My Paper Creations

Trick or Treat

Hi Everyone!  It's time for another challenge over on the High Hopes blog.  The new challenge is Autumn Colors.  I pulled out the adorable Witchy Poo Stirring Brew and the Happy Halloween Top/Bottom sentiment.  I used more patterned paper from the Cosmo Cricket Matilda paper pad and added lots of stitching, some black lace from May Arts, and some black buttons.


I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers (sorry, I didn't write the colors down this time).

Come join us in the challenge for a chance to win some free stamps from High Hopes.  Thanks so much to Tina, Bethany, and Lacey for inviting me to guest design this summer!  It was so much fun catching up with everyone and, of course, getting to play with the adorable stamps.

Have a great night!

Niki

Happy Bear-Day!

It's time for another High Hopes challenge.  The new challenge is Anything Goes.  (So there's no excuse not to play along!)  I pulled out the adorable Standing Birthday Buddy image along with the Happy Bear-Day sentiment for my card.

I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and die cut it with an oval nestability die.  I used some patterned paper from Echo Park's Sweet Summertime line.  I colored the image with these copic markers: R20, R21, R22, R24, E31, E33, E35, E37. E29, W3, W5, W7, W9, R27, R46. R89. BG45, BG05, BG07, YG17, colorless blender.  While the image was still in the die, I sprayed the clouds using a copic marker and my air compressor.  I added some stitching and finished my card off with some 5mm pearls, 25mm rose leaves, white sweetheart blossoms, and 2 tone red/white cherry blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I'm also playing along with the current Wild Orchid Crafts challenge which is "Beary Special."

Come join us in the challenge for the chance to win some free stamps!  Have a wonderful day!

Niki

Time to Relax

(You can click on the photos to enlarge them and make them sharper.)

It time for another challenge over on the High Hopes blog.  The new challenge is Fun in the Sun.  This challenge was perfect for me.  I inked up a couple of stamps that I just got from High Hopes: Beach Girl Patti and Fillable Beach Scene. 

I stamped Beach Girl Patti on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and again on Eclipse Masking Tape.  I cut out my mask and put it over my image.  Then, I stamped the Fillable Beach Scene over my image.  I used some patterned papers from Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness patterned paper pad.


I colored my image with these copic markers: W1, W3, E31, E33, E30, E37, E87, BG72, BG75, E000, E00, E11, E13, R20, R24, R27, R89, R30, R32, B32, B41, BG0000, colorless blender.  I used a sentiment from Lili of the Valley's Mixed Circular Sentiments stamp set.  I used some red cherry blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts along with some white roses and other flowers from my stash.  I punched the white "greenery" using a martha stewart branch punch.  I stitched my layers before adhering everything to my card.  I use Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to adhere my flowers and foam adhesive to adhere my image and sentiment.

Come join us in the challenge for a chance to win some free stamps!  Have a wonderful day!

Niki

Thank Ewe!

Hi Everyone!  It's time for another High Hopes challenge.  This week's challenge is a Thank You theme.  I used the adorable Posey's for Ewe image and the Thank Ewe sentiment for my card. 

I paired the image with some patterned papers from Echo Park's Springtime Collection.  I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I used these markers: RV32, RV34, V99, W1, W3, W5, W7, W9, BG000, YG93.  I die cut the image with a circle nestability die.  While the image was still in the die, I used my air compressor and the BG000 marker to lightly spray the sky.  I didn't mask the image.  I just tried to stay around the edges when spraying.  I stitched my patterned papers together and added a couple green buttoms before adhering the piece to my card base.  I adhered my image using foam adhesive and added some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I used the Martha Stewart Leaf Frond punch to punch the patterned paper leaves.

Come join us in the challenge for a chance to win some free stamps!  Have a great day!

Niki

Best Day Ever

I am guest designing with High Hopes stamps for the next three months.  I had the opportunity to design for them in the past so I'm excited to catch up with everyone and, of course, the images are so cute!  Every other Tuesday, there is a challenge over on the High Hopes blog.  This week's challenge is Stars and Stripes (use stars and/or stripes on your card).  I used this adorable image called Time Well Spent.

