'NJ's Crafty Tips'

Hi everyone. Well here is the first week of my crafty tips. I will add Crafty Tips weekly on a Sunday. Hope you enjoy trying out some of my ideas. For this week's tips I am going to focus on Altering Brads. I love using brads, they can be used in so many different ways.
The tools you will need are:
Selection of brads/scrap card/craft hammer/sanding file or nail file/pokey tool/coloured nail polish/alcohol inks/craft mat.

Altered Brads
Tip 1
Take a piece of scrap card. Using your pokey tool, poke a hole through and insert brad.

This is so it is easier to alter the brad while it's attached to the card. You can then take it out of the card when finished and store for later projects. Take your hammer and using the flat end bash the brad.

Simple but effective and good for using on vintage work.

Do the same step again but this time use the domed end of your hammer.

Tip 2

Take a flower brad and attach to card.

Use flat end of hammer and bash the brad all over. Then using the domed end, hit the centre of the flower only a few times to make the petals stand out.

Tip 3

Take another flower brad and attach to the card. Sand it to distress it.

Place pointed end of pokey tool and hammer down lightly on the other end. Repeat all over the brad.

As you do this you will see the petals start to lift. Do the same step using coloured brads.

Tip 4

Sometimes you can't always find the perfect colour brad you may need for your project. We are going to change the colour of the brads on the card by using different colours of nail polish. So take a various selection of brads and attach them to your scrap card.

Paint each brad with your chosen colours. Make sure to get the edges as well.

Sometimes you may need to apply a second coat of polish depending on the colour you are using.

Set aside to dry. Once dry they can be removed from the card and stored for later projects, or just colour the brads as you need them.

Tip 5

We are going to change the colour of the brad as before, but this time using alcohol inks. Attach your brads to scrap card. Use your craft mat now so as not to stain your work surface with inks.

This is all about being random. Let drops of ink fall onto the brads. On some I have left the drops as they've fallen, on other's I've used cotton buds to blend colours and also pearl mixative.

Don't be afraid to try whatever you want to. Working with alcohol inks, any result is a good result. If your inks are puddling on the brads, just take a piece of kitchen paper and blot the lightly. This will remove the excess ink.

The key to this is to just experiment and have fun. Set aside to dry properly.

So here we have it...Altered Brads.................

I hope you have enjoyed 'NJ's Crafty Tips'. Thank you for taking the time to read all this and for visiting my blog. I hope I've given you a few ideas to play around with. I will be back next Sunday for my second weekly installment of crafty tips.

Have fun and happy crafting everyone,

lots of love NJ XX

Happy Week end everyone!

Hi everyone, I hope you are all having a good week end wherever you may be and whatever you are doing. I will be making a lot of cards over the next few days as I have an ongoing project that Im working on for a bit later in the year. I'm not saying too much about it, as I dont want to jinx what its for lol! Anyhoo, I have decided that I am going to do a weekly NJ's Crafty Tip! Here on my blog, I hope you all like this idea, and maybe some of my tips you will already know about and maybe others you may not have thought of or seen. Hopefully it will be interesting and fun for you all to read. If you like it,  and I get the time, I might even try and do it twice a week. I'll see how it goes first lol. So, heres the thing, I will write 'NJ's Crafty Tips' on my blog every Sunday, starting from tomorrow. Watch this space and I hope you will enjoy my Crafty Tips. Thanks for looking at my blog, I really do appreciate it. If you have the time to stop by and say hello that would be lovely! Happy Crafting my lovelies,
Lots of love
NJ XXX

Fizzy Moon Decoupage

I've used Fizzy Moon decoupage, papers and embellishments for this card. The colours co-ordinate lovely, just love it!

Me To You Digital Designer Cards

Me To You Digital Designer cards that I have made tonight. I love Tatty Ted, and these discs have so much choice for different cards of any type. So quick to make too, especially handy if you need a last minute card!

Crafty Bloggers Network

Hi everyone, just thought I would let you all know there is a new group on facebook called Crafty Blogger's Network.

Check it out http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/groups/225023234200087?ap=1

Please feel free to send a request to join if your a crafty blogger.

Here is a link also to my Do Craft Forum gallery http://www.docrafts.com/MyProfile/tab_Gallery

check it out and also check out the Do Craft Creativity Club. Have fun

Love NJ XX

A commission from a client

My client asked for a Golden Wedding Anniversary card for her husband, she didnt want anything cute. I used decorative card for the base, and then matted and layered co-ordinating card. Embellished with gold ribbon, gems and the greetings I printed off from my computer. The champagne glasses are an outline sticker that I had. This card took just over an hour to make.

Forever Friends Retro Collection Digital Designer Cards

I made these cards using the Forever Friends Digital Designer Retro collection discs. These are really easy to use and you have so much choice for lots of varied cards. Also handy for when you need that last minute card.These cards only took about 20 minutes.

