Man stuff

I have been doing a lot of pink and girly lately and I felt the need to get back to my comfort zone and make some thing a bit Steampunk inspired.  Now normally I find it hard to come up with a masculine type make, but this one almost made itself.  I was in the zone.

Made from a wooden book box, the outer dimensions measure 180mm x 135mm x 80mm ( approx 7 x 5.5 x 3.25 inches) and the inner dimensions are 150mm x 108mm x 68mm ( approx 6 x 4.25 x 2.75inches)

I love working with these boxes.  There are just so many things that you can do with them.  And the fact that I have them in three different sizes, just adds to the fun.

I think that adding feet to this one really set it off.  Made if feel chunkier.

There are two clocks on this piece.  One on the top and one dangling from the chain.

If you would like to know more about this piece, you will soon be able to see it at Nyron Designs

I'm off to do some more crafting.   I have an idea for another one.

Laters

Naomi xx

Craft along chest

I am lucky enough to be one of the Design Team members for Fernli Deisgn.  This means that I get to play with their wonderful products and then show them off to anyone who will stay still long enough.

There is so much to chose from that the hardest thing is deciding what to play with first.

On Sunday 16th November I will be hosting a "Craft Along"  on the Fernli Designs Facebook group

A craft along is a social event, where people can chat and swap ideas and techniques, but through out the day I will be posting a tutorial to make a version of this chest.  I have already posted the shopping list, but here are a few direct links to items that I will be using as well as alternatives.

Chest    

Keys 5 ornate

Corners and frames

Layout embellishments

The last two links are to product ranges as I there is loads to chose from and you all have different taste.

If you would like to make an alternative to the chest, take a look at this section.  So much to chose from. 

Alternatives 

Whether you will be crafting or not, if you fancy a crafty natter...... join in :)

Time for me to go craft.

Laters

Naomi x

So busy, but so good.

Phew what a week.

Monday saw Sharon and myself at Broadditch Farm Shop chatting to them about Nyron Designs.  I am so happy.   They have agreed to take on some of our stock.  So later this week, you will be able to find our Spooky Lane houses there.

If you would like to keep up to date on what stock we have where, join our page Nyron Designs on Facebook.

I have also been showing off my new Design Team make for Fernli Designs

If you would like to see more views of my make, please click on the "MY Fernli Designs" tab at the top of this page.  There you will find short videos of my design team pieces.

Most of this week has been taken up with work and preparing to build the houses for Broadditch Farm.  I also squeezed in time to work on this piece. 

I will post full pictures of this one as soon as it is finished.

Right.  I'm off for a cup of coffee.  Hope the next week treats you all well. 

Laters

Naomi x

Challenges

Hiya

Those of you that have been here before may know that I run a craft group on Facebook called

The group boasts over eighty members now and we run regular challenges.

Yesterday I challenged myself to make a card that would be suitable to enter three of the ones that we have running at the moment.

• "Tag you're it"  Make something that includes a tag as part of the larger project
• "Think Pink"  Make something that includes the colour pink somewhere on it and
• "Inside and out card challenge"  Make a card that is decorated inside as well as out.

To make things a little more difficult for myself, I did an on the fly tutorial.  This was totally unplanned and I posted pictures with instructions as I went along.  I had two ladies following the tutorial from the get go, so I had to think fast.

This is the card that I made.

The ladies that were following along as I made it did their own versions and did an amazing job. Doing this tutorial on the fly was a lot of fun and I hope to be doing it again soon.  To join in the fun click here

I hear some paint and glue calling my name for another project.

I have loads more I need to share with you, so expect another post soon if all goes to plan.

Laters

Naomi x

Announcing Nyron Designs

I am EXTREMELY proud to announce that Nyron Designs has now gone live.

Nyron Designs is the brainchild of myself Ny (Naomi) and 'Ron (Sharon). We are both  avid crafters and wanted a way to share our creations with others.

We will be selling hand crafted gifts and while we will make a selection of  goods on a theme, our aim is never to make 2 identical pieces.  We will also be selling our own line of hand crafted cards.  So if you are looking for something special FOR that some one special (you too), then forget factory made and take a look at what we have to offer.

To get a peek at a few of our unique hand made gifts head on over to our Facebook page which you can find HERE.  We are currently working on a new website which we hope to be able to share with you very soon.

We are currently in talks with a retail outlet with regards to selling some of our stock through them, but if you are interested in commissioning an item, you can contact us direct through our Facebook page.

Thanks for dropping by.

Laters

Naomi x 

My new love

A few months ago I saw a give away on Facebook for a company called Visible image you can see their website here.  I totally fell in love with their stamps.  Background stamps can be used on so many things so I spent a LOT of time looking.

Last weekend I went to The Big Stamp and Scrapbooking show at Alexandra Palace and I was finally able to see them up close.

