My favourite technique - Nikki

This challenge was just about impossible for me!
I love all forms of papercraft and everything that that includes....
So here is a card that I made that has a couple of my favourite things in it.....

I love decoupage..... I love bunting...... and I love these papers....

We'd love to see your favourite techniques too.......
I'll be back later this month with another favourite to show you x

Happy crafting
Nikki x

December challenge - Your favourite thing from 2014

Merry Christmas!
I know that there is still a little time to go, but not long really!
On a personal note I would like to take the time to thank everyone who has played along with our challenges over 2014. You are all very talented and you have helped to inspire us every month.
I would also like to thank my design team - thank you for joining us and for all your wonderful inspiration every month. You are all uber talented and a joy to work with.
A massive thank you to all of our sponsors over 2014 - we hope you will all agree to sponsor us again in 2015 as we have loved working with all of your wonderful images.
And a special mention to my two team leaders, Dawn - who has been my right hand woman from the very start and sorts out all the sponsors for the team to work with and for you to win prizes from and Marlene - who joined us, stepped up when we needed a team leader and who helps the DT when they are stuck.
Without them, our sponsors and of course all of you, there would be no Crafting Cafe. So thank you!
Here's to a fun and crafty filled 2015!

So this month the challenge is for you to reflect 'Your favourite thing from 2014', that could be colours, creative mediums, and image or embellishment.
We can't wait to see the projects that you share with us.

This month there is no sponsor. This one is just for fun.
The design team will be popping back over the month to inspire you and show you some of their favourite things from 2014.....

Here are a few of my projects to get the ball rolling

 I have loved working with all our sponsors and I have loved getting creative with digis....

 I love, love, love all things die cut!

 Playing with pyrography...

 Having fun with fimo......

Now it's over to you.... we would love to see what your favourite thing has been this year - it's just for fun so really there are no rules....

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
Happy crafting
Nikki & The Crafting Cafe Design Team x

An InLinkz Link-up

October Challenge - Think Pink

Welcome to the brand new challenge for October at The Crafting Cafe

Last month you all out did yourself! 

What brilliant projects you all shared with us. Thank you for that.

This month our challenge theme is 

'Think Pink'....

To make it more interesting for you, we  have a wonderful sponsor

Aurora Wings

Who are offering one lucky winner a fantastic prize of their choice of 

$10 US dollars worth of digis from their shop!

Company Info/Artist Bio

Mitzi is a Colorado-based fantasy artist.  Originally from Japan, her art is influenced by the vintage shojo manga she grew up with, as well as the classic art forms such as tattoo art and woodblock prints of her native country.  Her fantasy art subjects range from cute and whimsical to dark and macabre, and everything in between.  Majority of her Aurora Wings digital stamps are made from the line art of her fantasy illustrations, giving them a uniquely distinct look of flowing lines with high level of detail.  Most are ink & pen traditional drawings, which are either colored free-hand in Corel Painter or traditionally with watercolor.  Her Etsy shop, Aurora Wings, offers digital stamps, prints, ACEOs, coloring books, and originals.

Shop - http://www.Etsy.com/shop/AuroraWings
Facebook Digi Group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/StampsByAuroraWings
Facebook Artist Page - http://www.facebook.com/FantasyArtofMitzi
Aurora Wings Challenge Blog - http://www.AuroraWingsChallenge.blogspot.com
Artist's Official Site - http://www.AuroraWings.com

The design team have been busy crafting away with their Sponsor images,

 to inspire you over the coming month, so be sure to keep checking back 

to see what they have been up to.

We love visiting your blogs so don't forget to pop your details into the link so we 

can see your project. If you are unsure of the challenge rules, 

you will find them over on the right hand column.

Here are my inspiration cards to get you started

Marlene

Now it's over to you,

Happy crafting

Nikki & The Crafting Cafe Design Team x

An InLinkz Link-up

September challenge - Shades of one

Thank you to everyone who joined in with last months challenge, all of the design team have loved looking at your wonderful creations and visiting all of your blogs. You are all very talented.

This month the Crafting Cafe challenge theme is 'Shades of One'....... so, feel free to use whatever colour makes you happy, we just want to see lots of shades of one colour. Time to get your pencils, inks or pens out.... but don't worry, if you don't like to colour you could always use lots of shades of paper and create a paper piecing work of art. Whatever you do, we can't wait to see it!

We have 2 sponsors this month......

Bugaboo

Scribble & Scrap

Watch this space to see all the great things the design team create over the month to inspire you.
To get the ball rolling here are two cards that I have made using images provided by both sponsors.

This one is using an image from Bugaboo (I adore working with the Bugaboo images),

and this one is an image from Scribble and scrap (I love this image - it looks just like one of my nieces)

I'll pop some close ups of these cards and a few others onto my blog. You can find that here....

