Nini Designs

Goulash

2010-08-03T23:44:00.001-04:00

Hey beautiful people of the world!

Sorry... No cards for today, but I thought I'd share a quick comfort food recipe. Perfect for rainy days like today, in not so sunny Montreal... Are you ready for some yummy GOULASH :P This is a different variation as it's more soupy... You may always add a side of plain pasta to it, if you prefer a more traditional Goulash.

Ingredients:

1 Packet Cubed Beef Chunks (2lb)

5 Medium Sized Carrots (Pelled/Chopped)

3 Regular Sized Red Onions (Quartered)

4-5 Garlic Cloves

4 Medium Sized Potatoes (Chunks)
Generous Amount of Flat Leaf Italian Parsley (Finely Chopped)

1 Regular Sized Can of Chickpeas

1 Regular Can Tomato Paste

8-10 Cups of Water

2 Tablespoons Salted Butter

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil

Hungarian Paprika

3 Tablespoons of Vegetable or any other soup Seasoning

All Purpose Flower

Pinch of Fresh Thyme

3 Bay Leaves

Crushed Peppercorns (to taste)

Kosher Salt (to taste)

Prep your beef, coat with a couple of tablespoons of All Purpose Flour, Paprika, Kosher Salt & Pepper.

Heat Butter & Oil in a pressure cooker. Sear Beef Chunks until golden brown and remove from pot into a separate dish.

Next, lightly brown onions and garlic. Add your carrots and tomato paste be sure to nicely fry the paste, that's my secret! Add your liquid and don't forget to lift off all those highly flavored brown bits at the bottom of your pot. Add your potatoes, seasoning, thyme and bay leaves. Cover your pressure cooker, and let simmer on medium-high heat for about an hour.

After an hour slowly remove from heat wait until the steam subsides, open lid and add chickpeas. Cover again and let simmer again for about 15-20 minutes. (Be really careful with pressure cookers I've only had awful experiences with them LOL)!

Open lid carefully and throw in your parsley, season with salt & pepper to your taste and that's about it! You're now ready to fill up your belly!

Hugs & Smooooches! ~ Nini xoxo :)

An Apology + A Recipe

2010-07-13T02:08:00.002-04:00

Hey peeps,

first and foremost I would like to apologize for not updating the blog. Thank you everyone for the kind emails I truly appreciate your concerns and I'm happy to know that my "Art" has been missed. I'm sending you-all the biggest hug I can offer and a ton of smooches!

Life has been hectic in my neck of the woods, to say the least let's just put it this way... my heart has been crushed into gazillions of pieces and I'm trying to be stronger each day.

I don't have a crafty creation for you today but I do have a yummy recipe for Ricotta Cheese Fritters... Enjoy!!

Ingredients: (no measurements I just go by eye)

Ricotta Cheese (I used the regular format)
Bread Crumbs (slightly double the amount of Ricotta) + Extra for Coating
Couple Spoonful of Fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Kosher Salt (to taste)
Coarse Black Pepper (to taste)
Chopped Parsley
Olive or Canola Oil for deep-frying

Drain your Ricotta in a cheese cloth to get rid of the excess water.
Mix all ingredients even the bread crumbs into a mixing bowl.
Form walnut sized balls.
Coat them with bread crumbs.
Deep fry until golden brown.
Place on towel to remove excess oil and serve.
Bon Appetit!!

These make great bite sized treats for parties and they are super easy to make!

Hugs & Kisses ~ Nini xoxo :)

CANDY ALERT

2010-04-21T14:39:00.002-04:00

Hey peeps!

Check out my blog candy giveaway over at the Posh blog! Click HERE and hurry you wouldn't want to miss this! Believe me!!! (you've got until May 4th)...

I will be posting it on my blog's sidebar as well!

Nini xoxo

PDSS CSC13 ~ Designs by Leeré Aldrich

2010-04-20T13:45:00.000-04:00

Hey peeps! I'm still here! Here's a quick & easy card I made for PDSS sketch challenge #13! My friend Michelle who is also the DT Coordinator is giving away a Designs by Leere stamp set! Be sure to play along with us!

My interpretation... :)

This card was super easy to create! I used Bazzill Kraft cardstock as my base and the gorgeous patterned paper I used are from Pink Paislee's new Queen Bee 6x6 paddie! These papers are beautiful, they remind me of Basic Grey's Origins collection! You can find all these great new products at Posh Designs except for the sentiment! (Stampin' Up! Of the Earth set).

