lane, Solihull (between Fat Face and Cex).

Hope to see you!

Thanks for looking - Happy peddling my wares from Solihull

Working Girl

Hi everyone, its my first day working in the Solihull http://www.handmade-boutique.co.uk today - if you are in town please pop by and say hello :)

Thanks for looking - busy selling from Solihull

A new venture

I have been offered a fantastic opportunity to sell some of my artwork on the high street!

The Handmade Boutique is a pop up shop that is open on Drury Lane, Solihull (between Fat Face and Cex) from now until 24th December.  I am currently scheduled to work in the shop the next two Mondays (7th and 14th October) if you are in the local vicinity please pop in and say hello!

Here is my little boy showcasing my little empire!

Thanks for looking - busy making lots of creations to expand my empire from Solihull

Christmas Workshops

Here are my next set of workshops at Hobbycraft:

 

 

Embossing powders on Tuesday 15th October

Time:  10.00-12.00    Cost £10

A workshop based around embossing powders – this fun technique will show you how to overstamp to create the illusion of snow.  Stamps and diecuts will finish this technique off perfectly.

 

Alcohol Ink card using a reflections stamp on Wednesday 23rd October

Time:  5.30-7.30pm    Cost £10

This card uses alcohol inks with T!ms reflections stamps.  Diecuts, embossing powder, crackle glaze along with lots of inking will finish this card off beautifully.

Set of four Christmas cards with gorgeous metal embellishments on Tuesday 5th November Time:  10.00-1.00pm    Cost £20

Here the workshop will be focussing on creating stunning backgrounds using embossing folders, stamps from Tims Christmas set, stains and inks.  There are a set of four cards – two cards will be made during the workshop with all pieces made for the two remaining cards for you to finish off at home.  Each card is complimented by a banner greeting, seasonal diecuts and a metal embellishment.  Tims metal embellishments give a stunning finish to any project and you will be amazed at the results.

 

Please note that there are various times and prices for this set of workshops – each one will be run on the date and time shown in the Hobbycraft store on the Solihull Retail Park, Marshall Lake Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4LD.

 

If you are interested please contact me as soon as possible as places are already limited.

 

Thanks for looking - Enjoying Christmas already from Solihull

Pin It Cushion blog hop

It's my day for the fabulous pin cushion blog hop - yay!



I actually made all of these about a month ago (as soon as the hexie blog hop finished basically) so therefore have no excuse for the poor photos which I have left until the last minute to photograph and a. the weather has turned rainy and dreary and b. I have had a new kitchen so the whole house is a tip still while we are slowly putting stuff back in right place!

Anyway first off I did a bird:

(still yet to have a felt beak added!) - aerial view:

from a pattern I had bought about three years ago and using just some old Michael Miller fabrics I had left over.

Next came this cute mouse:

from a kit I bought in the States in June 2012!

Then I got around to making up a Christmas kit I got last November which was a Christmas Pudding doorstop, after I had made it I thought I would resize it and make a smaller one for a pin cushion:

however it's still about 5" high! and also without thinking I backed the material with stiffener the same as for my doorstop so the pins are really difficult to get in and are going to blunt in no time - oh well.  Also I have no idea why this is the pin cushion I am currently using as its a. not Christmas and b. takes muscle to stick the pins in!

Then finally look at this cutie patootie that I picked up at my local craft shop in a sale:

isn't it fabulous!  the kit came with all materials supplied, the felt was all precut and even was presented in a lovely pink suitcase to boot!

Hope you have enjoyed your visit to see my creations - I have only ever had one pin cushion in the past (a lovely cup cake one I made about five years ago) but I think I have caught the bug now and may just need to make some more! 

I would just like to say a big thank you to Mdm Samm and Kristen for organising and running this wonderful blog hop.  I share my day with these other sewers:

September 16

De Zondagssteek

Ravelley

The Tilted Quilt

A Stitch In Time

Asimplelife Quilts

Jane's Quilting

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Dancing Moon

Bloom Where I Am Planted

Busy Bee Free

Marpie's Sewing Projects

The Stitchin' Post

Sew Much 2 Luv

Rose Creations

Lixie Makes It

Sunshine Reflections   you are here!

Needled Mom

Sew Incredibly Crazy

So please pop along and see their wonderful creations too.

Thanks for looking - loving my new kitchen from Solihull

Today I have

 

 

Just off out to choose some tiles and get a new microwave as our old one doesn't work with our new electrics and obviously don't look at the floor and lightshades (both 25 years old!) as they need to be replaced too!

Look at my little drawers under the hob - aren't they cute! completely impractical as they are so tiny you can't get much in them but hey I love them!  Can't wait to stamp out some lovely little labels for those handles.

We still haven't put everything away so I still have kitchen utensils in my ensuite, utility, porch and corner of the lounge but, thankfully, still non in my craft room!

Also a big Happy Birthday to my Mom - see you later :)

Thanks for looking - soon to be MasterChef from Solihull

Its all go....

Yesterday I had this:

today I have this:

can' wait to see what I have tomorrow! whoo hooo.

