new blog address

My New Blog Address: http://nikiestes.blogspot.com/

Come on over and visit my new home. *smile*

Riley is off for adventures!

I can not believe it is already time for another Hanna Stamps release. Seriously, November just flew by! How did it get to be December 1st already?! Three new stamp sets and two new Rileys are releasing this Friday.

Hanna Stamps is releasing two new Rileys this month (Van and Trailer Rileys). I had to use them together, of course, so my image is really long. They are so adorable! I stamped my images first and colored them with copic markers. Then, I cut my card base from kraft cardstock (5x7 inches). I stitched my patterned papers to my card. I stamped my sentiment and then, I punched some holes to thread my ribbon through. I attached my ribbon with brads. I matted my image and added it to my card using foam adhesive. I finished off my card with a row of brads above my image.

I updated my sale post. I decided to just always post stuff there so it's all in one place. Just thought I would mention this because I added my SU stamp cubes to the list.

I've been thinking about changing my blog provider. Anyone have any info or experience they would like to share? I've always wondered if I would like typepad better than blogger. Anyone ever used both and have a preference? Seriously, I would love to hear about your experiences. Would you all follow my blog over to a new address? I am also worried that if I switch, I will lose some of my readers who won't want to bother with following me to a new blog. Hmm. Not sure what I am doing yet. Just doing a little researching.

Have a fabulous Monday!

Recipe
Stamps: Van Riley, Trailer Riley (Hanna Stamps), Wonderful Adventure (High Hopes Rubber Stamps)
Cardstock: kraft, pure poppy (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Boxer (Basic Grey)
Accents: pure poppy twill (Papertrey Ink), brads
Tools: copic markers, slot punch tool (Making Memories), sewing machine

O' Christmas Tree

Last year, our cats loved our Christmas tree. It was their first Christmas and they batted more than a few ornaments off the tree. Between the cats and our kids, all the nice ornaments go way up high on the tree! lol

I just received this Callie Christmas Kitty stamp and had to use it for this week's High Hopes Challenge. The challenge this week is Metal Madness brought to us by the very talented, Amy.

I had to use my new Basic Grey Wassail paper for my card and used Papertrey's ripe avocado cardstock because it is a perfect coordinating color. I started by stamping my kitty on white cardstock and cutting it out with a petite scalloped circle die. Then, I colored my image using copic markers.

I cut my card base and patterned papers and stitched them together. Then, I cut a piece of velvet olive ribbon. I attached it using some brads and added a silver metal Christmas tree and more brads in the corners of my card.

I stamped my sentiment on my card before adding my kitty to my card using foam adhesive. Isn't she cute?! I think I will be sending this Christmas card to my grandma because she loves kitties.

I actually got a photo of the copic markers I used again for this card. Be sure and stop by the High Hopes challenge blog. The divas have created some amazing stuff for the challenge and you won't want to miss it!

Have a Happy Sunday!!

Recipe

Stamps: Callie Christmas Kitty (High Hopes Rubber Stamps), Merry and Bright (Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: white, ripe avocado (Papertrey Ink)

Patterned Paper: Wassail (Basic Grey)

Accents: velvet olive ribbon, brads, metal Christmas tree (Making Memories)

Tools: copic markers, sewing machine, petite scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders)

Gavin is bringing birthday wishes

I got the chance this morning to play in the SCS sketch challenge. (Shh, don't tell anyone! I'm supposed to be cleaning house, baking pumpkin pies, and doing all the other stuff to get ready for Thanksgiving. *wink*)

Now, I'm not too sure about this card. I don't know for sure what it is that I don't like about it, but something is bothering me. It may be my need for layers under the patterned paper and on the card base. But anyway, I love this dragon! Actually, I love all the High Hopes dragons because they are so cute! Who would have thought a dragon could be cute?!

I stamped, cut out, and colored my dragon first. Then, I cut my card base and used a glue pad to stamp the pattern (using Papertrey's Background Basics Stars stamp set) and added red fun flock. It is nice and fuzzy! Then, I cut my patterned papers and added the black stitching. I tied a ripe avocado ribbon around one piece and added some brads and my sentiment before assembling my card. I added a little white pigment ink to the edges of my card for a little contrast. I did get fuzzy on my inkpad, of course, so I don't recommend using a good ink pad.

And I have to have a close up of Gavin' the Givin' Dragon just because he is cute!

