My Paper Creations

Little Lady: Whimsy April Release Showcase Day 4

Hi Everyone!  Wow, this month has been so busy!  I have two kiddos playing t-ball this year so we spend 2 hours a night at practice at the school.  Add in Easter, my daughter's birthday, computer problems and moving all my files and photos over to a new computer, and all the normal routine stuff and I don't know if I'm coming or going most days! lol  I finally had the chance yesterday to create a card (the first card I've created this month!). 

Whimsy Stamps had their April release on Wednesday so the new images are already available for sale in the Whimsy Stamps store.  You can see all 18 new stamps along with the new dies and templates from the April release on this post on the Whimsy blog.  There are daily mini blog hops from the release day until the 24th where you can see lots of beautiful samples from the design team and special guests.  Be sure to leave comments along the way for a chance to win a free stamp that is hidden on one of the blogs.

For my card today, I decided to use the adorable Good Pony stamp from the amazing Crissy Armstrong.  It's such a cute image!  (Is my photo too large for your computer screen?  I'm trying to decide what size works best for most screens.)  I just noticed the twine got tucked under the image so I fixed that on the card, but I guess the photo will have to do. *wink*

I paired the image with some patterned papers from My Mind's Eye's Miss Caroline Dilly Dally paper pad and used some brads from the same line.  I colored the image with copic markers (listed below).  I used a paper doily I purchased from a seller on ebay.  (Drop me an email if you'd like links to the ebay sellers I purchased doilies from recently.  I had great experiences with each of the sellers.)  The sentiment I used is from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Back in the Saddle stamp set and finished my card off with some wooden buttons and hemp twine.

Each mini blog hop has a new release prize hidden somewhere along the way and you have 24hrs to enter each prize draw.

To be entered into today's mini blog hop prize draw, be sure to leave a comment on ALL of the DT's posts listed below by 12.00PM EST tomorrow. All winners will be announced on the Whimsy blog on 24 April.

Here's a list of the rest of the designers who've created beautiful samples to share with you today:

Dena Concienne - Special Guest
Iris Wiechmann
Lori Pachkowsky
Michele Roos {Special Guest}
Niki Estes (you're here)
Stephanne Maraver

Remember that the entire new release is available to buy right now from the Whimsy Stamps store along with all your Whimsy favorites.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to pop back to the Whimsy blog tomorrow for more new release creations!  Have a great weekend!

Niki

Little Lady card supplies:
Stamps: Good Pony (Whimsy Stamps), Back in the Saddle (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), white, red
Patterned Paper: Miss Caroline - Dilly Dally (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: brads (Dilly Dally - My Mind's Eye), wooden buttons, hemp twine, paper doily
Copic Markers:
horse body: N1, N3, N5
horse hair: T5, T7, T9, 110
horse eye: BG57
saddle/hat/boots: E33, E35, E37, E59
apple/saddle blanket/lead rope/bandana: R24, R27, R46, E19
leaf/grass: YG61, YG63, YG67, G28
skin: E000, E00, E11, E13, R00, R20
jeans: B91, B93, B95, B97
belt: E33, E37
shirt: BG53, BG57, BG11
sky: BG0000

Project Life 2012: Title Page

Hi Everyone!  January has been a horrible month for us as we keep passing nasty germs around.  We are so ready to be healthy again!  My littlest has been hit really hard and is having a really rough week.  I'm spending most of my time holding and comforting him so there hasn't been any craft time since he got sick. 

I thought I would share the filler cards for my title page for my 2012 Project Life album today.  I'm not caught up with my 2011 album, but I plan to work on my current album and work on catching up my 2011 album at the same time.  Of course, I'm a couple weeks behind already with us being so sick this month.  Anyway, here's my title page for my 2012 album.

Just like on my 2011 Title Page, I wanted to include a family photo, individual photos of my kiddos, and a photo of them together.  This year, I also decided to a white borders to my photos.  I'm not sure yet if I will do it with every photo, but I really like how it helps the photos stand out.  I'm printing all my photos using my Epson Picturemate Charm.  I love this little printer so much!  The print quality is just beautiful!


I created this card using some patterned papers from a My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose paper pad.  I die cut the label using a Labels 8 nestability die.  Those cork alphabet letters are from Close to My Heart and I just love them!  I love the texture they add.  The black image under the year is a stamp from a Waltzingmouse Stamps set, Very Vintage Labels No. 4, and the sticker is from a 7Gypsies  sticker set.  I love that quote and thought it was perfect for this project.

