My Paper Creations

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

get well soon

I mentioned that I've been playing with some stamps that I've purchased, but never had the chance to use.  I've been collecting some of the Wild Rose Studio stamps for a while now, but I think I've only used one before now!  Wild Rose Studio is a company from the UK.  I buy their stamps from Lacey at Stamp and Create.

This adorable image is called Get Well Toby.  I stamped him on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  Then, I colored him with copic markers and cut him out.  I die cut the circle and used a sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Teeny Trees stamp set.  Then, I sponged some antique linen distress ink around the edge edges of the circle while it was still in the die.  I used some patterned papers from Echo Park's This & That Charming paper pad and added some green buttons and cappuccino baker's twine.

Thank you for sticking around while I took some time off from stamping.  I know I haven't been creating much to share this year.  I appreciate those of you who chose to keep following my blog.  I love hearing from you so don't be shy! :)

Have a great weekend!

Niki

get well soon card supplies:
Stamps: Get Well Toby (Wild Rose Studio), Teeny Trees (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), green
Patterned Paper: This & That Charming (Echo Park)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko), antique linen distress ink (Ranger)
Embellishments: cappuccino baker's twine (The Twinery), buttons
Copic Markers

love you to the moon and back

Hi Everyone!  I'm really excited to share this project with you today.  My kids love my cards.  They often ask me to give them some of the cards I create and I make cards for them on their birthdays and other occassions.  So, they have quite a few cards laying around.  My youngest likes to write on the cards or tear the buttons off when the older kids leave them down for him to get and they get really upset. 

So, I've been thinking about creating a box for each of them to hold some of their cards.  We picked out some images to use for the project earlier this summer and I've been thinking about how I wanted to decorate the boxes for a while now.  Well, last week, Lili of the Valley put a challenge up on their blog to create Anything But a Card.  That was just the push I needed to get started on this project.

For my oldest son's box, he chose this adorable Astronaut stamp from Lili of the Valley.  It can be difficult sometimes to find cute boy images, but Lili of the Valley has lots of really cute ones!  When he picked the image, I knew the Rocket Age patterned papers and embellishments from October Afternoon would be perfect.

First, I took the box apart and painted it blue on the outside and tan on the inside.  After it was dry and I reassembled it, I stitched my patterned paper layers together before adhering them to my box with mod podge.

I stamped the image on copic x-press it cardstock with tuxedo black memento ink.  Then, I colored it with copic markers (colors listed below in the supply list).  I masked the image and sprayed the floor and wall using copic markers and my air compressor.

I added some Glossy Accents to their helmets and let it dry while I worked on the rest of the box (stitching papers, adhering them, etc).  I added a red cardstock mat and tied some Denim baker's twine around the bottom of the image before adhering it to my box with foam adhesive.  The corrugated stars are from Close to My Heart and the buttons, flash card, and tickets are from October Afternoon.

This saying is one of my favorites and I thought it would be perfect on my son's box.  I used Thickers for the letters and the stamped part of the saying comes from the Half Pint Heroes stamp set from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  The label and rocket are from October Afternoon, too.

I didn't want to add a lot to the inside so their would be room for his cards he collects so I just added a piece of patterned paper from October Afternoon.   He loved the constellations on it.

I barely got photos of it before he took it off to his room.  He's really excited about it and it makes me happy knowing how much he loves it!  Now, I need to get started on one for my daughter. :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Niki

love you astronaut box supplies:
Stamps: Astronaut (Lili of the Valley), Half Pint Heroes (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Cardstock: X-Press It (Copic), red
Patterned Paper: Rocket Age (October Afternoon)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Embellishments: Rocket Age buttons, Rocket Age Miscellany, Rocket Age Rubber Charms (October Afternoon), denim baker's twine (The Twinery), corrugated stars (Close to My Heart)
Copic Markers
hair: E33, E35, E37, E29
skin: E000, E00, E11, E13
helmets/pants: C0, C2, C4, C6
shirt: YR12, YR15, YR16, YR18, T7
boots: B93, B95, B97, B99, T5, T7, T9
bear: E11, E13, E15, E17, E18
rocket: B93, B95, B97, B99, R27, R46, R89, T9
box: E53, E55, E57
bunny: E30
flag: E31, R27, R46, R89, T9
floor: E25
wall: custom marker (1/2 YR30 & 1/2 YR31)

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 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 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