Niccole's Top 10 of 2019!

Hello Ai fans!!

First off I would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful New Year! Can you believe 2019 is almost over?  This year just flew by for me.  You have all welcomed me so graciously this past year.  I truly have had a blast here at Art impressions with all of you.

In no particular order I am sharing my top 10 card of the year.  

Succulent Window

Tulips and A Tired Easter Bunny 

Penguin Wave

Tears Ran Down

Here's the Skinny

Succulent Shaker

Hello Spring Chicken

Wag Your Tail

Santa Rocking

Home Is Where You Park It

I once again want to thank you for welcoming me so graciously to the Art Impressions team.  I cannot wait to see what 2020 has in store for all of us and Art impressions ...

Until next time ... Hugs & inky fingers!

Dreaming Santa by Niccole

Hello Ai fans!!

I am stopping by today to share a card I made using the 4792 Dreaming Mini Shaker stamp set from Art Impressions.  I love the classic look of this Santa. 

I started by Copic coloring my Santa image from the Dreaming Mini Shaker set. I labeled all of the Copic colors below; the color along with what image was colored. It can be hard when I use a lot form the same color family to figure out what I colored where. 

I decided I wanted a dream bubble so I drew it freehand with a pencil first.  I used my electric eraser to redo a couple of my clouds ... I will never be perfect as I am NO artist.
 -LOL-

I was finally ok with my final bubble so I used my line marker to draw over my pencil line.  As you can see I didn't follow it exactly so I used my electric eraser to remove any pencil mark left over. 

I felt like it was a little plain so I added a little Wink of Stella to my Santa beard and to his Santa hat fur. I finished it off with a few red Nuvo Drops.

Here is the finished card one more time.  I love how it represent the classic Christmas look.  I am a sucker for Christmas and good ol' Christmas charm.  

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending some time with me.  Please come back again soon soon and see what myself and the rest of the team have been up to.

Copics used:

Santa Hat- C00, C1, C3
Skin - E00, E11, E13
Cat - E15, E17, E19

Rocking Chair - E43, E44, E47 
Santa Pants - N3, N5, N9

Cheeks - R21, R22
Santa Clothes - R35, R37, R39
Santa Beard - W00, W1, W3

Until next time ... Hugs & inky fingers!

Santa Rocking by Niccole

Hello Ai fans!!

I am stopping by today to share a card I made using the 4792 Dreaming Mini Shaker stamp set from Art Impressions.  I love this Santa so much. As a matter of fact I will be sharing another card next week using this same set.  Can you tell I love him??

I started by Copic coloring my Santa image from the Dreaming Mini Shaker set. I cut him out using the coordinating die that comes with the stamp set. I added Wink of Stella to his beard and the fur on hat after I had taken the picture.  He looked a little plain ... besides who doesn't like a little shimmer?

 I set him aside and added some pattern paper to the bottom portion of my card to emulate a floor.  I love the buffalo plaid.  I added a tiny strip of black paper to define the area. I added the Action Wobble that comes also with the stamp and coordinating die.  You can also buy packages of Action Wobbles over at the Ai site. I love these things! They add so much dept to your card with out you even trying - LOL

I don't feel like this card needs much.  The Santa is definitely my main focal point. So I finished it off with some crystal gems.  I think it looks like it is snowing.

Doesn't the Action Wobble really make the Santa stand out?  When you flick him, he actually rocks! 

Here is the finished card one more time.  I really like how it represent the classic Christmas look.  I am a sucker for Christmas and good ol' Christmas charm.  

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending some time with me.  Please come back again soon soon and see what myself and the rest of the team have been up to.

Copics used:

C00, C1, C3
E00, E11, E13
E15, E17, E19

E43, E44, E47 
N3, N5, N9

R21, R22
R35, R37, R39
W00, W1, W3

Until next time ... Hugs & inky fingers!

Penguin Wave by Niccole

Hello Ai fans!!

Like I said last week ... we have an exclusive stamp set only available at Simon Says Stamp called SSS Exclusive Holiday Flip Card - 5207.  I LOVE this set.  It is so fun! And what a bonus ... it's a Flip Card! Although this week I am not showing you another flip card.

I am showing you a spinner card.  Yes, a spinner card!  When you have a front and back identical stamped images, it is a MUST in my opinion to make a spinner card! 

No you are not seeing things LOL and no it is not a mistake.  I am showing you the image rolled over so you are seeing the back side.  See how they fit perfectly together?  

I cut two rectangles using the Rounded Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies.  I cut the smaller one from the red and black paper.  I used one bigger along with the smaller one to make a frame with the turquoise paper.  

I sandwiched the thread between the two images and the frame so everything is hidden.  You can twirl it to make it spin when it opens or you can leave it and when it opens it waves at you.  Both are adorable! I finished it off with a few crystal gems since I did not add a sentiment.

