Modelling Paste Week over at Tando Creative

Morning all,

It's Modelling Paste week over at Tando Creative's blog, and I have made a little Mixed Media Board.

You can find the full post over on the blog HERE.

Hope you can join me,

Have a good week,

Nikki. xxx

Route 66 - Mixed Media Canvas with DecoArt Media Acrylics

Morning everyone,

I'm sharing a piece today that I made for Mixed Up Magazine, for February 2017.  You can still get this issue of the magazine from Pocketmags, and I'd really encourage you to take a look at Mixed Up Mag and subscribe to future issues, it has tons and tons of pages of mixed media inspiration and projects. 

This piece was loosely valentines based, well, it had a heart in it!

This piece even made it to page 66!

Hope you like it, you can check out the full details on how I made it in the magazine.

Have a fab weekend,

Nikki
xx

Anything goes week over at the Tando Creative blog. - Backwards Crackle!

Hi everyone,
.
It's my turn on the Tando Creative Blog today, and I'm sharing a full tutorial of my own technique for you, backwards crackle on acrylic.

Hope you can hop over to find out more.

Warm wishes,

Nikki

xxx

A few changes to Nikki K..

Hi all,

Well I have decided to streamline my several social media accounts, and re-brand to Nikki K Art in some shape or form.  So the following are my new account addresses that you can find me at, and if you are a new reader then the links are here for you too.  My blog won't disappear, and I'd love it if you wanted to follow my posts.

Blogger :  www.nikkikart.blogspot.co.uk 

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/nikkikartist

Twitter: www.twitter.com/NikkiKArtist

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/NikkiKArtist

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NikkiKArtist

I hope you can join me on my mixed media journey.

Happy Crafting,

Nikki
xxx

Mixed Up Magazine Blog post.

Morning all,

Today you can join me over on the Mixed Up Magazine blog, sharing 'I'm only Human' with you.  Hope you can pop across and check out how I made it.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xx

A new technique - Mixed Media Acrylic with DecoArt Chalk Crackle.

Morning all,

I had a brilliant weekend at Dare 2 Create this weekend gone, with Andy Skinner and Tracy Weinzapfel Stratton, and the fab Tando Creative Ltd.  It has taken a couple of days to recover!  I was demonstrating on the Saturday evening, and I had some ideas floating in the grey matter, to try a crackle on the back of an acrylic piece. Bearing in mind painting on acrylic works backwards, it took some working out, and hope that it wouldn't crackle all the layers.

Here is a full tutorial, and pictures of some of the pieces I have made since.

The Acrylic has a protective layer both sides.  I remove just one side to work on, and leave the other for protection on my work surface.  Stamp an image on to the acrylic using Carbon Black Fluid Media Acrylic. You do have to be careful not to let the stamp slip, but the bonus with acrylic is that you can wipe off any mistakes while still wet. Spread the paint thinly on your craft mat to stamp with.

Choose a paint colour, and colour in behind the heart, (always on the same side as your stamping), going over the black stamping as well (this will still show through in places).

When dry, colour in the missing parts of the heart, I used Venetian gold here.  You could colour the whole heart in, some of the gold would still show through the first layer of magenta.

Cover the whole heart in a layer of black, this seals the front colours, and stops light getting through further.  It also makes the black stamping clearer from the front.

Next, splatter some slightly watered down colour all over the acrylic.  You can use one or more colours.  Dry between applications so they don't make mud!

Apply the Crackle Medium to the acrylic.  I went around the edge of the heart, but you can go right over, it won't crackle normal acrylic, or what's underneath it, just what you put on top.  This crackle only works with the chalk paints.

Once completely dry, paint over with your chosen colour of chalk paint and let dry.

The final step is to paint behind the cracks in a contrasting colour.  

Then it's time for the final reveal, just peel back the acrylic from the other side and admire your artwork.

As you can see, I'm slightly hooked.  The best part is peeling away the protective cover and seeing what's beneath.

Hope it inspires you to have a go.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xxx

Products Used:

Tando Creative Acrylic Cubbie Pieces/Media boards.
Andy Skinner/Stampendous/Laurel Burch Stamps.
DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics.
DecoArt Chalk Crackle.
DecoArt Chalk paints.
DecoArt Dazzling Metallics.

Posting for Tando Creative today..

Morning all,

Over on the Tando Creative blog today I have a tutorial on creating a little heart sugar skull shelf.  Hope you can pop over and join me for more details.

Best Wishes,

Nikki.
xxx

Eileen Hull Passport Die and a Crafty Afternoon!

Morning all,

This is just a quick post, as I never seem to share something I've made 'just for fun'.  I've had a couple of nice days this week crafting with friends, the first day I finished a project which I can't show as usual, but on the second afternoon with my friend Jan, I just sat and played.  Jan had the new Eileen Hull Passport journal die, and I am now hooked.

Now I have to admit to not using my papers much any more, or die cutting!  But I LOVED this, and now want to make ten more.  The die is out of stock nearly everywhere in the uk, so I'm just going to have to wait to get it myself, but definitely will be now!  There is also an XL journal die, and that is now on my hit list too.