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week everyone! ((hugs)) ~ Nini :P

SUPPLIES: BAZZILL KRAFT CARDSTOCK, PINK PAISLEE QUEEN BEE PAPER PAD, PRIMA BAROQUE BLOOMS - SIENNA, MAKING MEMORIES GEM COLLECTION - BROWN, RANGER ARCHIVAL INK - COFFEE, STAMPIN' UP! OF THE EARTH STAMP SET, STAMPIN' UP SCALLOP TRIM BORDER PUNCH, WE R MEMORY KEEPERS CROP A DILE CORNER CHOMPER - STUB/DECO CUT

Feeling grungy!

2010-04-06T15:00:00.002-04:00

Heyyyyy... I hope you've all enjoyed our long Easter holiday! I know I've been MIA lately, buuuuut girls you wouldn't believe the drama that has been goin' on *lol*... A day after my birthday I found myself with a massive case of food poisoning I was so sick and feeling REALLY *bleh* for a whole week and then some!

My dad had a Hernia repair surgery done so I've been spending most of my time helping out my folks. Long story short between home, work, and family I've had more than the usual on my plate resulting to less time crafting... :(

Now... Let's talk crafts! Here's my take on this week's challenge over at Inspirational Card Sketches. Our sponsor for this week and for the next week as well is the lovely Cassandra Sloan, the talent behind PaperMom.com she's the illustrator and owner of a fabulous Shop Handmade store she sells digital stamps and adorable handmade goodies. Please take a moment and have a look at her store, I know you will adore her whimsical images to bits!

My interpretation of Dawn's sketch really reflects on how I've been feeling lately all emo & grungy but in a bright and Springy kind of way *lol* does that make any sense to you! :P

I hope you've enjoyed today's project have a fabulous week everyone! Nini xoxo :)

Mustached Monster says...

2010-03-23T11:01:00.007-04:00

Hey everyone!

Here's a quick card I made for the Inspirational Card Sketches blog! Our lovely sponsor for this week's challenge is our generous and truly talented team member Mary Giles! Be sure to visit Mary's blog she sure knows how to rock them Copic markers! :)

Now here's my take on the sketch! It's going to a kid, and which kid wouldn't like a mustached monster LOL :P!!! Thanks for stopping by! ~ Nini xoxo

Supplies:
Paper & Cardstock: Sassafras Monstrosity Collection Kit - Bazzill Kraft Cardstock - American Crafts Black Cardstock - Prism White Cardstock. Stamping: Ranger's Archival Ink Jet Black - American Crafts Glee Stamp Set.

Everythings' Purple

2010-03-16T10:30:00.009-04:00

Hi everyone!

I have created the following card and matching wall hanger set inspired by ICSketches #58! Be sure to check out this week's challenge, Dawn knows the secret in creating awesome sketches hihihi!

Now here's the story behind these projects! I'll be honest with ya I'm not a fan of the color purple, in fact it's the only color I never grew fond of *lol*... (sorry to all you purple lovers out there)!

So, I decided to challenge myself even more and create a card using the color purple! At end I was so happy by the results and truly inspired by this fascinating color that I also came up with a matching wall hanger! I think I nailed it... What do you think?!

Card (Follow your Heart...):

Prima Marketing Indeed Collection (papers)

Shimmer Spritz Ruby

Making Memories Mistletoe Deco Pins

Ranger Ink Liquid Pear (gold)

K & Company Que Sera Sera Diecut Ephemera

Satin Ribbon (unknown)

Stampin Up! Whimsical Words Stamp Set

Stampin Up! Tiny Tags Stamp Set (flourish)

Stampin Up! Classic Ink Pads: Orchid Opulence, Lovely Lilac, Rose Passion & Chocolate Chip

Stampin Up! Scallop Border Trim Punch

Spellbinder Dies (scallop circles)

Wall Hanger (Always Remember):

Paper same as Above

Shimmer Spritz same as Above

Grafix Chipboard Sheet (4x6)

Bazzill Basics Vanilla Cardstock

Inks same as Above minus the Rose Passion

Prima Marketing Homespun Elegance Flowers Vintage mix

Making Memories Mistletoe Glitter Leaves

Doodlebug Boutique Trims Lilac

Doilie Ribbon (unknown)

Martha Stewart Doilie Edger Punch

Autumn Leaves Ticketed Clear Stamps

They're here!!!

