My Paper Creations

new blog address

I got everything switched over to my new blog: http://nikiestes.blogspot.com/

Come visit me!

Niki :)

Moving my Blog

Hi Everyone,

I am moving my blog over to Blogger. ( http://nikiestes.blogspot.com/ )  I am still moving things around and setting them up, but an amazing friend of mine figured out how to move all my posts and comments over there so all of my content and previous posts will be moved to my new blog.  I am so happy that I won't be losing access to all my previous work!! 

Anyway, I will move the subscriptions over if you subscribe to my blog through Feedblitz.  (There is a place where I can change the link so you will automatically receive the new feed if you subscribe that way.)  If you subscribe through Feedburner, I will see if I can move the feed, but you may have to resubscribe.  If you subscribe using Google Reader, please change the feed to my new blog address: http://nikiestes.blogspot.com/ 

If you come over to my new blog, you can also sign up to be a follower using Blogger's gadget on the right of my blog.  Just click the "Join this Site" button.

I will be having some blog candy to celebrate my move so be sure to drop by soon!  (I haven't posted the blog candy yet.  I'm still tinkering with my blog, but I will be adding some soon.  Maybe I'll be doing a few different blog candies throughout the month to celebrate my move so come join me at my new blogging home! *wink*)

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Niki

Best Witches

I made this card a while back for Whimsy Stamps, but never got around to posting it here on my blog.  I figure I better post it today since it is Halloween! :)

This adorable little witch is called Hazel.  I think this has to be one of the cutest Halloween images ever.  I just love Sylzia's Zet illustration style!  I used some patterned papers from Cosmo Cricket's Matilda paper pad.  The ribbon is actually cheesecloth that I dyed with a black spray ink.


I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  (I don't remember the colors because I made this card over a month ago.  Sorry!)  I masked the image and sprayed the sky.   Then, I added some shading to the clouds with gray copic markers.


The sentiment is from Catslife Press.  I love their seal sentiments!

Hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!

Niki

Special Birthday: Whimsy Stamps October Release Showcase Day 7

Hello and welcome to Day 7 of our October Rubber & Die Release Showcase! On Wednesday (October 24th) Whimsy Stamps released this month's new rubber designs, Shapeology dies, Whimsy Designer Paper packs and Shape EZ templates. From then until October 30th, the Whimsy Stamps DT and Special Guests are showcasing these fabulous new goodies with a daily mini blog hop! Each mini blog hop has a new release prize hidden somewhere along the way and you have 24 hrs to enter each prize draw.

For my card today, I used the adorable Birthday Baby Girl image from illustrator Sylvia Zet.  I have a niece whose birthday is coming up next month so I thought this image would be perfect for her card.

I used patterned papers from the Miss Caroline: Dolled Up paper pad from My Mind's Eye.  I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I used some stickles to add some sparkle to the candle flame, the centers of the flowers, and the little floating bubbles.

I used the Double Scallope Doily Die to die cut the white frame around the image.  The sentiment is from the Party Mini Letter Seals stamp set.  I used a variety of flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and added some Star Dust stickles to the edges of the petals so they sparkle. 

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 October 31st. To take a peek at today's fabulous new release creations, please click on the links below...

 Debbie Eastman
Erin Bailey
Heidy Blom
Iris Wiechmann
Niki Estes (you're here)
Simonne Clay
Stephanne Maraver
Sylvia Blum
Alberto Gava - Guest Designer
Bev Rochester - Special Guest
Pops Morfitt - Special Guest

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

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Niki

special birthday card supplies:
Stamps: Birthday Baby Girl, Party Mini Letter Seals (Whimsy Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), white
Patterned Paper: Miss Caroline: Dolled Up (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: flowers (Wild Orchid Crafts)
Dies: circle nestability (Spellbinders), Double Scallop Doily (Whimsy Stamps)
Copic Markers

Christmas Ornaments: Whimsy Stamps October Release Showcase Day 5

Hello and welcome to Day 5 of our October Rubber & Die Release Showcase! On Wednesday (October 24th) Whimsy Stamps released this month's new rubber designs, Shapeology dies, Whimsy Designer Paper packs and Shape EZ templates. From then until October 30th, the Whimsy Stamps DT and Special Guests are showcasing these fabulous new goodies with a daily mini blog hop! Each mini blog hop has a new release prize hidden somewhere along the way and you have 24 hrs to enter each prize draw.

