You're so...

Hello! Today in the Clean And Simple 4 class at OnlineCardClasses...the fabulous Julie Ebersole shared a sweet trifold card. Hers used balloon dies and was super simple and elegant. Anyhoo, I decided to make a trifold card as well.  The card is 5.5 x 11 and scored at 3 5/8. I used circle dies for my windows, so my little skunks could peek out. :)

The skunks, hearts, and the greetings on the front and middle are from the Stinkin' Cute set from Simon Says Stamps. I traced the circles and then created circle masks to stamp through. This way my skunks aren't just floating. :) I colored them with my Prismacolor colored pencils. 

The "Happy Valentine's Day" greeting is from the You Make My Heart Smile set by MyCreativeTime. To finish it off, I added black glaze pen to their eyes, and wink of stella to the hearts... and to their tummies and tails. 

I hope you're having a stinkin' great weekend! :)

♥ Nikki ♥

Love U

Hello! Today's Clean And Simple 4 class at OnlineCardClasses was all about inking. So, I decided to get super inky. ;) I also used my Cricut Explore to create a mask for the first time! Fun stuff! I cut this image from the Valentine's Day cartridge out of Post-It Craft Paper. I put the dial on the Explore on the cardstock setting, and it cut like a dream. I started by inking up the panel with spun sugar and worn lipstick Distress inks. Then I put the mask on. 

I sprayed picked raspberry distress ink in a mini mister over it. And then I flicked on some of that ink. Then I sprayed it with Gold Lame Heidi Swapp Color Shine spray. It looks SO COOL in real life. Basically impossible to get a good picture of all the shine. 

After I took off the mask, I also flicked on some gold color shine. This card looks different depending on how the light catches it. :) 

Happy Friday! I hope you have an awesome weekend!

♥ Nikki ♥

Hello sunshine!

Hello, sunshines! :) Today is day 4 of Clean And Simple 4 class at OnlineCardClasses. Today the fabulous Jennifer McGuire stitched on her cards, so I decided to bust out my embroidery floss. I started by die cutting a circle for my sun, and I used the embossed edge left by the die as a guide to poke my stitching holes. I stitched around the sun, and then created random rays as well. Then I {of course} turned my sun into a shaker. :) I stamped the card base with the Cartoon Cloud Background from MyCreativeTime. The "hello" word die is from the Speech Bubble Sentiments set by MyCreativeTime. I used the Claire's ABC's set from Lawn Fawn for "sunshine". For my panel I used the Rectangular Stitched Frames and More Dies from MyCreativeTime. I finished it off with more sequins. :)

I hope you're having a sunshiney day! :) 

♥ Nikki ♥

MCT Throwback Thursday "Do over"

Hello! It's Throwback Thursday at MyCreativeTime...today we are picking an old card to "Do Over". I made the above card back in 2012, and while it's not entirely hideous, I don't like it. LOL ;) Here is my "Do Over" version...

Ahh. That's much better. ;) I used the XL Label Die from MyCreativeTime to make the shaker window. I used the same sweet ladybug from the Create A Critter Cricut Cartridge, but I gave her a different face. I used the Kawaii Face Assortment from PeachyKeenStamps. 

The greeting is from the My Favorite Sayings set from MyCreativeTime.

Pop over to MyCreativeTime to see more creations!

♥ Nikki ♥

p.s. If you look closely at the heart on the tummy...you can see how much better the Explore cuts than the Expression. :)

You're such a deer

Hiya! It's day 3 of Clean And Simple 4 class at OnlineCardClasses. My card today was inspired by the immensely talented Julie Ebersole. I don't have the supplies needed to do the technique she showed, so instead I just used her pretty card as inspiration. I used the same Distress Ink colors as her...picked raspberry, ripe persimmon, and mustard seed. Such a pretty color combo! I inked over THIS stencil, and then splattered ink as well. I used my Cricut Explore to cut the deer with a THIS svg file from Miss Kate Cuttables. 

I inked the deer with tarnished brass distress stain. The greeting is from the Oh Deer set from MyCreativeTime. To finish, I added a few gold sequins. :)

I hope you're having a wonderful week! 

♥ Nikki ♥

MCT Inspiration Wednesday

Hiya! It's Inspiration Wednesday at MyCreativeTime. I guess my card was inspired by my desire to play with my Cricut Explore. ;) I bought the Everyday Pop Up Cards cartridge a LONG time ago...specifically for this hot air balloon! I love how it looks with Valentinesy papers. I used the Stitched Rectangular Frames And More Dies from MyCreativeTime for the card base and panel. 

I stamped the Cartoon Cloud Background from MyCreativeTime on the card base and greeting strip. 

The greeting is from the Puffy Hearts Just For You set from MyCreativeTime. I put the hot air balloon on a wobble, so it wiggles. :)

Pop over to MyCreativeTime to see more creations. 

♥ Nikki ♥

Thinking of you

Hello! It's day 2 of Clean And Simple 4 class at Online Card Classes. Today I fell in LOVE with the fabulous Shari Carroll's awesome technique...stamping with fun foam! I am seriously smitten with this technique. Incredibly easy. Incredibly fun! I used the Pointed Feather Dies from Simon Says Stamp. I cut it out of white fun foam to make my stamp. I inked it up with Mint Julep Hero Arts Shadow Ink and then rock-n-rolled on some Soft Pool ink. While I liked the first stamping, I super loved the second generation stamping...and that's what I used on my card. :) Subtle and lovely. 

I also cut some vellum feathers with the Pointed Feather Dies. I used the ink splotch stamps from the Family Is Everything set from MyCreativeTime to add gold embossing to my vellum feathers. For the sentiment, I used the Chocolate Greetings set from MyCreativeTime. 

♥ Nikki ♥