My inspiration for this filler card came from Gillian's PL Title Page.  I just loved the look and created a similar card in photoshop.  I used some of her wording and added some of my own.  Then, I printed it on a piece of patterned paper and added the heart and circles on the top.   I die cut the circles using nestability dies, patterned paper, and a cork sheet.  The heart is die cut from red felt, of course.  (It's a pretty red felt and not as orange as it appears on the screen! lol)

Somewhere along the way, it popped into my head that I would like to include a silhouette family to represent our family.  I created this in photoshop and printed it on patterned paper.  I added a little patterned paper banner and a cork number to finish it off.

Are you creating a Project Life album this year?  I'd love to see it!

Have a great week!

Niki

much appreciated

Guess who is Moxie Fab this week (and always)?  Waltzingmouse Stamps is being featured today over on the Moxie Fab blog.  It's great to see Waltzingmouse Stamps and Claire getting the much deserved extra attention.  Waltzingmouse Stamps offers high quality photopolymer stamps with amazing designs and fabulous customer service.   Claire, the owner, is one of the sweetest people I've met through stamping and I'm so honored to get to work with her.  Head on over to the Moxie Fab blog for a chance to win SIX Waltzingmouse Stamps sets.

I don't have a Christmas card to share, but I thought I would share this card today instead.  I made it back when I was the muse for the CASE Study Challenge, but never got around to sharing it until now.   I used the following Waltzingmouse Stamp sets to create my card: Afternoon Tea Sentiments, Rescue Remedies Additions, and Pic-Nic Patterns. 

I started by stamping the pattern on my card base using petal CTMH ink and a background stamp from Pic-Nic Patterns.  Then, I stamped the sentiment from Rescue Remedies Additions with black CTMH ink on kraft cardstock.  I stitched around the edge and adhered the piece to my card with foam adhesive.  I stamped the pansies from Afternoon Tea Sentiments twice on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  I colored them with copic markers and cut them out.  Then, I layered them and adhered them with foam adhesive.

Okay, head on over to the Moxie Fab blog for a chance to win some free stamps.  Claire is also doing an unrelated give away on her blog so be sure to check it out, too.

Have a great day!

Niki

birthday invite

Last month, I needed some quick invites for my son's birthday party so I created multiples of this little card.  I punched some large blue circles.  Then, I  stamped and embossed the stars (background stamp from Hero Arts) using some gold embossing powder.  Then, I stamped the adorable rocket image and the face from the Half Pint Heroes set from Waltzingmouse Stamps.   I colored the image with copic markers and cut them out.


I added some glossy accents to the image and let them dry over night.  Then, I adhered them with some foam adhesive and stamped the sentiment (also from the Half Pint Heroes set).

Have a great day!

Niki

CASE Study October Muse Week Three

Hi Everyone!  It's time for the new challenge over on the CASE Study Challenge blog.  I'm the muse for this month so I'm playing along with the design team.

This is the card that Chupa chose as the inspiration card for this week.  You can find my original blog post with all the card details here.  What I love most about this card is the CAS sketch and the great colors.

I love blog surfing and admiring all of the amazing card makers out there. Most of the time when I really love a card, the first thing I am drawn to is the stamps and the sketch.  I've found myself CASEing the sketches each week as I'm playing along with the CASE Study challenge and this week is no different.

This is the new card that I created for the challenge this week.  I decided to pull out my Back in the Saddle and Way Out West stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  I stamped the card base using the woodgrain stamp from Way Out West and some chocolate CTMH ink.  Then, I rounded the corners using my corner chomper.  I stamped the sentiment from Back in the Saddle using black CTMH ink, stitched the piece to a red mat, and added some copper brads before adhering it to my card with foam adhesive.  I created the accent piece using stamps from both sets as well.  The rosette is a background stamp that I stamped on white cardstock using crystal blue CTMH ink.  Then, I cut the two strips apart, scored tthem, folded them, and assembled the piece.

Come join us in the challenge over on the CASE Study blog.  I loved revisiting this sketch so much that I even created a second card that I'll try to get post later this week.

Have a Happy Thursday!

Niki

Waltzingmouse Stamps October Release Blog Waltz

Welcome to the Waltzingmouse Stamps October Release Blog Waltz!  There are 6 new sets that are available now for purchase: Seasonal Remedies, Nordic Winter, 2011 Holiday Ornaments, Santa's Coming to Town, Candy Jar Christmas, and Candy Jar Christmas Fillers.  The design team is celebrating the new release with a blog waltz featuring the last two new sets, Candy Jar Christmas and Candy Jar Christmas Fillers.  You can find the master list on Claire's blog and should have arrived here from Laurie's blog.

I absolutely love these two sets!  There have been many companies that have released stamp sets featuring canning jars, but I haven't seen anything like these cute little candy jars that Claire designed.  With her attention to detail, you know they are amazing!  Just look at that great label on the jar!