I used some patterned papers from the Campfire paper pad from October Afternoon.  I stamped my image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I die cut the image with a rectangle nestability die.


I used these copic markers to color my image: E33, E35, E37, E29, E55, E57, E59, R46, R89, T5, Y35, E00, E11, E21, B95, B97, B99, T7, T9, BG000, BG01, B0000, B000, colorless blender.

I sponged antique linen and tea dye distress inks arounds the edges of my patterned papers, image, and sentiment.  Then, I added some stitching, black buttons, and charcoal baker's twine.  I adhered my image and sentiment with foam adhesive.  Isn't that such a great sentiment!  It's from Catslife Press.

Hop on over to the High Hopes blog to see what the rest of the ladies created and to join in the challenge.  Have a great day!

Niki

hugs & kisses

I had the chance this week to play along with the High Hopes Design team as they celebrate their 100th challenge this week.  And they are definitely celebrating!  (You're going to want to read below because there are some huge prizes being given away!) To celebrate the 100th challenge, High Hopes is having a Blog Hop complete with lots of prizes! As you hop from stop to stop, make sure to leave comments because there is candy along the way.

The 1st prize is $100 retail value unmounted or cling mounted stamps High Hopes Stamps!!! WOW!!!
The 2nd prize is $50 retail value unmounted or cling mounted stamps High Hopes stamps!!!
And the 3rd and 4th prizes will each receive $25 retail value unmounted or cling mounted stamps High Hopes stamps!!
That's a lot of stamps at stake!!

In order to have a chance to win, you must leave a comment on each blog along the hop!!   The hop will remain open 12:00pm (noon) EST Monday, Jan 17th.  The winners will be announced next Tuesday.

You may also notice that we have a few special guests joining us for this challenge!! A few of our Original Divas have returned for this special event. Make sure to say "hi"!! 

The challenge this week is "Anything Goes."  I pulled out this adorable Group Hug Bears image for my card.  It's such a cute image!  I colored my image with copic markers and cut it out with a circle nestability die.  While my image was still in the die, I sponged some yellow ink around the edges.  I paired my image with some patterned papers from October Afternon (Thrift Shop and Cherry Hill paper pads).  I added lots of stiching and some crocheted flowers and buttons. 

You should have arrived from Michelle's blog.  If you didn't come from there, you will want to start at the top at the High Hopes Blog so you don't miss any stops along the way (remember those huge prizes I mentioned *wink*).  Thanks so much for letting me hop along with you, ladies!  It was so much fun catching up with everyone!

 From here you will hop to Nikki's blog.  Happy Hopping!!

Niki

hello sunshine

I have a fun card to share today.  I created this card back in June!  Honestly, I don't know what took me so long to share it on my blog.  It is one of my personal favorite cards that I created this summer.  I love the colors and papers.  This adorable image is Heidi and Mattie from High Hopes.

I read on the High Hopes site that they are discontinuing many of their older stamps.  This makes me so sad.  They have always been one of my favorite companies for adorable images.  But I refuse to get rid of my beloved High Hopes stamps just because they are retiring many of them so you will still be seeing my cards with their images! :)  Lacey does carry many of the older High Hopes stamps along with the new releases in her store, Stamp and Create.  She has this image available here.

Okay, card details are pretty similar to most of my card details.  Image was colored with copic markers.  Sorry, I don't know the marker colors as I created this card the beginning of June.  After die cutting the image, I sponged around the edges with some yellow ink while the image was still in the die.  Patterned papers are from October Afternoon's Thrift Shop line.

Have a wonderful day!

Niki

Supplies
Stamps: Heidi and Mattie (High Hopes Rubber Stamps), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: white, kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Thrift Shop (October Afternoon)
Ink: tuxedo black (memento), yellow
Accents: ocean tides buttons (Papertrey Ink)
Tools: copic markers, sewing machine, rectangle nestability die (Spellbinders), border punch

may your day overflow with fun!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  My son had his last day of school yesterday.  It's hard to believe he is out for summer vacation and I will have a first grader when school starts up again.  Where does the time go?!  It's also a little less than 3 weeks until our newest little one is due.  We didn't find out if the baby is a boy or a girl so we are all very curious to find out when he or she gets here! 