I used IndigoBlu papers for the covers and a few of the pages, and the rest were old Stampin Up papers I had, but you can use any paper, card stock, or recycled paper (junk too) that you like.

The book itself was exceptionally easy to make, and to bind at the end, we used an elastic cord, and I also made a quick tie to just slip over the book, but you could add buttons and cord, wrap around, wire, anything you like to secure it.

I added two little flower beads to my cord, as I decided to use this as an allotment journal, so I can see progress (hopefully!).

I used a thick greyboard, but would suggest to use slightly thinner than I have, it makes the spine easier to work with!  You can also glue your covers inside or outside your spine, it is personal choice.  You can also bind it in any way you like, I chose to go across the two holes as Jan's looked so neat I followed suit.

I will add a title, and maybe a little embellishment, and of course fill it full of allotment pics, so maybe will post an update later in the year.

Happy Crafting,

Nikki
xxx

Steampunk Week - Tando Creative.

Morning all,

Today I'm over on the Tando Blog sharing a Steampunk piece, along with my teamies this week.

Hope you can pop over and take a look, there is a small step by step to show how I made it.

Best Wishes,

Nikki.
xxx

Mixed Up Magazine - Revamped Cabinet.

Hi again,

My second post of the day, I have re-vamped a bathroom cabinet over on the Mixed Up Magazine blog today.  Please hop across if you'd like to find out more.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xxx

Tando Creative - Anything Goes week.

Hi all,

Over on the Tando Blog today I have a little step by step on a Gothic Arch frame, if you'd like to hop over and check it out. I just love these 'Indigo Cats' stamps by Laurel Burch too!

Happy Crafting,

Nikki
xxx

Tando Creative - Anything Goes week.

Hi all,

This week is Anything Goes week over at Tando Creative, I have blogged my Cubbey's with an explanation of how they were put together for you.  I hope you have time to pop over and take a look.

Thanks for stopping by, you can see more detail today on the Tando Creative Blog. 

Best Wishes,

Nikki.

xxx

Morning everyone,

I have a post over at Tando Creative blog today, to show how I made this quick Easter tag with very few crafting supplies as I was away.

Hop over if you can to find out more.

Hope you have a lovely day today, whatever you are doing.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xxx

Tando Creative - Mother's day week..

Morning everyone, over on the Tando Creative blog today I have a step by step tag for you, in celebration of mother's day.

Hope you can join us!

Best Wishes,

Nikki
x

Tando Creative Technique Week - Cracks & Crevices

Morning everyone,

I have a DT blog over at Tando Creative this morning, please hop across to find out more about how I made this large tag.

Hugs,

Nikki
xxx

Craft Stamper TIMI Challenge Reminder - February - Take a Stamp

Morning everyone,

It's challenge reminder time over at Craft Stamper Magazine.

My reminder DT piece today is this CAS card, with a little bit of grunge.

I used scattered straw distress ink through a stars stencil, and then took a ruler and a Posca pen, and drew lines in varying widths and lengths, dotted, staggered and straight, and then stamped a texture stamp in evergreen bough distress ink on top.  I added paint splatters in black, and a little star stamp sentiment that just fitted perfectly.

Hope you like it and can join us over at Craft Stamper for the challenge.  The prizes and guidelines can all be found over on the main blog too.

Warm wishes,

Nikki
xx

Products Used:
IndigoBlu Stars Stencil
IndigoBlu Tasty Textures Stamp
DecoArt Media Carbon Black Fluid Acrylic
Distress Inks: Evergreen Bough, Scattered Straw
Posca Pen - black
Free Star stamp/magazine

Craft Stamper TIMI Challenge February - Take a Stamp

Morning everyone,

It's Craft Stamper Take It Make it Challenge time, and February's theme is simply take a stamp.

Our sponsor this month is:

 And our random winner this month get's this fab prize!

We also choose a Design winner, who gets publication in Craft Stamper Magazine, a GDT slot for an upcoming challenge, and a winners profile.The winners profile is a stand alone blog post, showcasing the style and work of the winner.

You can read the guidelines over on the main blog along with the challenge HERE.

My DT inspiration piece is a journal page, with a little bit of fun added.  Sometimes I like to do my journal pages on separate paper, and then either glue them into a journal, or maybe even cut them up and use pieces in other pages.

This started with a prussian blue wash, leaving white area's of my page, and then coming in with a dry brush in the same direction but only in area's.  It took on a denim kind of feel, worn and old. I then added stencilling in titanium white and pyrrole red, and stamping in carbon black and pyrrole red.

The skull was stencilled in carbon black, I love this stencil, one of my faves.  I stamped two little scrolls onto spare card I'd painted, and cut round them to make the moustache.  

It turned out quite a manly page, you could adapt this for a fun card quite easily too.  

Hope you like it, don't forget to hop across to the Challenge, and see the rest of the DT's inspiration. 

Happy Crafting,

Nikki

xx

Products Used:

DecoArt Media: Fluid Acrylics, Carbon Black, Titanium White, Prussian Blue Hue, Pyrrole Red.