2010-03-14T16:22:00.001-04:00

I'm an abuelita!!! My son Nikko is now a proud daddy to 6 adorable puppies! No surprise they came out looking exactly like him hihihi :) The mom, Noelle is my brothers dog and she's one happy and relieved mama! My SIL and I helped her all the way, it was a long delivery. She went into labor around 11PM and delivered the last fur baby around 4AM this morning, poor thing was so exhausted! Here are a couple of pics:

This is Nikko my purebred German Shepherd...

Here's the proud mama Noelle (Husky) and her litter of 6 beautiful and healthy pups...

I will keep you-all posted on their growth until they are ready to move in with their new families! Hugs & Kisses ~ Nini :)

Fox & Friends!

2010-03-13T14:30:00.009-05:00

Hi everyone!

Wow what a busy day! I just finished creating these thank you cards for a friend's baby shower... It all started when I stumbled upon this challenge blog and was truly inspired by this photo and the creations that were made for their photo challenge!

From there on ideas kept storming through my head and I surprisingly ended up with this sweet little set of cards! I will also be making a coordinating box to store them inside until she's ready to send them out to her guests.

Each card measure 4x4 inches, I mainly used various punches for this project! No Silhouette this time, just hands on fun! I can't wait to see what she thinks! I'm not sure how many guests will be attending but a set of 6 seemed ok and not too overwhelming for me since I'm not used to mass producing! My friend is a crafty person so I'm sure she might make some as well, these will just help her out!

I hope you've enjoyed today's project! Have a great weekend everyone! Hugs & Kisses ~ Nini :)

Supplies used:
Basic Grey Nook & Pantry Collection Kit
Bazzill Basic Vanilla Cardtsock
Stampin Up! Very Vanilla Cardstock
Fiskars Rounded Corner Punch
Stampin Up! Scallop Border Trim Edger Punch
Stampin Up! 1 3/4" Circle Punch
Stampin Up! Word Window Punch
Spellbinder Scallop Circle Dies
Stampin Up! Classic Ink Pads: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Pumpkin Pie, Cameo Coral, Yoyo Yellow
Tsukineko Memento Dew Drop Ink Pads: Summer Sky & Bamboo Leaves
Ranger Inkssentials White Gel Pen
Stampin Up! Fox & Friends Stamp Set
Stampin' Up! Short & Sweet Stamp Set

Mystery Prize Pack

2010-03-09T10:43:00.004-05:00

Morning all!

Wanna win a SURPRISE MYSTERY PACK from moi!? If you're in for it then check out PDSS challenge #10 :)
All you've got to do is submit an entry to our card sketch challenge before March 22nd @ 11:59 PM EST & that's it you're good to go! :)

Now here's my take on sketch #10:

I really enjoyed making this card for my mother in law, I'm a sucker for bright colors and I had a blast playing with October Afternoon's Farm Fresh line! I just loooove all the sentiments from this stamp set! I was determined to get the Whimsical Words set in all 3 languages even though they were free it's was the "how much more do I need to add into my shopping cart to get a free stamp set" that was costly but in the end totally... worth it! ;)

Below is another card I made, this one's for Dawn's challenge over at ICS... This week's sponsor is The Stamping Boutique. We were given "digi stamps" to work with but had to pass on those. I had a heck of an awful time working with my first digi image a few weeks back! My printer and I will never forget that darn owl *lol*... Anyways, I guess it's always easier to stay within our comfort zones... Thanks for stopping by, hugs & kisses ~ Nini ;)

Que Sea Feliz Siempre/Happiness Always:
October Afternoon Farm Fresh Collection Kit
Bazzill Basics French Vanilla Cardstock
Basic Grey Lime Rickey Brads
Stampin Up! Palabras Caprichosas
Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink - Amber Clay
Wishing you Happiness Today & Always:
Bazzill Basics French Vanilla Cardstock
Scallop Border/Flower Stems: Lori Whitlock cutting file for Silhouette SD
Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink Pad
Stampin Up! Heard from the Heart Stamp Set
Prima Evelyn Polka Dotted Confetti Mix (Brights)
Ranger Liquid Pearls - White Opal
Imaginisce Chubby Chicky Sticker Puffs (Lucy Bird)
K & Company Pillow Stickers (KaZoo)

Thank You Card

2010-03-04T03:05:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone!