Here is a close up of the adorable colored penguins.  Aren't they the cutest little penguins you have every seen?  You could color these in so many combinations.

Here is a video of the spinner in action.  What do you guys think?  It is really not hard at all.  People will think it took forever to make, when in reality the hardest part is getting your frame and card base to line up LOL

Here is one more picture of the card.  I absolutely LOVE how this card turned out.  I love that it is not your traditional Christmas/winter colors. I love that this set is so versatile.  I have shown you a flip card and a spinner card, but yet you still could make a standard card as well ... oh the possibilities!

Thank you for stopping by today!  Please head on over to Simon Says Stamp to pick up this adorable SSS Exclusive Holiday Flip Card before it is sold out.  It will not return once it is sold out.

Copics used:

BG11, BG45, BG49

C1, C3, C5, C7, C9

G07, G09

N0, N3, N5, N7

R21, R22, R24, R29

W00, W1, W3

Y13, Y18

Until next time ... Hugs & inky fingers!

Snowman Flip by Niccole

Hello Ai fans!!
Do you spot something new ... SSS Exclusive Holiday Flip Card Set 5207! 

As you can see we have an exclusive stamp set only available at Simon Says Stamp.  I LOVE this set.  It is so fun! And what a bonus ... it's a Flip Card!

I started by using my flip die to cut my red card base. I trimmed the bottom with rose gold glitter paper.  I added a diagonal stripe paper to my sentiment square to frame it out.  I randomly added white Nuvo Drops to give the impression of snow. I added my forward facing snowmen as if they were holding up the "Wishing You" sign.

I did exactly the same to the inside of the card.  Except for this time the sentiment says "A very Merry Christmas." Isn't it cool how the sentiment flips when you open the card up?

Here is a close up of the front of my card and my colored snowmen.  I used my Copic markers to color these cute fellas! I also popped up my snowmen with foam tape for added dimension. Doesn't the glitter really make it sparkle?

Here is a close up of the inside with the cute lil' snowman butts! I also raised up these guys with foam tape as well. I actually did everything identical to the front of the card except the snowmen.

Here is one more of the front of the card laying flat so you can see where the flip die cuts along with the placement of everything.

And a flat one of the inside as well.  I love how this card looks more complex than it really is.  Using the flip feature is SO easy.  Everyone should have this die in their stash!

Thank you for stopping by today!  Please head on over to Simon Says Stamp to pick up this adorable SSS Exclusive Holiday Flip Card.

Make sure you come back next week.  I just might have another adorable card using this fun SSS Exclusive stamp set. 

Copics used:

BG11, BG45, BG49

C1, C3, C5, C7, C9

G07, G09

N0, N1, N3

R21, R22

R24, R27, R29, R35, R37

V20, V22, V25

W00, W1, W3

Y13, Y18

Until next time ... Hugs & inky fingers!

Blessed & Grateful by Niccole

Hello Ai fans!!

I am stopping by today to share a card I made using the Birdhouse Neighborhood, the WC Sentiment Set 2, and the Circle Double Stitch Dies. 

I started by stamping my Birdhouse Neighborhood stamp set on the middle of my kraft card base. I colored my image with my Polychromos colored pencils. I moved on to my watercolor piece. I started by blending my ink onto the watercolor paper.  I only used two colors and blended them to make the middle color. I cut a circle with my Circle Double Stitched Dies and glued it so it was centered onto my card base with my Birdhouse Neighborhood image showing.    

 I added Wink of Stella to the whole colored area.  I wanted to make the image pop and I figured what better way than to add Wink of Stella to it ... I mean who doesn't love a little sparkle?

As you can see in the picture above I stamped my Blessed & Grateful sentiment to my one inch banner strip I made using the WC Sentiment Set 2 . I glued down the left side of my sentiment strip and I raised the banner side up with one layer of foam tape.  I absolutely love when I can do this to an image or sentiment.  It give so much dept to the card and to my sentiment strip with hardly any effort. What do you think?  Like it? 

I finished my card off with some Crystal Nuvo Drops.  This has been my go-to embellishment lately.   I added the same three colors as my card front, I just varied the color so red wasnt on red and so forth.

Here is one more look at the full card.  I love this card can be almost anything from a miss you card, a thank you card, a friendship card, or even a new home card. 

Thank you so much for spending part of your Wednesday with me.  Please come back again soon and see what we are up to here at Art Impressions.

Faber Castell Polychromos used:

All of these are the 9201 series
Red - 121, 217
Orange - 109, 111, 115
Yellow - 107, 184
Green - 165, 168, 171, 
Blue - 140
Gray - 233, 274
Brown - 176, 177, 180, 283

Until next time ... Hugs & inky fingers!