Today, I thought I would share a card I created a while back using the adorable Bubble Bath Bradley image from High Hopes.  Isn't he so cute?!  I just love Dustin's images.  I paired him with some patterned papers from the Marrakech line from Basic Grey and colored him with copic markers.

 

I added lots of stitching to my layers and then added some Glossy Accents dimensional glaze to the soap bubbles around Bradley.  (It's a little hard to tell in the photo, but all the bubbles are nice and shiny.)

Speaking of High Hopes, I read over on their blog that there is a new release coming out soon.  The design team will be starting their sneak peeks this weekend and having the release and a blog hop on Monday.  I can't wait to see the new images!  Remember, High Hopes sells wholesale only now.  That means you can pick up the stamps from a retail store so the stamps are in stock and ready to ship out on Monday when the release goes live.  You will be able to find the new release stamps and lots of other High Hopes stamps at these stores:

Amy Wegener - Stampin' Stuff based out of Australia

Nikki Fairbairn - Bunny Zoe's Crafts based out of the UK/Europe

Lacey Stephens - Stamp and Create based out of the US

Amy Leggate - Paper Romance based out of Canada

 

Well, I am off to run some errands and then get back to my Papertrey Ink projects.  Have a Happy Wednesday and thanks for stopping by!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Bubble Bath Bradley, Overflow (High Hopes Rubber Stamps)
Cardstock: white, kraft (Papertrey Ink), blue
Patterned Paper: Marrakech (Basic Grey)
Ink: tuxedo black (Momento)
Accents: terracotta tile buttons (Papertrey Ink)
Tools: copic markers, sewing machine, Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Bethany Angel

What good guessers you all are!  I am pregnant and about 7 months along.  Our little one is due the end of June.  We don't know if it is a boy or a girl, but are excited to welcome either into our family.  We have a son and a daughter so we have clothes already no matter which the baby turns out being.  It's been a very uneventful pregnancy and easier than my pregnancies with our son and daughter.  Everything is going really well.  Thanks so much for the well wishes!  Hugs!

Now, how about a card using a cute image from High Hopes!

I received this adorable Bethany Angel image from Lacey as part of my Stamp and Create design team package.  I've seen her numerous times on cards out there in blog land and it was fun to finally get to use her myself.  I paired her with some Cherry Hill patterned papers from October Afternoon.  I colored her with copic markers that coordinate with my patterned papers and added some beautiful Prima roses and lots of stitching.

 

A close up photo of the adorable image so you can see that I added a little sparkle to her wings using a Sakura gelly roll pen.

Have a fabulous day!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Bethany Angel (High Hopes Rubber Stamps)
Cardstock: white, pure poppy (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Cherry Hill (October Afternoon)
Ink: tuxedo black (momento)
Accents: roses (Prima Marketing)
Tools: copic markers, sewing machine, gelly roll pen (Sakura)

Get Well Soon

For the next two weeks, the product spotlight over at Stamp and Create is an Easter Sale.  So any stamps that are Easter-ish in nature will be 25% off (including the Stampavie Easter Parade image on the card I posted this past weekend).  You can find more info on the Stamp and Create blog.  But not all the stamps have to be used for Easter so it's the perfect time to pick up some cuties!  I used the adorable Bunny Blooms image from High Hopes to create a get well card instead of an Easter or Spring themed card.

Since the image is a rather large one, I went with a very simple sketch for my card so the focus is really on the adorable image.  I colored my bunny with copic markers and used some Basic Grey Urban Prairie patterned papers.  I added lots of stitching and some brads with spacers in the corners of my image.

I added a little white fun flock to the bunny's tail to make it nice and fluffy.  The sentiment I used is also from High Hopes.

And I remembered to snap a quick photo of the copic markers I used to color the image.  (You can click on the photo for a larger version.)

Have a wonderful day!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Bunny Blooms (High Hopes Rubber Stamps)
Cardstock: white, smokey shadow (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Urban Prairie (Basic Grey)
Accents: brads, spacers, button, ribbon
Tools: copic markers, sewing machine, fun flock, glue pen (Sakura), scalloped border punch (SU)