DecoArt/Andy Skinner Stencils: Code Breaker, Day of the Dead, Industrial Elements.

Stampendous/Andy Skinner Stamps: Toxic, Steampunk, Curiosity.

Proud Guest at A Vintage Journey - Going Round in Circles

Hi all,

So proud to have been asked to contribute over at A Vintage Journey, it's my first time as a Guest there, and I couldn't be happier!  The theme this month is 'Going Round in Circles', and I went 'small' for this one!

The matchbox was treated inside, and on the top, with DecoArt Media Crackle paste.  Once dry I painted in Media fluid acrylics in Prussian blue hue, and Quinacridone gold, using a wash of each colour, and letting one dry in area's before adding the other.  This gave a distressed old look.

I stamped the postmark and stain stamps in raw umber paint.  And dripped more quinacridone gold down the sides of the box.

The crackle and antiquing process was repeated onto a simple piece of card, to use in the circular necklace.

I cut the card to fit my circle bezel, glued and sealed with matte medium.  I stamped the Toxic word in raw umber onto a piece of card, and aged with quin gold.  Some cogs were added and glued in place, and then resin was added to dome in the bezel.

Inside of the matchbox and underneath were also aged, and the necklace fits perfectly to give as a gift.

I so enjoyed making this and following the theme, don't forget to check out the rest of the projects over on A Vintage Journey's blog.

Best Wishes,

Nikki

xxx

Products used:

DecoArt Media:

Media Crackle Paint

Media Fluid Acrylics - prussian blue hue, quinacridone gold, raw umber.

Stampendous/Andy Skinner Stamps - Toxic, Shabby

IndigoBlu - Diamond Resin

Matchbox, bezel, chain & cogs from stash.

Craft Stamper Magazine - TIMI Challenge January Reminder

Morning all,

A little post from me this morning with a reminder piece for the Craft Stamper Challenge DT.  I made a very simple card using the triple stamping technique, and using the free daisy stamp from a previous cover of Craft Stamper Magazine.  I stamped in green versafine over three layers of card, then separated the card and mounted with foam mounts.

My centre consists of a piece of sequin waste, cut randomly, and covered with a domino, which I've painted with DecoArt paints, and used Andy Skinner's 'Toxic' stamp set on, for the texture on the domino and the heart.

I added a sentiment from a PaperArtsy stamp set, and edged the card in peeled paint distress ink.

Hope you like it, don't forget to join us on the main Challenge page, where you can find all the details on how to enter, and see the rest of the team's fantastic inspiration.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xx

Tag It Challenge - My first post for Tando Creative

Good morning all,

I am so proud to be able to finally say that I am now officially a DT member for Di and Tony at Tando Creative.  It's been a few months since we spoke about it so I've been very quietly excited!

For my very first post I have joined in with the 'Tag It' challenge, and came up with this tag.

Why not hop over to the Tando Blog to see more details on how it was created.

You can also see more of my new team mates work throughout the week.

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xx

Craft Stamper January Challenge - Take A Stamp

Morning everyone,

Today is Craft Stamper Magazine's new challenge day, and for January it's simply 'Take a Stamp'.

Our sponsor this month is Rubber Dance Stamps:

The stamp set on offer is also featured on the cover of the February edition of the magazine, so you can see it in action! Our random winner will win this lovely set.

We also choose a Design winner, who gets publication in Craft Stamper Magazine, a GDT slot for an upcoming challenge, and a winners profile.The winners profile is a stand alone blog post, showcasing the style and work of the winner.

You can read the guidelines over on the main blog along with the challenge HERE.
My inspiration for you today is a tag, with a lovely swirled background and gold stamping.

I first put modelling paste through the Fleur medallion stencil onto a Tando tag, then painted with DecoArt's Americana chalky paint in Legacy.  Decor Crackle was painted over the top, and after that the top layer was Lace chalky paint, which crackles beautifully.  Over this I laid a wash of prussion blue hue, raw umber and quinacridone gold media paints.  Down the left hand side I stamped the text from Andy Skinner's 'Curiosity' stamp set, in Venetian Gold. 

I gave the Tando heart the same treatment, but in coastal waters multi surface paint, again with the decor crackle, then lace chalk paint on the top.  Over this I stamped from the Steampunk set in Venetian gold, and then the numbers from a stamp in the shabby set, in prussian blue hue. 

The tiny heart was painted in coastal waters, and stamped with the crackle stamp from the toxic set, again in the gold.

The wings were painted gold and all elements glued together, and a pretty ribbon added, stamped with Totally Tracy Texture stamp, to add the little dots. 

Hope you like it, hop across to the main Challenge to see lots more inspiration!  

Kindest Regards,

Nikki.

xx

Products used:

Andy Skinner Stamps: Curiosity, Toxic, Shabby, Steampunk.

DecoArt Products:

DecoArt Media fluid acrylics: Prussian Blue Hue, Raw Umber, Quinacridone Gold. Media Modelling Paste.

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics: Venetian Gold.

DecoArt Multi-surface Acrylics - Coastal Waters.

DecoArt 2oz Chalk paints - Legacy, Lace.

Fleur Medallion Stencil.