A few things...

1. I can't stop looking at this piece by Russ Mills. 

2. After many trips to Minneapolis, I finally saw up close that adorable spoon-bridge and cherry. And then I ran away from about 700,000 prom kids. If you look close, you'll see them in the back, getting ready to attack. 

3. I love when my hair is not a frizzy mess of nonsense. During the one and only day that it didn't, I took a picture. Daaaang. I love those girlys. But I love my hair more. 

4. Working on this. Sometimes it's hard to do. Too bad, right?! Ok... Let's do this.

5. Aziz Ansari is my spirit animal. He's selling out theaters all over the nation for his Modern Romance tour, and you should scoop up a ticket before it's over. He's killing. it. So happy I was able to catch a show a last weekend. Here's a bit from his last special. Watch and enjoy...

Project Life Update : Week 13

The last month I've been all over the place sharing weeks out of order as I've completed them. Finally, I'm up to date, and life here on the blog is going to be easier and smoother. Get ready.

Today I'm sharing Week 13. For me, that documents March 26th through April 1st. The 26th was my 28th birthday, producing more photos and memorabilia than I could fit in a single spread. Therefore, Week 13 takes up two whole spreads with lots of photo flips throughout. 

This spread includes: 20 cell phone pictures, 10 camera pictures, 2 text screenshots, 2 web photos, 1 gift certificate, and 1 ticket stub. All pictures were printed at a local photo lab on glossy paper.

What happened this week: Hockey game (we won!), my cousin wore a sombrero, local tv news appearance, cake, new breakfast sandwich maker, multiple fancy dinners (because... um.. my birthday!), texts with a close friend, family time, Easter decorating, training and potluck, and the 50th anniversary of the Great Alaskan Earthquake. Wowza! Aaand that's why this week needed two spreads. 

I love including memorabilia, but I'm so so bad at remembering to hold onto it! When I got home from the hockey game this week, I immediately slipped it into my open album. Do you have a smart solution for including bits and pieces of the week? I'd love to hear... 

I didn't show off all the photo flaps in this spread, but there's several. Because they're on the front and back of this insert, I added paper clips to a few. This helped keep it all one page when the insert is flipped over in the album. I used white cardstock, folded in half, and slipped into the pocket to add additional photos and hidden journaling. 

Birthday festivities were spread out throughout the week... Rather than adding them in one spot, I mixed them in with other events from the week. It shows how full this week was, but also how blessed I truly am. 

My father, born in Alaska, lived through the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the largest in North American history. This week marked the 50th anniversary, and he had the most beautiful Facebook status. So I stole it. I've grown up hearing stories and standing in awe of their pictures... This is first hand account needs to be documented and shared. After resizing the photo below, the writing became blurry...here's the impactful sentiment:

"50 years ago today my family and I went through the Great Alaskan Earthquake, registered 9.2 and went on of over 4 minutes. Strong enough to turn frozen ground into liquid  form, rolling in 3 foot high waves. Main street dropped 20 feet, and part of Anchorage slid toward the ocean. Rivers changed courses, mountains were pushed up, islands sank into the ocean, tidal waves drug glacier ice from Glacier Bay inland and scoured the land. The course of the land was changed in minutes, NOT millions of years. God is not limited to the time or physical limits we are. 4 minutes to change the course of the land... 4 minutes."

The stamp in the Bluegrass Farm Project Life Kit was the perfect addition to family photos. I'm almost out of the heart puffy stickers, and I'll whimper once I do. One of my favorite embellishments from past kits. 

That's another week documented! Thanks for checking out my progress. 

SUPPLIES :: Studio Calico Project Life Kits, Printable Labels, 4x6 Paper Pad, Gold Stars, White Tags / Becky Higgins Jade Core Kit, Holidays Mini Kit / Office Max White Labels / Tim Holtz Industrious Stickers Borders / American Crafts POW! Glitter Thickers

TOOLS :: Becky Higgins Design A Page Protectors, White Leather Album, 0.1 & 0.5 Marker, Date Stamp / Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher / StazOn Jet Black Ink 

Card Making Monday

Good morning, and happy Memorial Day! Today I'm sharing a card using Avery Elle stamps and lots of crafty scraps. 

The book stamp was used to create the background on kraft cardstock, adding just a small amount of brown pencil to each image. The main image was stamped on white cardstock and colored completely. I then looked around my studio for pieces of cardstock, vellum, twine, and bling to layer behind it. 

The inside, not pictured, has a strip of kraft paper with the same collage of books stamped onto it. I'm smitten with the adorable image and blue VersaFine ink. Nothing is safe from my stamp-happy self. 

SUPPLIES :: Avery Elle Great Chemistry Stamp Set / Memento Tuxedo Black Ink / VersaFine Majestic Blue Ink / Prismacolor Pencils / Paper Cut Cardstock & Vellum / We R Memory Keepers Large Enamel Dots / A Muse Studio White Pearls

A few things...

1. Nothing makes me happier than Andy Samberg hosting SNL. The promos have me acting like a fool. 

2. This series by Billy Kidd = yes.

3. 30 hour crop for NSD. 30. hours. It was a lot of fun, but sadly, I didn't accomplish more than placing my photos in their Project Life pockets. 

4. "Were she better or you sicker, then the stars would not be so terribly crossed, but it is the nature of stars to cross...There is no shortage of fault to be found amid our stars." Finished this wonderful book before the movie's release. Can't. Wait.

5. Made my mom a mug with permanent markers for Mother's Day. Because nothing says I love you like a coffee mug that says I love you. And because it would be quick and easy and fun, right?! AH! It was far harder than I thought, but it was cute, and I don't have a picture, but you should check out this tutorial, and I like run on sentences. 