(You can click on all the photos to see a larger version.)

Since this was a Christmas release, I wanted to use some Christmas images to make ornaments as gifts for my children.  I used an image from this release as well as images from past releases.  I have two sons and a daughter so I tried to create ornaments that weren't too girly (for the boys) so that meant no lace and such on their ornaments.  (Please excuse the snow that is shaken out of place in this photo as I didn't see it when I was taking photos.)

I stamped all the image on copic x-press it carstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored them with copic markers.  Then, I die cut the images and added foam adhesive around the edges, snowy glitter in the middle, and a piece of clear cardstock over the top to create a shaker.  Then, I added frames around the front to cover the foam adhesive.

This cute Santa and Teddy Portrait image is from illustrator Crissy Armstrong.  It is such a sweet image.  For the boys' ornaments, I added a larger cardstock circle behind the image to help them stand out and wrapped maraschino baker's twine around the shaker to cover the foam adhesive.  I added a string to hang the ornaments, a bow with a button center and bells tied to the tails, and some white poinsettias and holly berries to the top.

This adorable Snow Fun image is also by Crissy.  I thought it was perfect for a shaker ornament because it looks like they are sledding in the snow.

I chose this beautiful Heidi image from illustrator Sylvia Zet for my daughter's ornament.  I finished her ornament a little differently than the boys' ornaments.  I added some lace behind the image and wrapped some pearl string around the foam adhesive to cover it.  (I've had that pearl string in my craft stash for a very, very long time so I have no idea if you can still buy it some place.)  Since I didn't have any red in the image, I didn't want to use the same holly berries so I added some white berries instead.

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 October 31st. To take a peek at today's fabulous new release creations, please click on the links below...

Debbie Eastman
Heidy Blom
Niki Estes (you're here)
Simonne Clay
Tammy Louise Cunliffe
Bev Rochester - Special Guest
Michele Roos - Special Guest

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

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Niki

ornament supplies:
Stamps: Santa and Teddy Portrait, Snow Fun, Heidi (Whimsy Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), cotton candy, wild cherry (My Favorite Things), green
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: Maraschin0 twine (The Twinery), Raspberry Twine (Divine Twine), Sweet Tooth buttons (My Favorite Things), white poinsettias, red holly, white berries (Wild Orchid Crafts), white crocheted lace, pink pearl string
Copic Markers

Trick or Treat: Whimsy Stamps October Release Showcase Day Two

Hello and welcome to Day 2 of our October Rubber & Die Release Showcase! On Wednesday (24 October) Whimsy Stamps released this month's new rubber designs, Shapeology dies, Whimsy Designer Paper packs and Shape EZ templates. From then until October 30th, the Whimsy Stamps DT and Special Guests are showcasing these fabulous new goodies with a daily mini blog hop! Each mini blog hop has a new release prize hidden somewhere along the way and you have 24hrs to enter each prize draw.

Since Halloween is just around the corner, I had to use the adorable new Batty Boo image from illustrator Sylvia Zet.  When I saw this image earlier this year as a digital image offered by Sylvia, I was hoping Whimsy Stamps would release a rubber version and I'm so excited they did!  Isn't is so cute?!

I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I used some patterned papers from October Afternoon's new Witch Hazel paper pad along with some buttons and washi tape from the same line.  I finished my card off with some Halloween baker's twine and a sentiment from Catslife Press. (The Halloween twine is Divine Twine which I am placing an order with soon so let me know if you want some.  You can find all the info here.)

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 October 31st. To take a peek at today's fabulous new release creations, please click on the links below... 

