Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker

Nikki Sivils is a scrapbooker who is living her dream, designing and manufacturing scrapbook products. The two that have in front of me are ‘My Friend Birdie’ and ‘Tree Love’. These two ranges are some of last season’s collections. Nikki is releasing six new ranges on 29th January 2011 (and I’m keeping a very close eye on ‘It’s Raining, It’s pouring’ in particular). You could even win her new range by visiting her blog. The company’s mission is to ‘create wonderfully original scrapbook paper and embellishments by focusing on imagination and love for crafting’ and ‘provide distinctive paper’. Distinctive is exactly the word I would use to describe Nikki Sivils’ style. Both these ranges have big, bold designs and it’s clear that the same designer has had a hand in both. They both have vibrant colours with fun patterns and little characters.

Both ranges features seven patterns on doubled sided papers and one side of cardstock embellishments (including words, photo corners and journaling blocks on ‘My Friends Birdie’ and trees and words on ‘Tree Love’) that can be cut out. They also include one 10” scallop edged round die cut paper and a 12x12” sticker sheet with a good mix of alphas, journaling blocks and alphas (which was a new product introduction last season) with a high gloss sheen. The paper is high quality and the stickers are glossy, well manufactured and strong. All the papers are vibrant, with rich colours and the designs in each range complement each other well. There is variety in each range offering something for everyone.

The aforementioned little character in ‘Tree Love’ is Bucky the Beaver and he features on three of the patterns. The papers are in browns, reds, green and creams (reflecting the autumn feel of the season in which they were released).

‘My Friend Birdie’ is a range dedicated to Nikki’s friend with birdlike legs. The designs on the papers themselves are again vibrant, bold and unique. There are plainer pages, pages with large patterns, pages with smaller patterns and all in beautiful blues, yellows, greens and terracotta. There are papers that could be used by scrapbookers, cardmakers and altered art lovers, which is true of ‘Tree Love’ also.

Individually these papers retail at about $0.89 US for the 12x12” papers, $0.99 US or £1.25 GBP for the scallop edged die cut and $2.99 US or £2.99 for the cardstock sticker sheet. In the 6x6” mini-pad there are 24 pages, three pieces of four designs and four pieces of three designs. They retail at approx. $5.99 US or £5.99 GBP. Although these papers won’t appeal to everyone, they are exceptionally good quality and well priced for the market.

Nikki Sivils also does a variety of embellishments to complement her ranges. These include buttons, albums, brads and craft flags. Inspiration for using all of Nikki’s products can be found on her blog and gallery.

Basic Grey Jovial Collection

The Basic Grey ‘Jovial’ collection retails at around £21.99 in the UK and is widely available from online retailers worldwide.

Yes, the busiest time of the year for most of us.... Christmas. I have a list as long as my arm of things I ‘should’ be doing, but yet I ditched my list last night so that I could dig in to these papers and get a headstart on making my Christmas cards! This very fact is a huge selling point of these papers, for me. No matter how much I love crafting, I struggle to get excited about making my Christmas cards. I think it’s the sheer volume of cards required and the fact that I feel that I ‘should’ make them rather than ‘want’ to, that does it. The fact that I was looking forward to trying out these papers in a Christmas card making environment can only be a good thing!

In the pack you will find 18 double-sided papers, a sheet of alphabet stickers (in 2 colours) and a sheet of coordinating cardstock stickers. Basic Grey use FSC-certified papers and soy based inks (LOVE that smell when you take them out of the pack, it’s good for the soul!) to do their bit for the environment. If you’ve never tried BG papers before, you can rest assured that the quality is good. [And it’s worth buying them just to sniff that new BG paper smell ;)]

The papers are all well coordinated, but with enough variation that you could use the whole pack to make scrapbook pages and/or cards and they wouldn’t all look the same. There’s a good mix of subtle patterns with some bolder designs thrown in, and a mix of abstract patterns with more traditional Christmas motifs such as snowmen, poinsettias and gifts. I love that there are several papers that you can cut some of the motifs out of to make your own embellishments. You don’t have to think too hard about mixing the patterns, as they do work really well together. I like the way BG managed to mix traditional greens and reds with some cooler blues and make it work. The patterns are unique and not ‘just another’ Christmas line. It has a definite BG twist to it.