I used some patterned papers from the new 12 Days of Christmas paper pad from My Mind's Eye.  Then, 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 using a rectangle nestability die.  Then, while the image was still in the die, I sponged some antique linen distress ink around the edges.  I added some baker's twine, a couple velvet brads, and a sentiment also from the Candy Jar Christmas set.

Now, it's time to keep hopping.  The next stop in the waltz is Tosha's blog.  Be leave a comment on all the designers' blogs because you might win a free set from Waltzingmouse Stamps. You have until October 17th to comment on as many of the Design Team blogs as possible because a winner will be selected at that time from one of the Design Team members’ blogs to win a Waltzingmouse Stamp set of choice.  The winner will be announced on October 18th on Claire’s blog.    

Have a great weekend!

Niki

Waltzingmouse Stamps October Release Day Three

Welcome to Day Three of the Waltzingmouse Stamps October release!  Today, the design team is sharing sneak peeks of the new 2011 Holiday Ornaments stamp set and the Santa's Coming to Town stamp set.  Both sets feature ornaments that coordinate with the Ornament dies that Spellbinders just released.  The new sets will all be available for purchase on October 15th. 

I absolutely love this release!  Every set is a must have set (in my opinion).  My cards today were so much fun to create!  I had so much fun playing with inks and stamps and trying a new technique that I hadn't tried before.  My set of cards was created with kraft cardstock, white cardstock, white embossing powder, stamps, and an assortment of inks (no copic markers even!).

My background papers were created by sponging various Tim Holtz distress inks on white cardstock using foam applicators and foam applicator refills from Ranger.  I cut my white cardstock to size.  Then, I sponged the inks on the cardstock and flicked water on the cardstock to create the great background.  (I did all my inking and water flicking on one of the Ranger Craft Sheets.  They make clean up so easy as everything just wipes right off.)  It is such a fun technique and one I can't wait to play around with more!  I love the look that it creates!  (Sorry for all the exclaimation points, but I had so much fun creating this card set and love how they turned out. *wink*)


For this card, I started by inking my white cardstock with fired brick distress ink.  I added many layers until I got a beautiful dark red.  Then, I added some pumice stone distress ink and a little walnut stain distress ink around the edge.  After flicking a little water on the piece, you can see the great look it creates when the ink pools a bit.  I stitched around the edge before adhering the piece to my kraft card base.

I stamped that gorgeous doily from the Dainty Doilies 2 Small stamp set with a Big & Bossy embossing ink pad from Ranger.  (My pad is all clear embossing ink.  The one I'm linking to has a black pad and a clear pad in one.  The Ranger embossing pad is by far the best embossing ink I have ever tried.  It completely blows a versamark pad out of the water! It's definitely my favorite embossing ink.)  Then, I embossed the doily with white embossing powder.  I hand cut around the doily and adhered it to my card with foam adhesive. 

Last, I stamped that beautiful ornament from the new 2011 Holiday Ornaments set twice on white cardstock using tuxedo black memento ink.  I cut the ornment out and sponged it with shabby shutters distress ink and a little peeled paint distress ink around the edges.  I cut just the sentiment out of the second stamped ornament and sponged it with antique linen and tea dye distress inks.  Then, I layered the sentiment over my first stamped ornament and adhered it with foam adhesive.

I created the other cards using the same techniques as the first just with different ink colors and stamps.  For this card, I created my background by layering shabby shutters distress ink, peeled paint distress ink, and a little walnut stain distress ink around the edges.  Since I had more than one color of green distress ink, the water flicking created a really neat look.  (I think I need another dark red distress ink so the red is more dramatic, too!) 

For my sentiment on this card, I used one of the great sentiments from the new Seasonal Remedies stamp set which will also be available on October 15th.  Again, I stamped the image twice on white cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  I cut out one and sponged it with fired brick and walnut stain distress inks. Then, I cut just the sentiments out on the second one and sponged it with antique linen and tea dye distress inks.


For my third card, I used worn lipstick and fired brick distress inks along with a little pumice stone and walnut stain distress inks around the edges.  This sentiment is also from Seasonal Remedies.  I stamped it twice again and cut it out.  The first piece was sponged with shabby shutters and peeled paint distress inks and the sentiment was sponged with antique linen and tea dye distress inks.


I also sprayed each of my background pieces with Pearl Glimmer Mist to give it a beautiful shimmer that is really difficult to pick up in a photo, but so pretty in person.  (They reformulated the glimmer mists and I think they spray much more evenly now.  I really like the shimmer it added.)

Okay, it's time to hop around to the rest of the designers' blogs to see what they created with the new sets:

Anya Schrier
Becca Feeken
Belinda Chang Langner
Clare Buswell
Julia Aston
Jennifer Holmes
Kate Whelan
Kelly Schirmer
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Mona Pendleton
Sandie Dunne
Tosha Leyendekker
Claire Brennan (Owner)

Have a great day!

