Friday, June 15, 2018

A Card for Baby Too

Although I'm not really a card maker here's another. (I'm on a roll)

Graphic 45 Precious Memories Baby Card - Nichola Battilana

I've used papers from the Precious Memories collection from Graphic 45

Graphic 45 Precious Memories Baby Card - Nichola Battilana

The "Baby" script is cut from a larger chipboard piece. Me thinks it's been in my stash for a while and it may no longer be available but I'm working on finding out for you.

The flowers are a mix of bits from my stash. The leaves and white flowers from Petaloo, the green/yellow spray snipped from a $store bunch, and the wee blooms in the corner are 1/2 Inch Pale Peach Paper Roses

Graphic 45 Precious Memories Baby Card - Nichola Battilana

Not my usual thing, but sometimes it's nice to play outside the box and dabble in other areas because you never ever know what you're going to fall in love with.

xo

A Card for Fathers Day

Phew! It has been a hectic week. The kid is playing soccer competitively and we've been driving EVERYWHERE. Funny how traveling sort of knocks you on your bum even though you sit through most of it. 

ANYWAY... I made Mr. a Father's Day card with Olde Curiosity Shoppe 

Old Curiosity Shoppe Fathers Day Card - Nichola Battliana

I kinda love how it's more designy and not all about sports and fishing and golf and beer... because not all dad's are into that. (Though Mr does enjoy a micro-brew once in a while.)

Old Curiosity Shoppe Fathers Day Card - Nichola Battliana

Inside I've tucked a little pic of Mr and the Kid. And a flying pig because why not.

Old Curiosity Shoppe Fathers Day Card - Nichola Battliana

And there's just a hint of gold dresden trim on there because apparently I can't make anything without adding something shiny.

I've got another jam packed weekend coming up. It's all soccer all the time right now. I need more crafty blogging time please!

Anyway, have a lovely weekend and Happy Father's Day to all the daddy-o's out there. High fives to you!


Tuesday, June 05, 2018

Floral Shoppe Mushroom House

Floral Shoppe was the the Graphic 45 collection I was most excited about playing with. They are beautiful and lush and elegant and I just cannot gush about them enough. They are absolutely gorgeous! So, of course, one of my first Graphic 45 projects as brand ambassador puts those floral pretties to good use!

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

I took a simple wooden greenhouse from the craft asile at the bargain store, and covered it with Midnight Medley along with a chipboard tag.

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

I've added some decorative hardware with a Metal Door Plate and Knob and some Stamped Metal Brads. I've also added some metal feet to the bottom of the box.

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

I know it's not over the top covered with loads of embellishments and decorative elements... but I love the elegance of this wee piece. I think the paper just sings for itself.

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

What's inside you ask? Well, I thought about keeping jewelry inside, but my favourite sort of elegance is the type that goes hand in hand with eccentricity. This little greenhouse would belong to an old biddy who grew magical toadstools in her spare time.

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

The interior is covered with Old Curiosity Shoppe, tags and and fussy cut butterflies.

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

Inside, a collection of clay mushrooms and toadstools!

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

Note: While I normally use Paperclay for my mushroom making, this time I used DAS Junior air dry clay. It was under $3 at Walmart and I thought 'what the heck'. It's very similar to polymer clay, but doesn't need to be baked. I find my hands too hot for most polymer clays (it melts and gets mushy in my hands) but this was really fun to work with. 

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

There's a little space in the middle which I am saving to add a real small potted plant.

For the curious, here's the before.


And my transformed pretty Floral Shoppe mushroom house.

Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe Mushroom House - Nichola Battilana blog.pixiehill.com

Inspired? Here are all the bits I used in making this wee greenhouse.

Floral Shoppe
• Papers, Tags and Stickers

Small Wooden Greenhouse
Metal Feet
DAS Junior White Air Dry Clay
Sheet Moss
Faux Moss
Small Wooden "Clay" Pots
Acrylic Paint
Glue



A new Pixie Hill resident

This post has nothing to do with fairies or crafting or magic.


It has everything to do with this little fellow that I fell madly in love with last week. 


This tiny bunny is named William Oliver Nigel Kennith Yellowbottom.
(Wonky for short.)


He is just about the sweetest little floof in the world!


He's slow but curious.


He has a wonderfully mellow personality and it quite like Padfoot in every way but appearance (though they are both adorable),


He also never stops eating.


And that nose never stops twitching.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Wee Sewists Shrine

A wee sewist's shrine for AlphaStamps.com today.


I've used an Altoids tin for the body of the shrine, and the lid is being used as the base. I've used an old chess piece as the stand, but an old spool would work well too.


Speaking of spools... I've put a couple of vintage spools at the base as well as a few little buttons.


Inside, that's a 3 Inch Miniature Dress Form. I've applied a coat of gesso and then painted it white. To get it to fit inside the tin properly I've trimmed the base of the form. To cut it to size, I heated a blade and sliced through the plastic.


The tiny side table is made by gluing a Flat Round Wooden Bead atop a wooden finial. On top there are a Small Brass Scissors Charm, Tiny Thread Spools and a snip from the Mini Button Cards Half Sheet.


Want to make your own wee sewists shrine? You can find all of the AlphaStamps bits I put to use HERE.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Floral Phone Holder for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts

This month I decided to make something a little less elaborate, but it's one of my favourite products from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts: the Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder


I have three of these Phone holders around my house and I use them every day.


I know, I know... "but I could just prop my phone against something." That's what I thought too, but I really do love my little holders, use them daily and find them so useful.


Plus, it's a fun little project to work on. A little project to express your own style that takes up just a short time, a very few supplies, and is practical! Woo hoo, right?!?!


I've made a quick video walkthrough with a few tips like adding embellishment to the far edges rather than the centre. You can find it HERE 


You can get as elaborate or restrained as you like. Create something to suit your own style and tastes... but here are all the supplies I used to create this version of the Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder.

Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder
Lace Frame
Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe - PINK LILIES
Graphic 45 Floral Shoppe - Chipboard Tags
Thin Looped Dresden Borders - Pink
1 Inch Curly Paper Roses - Variegated Yellow Pink
Butterfly Charm
Acrylic paint

Sunday, May 27, 2018

The Potions Room

As per usual I was making things, then got distracted, then made something else.

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com

And this potions room happened in all the making.

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com

Ok, not so much a room as a wee magical corner... but BAM! It happened.

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com

There are a boatload of magical ingredients mentioned in Potter potions on those shelves.

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com

There's a nice wobby stack of bottles (looking very much like the stacks of containers in my tupperware cupboard.)

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com

Tucked atop there are important scrolls, magic books, a pillar candle, toadstools and a crystal ball.


Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com

The bottom door do open, but I've left them empty. I thought it would be fun, in case someone wants to hide a surprise inside.

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com


But if you'd like to create your own magical corner, here are a bunch of the supplies I used to create this piece:

Corner Room Box
Mini Oak Hutch A whole whack of stuff from HERE
Old Fashioned Grocery Cans
Little Potions Collage Sheet
Fairy Godmothers Cupboard Collage Sheet
Handmade and Set of Miniature Books (to make your own check out my Miniature Openable Book Tutorial)
Tiny Wooden Bowls

This isn't a complete list of all the doodads used in this piece. Some elements are old or odd bits. Have a poke around AlphaStamps miniatures selection, there's loads there. Have a wander through your local $ store and see if there are wee things you can plunder. For the rest, hobble and cobble bits together to fit the picture in your head.

Miniature Potions Room - Nichola Battilana pixiehill.com