The sticker sheet is very useable, especially for cards. In fact, my son stole a lot of mine without me realising, and I am now the proud owner of a heavily-stickered Christmas card :) I do think it would be beneficial to have a few more stickers included, as there are enough papers to create a whole stack of cards and layouts, but you’d have to take it easy on the stickers if you didn’t want to add more from your stash – especially if you have a sticker-stealing child in the house!

In all, I’d recommend this collection for anyone who loves a good Christmas line and has a lot of cards to make, or layouts to get scrapped! The papers go a LONG way, and you could easily create a bunch of cards, a few layouts and a mini album from just 1 pack, if you’re prepared to add some extra stickers/embellishments.

I give this product 4 scissors – the only downside for me being the paper to sticker ratio :)

American Crafts embellishments

I had a lot of fun working with some American Crafts embellishments for this review. The Items I’ve tried out are:

City Park ‘Slide’ Delights

Dear Lizzie Mementos ‘Charming’

City Park Printed Tags

Dear Lizzie ‘Enchanted’ Rose Brads

Dear Lizzie ‘Hyacinth’ Details

Remarks ‘Gazeebo’ Dimensional Stickers

The City Park line is equally as fun and funky and full of uplifting colour. Prices range from £3.00 to £6.00, or $4.00 to $7.00 in the US.

If I had to describe these products in one word, it would be ‘fun’! You can’t help but smile when working with the bright, colourful product that we’ve come to associate with the AC brand. The Dear Lizzie line is probably one of their most popular, and it’s easy to see why. The embellishments are still typically American Crafts, but they have an interesting and unique feminine twist. I managed to combine product from all the embellishment packs from different collections on my pages and they still looked as though they were made to go together. This leads me to think that you could probably buy a few new embellishment packs to liven up your older AC collections and get away with it :) You’ve gotta love an excuse to buy new embellies, right?

In addition to the fun designs, the embellishments are well made. Things that were meant to stick did, nothing fell apart and everything was well finished.

The cost is reasonable for what you’re getting, although we get a bit of a worse deal (as with everything imported) outside the US.

They are well suited to a multitude of papercrafts, and there are many product lines to choose from, so there’s bound to be something to suit you and your project.

I loved the products, and found the continuation of style and the fact that you can tell it’s designed by AC a positive factor. I can see objectively, however, that this might put some people off in terms of being ‘samey’, and not all that different to previous releases. I can’t think of anything else negative about them :)

The Ultimate Crafter's Companion

The Ultimate Crafter’s Companion is a multi-function crafter’s tool, or as it says on it’s package “the ultimate all-in-one scoring tool.”

The tool retails for $59.99 and is available worldwide. Packed in a neat and compact hinged 14” x 12” magenta plastic case, the tool opens flat to approx. 14” x 24” of workspace.

Each of the surfaces contains a variety of embossing shapes, borders & scoring lines. One surface is dedicated to envelope making, another to card folding (gate folds, accordion folds, half folds). Underneath one of the interior surfaces is a small storage area that holds the cutting tools, bone folders &  bow making pegs. Along with a complete instruction booklet and a  3 hour dvd,  the Ultimate Crafter’s Companion can help you “score, measure, trim, embellish, create boxes, shaped card blanks, envelopes and more” The features and tasks listed on the packaging of this multi-purpose tool are:

·       Cardmaking

·       Envelope scorer

·       Box folder

·       Envelobox creator

·       Embossing designs

·       Decorative lines and corners

·       Popout & K-card creator

·       Bow maker

·       Built in paper trimmer

·       Storage compartment

I tried each of the features listed above and felt the Ultimate Crafter’s Companion delivered on all points. I was particularly surprised by the paper trimmer, which seems flimsy but actually makes very straight, crisp cuts. The cutting mouse can be used with or without the trimming tool and is extremely easy to handle. 

