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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

~ Mangia! ~

This is the Father's Day card I made for my honey.  Not only is he an amazing husband, father and Papi but he is an amazing chef!  He is always spoiling us with his delicious creations!  I thought this adorable stamp "Spaghetti Christian" by Simply Betty was perfect since one of our favorite things he makes is homemade spaghetti sauce....YUM!!!


Copics

Skin E50, E51, E21, E11
Hair E44, E47, E49, E57
Eyes YG93, YG99, E57/C1, C3, C5
Pasta YR31, C5
Sauce & Meatballs E09, E44, R59
Plate C1, C3, C5
Hat C3
Shirt C3, C5
Pants C5, C7, C9, 100
Belt, Shoes, Skulls R24, R46, R59
Soles of Shoes C1, C3, C5, C7

Happy Stamping!

~ Nicolette ~




Thursday, June 11, 2015

~ Nature and the Color Wheel ~

I adore this DoveArt's Giraffe stamp from Whimsy Stamps new release!  Giraffes are one of my most favorite animals; they have such gentle spirits!  When I started designing this card I had a vision that the giraffe should be pink, but as I started coloring it it just didn't speak to me so I started experimenting with different colors and there in front of me ended up being the most beautiful giraffe and I knew I had the perfect quote and stencil to go with it.  I am so happy with how this card turned out and I hope it puts a smile on your face, too!



Creative Directions:

1.  Start with white cardstock cutting 5 1/2 x 11, 5 1/4 x 5 1/4, 4 x 4, and 2 strips 5 1/2 x 1 1/2.
2.  Score card base at 5 1/2 and set aside.
3.  Using my eBosser machine I cut and embossed my Spellbinders Label One Die in the 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 piece of cardstock.  To secure the die to the cardstock I used a piece of washi tape so it would not shift when going through the machine.  Next I cut and embossed the 4 x 4 piece of cardstock with the next smallest size Labels One Die.
4.  Taking the 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 piece of cardstock I just made a frame with, I put the die back in and secured it with pieces of washi tape to a non-stick mat and put my DCWV stencil on top and secured it to the mat with blue painters tape.  Next I applied Dreamweavers Glossy White Stencil Paste with a palette knife.  Gently remove stencil by lifting from the bottom to the top and pull away from the cardstock.  Gently remove washi tape from die and remove from cardstock.  Set cardstock aside to dry.  Wash stencil and die right away so paste does not dry on them.
5.  Stamp words in Versamark Ink on diecut piece of cardstock and emboss in gold. {I used a Stamp-a-ma-jig to help me stamp the words so they were not crooked.}  Lay circle stencil over words and using a stencil pouncer, sponge Mustard Seed Distress Ink.  Set aside.
6.  Taking the 2 strips of 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 pieces of cardstock, punch 2 strips of grass using the Martha Stewart Grass Punch. Set aside.
7.  Stamp giraffe in Versamark Ink and emboss in gold.  Apply Distress Inks to a watercolor palette   and using a waterbrush color giraffe layering colors.  I also used some Tombow Markers, where needed, to add in color. Trim around giraffe with sharp scissors.
8.  When embossing paste is dry, assemble card using mounting foam.  I used a single layer of foam on the cardstock with the words and the first layer of grass; a double layer on the frame and giraffe; and a triple layer on the top layer of grass to give it all the proper amount of dimension.

Stamps Used:

Whimsy Stamps ~ Giraffe
Impression Obsession ~ Art of God {C5055}

Supplies Used:

Dreamweaver ~ Palette Knife and Glossy White Embossing Paste; Tombow Markers ~ 025, 296, 555, 636; Ranger Distress Inks ~ Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Ripe Persimmon, Barn Door, Fired Brick, Bundled Sage, Shabby Shutters, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers, Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, Milled Lavender, Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord; Art Impressions Watercolor Palette; Kurtake Waterbrush; DCWV pattern stencil; Spellbinders Label One Die; Craftwell eBosser Machine; Small Stencil Pouncer; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Versamark Ink; Circle Stencil; Gold Embossing Powder

Happy Stamping!

~ Nicolette Marie ~



Thursday, June 4, 2015

~ All Aboard! ~

This DoveArt's "Old West Locomotive" by Whimsy Stamps reminded me of our family vacation to Paris, riding on the train through the French countryside.  Old locomotives just remind me of romantic times gone by so I decided to make what I think is a romantic train ride through France.  



When I get stamps, I like to figure out different ways to use them besides stamping and coloring.  Now don't get me wrong, I love to color, but sometimes it's nice to find multiple ways to use your stamps to get different looks.  Mixed media is a love of mine and I thought this stamp would work in perfectly with that technique.  This card was so enjoyable to make and is full of dimension and texture.  

Stamps Used:
Stampers Anonymous:  Odds & Ends

Supplies Used:

Sizzix: Texture Fades Eiffel Tower Embossing Folder, Hardware Findings Bigz Die, Weathered Clock Bigz Die; Tim Holtz Idea-ology:  Philosophy Tags, Film Strip Ribbon, Mini Numerals, Memo Pins, Long Fasteners, Tiny Attacher; Ranger Black Soot Distress Paint; Stampendous:  Aged Black Embossing Powder & Clear Embossing Powder; Versafine Onyx Black Ink; Nashua Multi-Purpose Foil Tape


Thank you for stopping by!

~ Nicolette ~



~ Spread the Sparkle ~

Hello my fellow crafters,

For my very first artsy post I just knew I had to use DoveArt's Dragonfly Floral stamp.  The moment I saw it I knew the glitter and acetate technique would make this image shine!  I think it turned out so elegant and would make a perfect card for any type of occasion.



Stamps Used:

 DoveArt:  Dragonfly Floral 
 Simply Sweet Sentiments (Retired)

Supplies Used:

Art Glitter Dries Clear Adhesive with the Ultra Fine Metal Tip, Opaque Ultra Fine Glitter: Leaf, Heather, Cornflower, Poison Ivy & Crystal, Transparent Ultra Fine Glitter:  Ensalada, Gingerbread, Blue Water & Wild Rose, Spellbinders Classic Scallop Rectangles (Lg), Acetate, Dimensional foam tape, StazOn Jet Black ink

~ Nicolette Marie ~

~ Exciting Announcement! ~

I am so excited to announce that my beautiful, sweet and oh so talented friend, Jennifer Dove, has asked me to join the DoveArt Studios design team as a designer.  I am not only honored but feel so blessed for this artistic adventure.  I am joining some amazingly talented women!!!

~ Nicolette Marie ~

~ Hello ~

Hello and welcome to my blog. I am a lifelong lover of all things crafty.  I grew up with a mom who loves to sew and embroider but my passion grew into the wonderful world of rubber stamping when my fourth grade teacher gave me my very first rubber stamp set.  I used to play school with those stamps and still have them to do this day.  When I was fifteen, my dad had a stamp made with  a rainbow and my childhood nickname on it and I never looked back.  I was totally hooked!  In 2006 my husband made my dreams come true and bought me my own slice of heaven; my very own stamp store.  I put my heart and soul into it for seven years and now here I am still loving the crafting world but in many different forms.  I love to share my passion for making things and I hope you will join me in my new creative journey exploring rubber stamping, paper and fabric crafts, mixed media, art journaling, and so much more.  I love it all, so lets get inky!!!

~ Nicolette Marie ~