Monday, May 28, 2012

"Oldies But Goodies" Weekly PPBN Challenge

Happy Memorial Day PPbNer's! I'm here to share a challenge that my DT is having right now and goes until next Saturday, June 2! It's called "Oldies by Goodies" and the challenge is to make a project using one of my older patterns (you can access the older ones in the what's new section of my store by visiting the later pages in that section).  It can be any pattern for any occasion and any kind of project so let you creativity run wild! All entries are due on Saturday before midnight EST. Post your projects on the PPBN fan page or in our the PPBN Facebook Group-Paper Piecings by Nikki Crafty Inspirations! A winner will be picked on Sunday to win a free set of their choice of $10 or less!!! Can't wait to see everyone's creations!

Here are a few projects made by my DT members to inspire you!

 
Barb Rapp used the monkey from "Hear, Speak, and See No Evil"
to make this gorgeous baby card

Amanda Brunett used my very first file, "Mischief Brewin" to make this adorable Halloween Layout

Mandy Gossard made this adorable birthday card using "You've Got a Friend in Me"
which also now includes people faces as well as bear faces :)

Charli Rapp made this amazing birthday, 2-page layout using "Birthday Bash"

Kimberly Pate made this adorable purple elephant card using the "So Jungelicious" set!

So now that you know what to do, get out there and get creatin'! Not only will you have fun making projects with my little critters, but you'll have a project done for yourself and a chance to win $10 in free files from Me, ©Paper Piecings by Nikki!!

Thanks to all for participating and HAVE FUN!!

Nikki <3

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Ok, every time that I post I say that I'm going to get better at posting but I never seem to.  So Here is yet another attempt to keep this blog going :)  Here are some of my newest sets to date:






 That's just a few :) 

I've also got a two HUGE announcements that I am SO EXTREMELY EXCITED about sharing with all of you!

Introducing ©PaperNutz Magazine and ©PPbN Acrylic Stamps!


The very first issue of ©PaperNutz will be available this July!! Be sure to stop by to read all about my new ©Paper Piecings by Nikki inspired publication/digital magazine! All info that you need is on the site for subscriptions, project submission guidelines/deadlines and advertising opportunities!


This first set (which coordinates with my "Cloudy with a Chance of Friendship pattern set) is available NOW! I will be placing orders this Friday so be sure to get your set if you'd like to receive it with the next shipment :)

Hope all is well out there in crafty,blogger land <3 Lots of hugs to all, as always <3


Nikki




Monday, March 12, 2012

Friday's Blog Post Winner!

Hey bloggers! The winner of my Friday blog post is #3, Karel! Congratulations Karel and thanks for reading my blog post! You can email me at paperpiecingsbynikki@yahoo.com with your $5 pattern choice :)

I will be posting another challenge today so come back, and make sure you follow my blog and subscribe by email so you don't miss any of my posts and chances to win FREE patterns!

Have a super duper fantastic day!

Lots of Hugs!
Nikki
©Paper Piecings by Nikki

Friday, March 9, 2012

Layout Sketches Made Easy!

I don't know about you but I've always had ahard time setting up my layouts. Even if I have a sketch to start with, I just can't seem to get myphotos and all the other elements of my page where I want them to go :( I have sat in front of a page for hours, trying to decide where to start or how I'm going to move forward. I found an article onhow to make sketches easy and get, not only one page out of a sketch layout, but maybe 3, 4 or even 5 pages from just onelayout sketch!!

This technique is called "sketch spinning" and you will see just how easy it is to get multiple pages out of one sketch :) It's simple really....just find a sketch that you like and start spinning it, turning it 90 degrees each time! By "spinning" the layout, you get a "new" sketch with every turn :) It looks like this in the original position...




You can add or remove any part of the sketch that you want and make it all your own. See how she added a 4 photo collage in the square space below the journal spot? She also left the top square on the right empty for an overflow area of her embellishments :) I love seeing other finished layouts because when it comes to setting upmy pages, my brain just doesn't think that way...LOL! I see the sketch and my page ends up looking the exact same as the sketch whether I like it or not...ugh!