OHHHHHH WOW!!

At the show we were able to meet and talk to Mark Alexander who gave us more information in the stamps and talked us through some of the samples and how to create some of the effects they had made.

Okay time to show them off.  I have used StazOn ink on mine.  First time I have used it.  It does what it says on the lid and STAZON.

This is my favourite arty stamp from their range, but there are another 4 that I just have to have so watch this space.

I have been looking for a good script stamp for ages and it was hard to chose between this one and the script one that is part of Revolution  This one is gawwwwwjusssssss.  The stamped image is so clear you can read every word.

Mark told us that the stamps are deep etched (at least 3mm) and the quality shows.  I inked my butterfly once and was able to get 3 good stamps out of that one inking.  Obviously the images got progressively faded, but the image was still clear.

I'm working on a DT make using these stamps at the mo, so I can't show you what I have used them for so far, but soon.

I only bought two stamps, but I will be buying more and soon.

I'm off to play some more.

Laters

Naomi x

What happened??

I don't know how it happened.  Any one that knows me and my crafting knows that I don't really do pink and girly or shabby chic, but some how I think I have done a bit of both.

I have used one of these wooden book boxes to make this.....

I have used 6x6 Fairy Bell Collection Papers from Prima Designs and Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I have used Keys 6 mixed Large and the mini hearts from Fernli Designs.

Now the mini hearts are not always available and when they are, they sell out fast, so I suggest you join the Facebook group as that is where they announce the new stock and what has come back in.  In addition to that, they run a monthly event where you can post a picture of something you have made with their products and a winner is chosen at random who wins some of their great products to play with.

I couldn't decide which pictures to show of my book box as I took so many, so if you would like to see more of the details on this piece click on the "MY Fernli Designs" tab at the top of the page to see a short video.

I'm off to cook some dinner

Laters

Naomi x

Burlap Binder

Life and work have been getting in the way of crafting, but I really REALLY needed to craft.  I have been hoarding a FEW of my Fernli Designs embellishments and I figured that they really should be used rather than hiding them away in a drawer.  So I have used them on this Design Team project.

This is an A5 binder that I bought from Paperchase for £3.  I have covered it in burlap using matt mod podge and then I added a few of my favourite things.  The heart frame is really versatile and I love finding new ways to use it.  I have painted this one with "Rich Red" emulsion matt paint and then dabbed on some Treasures Gold Renaissance gilding wax.

My current and long time fave is the fancy keys.  They come as a pack of 5.  I keep saving them for that special project, which is silly as I can always buy more and they are so reasonably priced, I can buy more than one set at a time lol.  I used two of the keys in the end.  I painted one with Rich Red and one with Powder purple.

I have also used a circle art tile (so many uses for these) and two of the flourish 2.  These come as a pack of 6 and you get 3 different sizes in the pack.  I need to buy more of these as I only have 2 left and I already have plans that will require more than two {grinz}.

If you would like to see the video for this make, please click on the tab at the top called "MY Fernli Designs".

I'm off to take another look at my big project and see what needs doing next.

Laters

Naomi x

Starting to take shape

My project is really starting to take shape now.  The making has been slow going because I keep second guessing myself.  I'm really pleased with it though.

I've put most of the spacers in place.  The ones at the front are to keep the front panel in place.  The ones on the top will help support the next layer.  The front panel and the topmost panel are not glued down yet as I still have more work to do on both before they with be ready to stay put.

 This is how it looks with the next layer and the front panel on.

I'm still working out positioning at the moment and I'm still deciding on colours (I keep changing my mind).  I still have another layer to work on, the drawers and the side panels.

I'm excited.  I think the hardest part is done now.  I just hope the top works as planned.

Housework is calling me.  Hopefully I can get back to this again later today.

Laters

Naomi

A step forward

Life has been keeping me busy, but I have managed to make a little progress on my design team piece for Fernli Designs.  I have cut some of the chipboard and this is how far I have gotten with the construction.

What you are looking at in this picture is the bottom, middle and back chipboard pieces and the Open topped desk storage boxes shown below.

I still need to get the sides cut and put on and to make the 5 drawers.  After that I can get to work on the top.  I think this project will look quite ordinary until the top is in place.  I'm really looking forward to making that bit.  

My new business venture is going well and I'm looking forward to being able to tell you more about it and revealing our logo.  I love it.  

This is the closest I can get to showing you how I feel.

I'm off to feed my son as he says he is starving.

Laters

Naomi x

All in the eyes

It feels like forever since I crafted and then today I woke up with my mojo in overdrive.  I wanted to make everything.

This morning I cut some of the chipboard for my DT project and this afternoon I started work on this mask.

This mask has been inked, stamped, painted and gessod a number of times and it never seemed to look right, so I tossed it into a drawer so that I didn't have to look at it.