6. Jimmy Fallon runs the 40 yard dash. And I watched his hilariously awkward pre-dash stretches at least a hundred times.

Celebrate In Style

Good evening! Earlier this week I sat down with my Copic markers and enjoyed coloring the day away... I couldn't help it once I acquired this adorable stamp from Penny Black Inc.

After coloring the image, I adhered it to an A-2 card base with several layers of patterned paper by Lawn Fawn and American Crafts. Easy embellishing with metallic ribbon and a simple sentiment! 

So in love... I think I'll color a few hundred more. Thanks for stopping by!

SUPPLIES :: Paper Cut Cardstocks / American Crafts Summer Paper / Lawn Fawn Polka Dot Patterned Paper / Penny Black Inc Birthday Joy Stamp / Copic Markers / Memento Tuxedo Black Ink / Uni-Ball Signo White Pen

COPIC COLOR LIST :: Dress BG10, BG11, BG13, BG18 / Light Blues B000, B00, B02 / Shoes C-7 / Skin E00, E01, E11, R20 / Hair E15, Y26, E18 / Shadows C-1, C-3

Etsy Shop Announcement & Sale

I'm in the memory keeping business, addicted to all things paper, and a hoarder of pretty supplies. All of this has led me to open up an Etsy Shop called, Nikki's Papery. The shop will offer mini albums, embellishments, journaling cards, and more! 

I'll be adding more items daily as I discover and create. My hope is that each product will find a good home and be turned into a beautiful project. They don't deserve to collect dust on a shelf in my craft room. Here's a look at some items already listed in the shop and ready to be shipped to your door... Enjoy 10% off with the code NPGRAND

Feather 4x6 Album

Smile Sticker Embellishments

Real Life Title Embellishments

Day of the Week Title Embellishments

Sweet Memories Title Embellishments

Memories Sticker Embellishments

Love This Title Embellishments

Camera 4x6 Mini Album

Explore Journaling Cards

Doily & Kraft Journaling Cards

Butterfly Sticker Embellishments

Thanks for joining me in this adventure! Don't forget, I'm offering 10% off with the coupon code NPGRAND as a grand opening gift to my followers. Discount expires May 31st. Thank you! 

Project Life Update : Week 10

Good afternoon, Paper Crafters. How are your Project Life albums for 2014 coming along? Today I'm sharing one of the most recent spreads I've completed. I've been working a little out of order the last few weeks. This spread is Week 10 which documents March 5th through March 11th. 

This spread includes: 12 cell phone pictures, 2 camera pictures, and 2 web photos. No memorabilia or screen shots this week. All the pictures were printed at a local photo lab on glossy paper.

What happened this week: More snow, The Lego Movie, my nephew started walking, church potluck, craft time, and Olive Garden takeout. 

I didn't include a week number for this spread and added all seven dates of the week with my stamper. I'm still in the habit of dating every single picture... Last year I didn't follow a weekly format, opting to place photos in pockets as I felt necessary. It might take me all year to break free and just enjoy the weekly title cards. 

I had a lot of time with my nephew this week, so naturally there were lots of pictures taken! He had started walking this week, and that only fueled my desired to over-document. I used a flip pocket to add additional photos and journaling. That kid is just too cute. 

Thanks for looking at this week's update! 

SUPPLIES :: Studio Calico Project Life Kits, Printable Labels, 4x6 Paper Pad, Gold Stars, White Tags / Becky Higgins 3x4 White Cards / Teresa Collins Enamel Dots / Simple Stories 3x4 Die Cut Pad / Ormolu Cut Outs / Office Max White Labels

TOOLS :: Becky Higgins Design A Page Protectors, 0.1 & 0.5 Marker, Date Stamp / Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher / StazOn Jet Black Ink / Memento Rhubarb Stalk Ink / HP Photo Printer / CTMH Flip Flaps 

Card Making Monday : Paper Piecing Love

Good afternoon! It's Monday, which means I've spent the day creating three new cards for Creations Galore. I've chosen my favorite from this week to share here with you. 

I've fallen head over heels for Paper Smooches stamps, especially this set. Those flowers are just to die for! I stamped them in black ink on several pieces of patterned paper, cut them out, and pieced them together. It took a little self restraint to not fill up the entire card front with these beauties!

I used the same paper piecing technique for the butterfly, choosing not to cut out the intricate details of the image. I folded the wings at the body and adhered only the body to the card front with a dab of Glossy Accents. 

This would make a beautiful gift set... You just might find me making a dozen more! 

SUPPLIES :: Paper Cut White Cardstock / We R Memory Keepers Inked Rose, Antique Chic, & Love 2 Craft Patterned Papers / Studio Calico Thataway Patterned Paper / Paper Smooches Pretty Momma Stamp Set / Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Under The Weather : Rainy Day Cards

The rain has continued to fall this week and a few friends have turned up sick. Therefore, I grabbed my new favorite Avery Elle stamp set and whipped up a few cards to fit the occasion. 

These cards were easy to throw together in an afternoon. I paper pieced the umbrella top and cloud, layering the images on white cardstock. A quick border created with a paper punch and dark blue cardstock balances out the card. 

I can't get over how awesome the script in this set is. Gush! 

SUPPLIES :: Paper Cut Cardstock, Polka Dot Paper / We R Memory Keepers Inked Rose Patterned Paper / Avery Elle Weather It Stamp Set / Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

TOOLS :: Martha Stewart Crafts Edge Punch / CutterBee Scissors / Fiskars Paper Trimmer / MyStik Permanent Adhesive