Happy crafting
Nikki & The Crafting Cafe Design Team x

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy New Year!

Wow - what a fast year 2013 was!
Thank you to everyone who played along with our challenges and shared their crafty journey with us. We have loved every visit to all of your blogs - you are all so talented and very inspirational!
You will have seen new dt members over the past month, what a talented design team I have. If you missed their posts over the festive season, just have a look through some of the older posts.

So, welcome to 2014!!!

Our first challenge of the year sees us being sponsored by

The Stamping Boutique, read on for more about them!

Thank you so much for having us as your sponsor. 

We at TSB are very proud to offer original digital images and artwork to you. 
Thank you for giving us a few minutes of your valuable time to look over the store 
at http://http://thestampingboutique.com/ 
Good luck in the challenge and we hope to see you over at our TSB Community network.
 http://thestampingboutique.ning.com/

Thanks so much!

Tracey Malnofski

So many wonderful images in their shop to play with......
Our challenge for this month is "Anything Goes" - so get creative and show us what you can do! If you are new to us or unsure of our challenge rules you will find them over in the right hand side bar. Make sure you give them a read before you enter.

The prize on offer from The Stamping Boutique is 3 images of your choice from their shop!!!! (If you already have any of their images and you use one of them for this challenge, your prize would be 4 images if you won. To be eligible for this you must use one of TSB images and you must put TSB after your name in the link section).

I used the umbrella whimsy 2 digi stamp for my inspiration cards.
This is the card I made.....

Pop back over the next month to see what all the DT have been up to.
Here's to a craft filled, happy and healthy 2014.
Happy crafting
Nikki x

An InLinkz Link-up

November Challenge Winter Blues

Wow!!!! All the DT have been amazed at the wonderful projects 

 you have all created for us over the last month. 

You are totally amazing!

Don't forget to check back on the 6th November for our 

Winner & Top 3 Post.

Now on to this months challenge.

Our theme this time is "Winter Blues"

You can interpret that any way you like, the choice is yours!

We are lucky to be sponsored by the lovely Lindsay at

LEJ Designs

The prize is 4 images of the winners choice.
Please remember to check out the rules for the challenge before you enter.

So here are a couple of cards that I made to get the inspiration going - I loved working with Lindsay's wonderful images! I challenged myself to only use blue.... These are the cards I wanted to share with you...

We would love to see what you create!
Remember to come back throughout the month to see what the Design Team have been creating.

Happy crafting

xXxNikki & The Crafting Cafe TeamxXx

Anything Goes + A DT Call

Today sees the 1st of October and a brand new challenge from us.

Thank you to everyone who joined in with our challenge last month.

 It was amazing to see what you all created.

Lots and lots of wonderful altered art going on!

Thanks to those of you who expressed an interest in

 joining our Design Team too!

Our DT call is still live and will run until the 31st October.

We are a very friendly team who get to create with 

digis and themes every month. 

The term would be for 6 months initially and you are asked to create

 at least one project a month. Sound like fun?

All you need to do to be considered for the team is to create a project 

based on the theme for this month and then blog about it..... 

When you link your project up to the challenge,

simply add DT after your name to let us know you are interested.

If you don't want to join the DT, that's fine.... just link up as normal. 

We will still be popping by to leave some crafty love....

So the theme for you all this month is ........

'Anything Goes' 

So over to you, we want to see whatever you want to show us! 

Check out the rules in the side bar! 

Remember, no back linking and only one entry please 

(any second entries won't be counted towards the prize).

This month, we are being sponsored by the fabulous

Stampin Dragon Designs

 As you can see, one lucky winner this month gets 

a £5 voucher to spend in their shop.

Here is the project that I created using one of their digis...

I decided that this month I would make a door sign for my son's room.

 I love anything to do with cute dragons so this digi was just perfect for me!

We would love to see what you create and it would be lovely

 to have some more of  you talented people on our design team!

 Remember, when you link up to the challenge....

just add DT after your name.

Pop back soon to see the brilliant things that the design team have been 

getting up to help inspire you!

Happy Crafting

xx Nikki & The Crafting Cafe Team xx

Countdown

Hey everyone in blog land - Nikki here....

This month here on The Crafting Cafe we are doing "Altered Art". 

Now I know to a lot of people they shy away thinking that altered art is difficult ... 

it's not... and trust me - it's sooooo much fun!

You can alter anything.... from pencils to notepads or bigger projects like boxes or wardrobes!

 The sky really is the limit.

We would love to see what you can alter this month..

Here is my inspiration post for you,

This started off it's life as a scrapbook page, you know - the chipboard kind.....

Well I couldn't leave it alone...... and......... everyone knows how much i love Christmas....

So, I have made a countdown calender for Christmas.... yay..

So, there are only 112 days to go! Whoop whoop...