I'm so excited, wanna know why?! I got my Flip Video cam earlier today yay!!! As soon as I get to know the ins and outs of this thingy I hope to share with you some crafting videos, don't say I didn't warn ya my voice is pretttty weird on cam, I sound like a kid LOL!!! Wow can't believe I'll be YouTubing soon! :P

I made the above card earlier today it's a standard 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card, I got to use SU's new Scallop Trim Border Punch and I must say I love it, it's adorable and so different eh!

The papers for this card are from Cosmo Cricket's Nutmeg kit (which you can find at Posh), I think it was released in the fall season because I remember eying some Turkey Day phrases and what not... anyways bottom line; I love this kit! The colors/patterns especially the woodgrain themed solid cardstock! I find this kit to be very versatile great for any time of the year or occasion!

Oh my gosh 3AM already I have got to get my butt out of this chair and go to sleep! Goodnight people and I hope you've enjoyed today's little card!

Hugs & Kisses ~ Nini :)

Happiness

2010-03-03T04:30:00.001-05:00

G'morning all! Hope your having a fabulous day! :)

Hmmm... for this card I decided to do something different... I have been "collecting" backgrounds stamps for awhile now, and last night I decided it was time to start using them... well... at least one for this project LOL...

For some odd reason SU's Medallion stamp & Shimmerz Spritz went hand in hand... in my creative head of course!

I sprayed some Shimmerz Spritz (Cotton Candy) onto my cardstock, even thou' it was still a tad bit "moist" I stamped my image anyway!

My impatience led me to a new discovery... I ended up with a fabulous "watercolor" effect on some parts of my stamped background! I guess it's because I used chalk ink, it's much thicker than other inks out there! Once blended with the liquid/water from the mist, it thinned out just like paint! :)

I hope you've enjoyed today's project! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs & Kisses! ~ Nini xoxo

Supplies Used:
Bazzill Basics Kraft Cardstock
Bazzill Basics French Vanilla Cardstock
Shimmerz Spritz - Cotton Candy
Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink - Warm Red
Prima Fleur Danseur - Swan Lake
KaiserCraft Pearls - Mint
Stampin Up! Medallion Background Stamp
Stampin Up! Warm Words Stamp Set

You Make Me Smile

2010-03-02T08:15:00.003-05:00

Hey all! Challenge #56 is live over at ICS, be sure to check it out! This week's sponsor is Whimsy Stamps! Below is my take on the sketch, the pocket and tag was totally unexpected, well to be honest I had messed up and sort of camouflaged it all hihihi! I used Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry Collection; the papers are delish! The sentiment on the tag reads: "You Make Me Smile" it's from Verve Stamps I think it's from their Thankful Hearts set, they have awesome stamps, you should check them out... :) Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

Supplies used:
Basic Grey Nook & Pantry Collection Pack
Bazzill Cardstock in Bitter Chocolate
Prima Homespun Elegance Vintage Mix Flowers
Prima Flower for the tag I forgot the name we had them in last year they're not in our inventory... sorry...
Bo Bunny Bodacious Brads
Doodlebug Boutique Trims (ribbon)
Lace (unknown)
Ranger Inkssentials White Gel Pen
Autumn Leaves Messy Stitches by katie Pertiet Clear Stamp Set
Ranger Ink Liquid Pearls (Gold)

Happy Beaver Day!!!

2010-02-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!!!

I know... it's not Beaver Day yet, buuut I made this quick card just for the heck of it! National Beaver Day is a fairly new Canadian holiday only dated back to the 1970s, it's celebrated on the last Friday of February!

I used my Slice and the Animal Cracker Design Card to cut out the "scallop" shape. I clear embossed using Unity's Woodgrain stamp to add some interest to my plain and dark cardstock! The little beaver was cut out from DCWV Green Paper Stack, isn't he just adorable! The sentiment is also from Unity's! Thanks for stopping by!

Always Friends

2010-02-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

Hi all! :)

I made this card for the Posh blog, you can read more about it here... Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

ICS #54 - mmm... Brazil

2010-02-16T12:25:00.006-05:00

I'm not sure but when I see this card the first thought that comes to my mind is Brazil hihihi I'm pretty convinced, it's that little strip at the bottom with the yellow and hot pink swirlies that just screams Brazil to me! Crazy I know! ;)

Well, I just love this week's sketch, challenge#54 is rockin' so be sure to hop on by and play along with us over at Inspirational Card Sketches! The prize for this week is a generous RAK kindly donated by our very own team member Debra Shaw!!!