So now you are done with one page and you want to make another. Let's say you are in a great scrapping mood and ready to pump out some pages but you don't want to waste a whole lot of time in between. So you take the sketch that you found and that you like and turn it 90 degrees to the right, so the sketch looks like this....


Wala! A brand new layout, tweaked to fit your new page :) The 4 separate photo boxes are still in the layout only now they are at the bottom. The larger square is not at the top right with only one photo this time and the title is now on the far right. Neat huh? You learn something new everyday ;)

Obviously you could continue to rotate 90 degrees until you have 4 completely different-looking layouts :) Unless you put the layouts right next to each other, in a row, on a table for people to examine, I bet nobody would ever know that you've used the same sketch for every layout!

This little article changed my crafting life forever...LOL (as silly as it seems)! I now feel like I don't have to be stuck looking at the same blank page for hours, trying to figure out what to do :) And since I have 7 years of scrapbooking to catch up on, I'd say that's a pretty valuable piece of information to know :)


Here is a digital layout I did using this sketch :) I used my "I Love NY" Lady Liberty bear PNG to add a little of Paper Piecings by Nikki to this layout :) If you are more of a paper crafter, my patterns also come in cuttable formats. Whether you have an electric cutting machine or you hand cut, you can do any kind of crafting with my designs :) I had this photo plng time so I couldn't wait to get to Liberty Island and actually take it because I knew it was going to be a great shot! This trip had been a dream of mine ever since I was little and my husband finally made it come true for me just recently <3


Hope I was able to show you something you never thought of before :) I know that I will be using the "sketch spinning" technique all of the time now ;)

If you like this post and you enjoy my blog, please suggest it to a friend :) I would love as many followers as I can get :) And just so I can see how many people will read this post, here is a small challenge for you ;) Leave a comment on this post about what you think of the "sketch spinning" technique :) Let me know if it's something you've been doing for awhile or if this is a brand new idea that you will use in the future. Those who leave comments will be assigned a number according to their comment order. I will then use Random Number Generator to choose a number :) The winner will get a free die cut pattern/printable pattern set of $5.00 or less from my store :) Let's see how many people actually read my blog ;) Good luck :)

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more new techniques and ideas for all of your crafting hobbies :)

Lots of Hugs!
Nikki
©Paper Piecings by Nikki


Monday, March 5, 2012

BlogLovin :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

This is an awesome place to find amazing blogs and outstanding inspirations!! Follow me and start following more miraculous blogs too! Thanks :)

Nikki

Friday, March 2, 2012

Seuss' Imagination Blog Hop~March 2


  • “Think left and think right and think low and think high.
    Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”
    ― Dr. Seuss

    Don't hop on pop but hop on top of the Dr. Seuss Blog Hop, where a bunch of talented people came up with their own interpretations of the wonderful imagination of Dr. Seuss. The skies the limit when you have an imagination like Dr. Seuss and talent like those in this hop. Our hop today is hostessed by Jearise in Lorby's World (link to http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com) and that is were to begin if you've happened here by chance otherwise continue on my friend.

    Jearise in Lorby's World (link to http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com) has some fun blog candy for this hop. She has a stuffed Cat in the Hall and a fun Thing 1 and Thing 2 craft plus a $10 gift card to Michaels. I know they're silly but doesn't that follow in the steps of Dr. Seuss?

    Hi there :) My name is Nikki Calmes, owner and artist of Paper Piecings by Nikki :) S Iince am a digital artist, I chose to do a digital layout for my project using my new "Kitten in a Hat" Pattern Set :) These are my oldest babies, 7 year old Samantha and 4 year old Ben :) Always up to mischief and mayhem just like Dr. Seuss says Thing 1 and Thing 2 are in "The Cat in the Hat". I also have a 20 month old daughter and the three of them are the light of my life!

    My favorite program in the whole wide world is Adobe Photoshop which is what I used to make this layout. By using the PNG files (PNG files have a transparent background) from my pattern set, I positioned the images where I wanted them and resized them to fit my page. Then I added a few squares and rectangles by using the shape tool, resized them and positioned them. It's really as simply as opening the file that you want to use, clicking and dragging the image onto your workspace and playing with the images and shapes until you like how they look :) I love digital scrapbooking because it's quick and easy and the only space I take up is my lap where my computer sits ;) With 3 young kids, it's pretty much impossible to get my scrapbooking done any other way ;) So I click, drag, print and place in my album and I'm done...WALA!