Niki

Waltzingmouse Stamps October Release Day Two & CASE Study October Muse Week Two

Welcome to Day Two of the Waltzingmouse Stamps October release!   Today, we are sharing sneak peeks of the new Nordic Winter stamp set.  It is a great stamp set filled with great Nordic background images.  My card today is also for this week's CASE Study challenge.

I'm also sneaking in a peek at the new 2011 Holiday Ornament set, too, which the rest of the team will share sneak peeks of tomorrow.  (It was just perfect for this card so I had to use it!)  I stamped the background on my kraft cardstock using new england ivy ink from CTMH.  Then, I stamped come cream cardstock using another background image from Nordic Winter and tulip ctmh ink.  I embossed the piece to give it the feel of fabric like on my card for this week's CASE Study challenge and then, distressed the edges and stitched it to a piece of red cardstock.  I stamped the ornament and sentiment from 2011 Holiday Ornaments on cream cardstock and die cut it with a nestability die.  Then, I hand cut a mat, added some string and button, and adhered it to my card using foam adhesive.  (This card didn't quite turn out like the vision in my head, but that's the way it goes some times.)

Here's a closer look at the embossing.  It reminds me of fabric like that used in my card Chupa chose for this week's CASE Study challenge (below).

For the CASE Study challenge, I was inspired to use a similar sketch and to create a similar look of the fabric on my stamped piece by distressing the edges and embossing it.  You can find my original post here with all the details of this card.  Hop over to the CASE Study challenge blog to play along and to see what the design team created.

Also be sure to hop around to the rest of the Waltzingmouse Stamps Designers' blogs to see what they created with the new Nordic Winter set:
Anya Schrier
Becca Feeken
Belinda Chang Langner
Julia Aston
Jennifer Holmes
Kate Whelan
Kelly Schirmer
Laurie Schmidlin
Lynn Mercurio
Mona Pendleton 
Sandie Dunne
Tosha Leyendekker
Claire Brennan (Owner).

Have a great day!

Niki

Waltzingmouse Stamps October Release Day One

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down (or click HERE) to see my Swimming for Katie Blog Hop post!

Welcome to Day One of the Waltzingmouse Stamps October release!  There are some really neat sets releasing this month and the design team can't wait to share some sneak peeks.  (I have to tell you this is one of my all time favorite releases so far!!)  The new sets will be available for purchase on October 15th.

Today, we are sharing sneak peeks of the new Seasonal Remedies stamp set.  I absolutely love this set!!  The typography makes it so easy to create beautiful cards.  The way Claire designs stamps is just amazing and I love seeing what she comes up with next.

For my card, I started by rounding the corners of my patterned paper and card base and then, stitching a couple pieces of patterned paper together (Basic Grey Jovial paper pad).  Then, I stamped my sentiment using tuxedo black memento ink on cream cardstock and sponged antique linen and tea dye distress inks around the edges of my sentiment and patterned papers (over the stitching to darken it as well).  I finished off my card with a gold filigree corner and some taupe roses from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Now, it's time to hop around to the other designers' blogs to see what they created with the new set:

Anya Schrier

Becca Feekan
Belinda Chang Langner

Claire Brennan (owner)

Jennifer Holmes

Julia Aston

Kate Whelan

Kelly Schirmer 

Laurie Schmidlin 

Lynn Mercurio

Mona Pendleton

Sandie Dunne

Sarah Martina Parker

Tosha Leyendekker 

(Be sure to scroll down to for my Swimming for Katie Blog Hop post.)  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Niki

CASE Study October Muse Week One

This month, I have the pleasure and honor of being the new muse over on the CASE Study blog.  If you've never been to this challenge blog, you'll definitely want to check it out!  Each month, a new muse is chosen and the design team uses some of her cards for inspiration for their own cards.

This is the inspiration card for this week.  It's a card I created about a year ago.  You can find all the details on the original post here.  This card has always been one of my favorites that I did for PTI.  I just love the colors and sketch and that butterfly is my favorite stamp from the Butterfly Dreams stamp set that I designed for PTI.

And this is the card I created this week.  I CASE'd the card pretty literally with the colors, sketch, and design.  I used some stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps for my card.  I stamped the backgroud piece using a stamp from the Victorian Frippery stamp set.  Then, I stamped the main image and sentiment from the Bountiful Basket Additions set.  I inked all the edges and cut the sentiment out with a circle nestability die.  I colored the image on copic x-press it cardstock with copic markers.  The sheet music is some vintage sheet music that I cut and inked the edges.

Head on over to the CASE Study blog to see what the amazing design team ladies came up with for the challenge and to join us in the challenge. 

Thanks so much again, Chupa, for asking me to be this month's muse!  I can't wait to see what all the ladies created!

Niki