Come on over and play along with us - remember we also have a DT call out.... just remember to put DT behind your name if you want to be considered for the DT....

We really would love to see what you are creating with the theme this month. SO do share with us...

I'm off to have a look around blogland now....

Happy crafting x

Nikki x

A baby is born - August challenge

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in our challenge last month. We have all loved seeing the wonderful creations that you have made.

This month the have an exciting new challenge and theme for you to work with....
This month your theme is

A baby is born...

Well, when I set the themes for the year at the very beginning of the year, I could never have imagined how well timed this months would be!
We have a new Royal baby to welcome and at my work there have been 3 babies this month connected to my team! Not to mention all the other lovely babies that I keep hearing about.

This month we are lucky enough to be sponsored by the wonderful

The amazing prize for this months challenge will be 7 digis from Bugaboo! Wow - what a prize!

My card to help get the inspiration going this month is.....

Keep popping on over to the blog to see all the wonderful creations that the DT have been making.

Please make sure you pop on over to the right hand side bar to read our rules before you enter - we love to see your creations but we have to stick to the rules to make it fair for everyone. xxx

Happy crafting
Nikki x

Summer's Here - July's challenge

Hopefully wherever you are today there is a blue sky and lots of bright summers colours all around you. I always feel so much more alive and filled with energy when the sun is shining....

Thank you to everyone who took part in our challenge last month - what a fantastic bunch of projects you shared with us - very inspiring!

This month our challenge theme for you is
  'Summer's Here'....

 now it's over to you to get creative and then share it with us.....
 remember to link your blog onto this post so that we can pop on over and leave you some crafty love....
if this is the first time you have joined us - 'welcome x'

Please check our rules over in the right hand side bar.

This month our sponsor is the wonderfully talented Lindsay from

 LEJ Designs.

The Design Team have been working away with her designs creating projects

 to inspire you over the month.

The winner of this months challenge will get their choice of 4 digis from
Lindsay's wonderful collection.

Here are a few cards that I made for the challenge,
I used the same 'blossom' digi but achieved 3 totally different looks.

Now it's over to you!
Remember to keep popping back over the month as the
DT members will be stopping by to share their creations with you.

Happy crafting

Nikki x

Black and white

I just fell in love with the images for this month.
And thanks to Dawn (massive thanks again Dawn!) I was able to play with them... my computer wouldn't talk to my printer so Dawn was kind enough to print me off some images to create with.

This is the card I made to share with you this month...

It's been great seeing all the wonderful cards you have been creating this month too.
Thank you for joining in with the challenge.

Happy crafting
Nikki x

May Challenge goes live

Thank you all so much for stopping by our blog and
 for taking part in last months challenge.

We love seeing all the creativeness that you have been up to -
you really are a talented bunch, so a massive thank you
 for all your inspiration to us x

This month we are so lucky to have the wonderful 
Bugaboo Stamps

sponsoring us..... pop on over to their site to see
 the wonderful images that they have on offer
(and there are some fantastic freebies for you to use too!)...

The challenge theme for this month is

Lady Luck.........

So what does that mean?
Well we want to see your creativeness in however you see the theme
 and with whatever product you would like to use!
Lady luck!

Please have a look over the rules (you will see them over on the side bar)
to make sure that your project fits in with the challenge rules.

Here are a couple of cards from me to get the inspiration going,
remember the uber talented Design Team will be popping by here
every couple of days with some more projects to offer even more inspiration
(I've seen some of the projects coming your way - they are amazing!!!!).

Now over to you.....

We can't wait to see what you create this month for the challenge.

Happy crafting
Nikki x

My favourite colour

Well for anyone who knows me, they know there would only ever be one chance of one colour showing up here!
My favourite colour would have to be...... purple!
I love all things purple and when I saw the beautiful images that Delicious Doodles had given us to work with, I knew just what I wanted to do....
This is the card I made using the Butterfly Bliss digi,

 And here are a few close ups for you...

It would be great if you joined in with this months challenge.... we would love to see what you create - and remember, it's your favourite colour that we want to see you using.
Remember to leave us a link on the challenge post.
Happy craftin'
Nikki x

Design Team call

The Crafting Cafe blog is being created as we speak..... what we are now looking for are some people to have on the design team....
What a DT member is required to do....
* have an active blog
* one post a month on the crafting cafe blog
* work with whatever the months theme is
* take part in any blog hops that are held
* be a part of the crafting cafe blog fb group (dt members only group)
* be a member of the Crafting Cafe fb group
* have fun!
The dt post would be for a year...
Does this sound like fun to you - would you like to be part of the DT?
If you are interested,  leave your blog details here ..... xxx Good luck xxx

The call for the DT will run until the 25th January..... we are looking for 10 DT members.......

Brand new blog...

coming soon....

Watch this space!
Nikki x