Here is the copic marker colors I used to color the image. I don't usually list the colors because I rarely take a photo of a card the same day I make it, but I decided to snap a quick pic this morning when I made this card.

Hope everyone celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow has a fabulous Thanksgiving! I better get busy! *wink*

Recipe

Stamps: Gavin' the Givin' Dragon (High Hopes Rubber Stamps), Background Basics Stars, Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: white (Papertrey Ink), night of navy (SU)

Patterned Paper: Box (Basic Grey)

Accents: ripe avocado stitched ribbon (Papertrey Ink), red and blue brads

Tools: copic markers, sewing machine, rectangle nestability die, red fun flock, glue pad, white pigment inkpad

Kiss Me

Okay, is that not one of the funniest images you have ever seen?! I love Kissy Face Frog! I love frogs and this image is so funny. This week's High Hopes challenge is a sketch challenge brought to us by the amazingly talented Ila. You can see the sketch on the challenge blog. If you click on the photo, the red parts won't be fuzzy. Maybe it's just my computer, but the sentiment looks fuzzy and it's not really.

I usually always start my cards by coloring my images. So, I cut an oval shape and stamped my frog in the center. Then, I stamped my image again on a post-it note to create a mask and cut it out. Then, I used a pink copic marker and my air compressor to spray the pink around my frog while my oval was still in the die. Then, I removed the mask and colored my frog. I cut a black scalloped oval and added it to my frog. I added some dimensional glaze to my frog's lips and set it aside to dry.

Then, I cut all the layers for my card. I stamped the circle and heart pattern on some pink paper and then sewed it to the black layer. Then, I stamped the hearts and "love you" sentiment on the white and pink polka dot paper and sewed them to the black layers. I cut a ribbon slide for my sentiment, stamped the sentiment and created a black mat. I tied my ribbon and wrapped the piece around my patterned paper piece. I added all the patterned paper layers to my card. Then, I cut a red scalloped piece and added it. I added a chipboard heart and my image with some foam adhesive. Last, I added a few green buttons.

Another photo that shows the dimension a little better. The chipboard heart and the frog image are on foam adhesive.

Have you joined in the High Hopes challenges yet? Tina is so generous and has been having a random drawing each week among the participants with a free stamp as the prize. You have to join in for a chance to win! Be sure and check out all the design team ladies' creations for the challenge, too. They are always fabulous!

Have a great Sunday!

Recipe
Stamps: Kissy Face Frog, Kiss Me (High Hopes Rubber Stamps), Love Circles (Art Warehouse)
Cardstock: white (Papertrey Ink), black, real red (SU)
Patterned Paper: SU retired
Ink: noir (Palette), pure poppy (Papertrey Ink)
Accents: chipboard heart, green buttons, red satin ribbon (Target)
Tools: copic markers, air compressor, oval nestability dies, ribbon slide (Spellbinders), scalloped punch (SU), sewing machine

Celebrate Today

I hear people are starting to receive their PTI goodies! Have you played with any of the new stamps yet? This was one of my favorite cards I made for the release. I just love the colors aqua mist, dark chocolate, and kraft together.

First, I cut an aqua mist card. Then, I stamped my star pattern in dark chocolate ink across the top 2/3 of my card. I sponged the edges with dark chocolate ink.

I cut a strip of kraft paper and used my scorepal to score lines along the entire piece. Then, I sponged dark chocolate ink on all the edges and adhered it to my card. I cut my tag out using a cuttlebug die and embossed the sentiment in white ink. Then, I cut a piece of dark chocolate satin ribbon and tied my bow. I cut another dark chocolate ribbon to go around my card. Then, I added hemp to my button and tied it around my bow and ribbon. Then, I added my ribbon and tag to my card.

This week has been so hectic. Seriously, I don't think I have gotten anything done really and yet I have been doing stuff all week. Next week will probably be worse with Thanksgiving coming. I did manage to get one page of my calendar done. I'll try to get a photo of it to share next week. Do any of you make calendars? I make one every year. I love looking back through all the photos from this year and picking out which ones I want to use. When I'm finished, I scan the calendar and print copies onto photo paper for all the grandparents and great-grandparents in our family. They love them and every year that is their only request for Christmas. This year, I am behind on getting started, but I have one month done. Just eleven more to go! *wink*

Recipe

Stamps: Background Basics Stars, Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: aqua mist, kraft, dark chocolate (Papertrey Ink)

Ink: dark chocolate (Papertrey Ink), versamark

Accents: dark chocolate satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink), button, hemp

Tools: scorepal, sponge, heat gun, white embossing powder (Papertrey Ink)

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

The long awaited Men Of Life set was released last Saturday at Papertrey Ink. It coordinates with the Women of Life and Women of Life Additions stamp sets. One of my favorite things about these sets is the fonts used in the titles. I just love those fonts. They are perfect for cards and scrapbook pages.