Erin Bailey
Niki Estes (you're here)
Deb Routledge - Special Guest
Mariska van der Veer - Special Guest
Michele Roos - Special Guest

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

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Niki

Trick or Treat card supplies:
Stamps: Batty Boo (Whimsy Stamps), sentiment (Catslife Press)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), white
Patterned Paper: Witch Hazel (October Afternoon)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: buttons, washi tape (October Afternoon), Halloween baker's twine (Divine Twine)
Copic Markers

Birthday Wishes from Bella

It's been a while since I posted (or created a card for that matter).  My son got hurt in September so I haven't had any time for paper crafting.  His finger was smashed in a door jam when we were visiting family and the tip was almost cut off.  We rushed him to the ER and he is doing better.  I've spent all my free time reading and playing with him to distract him from his bandage, but he is doing amazingly well.  He's really taken the whole thing in stride.  I think it's been harder for me!  We got the stitches out last week, but we still keep it bandaged up because it is extremely sore.  The fingernail was ripped out and they stitched it back, but he may still lose it.

Anyway, all my free time has been spent with my little one so no paper crafting since my last post.  But I do have a couple cards that I had created a while back, but haven't shared here yet.  I figured I better post today since it is World Card Making Day. :)

This adorable image is from Wild Rose Studio and is called Bella's Birthday.  It is available in the US at Stamp and Create here.  I used some patterned papers from October Afternoon's Cakewalk paper pad along with a button from the same line.  The sentiment is from the Birthday Circles set from Wild Rose Studio. 

Luckily, I did write down the copic marker colors I used so I can list them below.  After coloring the image, I die cut it with a Labels 8 nestability die.  While the image was still in the die, I spray the sky with a blue copic marker.  Then, I colored the grass and added some gray shading to the clouds.  I added some stickles to the butterfly and some glossy accents to the balloon to make it shiny.  I finished the card off with some lace and some maraschino baker's twine.

Happy World Card Making Day!  Hope you have a great weekend!

Niki

Bella Birthday card supplies:
Stamps: Bella's Birthday, Birthday Circles (Wild Rose Studio)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), red
Patterned Paper: Cakewalk (October Afternoon)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Dies: Labels 8 nestability die (Spellbinders)
Embellishments: glossy accents, stickles (Ranger), button (October Afternoon), maraschino baker's twine (The Twinery), lace
Copic Markers
bow/butterfly: R24, R27, R46, R89
present: Y32, Y35, Y38, YR15, YR16
elephant: W3, W5, W7
balloon: R00, R20, R21
sky: BG01
grass: YG61, YG63, YG67, YG99, R46

Christmas Choir: Whimsy Stamps September Release Showcase Day 4

Hello and welcome to Day 4 of our September Rubber & Die Release Showcase! On Wednesday, September 19th, Whimsy Stamps released this month's new rubber designs, Shapeology dies, Whimsy Designer Paper packs and Shape EZ templates. From then until September 25th, the Whimsy Stamps DT and Special Guests are showcasing these fabulous new goodies with a daily mini blog hop and I am part of today’s hop!  Each mini blog hop has a new release prize hidden somewhere along the way and you have 24hrs to enter each prize draw.

(you can click on the photo to see a larger version)

For my card today, I used two new images from illustrator Crissy Armstrong called Christmas Choir Boy and Christmas Choir Girl.  I love these new images and had to use them together on a card.  I wanted the scene of the little kids and animals singing to really be the focus of the card sto I went with a very clean and simple design.

I stamped the Christmas Choir Boy image first on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  Then, I masked the image and stamped the Christmas Choir Girl image.  I colored the scene with copic markers.  Then, I masked both images and used my air compressor and a custom copic marker  (3/4 YR30 & 1/4 YR31) to spray the background.

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 September 26th.

To take a peek at today's fabulous new release creations, please click on the links below...

 Alberto Gava {Special Guest}
Colleen Schaan {Special Guest}
Deb Routledge {Special Guest}
Ellie Stover
Jacque Beddingfield {Special Guest}
Niki Estes (you're here)
Pops Morfitt
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

ahoy matey

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes!  If you haven't already, be sure to enter my birthday blog candy below.  I'll draw a winner on Friday. :)

Things have been hectic with back to school, but I do have a card to share that I created a while back, but haven't had a chance to post yet.

I created this fun card a while back using the Half Pint Heroes set from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  It's one of my favorite sets from Claire.   There's just something quirky and fun about it.    I wanted a very clean and simple design that really gave the focus of the card to the cute image.