Thanks for stopping by! ~ Nini xoxo

Super Tiny ♥ Day Treat Boxes

2010-02-13T23:09:00.002-05:00

Hey again,

wow 2 post in a day I'm on a roll :) Just wanted to share these super sweet & tiny treat boxes (yep, they're small they measure only 2x2" in size) there's one for hubby and another for dear son! I had other project ideas in mind, but let's say things didn't work out as originally planned...

Thanks for stopping by (again) Mwahhh ~ Nini xox

Happy ♥ Day!

2010-02-13T20:15:00.011-05:00

Hi everyone!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!

I hope you'll have a wonderful time tomorrow!!!

Supplies used: Bazzill Kraft Cardstock, Crate Paper Seasons Kit, Verve Clear Stamp Set - Thankful Hearts, StazOn Ink - Jet Black NOTE: The big brad was made using Imaginisce i-Top tool, you can find all the accessories here be sure to check back as we'll soon have Magnet Daddies :)

I ♥ Inchies

2010-02-11T22:06:00.004-05:00

Hey girlaaaaas! I'm sooo glad tomorrow's Friday! Yay!!!

Here's a little card I want to show you, it's a pretty clean & simple one! I just love inchies and twinchies :) and it's been awhile that I had done any! You may use a one inch square paper punch, I decided to create a .GSD file so if you have a Silhouette or Craft Robo you can download my free file here!

I love using Distress inks on my inchies because the colors are so bright and lively plus they blend in so easily with a blender tool. I prefer stamping my images with Staz-On ink simply because it dries quickly and leaves a crisp image over the Distress ink background.

Here's a close-up of my inchies... Aren't they sweet, these ones are simple but you can embellish them as much as your crafty heart desires!

Here's my little card, it's 4x4" in size, I adhered my inchies onto foam dots just to add some extra dimension!

Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend! ~ Nini xox

Supplies used: Distress Ink Pads (Shabby Shutters, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick) Staz-On Ink Pad (Jet Black) - Stampin Up! Stamp Sets (Flowers in Silhouette, Pocket Silhouettes, Thank You Kindly) - Bazzill Kraft Cardstock - Bazzill Natural Cardstock

Fun Challenges - Awesome Prizes

2010-02-09T12:44:00.016-05:00

Up for a challenge or two?! Check out PDSS blog for challenge #8, here's my take on the sketch...

We've got a FANTABULOUS prize up for grabs, if you love Pink Cat Studio then you wouldn't want to miss your chance at winning some yummy Easter stamps valued at 15$ CAD!...

...And now for my first DT assignment over at ICS, here's my take on this week's sketch; challenge #53 is sponsored by Busy Beauties Boutique, they have super cute digi stamps for sale and they're giving away a 10$ gift voucher to one lucky winner, how cool is that! :)

I also have another Valentine's Day mini card to share with you!!! This card was a quick one just to play with my new Unity Woodgrain Stamp hihihi :)

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you play along with us over at PDSS & ICS!!! ~ Nini xox :)

PS. If you're interested in becoming a designer for PDSS, be sure to send in your apps, call ends in 7 days! All the details can be found here :)

Most of the supplies can be found at Posh Designs Scrapbook Store

Make Me Happy Card: Crate Paper Season Collection Kit, Bazzill Basics Kraft Cardstock, Rhinestones (from Prima Clear Stamp Package), Ranger Inkssentials White Pen, American Crafts Clear Stamp Set - Fun. My Friend Card: Crate Paper Cottage Collection Kit, Prima Evelyn Sugar Coated Flowers - Bright Mix, Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly Ribbon Card, Rhinestones (from Prima Clear Stamp Package). Friend Card: Unity Stamps Woodgrain Background Stamp, Stampin' Up! I {Heart} Hearts Stamp Set, Bazzill Basics Bitter Chocolate Cardstock, Bazzill Basics Kraft Cardstock, Doodlebug Designs Boutique Trims - Ladybug, Rhinestones (from Prima Clear Stamp Package), Ranger Inkssentials White Pen.

Woohoo here's a big toooot!

2010-01-31T14:33:00.000-05:00

Hi peeps!

Other than the fact that I'm friggin' congested, germified (word?), and been coughing like crazy for the past 2 days... I'm really happy! Wanna know why?! I made it onto a Design Team (other than my own)! Yay me!!!