I started my card by cutting the layers. Then, I stamped the patterned paper on the vintage cream cardstock using ocean tides ink. I stitched it to the pure poppy layer. I cut some circles using nestability dies and stamped the boat that coordinates with my stamped patterned paper. I stamped my sentiment on the card base and the boat. Then, I added the red dots using a marker. There was something missing on my card and it seemed a little unbalanced so I stamped the image across the bottom to finish off my card.

Have a great day!

Recipe
Stamps: Men of Life (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: vintage cream, aqua mist, pure poppy (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: ocean tides, pure poppy (Papertrey Ink), noir (Palette)
Tools: nestability circle dies, sewing machine

Believe Santa

I am excited to finally get to share my creations from the Papertrey Ink release. One of my personal favorite new sets is Background Basics: Stars. I love the patterned paper you can create with this set! It works just like polka dot basics and is so easy to use. The patterned paper on this Santa card is created using this set. It looks like patterned paper you would buy, doesn't it?!

This was a fairly quick and easy card to create. I stamped the patterned paper and sewed it to my pure poppy mat before adding it to the bottom of my card. Then, I stamped Santa on white cardstock, colored him with copic markers and cut him out. I cut a piece of vintage cream cardstock using a nestability square die. While the cardstock was still in the die, I used a copic marker and an air compressor to spray the background where I was going to add Santa. I added a pure poppy mat.

Then, I added Santa to my square using foam adhesive. I added a little liquid applique to Santa's beard and the trim on his hat and suit. I heated it using a heat gun to make it nice and puffy. Be sure to let it dry for quite a while (usually I let mine dry overnight) before you set something over it or mail it or anything like that because it will squish the liquid applique. Last, I tied a bow in my pure poppy stitched ribbon and added it below Santa.

Be sure to scroll down for my High Hopes blog candy post. *wink* Have a great day!

Recipe

Stamps: Background Basics Stars, Believe (Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: vintage cream, pure poppy, ripe avocado (Papertrey Ink)

Accents: pure poppy stitched ribbon (Papertrey Ink)

Tools: copic markers, air compressor, sewing machine, nestability square dies, liquid applique, heat gun

Santa's Surprise

It's time for another High Hopes challenge. This week's challenge is buttons and brads. I had a vision in my head of a row of altering buttons and brads. I'm not too sure that I like the Santa brads. My card didn't quite live up to my vision, but it was such a fun challenge. I think I will try it again some time with regular round brads and buttons.

I started out stamping and coloring my image (info below next photo). Then I cut all my layers and patterned papers. I added some stitching. Then, I wanted to use altering brads and buttons on top of some ribbon. So, I cut a slit in the spine of my card and slipped my ribbon through. Then, I stitched the buttons to the ribbon and added the brads and stuck the ribbon down. Then, I added my image and some more buttons in the corner.

I just love this Santa. I think he is so adorable. This is Santa's Surprise. I colored my image with copic markers. I added a little gray using koh-i-nor pencils and gamsol. It is light and great shading, but it is hard to see in the photo. Then, I created a mask and using a copic marker and an air compressor to spray the background around Santa. (It was originally a piece of white cardstock.)

I added some dimensional glaze to the candy cane and used a clear copic spica pen to add some glitter to the bows and ribbon on the presents. It was hard to photograph the glitter, but I finally got a photo that shows it pretty well.

I hope you join us in the challenge and have a great Sunday! Be sure and stop by the High Hopes challenge blog to see what all the design team ladies came up with. They are fabulous!

Recipe

Stamps: Santa's Surprise (High Hopes Rubber Stamps)

Cardstock: pure poppy, white (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: Figgy Pudding (Basic Grey)

Accents: pure poppy stitched ribbon (Papertrey Ink), buttons, santa brads

Tools: copic markers, air compressor, sewing machine, dimensional glaze, copic spica pen, koh-i-nor pencil, gamsol