My Paper Creations

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

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

Happy Easter

I can’t believe it is already April!  The year seems to be zipping by already.  Since Easter is next weekend, I had to ink up this little cutie (Chirpy from Penny Johnson) this past weekend when I was creating my card for my Stampavie post.  It’s such an adorable image!

I stamped my image using tuxedo black memento ink on copic x-press it cardstock.  I chose some patterned from October Afternoon’s Sidewalks line and colored my image in coordinating colors using copic markers (listed below).  I stitched my patterned papers and added a white paper doily and some flowers and pearls from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Then, I finished off my card with a cute Easter sentiment seal from Catslife Press.

Have a great day!

Niki

Happy Easter card supplies:
Stamps: Chirpy (Stampavie), sentiment (Catslife Press)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), cream
Patterned Paper: Sidewalks (October Afternoon)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments:  5mm pearls, white cherry blossoms, 15mm open white roses, 4mm closed white rosebuds (Wild Orchid Crafts), paper doily
Copic Markers:
chick: YR30, custom marker (half YR30 and half YR31), YR 31, Y35, Y38, YR15
egg: R20, R21, R22, R27, R46
ribbon: B91, B93, B95, B97
sky: BG0000
grass: YG13, YG17, YG67

Birthday Wishes

How was your weekend? Ours was pretty good.  It’s been pretty rainy and icky here lately so it was a good weekend to just bake some cookies, hang out as a family, watch a movie, and play a board game . . . a great relaxing weekend.  Hope your weekend was too!

I have this card to share today featuring an absolutely adorable little image from Lili of the Valley called Maisie Two Balloons.  I just love this little cutie!  I used some patterned papers from My Mind’s Eye’s Just Dreamy 2 line.

I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock using tuxedo black memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I used these maker colors: E000, E00, E11, E13, R12, R14, R17, R27, R46, R89, E33, E35, E37, E29, C4, C6, C8, BG11, BG32, BG34, colorless blender.  I added some baker’s twine from my etsy shop and used some glossy accents on the balloons to make them nice and shiny.  That great sentiment is from Catslife Press.

If you’ve never ordered from Lili of the Valley, they are a great company with great customer service.  I was a very happy customer before I got the opportunity to design for them (and absolutely love getting to design for them!).  They offer free worldwide shipping on orders over L25 which is about $40 and I always got my order in about a week (from the UK to the US).

Hope you have a great week!

Niki

Best Witches

I'm having a hard time believing how quickly this month is flying by (the whole year really).  I figured I better pull out this cute little witch image from Stampavie (called Magical Meg) because Halloween will be here before I know it!  She was part of the Christmas release this summer that also had a few Halloween and fall images thrown in.


I colored her with copic markers (sorry I didn't write down the markers today) and cut her out with a rectangle nestability die.  I sponged some antique linen, tea dye, and walnut stain distress inks around the edges while the image was still in the die.  I used some patterned papers from Echo Park's Halloween line from last year and that great sentiment is from Catslife Press (part of their recent release).

Have a great Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Niki

it’s the little things

Last week, I had the chance to create a couple cards using some images from Lili of the Valley.  I shared the little girl card last week and have this little teddy bear card to share today.  I just love this adorable image!  It’s called Little Lorry Bear.  I used some patterned papers from the Lime Twist: Fly a Kite patterned 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 these marker colors: R24, R27, R29, R46, R89, Y35, YR04, YR07, YG05, E53, E55, E57, E31, E33, E35, E37, W3, BG000, BG01, BG32, BG53, colorless blender.

I die cut my image with a circle nestability die before using my air compressor and some copic markers to spray the background.  I added some glossy accents to the balloon to make it shiny.  After stitching my layers, I wrapped some red grosgrain ribbon and some baker’s twine around my patterned paper layers before adhering them to my card base.  Then, I used foam adhesive to adhere my image and sentiment (from Catslife Press).  I finished off my card with some corrugated stars from Close to My Heart and some red buttons stitched with baker’s twine.

Have a great weekend!

Niki

{enjoy today}

Hi Everyone!  It's my turn to share a card again today over on the Stampavie Design Team blog and I thought I would share this card I created with the new Blossom Birds stamp from Penny Johnson's vintage collection.  It's such a pretty image and it works really well for non-vintage projects, too.

I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  Then, I colored it with copic markers.  I used these copic markers: E31, E33, Y35, Y38, YR16, YG17, YG63, YG67, BG70, BG72, BG75, BG000, R11, R14, colorless blender.  After coloring my image, I die cut it with a rectangle nestability die.  I used some patterned papers from October Afternoon's Thrift Shop paper pad.  I stitched my patterned papers, added a sentiment from Catslife Press and some self adhesive pearls that I colored with a copic marker.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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

happy birthday and many more

My daughter turned five years old last week.  When I was deciding what image to use for her birthday card, I came across this Stampavie Birthday Fairy Lee image from Mo Manning and it was perfect!

I paired the image with some patterned papers from My Mind’s Eye’s Just Dreamy 2 line.  I stamped my image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  I die cut the image with a petite oval nestability die.  Then, I colored it with copic markers.  I used these marker colors: W1, W3, E33, E35, E37, BG11, BG13, BG18, Y35, R00, R02, R27, R29, R46, R89, E00, E21, E11, R12, colorless blender.  Then, I put my image back in the die and drew around the inside with a black pen.

I stitched my layers together and wrapped some cream crocheted lace and red satin ribbon around them before adhering them to my card base with glue dots.  Then, I added a red scalloped oval (die cut with a petite scalloped oval nestability die) to my image and adhered my image and sentiment (from Catslife Press) to my card with foam adhesive.  I added some prima roses and some greenery punched with a Martha Stewart branch punch.

I used a Sakura Gelly Roll pen to add a little sparkle to my fairy’s dress and wings and to the stars and sprinkles on the cupcake.

Have a great week!

Niki

Congratulations

It seems like this school year is already rushing by.  Before we know it, we’ll be congratulating all those kids (and adults) in our lives who are graduating from school.  The adorable Catgrad image from Stampavie's Mo Manning line is the perfect image for graduation cards.  Isn’t this such a cute image?! 


I paired the image with some patterned papers from October Afternoon’s Report Card line.  I stamped the image on Copic X-Press It cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored it with copic markers.  I used these copic markers to color my image: W1, W3, W5, W7, E51. E53. E55. R27, R29, B34, B37, B39.  I die cut my image with a rectangle nestability die.  I stitched my patterned papers together and wrapped some twine from my etsy shop around them.  I added a few buttons and then adhered my papers to my card base.  Last, I added my image and sentiment to my card with some foam adhesive. That great sentiment is from Catslife Press.

I also wanted to mention the Stampavie design team call in case anyone missed it.  Stampavie is looking for 4 full time designers to add to the design team.  You can find out all the details on the Stampavie blog here.  There are only about 2 more days left to apply.  Good luck!

Have a great day!

Niki