    I have blog candy to offer too!  In order to be eligible to win my blog candy you MUST:
    1.  Sign up by email to my blog AND follow my blog :)
    2.  Head over to my Facebook Page and become one of my newest fans by clicking "Like" :)
    3.  Leave a comment on this post about which program you like to use for your digital layouts OR leave a question that you have about digital scrapbooking or Photoshop :)
    4.  Follow all of the blogs in the hop today so that you can have many places to be inspired :)

    My blog candy is a $10.00 credit to my store :)  I will choose a winner by Sunday and announce the winner on my Facebook page and here, on my blog :)

    I hope you enjoyed my project and I just know you are having fun on the hop with all of these wonderfully talented woman to inspire your creativity :)  Thanks so much for hopping with us and have a very blessed day :)

    Nikki <3



    Thank you for joining us because...


    “You're off to Great Places!
    Today is your day!
    Your mountain is waiting,
    So... get on your way!”
    ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

    Your next stop is Katie :)

    If you get stuck behind the great parade down at Mulberry Street, here's the links that you can follow on the Great Thing-a-majigger as you are on an adventure. "The Cat in the Hat knows a lot about that!"


    1. Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com
    2. Lynne - http://slasewcraftiness.blogspot.com/
    3. Ashley - http://theglamoroussideofscrapping.blogspot.com
    4. Georgiana http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.com/
    5. Laurie http://mincedpaper.blogspot.com
    6. Lisa - http://handmadewithlove-lisa.blogspot.com/
    7. Doris - http://mybugandmecreate.blogspot.com
    8. Janet N- http://createatdreamscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
    9. Cathie w-http://cathiescafe-scraphappy.blogspot.com/
    10. Cori- http://createdbycori.blogspot.com
    11. Nikki~http://paperpiecingsbynikki.blogspot.com YOU ARE HERE
    12. Katie ~ http://www.ktsangels.blogspot.com/ HOP HERE NEXT
    13. Ellen ♥ CardMonkey ~ http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
    14. Jamie - http://myamusinglife.blogspot.com 
    15.  Shelly - http://kccroppers.blogspot.com
    16. Angie :) - http://atuttletime.blogspot.com
    17. Kimberly ~ http://scrappingRookie.blogspot.com

Friday, February 10, 2012

Share the Love Blog Hop February 10th! Come join in the Fun of Sharing the LOVE!

                Share the Love Blog Hop


Welcome to Paper Piecings By Nikki's first bi-monthly blog hop.  This month, the design team has been asked to create something with love. If you have seen any of my new releases, you'll see that we had no problem picking and choosing which piecings to use.  So get cozy and be prepared to be inspired...

For my "Share the Love" project, I chose to make a digital card that I will print from my printer and give to my husband for Valentine's Day :)



One of the reasons we are "Sharing the Love" with this blog hop is to let you all know that every purchase you make at Paper Piecings By Nikki, $1 is donated to charity.  Giving back to this world we live in is so important to me and I am so grateful that I have a chance to do that every single month :)  We also want to share some love with you.  Go to www.paperpiecingsbynikki.com and pick up your 'Share the Love" Freebie that is on the bottom of my donation page.  We would love to have you create something special with it and then link it up to either Paper Piecings By Nikki facebook page or my blog www.paperpiecingsbynikki.blogspot.com.  Either way, you will be eligible to win $20 worth of free patterns from my store!

To be eligible to win, you MUST do the following:

2. "Follow" me and subscribe by email to paperpiecingsbynikki.blogspot.com.
3. Leave a comment on my blog or facebook telling of you favorite charity and why it is close to your heart.
4. Link your project with Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post, using the freebie - or another PPBN piecing on either my blog or facebook page - or both for a second chance to win the $15 worth of patterns from my store :)

The challenge will remain open for one week.  I will choose the winner next Friday.  Make sure you leave an address so we can contact you.
Next stop is Patti

Here is the line up in case you get lost along the way:

Nikki - www.paperpiecingsbynikki.blogspot.com