A gorgeous blog to follow.....Tabby Craft Designs

Truly stunning work on this blog, its gorgeous


http://tabbycraftdesigns.blogspot.com/



have a peek, its inspiring

love NJ XXX

The Wardrobe

Stamped the Dimension Fourth Wardrobe onto Papermania Capsule collection Liqourice sherbert paper. I cut round 3 sides of the doors and cut the top drawer out using a craft knife. I scored down the doors to make them stay open. I glued the wardrobe onto Papermania Shimmer Textured cardstock and cut out, I raised the cut out drawer slightly so as to make it look open. Using Dimension Fourth fashion stamps I stamped 2 dresses and slippers onto First Editon Spring Feast papers and cut out. I made a hanger out of silver wire and hung over the door and used pinflair to fix it. Added the long dress inside the wardrobe and drew a pole and hanger using a silver pen. I glued a heart bead below this and stuck smaller beads on to make it look like a handbag. I used beads for the drawer and door knobs. Matted and layered onto shimmer cardstock. Embellished with lace, organza ribbon. I made a bead necklace and hung it over the corner of the door and fixed again with pinflair. The perfume bottles, straighteners, dryer and mirror are buttons that ive taken the back off and glued on. I coloured the inside of the doors with a pink whispers pen and sprayed over them with Crafters companion spray & sparkle in silver. I masked the whole card off though so as not to get it any where else. This card took around 2 hours to make.

Fizzy Moon Oval Easel Card

I made the card blank using my x cut shape cutter system. Stamped image with Fizzy Moon stamp and used First Edition papers Spring Feast. Coloured using whispers pens. Embellished with  a doily, roses, pearls, ribbons and finished with a sakura pen on the flower centres to add shimmer.

Lili of the Valley stamp - Maisie Sitting Pretty

Made an A5 card blank from 300gsm white card. Cut 40mm off the bottom and rounded all the corners with my corner chomper using the 1/2" cut. Stamped the image using memento Tuxedo black ink. Coloured using Kuretake brushables in Pure red - Fawn - Butter - Spring Green - Pure Black - Antique Burgundy - Pure Yellow - Baby Pink and Root Beer Float. Used the X Cut shape cutter system to cut out the shape. Used the next two sizes up using Papermania shimmer and textured card. Matted and layered together then embellished using Twisted paper string, Pretty petals from Polka doodles, Craftwork candi and Stickles glitter glue in Diamond. Time to make around 2 hours.

Summer Crafting 2011

Well what a fantastic day I've had today at the Summer Crafting in Doncaster. I've bought loads of new stamps, Lili of the Valley, Lavinia, Little Claire, Dimension Fourth to name but a few! I got some gorgeous twines, paper roses, toppers, beautiful ribbons...oh wow what a fab day lol. I have loads of ideas swimming around in my head lol, so tomorrow I will be playing with my new stamps. Its my day off, so I will definetly be making some cards!
Today was a day of good company, friendship, laughter and inspiration, woo hoo heres to next year I know I cant wait! So, all I can say is watch this space for my next creations, thanks for reading my chatter, have fun and happy crafting love NJ XXX

Commision for an Anniversary card

I used the Forever Friends Digital Designer Retro collection discs for this card. This card is a commision but I knew the person receiving it likes cute and the FF bears. I used an 8x8 card blank. Arranged the Digital selections how I wanted them and then printed out. I embellished the card with ribbon, assorted flowers, stickles diamond glitter glue and candi dots in coffee bean. My client was really pleased with this card.

Happy week-end

Hi everyone, hope you have all had a good week. I haven't had chance to post all week as been really busy at work and I've also got a few crafty projects on the go that have been taking up a lot of my time this week. I keep an A4 journal for crafting, so that I can write my ideas down for different projects as they pop into my head lol. I draw my sketches in this too, I always have loads of ideas so I like to write them down to make each project clear. I make rough notes, then think through the project, and make a list of different ideas for each project and go with the one I like best. My list is endless of the things I want to make! So, this week-end I have a busy time ahead, not only creating but also somewhere inbetween Ive got to fit in my day job and do the dreaded housework lol. I'm hoping the weather holds out on Sunday, going to a BBQ.
So, on that note my friends, I have waffled enough lol...I hope you all have a lovely week-end and I shall show you my projects when I've finished them.
Happy crafting and have fun,
lots of love NJ XXX

Try It On Tuesday Altered Box Challenge

I have altered a Twilight Chocolate Box. I used K&Co papers inside and out. I made a paper border for the lid using Looped fringe border punch. Added velvet ribbon at the bottom of the box. The friends stamp is Inkadinkado, which I stamped onto white card using Memento cottage ivy ink. I used a brushmarker pen for the edge of the oval which I had cut out using my x cut shape cutter system. I masked the text and stamped over the oval using Stampendous Foliate quad cube and brushmarker pen. Using Memento desert sand ink I wiped over the text with a tissue. The box lid is edged with glitz pearlescent glue. Various flowers were stamped over with Inkadinkado text stamp. Embellished with other flowers and pearls.

Circle Easel Card using Tatty Button stamp

I cut the circles using my x cut shape cutter system. The scallop border was made using a circle punch and sticking to the underside of the card. The papers I decorated with are the First Edition Spring Breeze. I stamped the Tatty Button Swingtime stamp using memento tuxedo black ink. I coloured the image using Kuretake Zig Brushables. I embellished with flowers and heart shaped buttons.
Inks used:
Memento-Tuxedo black
Brushables used:
Fawn/Pure red/cool cucumber/baby pink/spring green/Antique burgundy/root beer float.
Stamps: Tatty button Swingtime/Tattys text
Papers: First Edition Spring Breeze
Time: 1-2 hours

Forever Friends Retro Collection Digital Designer Cards