I'm using a couple of die cuts to decorate the mask and some idenden tape.  I have cut the clocks out for the eye holes.

I had to manipulate the die cuts a bit to get them to fit around the eyes.

After I covered the mask in idenden tape I dabbed on some alcohol ink (butterscotch) to give it a bit of colour.

I then painted the mask with black acrylic paint and wiped most of it off and then dabbed a bit of gold gilding wax in places.  I think the lace at the top finished it off nicely.  I attached that with a brad.

Time for a glass of wine I think

Laters

Naomi x

A different way

Hiya

Yesterday I told you a little bit about what I have going on.  Well I hinted at stuff.  My friend Tina said I was a tease and in this case she was right.

Now normally I try to keep my design team project a secret until it is finished, but this one is a big one for me and more adventurous than my normal makes, so this time I am going to do things a different way.

I will do posts as I go along and show pictures.  I have already worked out the design and have a good idea in my head of how this will look.

I wont be putting up measurements as this is not a tutorial and I wont know if it will work or not until everything is in place.

I'm going to be using some of these

and some of these

and this

Which is actually four pieces that I will be sticking together.

I'm also going to be using a whole lot of chipboard.

Basically I will explode if I can't talk about this and get some comments along the way.  So feel free to ask questions and make comments as I go.  The design is pretty much locked in, but as with most things I make, it will probably get tweaked some where along the way.

All of the pieces above can be found at Fernli Designs.  They sell brilliant cogs, which I have and use, but the ones shown above have been special cut for this project.  Thank you G x

I'm off to start cutting chipboard.  I'll put up an update as soon as I can so that you can see how things are progressing, but this project will probably take me a week or two as it is the school hols and I have my son to keep entertained.

Laters

Naomi x

A whole lot of new

I have a whole lot of new going on right now.

I have a new, adventurous (for me) design team make for Fernli Designs that I am working on that is inspired by this

This will be the center piece of what I am making.  This project will have moving parts, but having spent 3 days drawing things out on graph paper and making adjustments, I think I am ready to start making now.

Another new thing in the pipe works is a new potential business.  It will just be something small, but who knows what it could build up into.  I'm doing this with a good friend with a lot of talent, so I am crossing everything that this works for us.  more on this later as we are still in the planning stages.

This weekend I am setting up new challenges to run in Crafters @ Play.  The challenge sponsored by Fernli Designs had a great response so I am considering doing another event with a prize soon.  The lovely Heather Bee who handles the scrapbooking side of things in the group already offers a great kit for the winner of the scrapbook challenge each month.

My last new thing is a layout I am working on.  I plan to use a large piece of lace on this one as I can't find the right paper to do what I want. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

I'm off to craft for a bit and then for a look on Pinterest.  Catch up with you all soon

Laters

Naomi x

This little house of mine

Yay I can show it off.  This is my latest design team make for Fernli Designs

This house was made using 2mm chipboard, 2 lace edge banners, 2 Fence panels and one window frame.

Some times I look at things and immediately know what I will make with them.  As soon as I saw the banners I knew what I was going to make. With this make I learned that you can cut the fence panels using a sharp craft knife and a metal ruler.  The hardest part of making this house was deciding what paper to use.

I wanted to be able to use the house as some sort of storage, so I designed it so that the roof comes off.

I'm planning to make more of these as Christmas presents and fill them with chocolate or small gifts.

If you would like to know a bit more about the house and how it was made, please click on the tab at the tops called "MY Fernli Designs"

I'm off to play with more Fernli bits

Laters

Naomi x

Waaaaay out......

......... of my comfort zone.

I have a number of manufacturers whose creations I covet.  Graphic 45, Heartfelt Creations, Pion Design to name but a few.  Why covet and not buy?  Well cost for one.  These are not British brands so buying them (even in the sales) can prove rather expensive.  I will save up if it is something that I just can't live without, but this is where I run into problems.

They scare me.

No honestly.  I look at the amazingly detailed pages and then I can't imagine what I will do with them once I have it at home.  I have never been one for fussy cutting, because my previous attempts have not been good and I lack the patience to improve my skill.

I tend to head for simple patterns or plain papers and card stocks with not much going on. Then I hit them with ink and stamps to add interest.  I have managed to use some pattern in mini albums, but the colours and pattern tend to be muted and even distressed.

I am in the process of working on a new make.  I want to push myself with this one.  The construction of it is making me pause, because I need to work without construction strips and I don't think I have done that before.

In addition to that I will be working with this paper pad.

For me this paper is scary.  I love the look of the papers, but the thought of working with the pad has kept it in the drawer for over 6 months now.  I keep getting it out and then making some excuse for why I can't use it on that project.  This time I WILL use it.  My project is not a big one, but the floral theme to this pad is perfect, so long as I keep the scale in mind when picking what I will use.