The Ultimate Crafter’s Companion comes with detailed instructions and an informative dvd. If you are not familiar with using a scoreboard, like me, these items are essential for making the more complicated assemblies – like the popout and K-cards, and for exploring the full potential of this multi-function tool. With a small amount of tutorial time, you can make some pretty impressive projects.

Here are a few of the projects I made with the Ultimate Crafter’s Companion.

I followed the simple directions in the booklet to make these cute triangle boxes (they’d make great Christmas ornaments, too)

The envelope maker board is particulary easy to navigate when used in conjunction with the handy paper size chart included in the booklet – this little one fits an ATC:

The board surfaces (4 all together) have a variety of embossing channels. I found the scallop embossing groove very handy when making this card:

And here’s a variation on the scallop border with this card:

My only complaints:

·       When you open the Crafter’s Companion from the ‘wrong’ side, all of the loose items, including the ruler and cutting blade, fall out.

·       The clip that holds the 2 sides of the case together is on the loose side and is not attached to the case – making it very easy to lose. Since the case needs the clip to stay closed, this could be a problem when you want to store or transport the item.

·       To put the cutting blade in place in the ‘cutting mouse’ you must handle the sharp, unprotected razor blade.

This tool would be handy for any level papercrafter. Its functions range from simple to advanced and the possibilities of what you can create are endless.   

The Glitter Girls Collection Embossing Boards

There are nearly 40 embossing boards in The Glitter Girls Collection, ranging in price from £7.50 and £19.99 and I was given two to review today.  Each board has a variety of designs on it allowing you to mix and match on both cards and scrapbook pages. These boards were were sent to us from The Happy Crafters

The Glitter Girls say that the ‘lovely designs provide a wealth of cardmaking possibilities’ and I would have to agree. The boards available cover loads and loads of occasions and using a tool (like the 6mm glitter ball tool from The Glitter Girls for just £2.50) you can create gorgeous embossed images.

The two multi-design embossing boards I had were the 12x12 Keepsake Card Craft ‘Treasured Memories’ (£19.99) and the ‘Boudoir ‘Embossing Boards (£14.99).  They are both double sided, maximising the number of designs available to you.  Both have comprehensive instructions printed on the packaging but if you need any further help then there’s a great website with videos, a gallery and contact details.  I did get a little confused by the instructions but they made more sense once I’d looked at the website and I was able to create a scrapbook page that used the edging and journaling square from the ‘Treasured Memories’ embossing board.  I highlighted them on the paper using ink.  The boards can be used for cards AND scrapbooks, however the designs are perhaps more suited to card making since they are large and make great focal points.  However elements on both boards can be used in scrapbooking. 

‘Treasured Memories’ has 12x12 lines that can be used to make a frame for the whole page plus ovals, circles, hearts, buttons, cupcake and candle and a fan.  ‘Boudoir’ has gems, curtains, hats, shoes, coat hanger, dressing screen, and female garments for those girly cards and girly pages. 

The Glitter Girls collection can be ordered worldwide and shipping is charged dependent on the weight of your order.  These embossing boards may seem expensive, however I think that the cost of these boards is justified for cardmaking where you could use them again and again to make gorgeous cards with your signature design. However I think that for scrapbooking the cost would seem less justified as you’re unlikely to use many of the designs over and over again.  Having said that, I would definitely use the board 12x12 Keepsake Card Craft ‘Treasured Memories’ again for scrapbooking.  The boards are extremely well made and appear hard wearing and from that respect they can be used again and again. 

All in all the boards are a great buy for card makers and the cost could be justified by the number of cards that can be made with them and it’s to card makers that these boards will appeal the most.  Scrapbookers will love some elements on each board but might not be able to justify the price with the elements having limited repeated use.