Amongst all the chaos I have managed to sort out my class at the crop next Sunday - we will be making two Christmas tags:

if you want to join in the fun please let me know asap so that I can prepare the bits and pieces - cost will be £6.

Also starting today is a fabulous blog hop all about pin cushions - if you want to join in the fun and see some wonderful creations published daily from now until the 17th (apart from the weekend) then pop over to Mdm Samms and click on the links there.

Thanks for looking - in need of a cuppa from Solihull

Tims August Tag

Had a fabulous time at T!ms UK event yesterday and I guess spending a few hours surrounded by lots of crafty folk has reinvigorated my papercrafting mojo as I have managed to grab an hour today to do T!ms August tag:

Have kept it fairly simple as I am also entertaining the children at the same time!  I did the background with Frayed Burlap and Iced Spruce stains, the stamps are from Artful Flight -CMS069.  The bird was stamped with Stazon and cut out from a masking sheet, then I stamped the image on the tag with Jet Black Archival and placed the mask over the top.  The nest was then stamped with Coffee archival and the cage from Crimson archival.  I then, with the mask still in place, inked the edges of the tag with Vintage Photo and over and around the tag with Mustard Seed.  When I removed the mask the image does indeed pop! 

I usually use post-it notes for my masks as I never like the area that never stamps properly around the edges of the layered image where it meets the mask, and the post-its, being slimmer, alleviate this problem, but now I have discovered the technique of leaving the mask in place and inking over and around it with blending tools (I find it very strange that I have never tried this before! I think I have always removed my masks straight after stamping)  I am much happier and will probably use these types of masks again - yes I think my mojo may be returning!  We shall see when the children go back to school next week as I am hoping not only to have a bit more time to myself but also a lot more energy!

Thanks for looking - Still on high from yesterdays class from Solihull

Hexie Blog Hop

Hi everyone,

It's my showcase day for the hexie blog hop and here is my project:

It's made up of 578 1/2" hexagons and measures 25.5" x 16".  I got the idea from the fabulous Hexa Go Go book by Tacha Bruecher who had a union flag in the back of the book but I didn't like that design as I am a true Brit and like my flag to have the bottom left hand side having a wider white part at the top of the red diagonal.  So I downloaded some blank hexagonal grid paper from www.incomptech.com/graphpaper/hexagonal and got busy designing - three evenings later I had finally ended up with a Union flag that looked correct so I purchased a set of Sizzix hexagonal dies cut out hundreds of .5" hexes from freezer paper - ironed them onto spare red, white and blue fabrics and got stitching.  Imagine my horror when I had it completed and compared it next to a picture of the Union flag to realise I had got it wrong!  (lesson learn't there to check out the item I am replicating first!)  So, being the fussy person I am, I unpicked the top left and bottom right hand sections and redid them (only took a couple of extra hours - no biggie really!) - it means the red diagonals don't got right into the corners as the true flag would but at least the blue sections are correct - who knew that the four middle blue sections are the same size? Not me anyway!

I was a bit worried that I had bitten off more than I could chew taking on this project as I only had four weeks in which to complete it but I managed to get the whole thing done in just two weeks! I was rather pleased with myself even if the house was a bit of a tip for a while!

For my second project I have done the table runner from the above book:

The white doesn't look so good on the picture but it does stand out in real life - here is a closeup:

 - and just to add my own twist (the above is basically straight out of the book) here is my own design on the back:

 

here is another closeup:

 

I used some wonderful Westminster Christmas fabrics that I won in the Ho Ho Ho hop last year.  I can't wait to use it as it will make a fantastic addition to my Christmas table this year!

Hope you have enjoyed my entries - here are the other sewers who are sharing my hop day:

Sunshine Girl Nicola you are here!

Cheryl James

    Fish Kopp   

Grizz 'n' Dove   

Secretly Stitching  

In the Boon Docks  

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs 

Quilt Doodle Designs 

Ridge Top Quilts 

KaHolly 

Why-Knot-Kwilt

So pop along and check out all of their creations too :)  Also I want to say a big thank you to Debby and Mdm Samm for organising this wonderful hop.

Just edited this to add that if you were in the Dresden plate hop earlier this year you may remember my cog quilt - well its being published this month (September issue) in the British magazine Sewing World - very exciting!

Reedited again to add the Dresden link http://sunshinegirlnicola.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/i-dared-to-dresden.html - never thought of that - thanks KaHolly!

Thanks for looking - addicted to hexies from Solihull

Toot

Gosh its an age since I have blogged - over a month in fact!  Nothing wrong just having some pc downtime at the moment and getting on with lots of home/craft projects rather than spending hours on pinterest!

Anyway a short post from me (need to get back in the swing of it I guess - hee hee) but I just wanted to shout out to the rooftops that I have been published this month in the British magazine Sewing World - I have been published numerous times in papercrafting magazines over the years but this is my first venture into sewing articles - let me know if you read it.

Am currently snowed under with sewing projects - I am in a blog hop for hexagons next Wednesday and in a pin cushion hop in September (have made four in the last two weeks) so its all go!

Thanks for looking - Enjoying the holidays in Solihull