Wish me luck.  I'm off to choose which pages are going onto this project.

Laters

Naomi x

How it all starts

I'm just about to start a new DT make for Ferni Designs

Sometimes, when I see a product, I can picture in my mind exactly what I am going to do with it and this is one of those makes.  Quite often I just get a basic idea and then I have to flesh it out and the end result isn't always what I had pictured in my head.  I love that about crafting.

For this make I will be using chipboard so I have had to do some forward planning to make sure that everything will fit together okay.  I quite enjoy this aspect of the creating as one of my hobbies used to be designing houses.  I can create scale floor plans for entire houses and I honestly can get lost in the creation of them.  At some point I would like to be able to make scale models of the plans that I have made and bring them to life.

I know what I am building with this piece, but I don't have a clue about the way it will be decorated yet.  I am hoping it will "speak" to me once I get further along in the construction of the piece.

Just in case you are wondering.  I found out that you can cut some of the Fernli products with a sharp craft knife and a metal ruler, so I have cut the fence in half.  I can see me doing this again for other projects with some of the other products.  The pieces are already very versatile, but now I can make sure that everything fits exactly as I need it to on a project.

Enough typing :)  Time to get back to crafting.

Laters

Naomi x

New Design Team make

I am so pleased to be able to show this off.

As some of you may know I am lucky enough to be on the design team for Fernli Designs.  A must have if you are looking for quality wooden embellishment, alterables, storage options and more.  All at very reasonable prices.

This is my second make for them.

This is made from 2 sheets of 12x12 kraft card, 2 sheets of 12x12 design paper (if you didn't used patterned card) and 4x Window frame 6 sections and some vellum.  If you would like the full instructions, please click on the "MY Fernli Designs" tab above.

I have used a battery operated tea light inside to light it up.

I'm already making plans for another one of these with a different twist as I was thinking up new ideas before I was even half way through this one :)

Dinner time now so I am off.

Laters

Naomi x

Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree

Yes you guessed it.   I made my first Christmas card.  It had to be done. I have been hoarding a Christmas Tree from Fernli Designs  since last year and it was perfect for the card I was making so I finally used it.

Over at Crafters @ Play we have an acetate card challenge running.  I made a card as an example for that (I will show you that one further down) and was asked for a tutorial, so I made this one.

Close up of the tree.  I sprayed it with a green mica spray and added gems.

This is the original one that I made for the challenge.  

I like these cards because they don't take long to make, they are different to what you can buy in the shops, and they fold flat to go in the envelope.  Whats not to love.  Added bonus is you can easily make photo frames using the same technique.  Great to do with kids.

I need to work on the video for my Design Team project, so I need to get going.

Laters

Naomi x

Family run

Over the years I have been lucky enough to witness the birth of a number of new businesses. Some have thrived and are still going great and unfortunately some have fallen along the way.

Rant warning here

Large chain stores and supermarkets have been the death of a lot of family run businesses.  They jump on what's popular and sell it at a fraction of the price.  Great for our pockets, but that puts the family run businesses out of pocket and out of business.  We need to watch the pennies, but I think we need to support family run businesses too.

Rant over

So, with that said I would like to give a shout out to three businesses.

Verbo Computers  I have had the good fortune to know the family behind this company for many years now. They offer excellent customer service and their work is second to none.  Chris has had many years in the industry and really knows his stuff.  His rates are competitive and I would highly recommend him.

Fernli Designs  Spend more than two minutes on my blog and you will already know how much I love their products.  The quality is very high and their prices very competitive.  Delivery time is always good and they care about what they are sending out.

Hope and Chances Creativity is a local craft shop that I visited for the first time today.  They are much needed I can tell you as we have to travel for miles to get to another craft shop.  It's not the biggest shop you will ever find, but it is warm and friendly and the excellent customer service from the owner means that I will be going back again and again.

Individual family run businesses bring some thing new to the market in my opinion.  The business really matters to them so they put the extra effort in.  Support your local family run businesses by recommending them to people you know.  Spend a little extra when you can and buy from them instead of ebay.  If we don't use them we lose them because they need to eat the same way we do.

Back to crafting on my next post I promise, but I really do prefer to have a high street full of individuals rather than a bunch of corporate companies who don't really care about their product, just the pennies.

Laters

Naomi x

Acetate

A new card challenge went live today on Crafters @ Play  The challenge is to makes a card that involves some acetate.

I haven't worked much with acetate recently but I used to really enjoy working with it.  My favourite was the flittered acetate by Kanban.  I'm hoping that now they are up and running again, that they will start to make it again.

I created my own aperture and over layed with flittered acetate 

 This card is a little different

I gave these out as stocking fillers a few years ago.

There is so much that can be one with acetate.  I've only scratched the surface.

Well I'm off to look up more ways to use acetate on Pinterest.

Laters

Naomi x