I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I added some glossy accents to the windows on the sub and set it aside to dry.  While it was drying, I put together the rest of my card.  The patterned papers are from Studio Calico's Heyday paper pad.  I  stamped the finished, colored them, and added some stickles to them.  The seaweed is the Martha Stewart branch punch.  After the image was dry, I cut it out and adhered it with foam adhesive.

Have a great day!

Niki

ahoy matey card supplies:
Stamps: Half Pint Heroes (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), black
Patterned Paper: Heyday (Studio Calico)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: glossy accents, stickles (Ranger)
Copic Markers

My Girl: Whimsy August Release Showcase Day 3

Hi Everyone!  Welcome to the Whimsy August Release Showcase Day 3 blog hop! On Wednesday (22 August) Whimsy Stamps released this month's new rubber designs, new Shapeology dies, new digital papers and new Shape EZ by TLC.

From then until 28 August the Whimsy Stamps DT and Special Guests are showcasing these fabulous new goodies with a daily mini blog hop and I am part of today’s hop! 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 29 August.

 
My daughter chose one of the new images for her keepsake box I created for her.  (You can see the box I created for my oldest son here.)  This little cutie is called  Summer Fairy and was drawn by illustrator Sylvia Zet for her Wee Stamps line.  My daughter loves pink so I had to paint her box pink.  I chose an assortment of patterned papers from several different companies.  After trimming them to the size I wanted, I stitched them together and added a paper doily.  I wrapped some lace from Wild Orchid Crafts and some seam binding around the papers before adhering them with mod podge to the box.

I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink and colored her with copic markers.  (I will list the colors below.)  I added an assortment of flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Before adding them, I added some stardust stickles to the flowers and let them dry.  (I'm also playing along with the current Wild Orchid Crafts Challenge which is Summer Flowers.)

I added a sentiment from Lili of the Valley's For Her Sentiments set.  The "love you" is from October Afternoon's Farmhouse flower sack.  The silver filigree corners and 5mm white pearls are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the butterfly is a mistable canvas piece from Prima.  I sprayed it with some mister huey's and added some star dust stickles to it.  After it was dry, I wrapped some black thread around the center and created some antenae by coating the thread with glossy accents.  Once it was dry, the antenae were stiff and stayed in place.

I stitched some layered buttons to the center of my bow using denim baker's twine.  (Buttons are from My Favorite Thing's Bubblegum button pack.)  I also added a little heart charm.

I added some Silver Sunrise Thickers along the bottom along with some more pearls and a 40mm classic sweet baby pink rose and some 40mm rose leaves along with more 5mm pearls.

I lined the inside of the box with a piece of pink patterned paper that my daughter chose.  To take a peek at today's fabulous new release creations, please click on the links below...

Ellie Stover
Erin Bailey
Niki Estes  (you're here)
Heidy Blom
Tammy Louise Cunliffe
Lori Pachkowsky

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

my girl keepsake box supplies:
Stamps: Summer Fairy (Whimsy Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), dark blue
Patterned Paper: Willow Path - Woodland Park, stripes - Cakewalk (October Afternoon), Malibu - Shoreline (American Crafts), Thermos - PB & J (Basic Grey), Little Lady - Just Dreamy 2, Dilly Dally Adventures - Miss Caroline (My Mind's Eye), Vintage Fans - This & That (Echo Park)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: 5mm white pearls, baby pink aster daidies, 4mm baby pink closed rose buds, 40mm rose leasves, 2 tone baby pink 15mm open roses, 25mm wild roses, 2 tone baby pink 40mm classic sweet baby pink roses, silver filigree corners, white lace (Wild Orchid Crafts), denim twine (The Twinery), canvas butterfly (Prima), silver sunrise thickers (American Crafts), doily, seam binding
Copic Markers:
skin: E000, E00, E11, R00, R20
dress/shoes: B91, B93, B95, B97, B99
hair: E31, E33, E35, E37, E29
wings: R00, R20, R21, R22
sky: BG0000, BG000
grass: YG61, YG63, YG67, G29