I'll be working with some wonderful ladies over at Inspirational Card Sketches! Thank you Dawn for this amazing opportunity! :) if you dig sketches and love being challenged then be sure to stop by!

Another Quickie!

2010-01-24T01:34:00.004-05:00

Hey again! Some have asked me how I made the green border when I posted this card over at the PDSS Gallery... it's not a punch it's a super cute cutting file designed by Lori Whitlock for the Quickutz Silhouette machine! Gosh I just love her work!!! Well, I'm off to watch a movie! Have a goodnight! :) ~ Nini xox

For my Love

2010-01-23T18:41:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone!

Oufff.. It's been a while since I posted something on this blog. Well, today, I made this little card for my dear hubby Frank, just to thank him for his early Valentine's present to me! This time I wanted to do something different from my usual style, hence this card has a more "vintage" look to it!

I used lots of Shimmerz Spritz and did a ton of antiquing!!! Believe it or not the base of my card is actually white cardstock from Bazzill, coated with Shimmerz Spritz (Bed of Roses). It turned out just beautiful all sparkly and shimmery just the way I like it hihihi!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! ~ Nini xoxo

Love You Card

2010-01-15T02:39:00.013-05:00

Hey peeps!

V-day is comin' up, I'm sooo psyched I love the color pink buuut given the fact that I have a full house of boys my most favorite color is SO rarely used!

Anyways, I made this quick and random Valentine's Day card because I was so excited to use my new sets of stamps which came in the mail this morning (thanks Michelle)!

Have a great weekend everyone! ~ Nini xox

CARDSTOCK: Bazzill Kraft - PAPER: Fancy Pants Vintage Valentine Collection Kit - STAMP: Stampin' Up I {Heart} Hearts, Well Scripted - INK: Stampin' Up Classic Ink Pad; Close to Cocoa, Pink Passion, Real Red, Melon Mambo - OTHER: Making Memories Gem Collection; Brown, Ranger Ink Inkssentials White Pen.

It's Candy Time!!!

2010-01-13T02:16:00.005-05:00

Hey all! Over at PDSS we're having a wicked giveaway!

We've reached our 100th follower markdown, well now 101 *lol* :) and we're celebrating by giving away all the yummy goodies pictured below to one incredibly lucky crafter!

Click HERE for all the details!!! Believe me you don't wanna miss this!

Nini xox

PDSS Sketch Challenge #6

2010-01-12T14:59:00.004-05:00

Happy Tuesday!!!

PDSS sketch challenge #6 has just begun, be sure to visit my other blog and see what fabulous prize is up for grabs!

Below is my take on the sketch:

Thank for looking and be sure to play along with us! Goodluck & Happy Crafting ~ Nini xox

CARDSTOCK: Bazzill Kraft - PAPER: October Afternoon Farm Fresh Collection Kit - STAMP: Stampin' Up Short & Sweet - INK: Stampin' Up Classic Ink Pad; Chocolate Chip - OTHER: Prima Fiesta Flowers; Citrus, Imaginisce i-Top Tool , Medium Brad Daddies and Paper Punch (to make paper flower & cherry brads), Martha Stewart Doily Edger Punch, Ranger Ink Inkssentials White Pen.

Stacked Border Punch Card

2010-01-10T19:46:00.009-05:00

Happy Sunday!!!

Here's a funny story, I was so psyched when my mom-in-law called me on Friday asking me if she could have Davian for the weekend! I agreed since Frank needed to rest due to his dental surgery and I REALLY had to get my share of ME time, which in my world hopefully meant "non-stop crafting"!!!

Anyways, I spent the whole weekend trying to come up with something and unfortunately ended up with nothing but a garbage bin full of "messed up" projects *lol*.

It was really weird for me, I'm not used to having my baby away from me... I felt uneasy and simply lost my focus and inspiration that I finally gave up crafting for the weekend and settled by doing some housework!

My son came back this morning and while he was napping I came up with this card! I finally came up something and it seems like I got my mojo back!

close up shot of stacked borders

Thanks for looking and I hope you've had a wonderful weekend! ~ Nini xox

CARDSTOCK: Bazzill Basic Kraft Cardstock, Basic Grey Designer Cardstock Practical - PAPER: Basic Grey Indian Summer Collection Pack - STAMPS: Stampin' Up (unknown) - INK: Stampin' Classic Pad Chocolate Chip - OTHER: Doodlebug Boutique Trims in Ladybug, Making Memories Gem Collection White, Martha Stewart Doily, Double Scallop and Scallop Dots, EK Success Scalloped Scallop Edger Punch

Scalloped Circle Shaped Card

2010-01-07T00:49:00.008-05:00

Using Spellbinder dies to make shaped cards is really easy! First, I used a scalloped circle die, a folded piece of cardstock and sandwiched them onto my embossing plates. Always making sure to position the die and the cardstock to create a folded edge. Then I simply ran it into my Big Shot machine and voilà, a scalloped circle shaped card!