Cosmo Cricket Matilda Range

Today we have a review of the Cosmo Cricket ‘Matilda’ collection. Available in this range is a 6x6 mini deck of patterned papers (MSRP £5.75 or $5.99 in the US), a 6x12 sheet of Ready Set Chip chipboard accents (MSRP £2.95 or $2.99) and a pack of 30 coordinating buttons (MSRP £2.95 or $2.99).

The first thing that appealed to me about the papers, is that although there are plenty of patterns that are most certainly Halloween themed, and the colour palette is what you would expect for the theme, there are a number of patterns that could be used in a variety of other projects after the holiday is over. I like the idea of being able to buy the collection in a 6x6 pad so you can benefit from all the patterns without having to spend a small fortune for a whole range of 12x12 papers. I’d never be able to use up a whole Halloween 12x12 paper collection! That said, I did miss having larger sheets of paper when creating layouts with it.

The chipboard is just plain cute, and is ideal for making pages about kids and their Halloween antics. The main thing to note about the chipboard pieces, in my opinion, was that they actually STICK to your layout, and stay stuck. I’m used to frequently having to add my own adhesive to chipboard embellishments that claim to already be adhesive. I did not need to add extra glue this time, despite some of the pieces being quite chunky. The pumpkin on the bottom left of my page was even repositioned 3 times and did not damage my paper when I peeled it off, or fall off when I stuck it back down! Thank you, Cosmo Cricket, for thinking about real-life scrapbooking!

I also think this collection would make a great kit for scrapbookers and card makers who like to share their crafts with their kids. The collection is versatile enough to be used in a ‘grown up’ way but, likewise, kids would love the cute patterns and characters in the chipboard set. Great for sitting down with your children and making some seasonal cards, creating some home decor items or scrapping and reminiscing about past trick-or-treating escapades! That is, if you can bear to let your kids near your stash ;)

The whole collection can be purchased relatively inexpensively, which makes it a sensible choice for a seasonal line. Cosmo Cricket have thought this through, and it shows.

When I created my sample layout I also used ‘Wackadoo’ Ready Set Chip letters for my title. They coordinate really well with the Matilda line! [layout based on an October sketch by Becky Fleck at Pagemaps.com]

So, overall, ’Matilda’ is a fun, great value product line. Would I change anything? Maybe make a few sheets of 12x12 paper available for larger projects. But then, if they did, I’d probably have a ton of the stuff left next year ;)

Tid bitz in time Rusty Botanicals kit

Kit Contents:

• Eleven Sheets of Graphic 45 Paper - Botannicabella Collection
• One Sheet of Graphic 45 Botannicalbella Tags
• One Package of Making Memories Tiny Alphas - Black & White - 468 Stickers
• Two Rolls Tim Holtz Tissue Tape - 16 Yards Each - Symphony
• One Variety Package of Real Vintage Buttons
• Making Memories Vintage Findings Mini Kit
• One String of Pearls
• Collection of Cream Colored Ribbon Flower
• Five Making Memories Glittered Paper Flower
• One VersaMagic Dew Drop Chalk Ink - Brown
• Ribbon/Trims - 4 Pieces - One Yard Each

Tidbitz in Time supply their kits worldwide - The kit costs $42.95 (£27.00) and shipping is included for the USA. International shipping is charged at a flat $10.95. This cost is also reduced if you decide to join the club to just $27.99 (£17.50) plus shipping charged at $7.95. International membership is $38.95 including postage.

I’d say this kit is larger than most kits – there are plenty of papers and a fantastic number of different embellishments. It’s a little more expensive than some kits but, in my opinion, you get a lot for your money, and if you do subscribe the cost is really not an issue.

There are a few interesting and unique items in the kit too, such as the genuine vintage buttons and fabric roses. It is items like these that put an individual stamp on a kit, and this one will not disappoint. I loved the variety of embellishments, too. There are certainly enough bits and pieces to make quite a few layouts without skimping on your embellishment usage! Does anyone else struggle with a lot of left over papers in kits once all the embellies are gone? I know I do. Well, that’s not a problem with this kit!

The kit arrived safely and was well packaged. Nothing was damaged when it got to me. I’d definitely say that altered artists would especially get a lot of use out of this kit, as well as scrapbookers and card makers. Everything in the kit was very well coordinated, not only in colour scheme, but in style too.
There were a couple of negatives for me. I was a little disappointed that there was only one set of tiny alphas in the kit, and I would have liked to see papers from different manufacturers, but that’s just my personal opinion. Looking back through the past kits on the website there are usually more substantial alphas included. I love the tiny alphas, but I felt that they got a bit lost with the big patterns in the papers. Some people might be put off by the lack of cardstock but, as I said in a previous review, I have TONS of the stuff, so not a problem for me ☺

In all, in terms of what I’m personally looking for in a kit, the big selection of embellishments completely outweighed any of the negatives. This kit goes a long way. The sample layout I created for this review was fairly heavily embellished, and it barely made a dent in the kit!

This kit is well thought out and a lot of care has been taken with choosing the contents. It was exciting to open the box, and that’s often the most important part! It got my creative brain working just from sifting through the contents – mission accomplished!

Swirlydoos Kit Club

Swirlydoos Summer Serenity Kit Contents:

8 x papers from the Basic Grey ‘Cappella’ collection (double sided)
2 x Anna Griffin papers from the ‘Calisto’ collection
American Crafts Thickers - Subway
Basic Grey Take Note - Journaling blocks
Dusty Attic Decorative Frame #1
Prima Clear Stamp - Paisley
Anna Griffin Cecile - Glittered Die Cut sheet
ZVA Pearl Flourish
Swirlydoos Mini pom pom fringe
Swirlydoos Wine Flw w/Ivory Lace
Swirlydoos Gold - Pearl Buttons
Swirlydoos Organza Flowers with pearl centres
Kaisercraft Soft Pink Rhinestones
Kaisercraft Dusty Pink Flowers
Kaisercraft Rubz

Swirlydoos supply their kits worldwide - The kit costs $44.75 (£28.30)
and shipping is included in the price to the USA, or exact shipping costs to
international addresses.

This kit is a good size with a good amount of papers and embellishments,
and the price is good value for the amount of product you get included.
There are a few exclusive items such as the cute buttons and organza
flowers, and I always think it’s nice to have something different
included in a kit; things you might otherwise not think to use in your
creations.

The kit arrived well packaged and in once piece (always a concern when
something travels across continents!) and there was also an informative
newsletter in the box. The products included could easily lend
themselves to all kinds of papercrafts, not just scrapbooking, and they
were well coordinated.

A couple of things I was less enthusiastic about:

1. The majority of the papers were from one manufacturer – although
there were 2 other papers included. This at least means that they worked
well together, and the fact that Swirlydoos had clearly thought hard
about the embellishments and included unique embellishments of their own
in the kit says to me that the lack of variation on papers wasn’t just
laziness, but simply that they wanted to be sure that the kit was well
coordinated.

2. There was no cardstock in the kit. But, honestly, the lack of
cardstock was no big deal, as the patterned papers mostly had plain
reverse sides which worked just as well.

There are add-ons available each month, too – extra papers,
embellishments and also a cardstock add-on, if you feel you need it.

Overall, a good kit with products from great manufacturers. Personally,
I would have like a little more variety in the papers and some
cardstock, but it did not affect the usability and enjoyment of the kit.
Most scrappers have a huge pile of cardstock in their possession already!

This kit would be perfect for paper lovers, especially those who use a
lot of layering and love pretty, subtle colours and a classic style. If
you like big, bold geometric patterns and cutesy characters in your
scrapbooks, then you might want to give this one a miss.

Disclosure