I hope Frank's friend will like his birthday card! I'm not sure if the glittered strawberry is too much... for a guy... you know!!! What's cute is the inside *lol*... Thanks for looking! *hugs* ~ Nini :)

CARDSTOCK: American Crafts AC Heavyweight Cardstock Earth Tones, Stampin' Up Neutrals (Ivory) - PAPER: Fancy Pants Kraft Kuts Girl Kit - STAMPS: Stampin' Up Heard from the Heart, Basic Grey Nook & Pantry Itsy Bitsy Stamps Cakes - INK: StazOn Timber Brown, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Cat Eye Primary Set - OTHER: Ranger Inkssentials White Pen,

Friend to Friend updated

2010-01-05T15:10:00.007-05:00

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

First off, I'd like to thank everyone for sending me such sweet comments on my first blog post! Muahhh :)

Well, Quickutz has these really awesome ready to assemble card kits! Perfect for those last minute cards! Lori Whitlock has done a fabulous job designing these neat kits and of course I love all of her other cutting files (she's my favorite designer)! I hope she'll have more in store for the Silhouette fans out there!

Below is just one of the four kits they released last week...

...and here's what I came up with, unfortunately I couldn't add the final layer onto my butterfly since I used AC Cardstock (which is really thick by the way) so it gets a little tougher to cut out the finer details when working with the Silhouette SD machine (unless I'm doing it all wrong *lol*).

**Found a solution for intricate cuts; double cutting works like magic! Don't unload your mat after the first cut keep it in there and simply recut!**

You really should not go by the book with these kits you can "re-create" your own unique cards in whichever way or style you want! These kits are great because they basically give you an idea and the necessary supplies you need to put together a card when you're short on time or heck even short on inspiration!

Thanks for looking! ~ Nini :)

CARDSTOCK: American Crafts AC Heavyweight Cardstock Tropicals, Brights & Earth Tone - STAMPS: Stampin' Up Pocket Silhouettes - INK: Stampin' Up Classic Chocolate Chip, Versamark, Stampendous Detail White Embossing Powder (opaque) - OTHER: Silhouette Digital Cutting File: card_kit_friend_C00311_20509, Basic Grey Brad,

A New Year A New Blog!

2010-01-04T14:35:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! SURPRISE!!! *lol*

Welcome to my new personal blog hihihi :) I'm sooo glad you stopped by, I hope to share with you my passion for crafts and the occasional tidbits of life right here on my new blog!

While Frank was out with his friends I spent Saturday night working on a special "Thank You" card I made for my dear friend Michelle (PD's Cricut Tuesdays gal).

It's a standard size card measuring 4 1/4" by 5 1/2" and a very easy peasy one to make, I might add! While making cards I tend to use a lot of my smaller sized tools such as punches for borders and my Slice machine for additional diecuts.

I noticed that the Noteworthy design card for the Slice is the one I use THE MOST when cardmaking! The flower images were stamped using Memento Ink (to avoid any bleeding), and then colored with a colorless blender pen and chalk pastels! This was my first time using this awesome coloring technique and I'm sooo happy with the overall results! :)

I hope you've enjoyed today's project! I know I've said it before on the other blog and I'll say it again here... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Muahhhh *hugs* :) ~ Nini

CARDSTOCK: Bazzill Kraft, Basic Grey Designer Cardstock Optimistic, American Crafts AC Heavyweight Cardstock Tropicals, Stampin' Up Neutrals (Ivory) - PAPER: Crate Paper Cottage Collection Kit, - STAMPS: Stampin' Up Sweet Stems, Short & Sweet, INK: Tsukineko Memento Ink (Tuxedo Black), Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Vintage Photo) - OTHER: K & Company Gems, Ranger Inkssentials White Pen, Making Memories Slice Noteworthy Design Card, Scor Pal, Martha Stewart Doily Border Punch, Stampin' Up Stampin' Pastels, Copic Colorless Blender Pen.