Mystery Designer - Nikki Sivils!!

If you recall last week I posted a card that I had made using products from a mystery designer... Well that designer is Nikki Sivils!! The creator of Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker line of pattern paper, stickers, embellishments and rubber stamps!

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Nikki and ask her a few questions about herself and her passion...scrapbooking!

IS - How long have you been scrapbooking?
NS - I started scrapbooking in High School, so over 20 years!

IS - How did your company get started designing their own line of products?
NS - I had wanted to design scrapbooking products for a long time. I’ve always kept a couple of notebooks with ideas, pictures, sketches and notes…all “for one day…” and I’d referred to these notebooks many times. Then once my husband, Dan, retired from his law practice (after 16 years), we decided that it was now or never! We jumped in with both feet!

IS - Where does your inspiration from for your designs?
NS - EVERYWHERE!! I sometimes see a pattern or get an idea for an entire collection from the smallest object or design. My Sweet Cherry Pie was inspired by a pair of pajama bottoms – the horseshoes I just threw in because I wanted to! Flaming Butterfly was inspired from a man’s pants I saw on an airplane. So, really, from everything I see!!

IS - What line is your favorite?
NS - It’s so hard to pick, they all mean something different to me or are special to me in some way. I guess, if pressed, I’d say My Sweet Cherry Pie and Will He B the 1. (I'd have to agree with her on the My Sweet Cherry Pie! It's one of my fav's as well!!)

IS - How often do you come out with new lines?
NS - Every six months. We reveal our latest lines at the CHA summer and winter shows.

IS - Anything special you’d like the readers to know about your designs/company?
NS - Everything I design comes from the heart. I put a lot of thought into every single detail – even down to the name of each collection and the papers within. I really am passionate about his hobby, not only because I am a scrapbooker, but because I want my designs to spark a memory that you can record for later generations to read. It is also important to me that my designs bring out that inner artist in all of us!

IS - Are you an Angel Company?
NS - We are currently not an Angel Company. We’ve only just started learning about what it means to be an Angel Company. We’re still so young!

IS - Do you sell direct from your website and if so what forms of payments do you take? If you don’t sell direct, do you have a list of retailers who sell your products.
NS - We only sell to retailers. We are currently in over 300 stores across the US and overseas. Here are a few online stores in which you can find our products: A Cherry on Top; Addicted to Rubber Stamps, and Sarah’s Cards Ltd (UK). We are also working on a store locator for our website so you will know where to find us! Until then, feel free to contact us (customerservice@nikkisivils.com) and we can let you know where there is a store close to you that carries Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker. Also, don’t hesitate to ask your local scrapbook store to carry us!

IS - Are your products available internationally?
NS - We ship internationally to retail stores. We also have 9 international design team girls!

When you look around her site, you'll see just how much in love with scrapping she is. I always like to start on the "About Us" page because it reveals alot about not only the company but the people involved in it as well. The thing that spoke volumes to me while I was reading this page was family and friendship. Their Mission Statement says it all.... "Our mission is to create wonderfully original scrapbook paper and embellishments by focusing on our imagination and love for crafting. We are a company that retailers can count on to provide new and distinctive paper and embellishments that will excite their customers." I believe they have accomplished what they set out to do!

Nikki was generous enough to send me a box FULL of papers, stamps and embellishments to create with and share with you!

It was difficult but I choose three of the nine lines to craft with.... "Willow Bee" (my fav.); My Sweet Cherry Pie (2nd fav.) and Ellie's Day Out (it's just so girly and fun...what's not to love!).

Willow Bee -

I had so much fun with line ~ it is so bright and cheerful...with it's sunflower & bees. Reminds me of sunny summer days! And that little bee flitting around here and there on the papers is just darling! To start off I created a fun tag and pocket. The pocket is actually the packaging for the cardstock stickers which is fun as well as functional!

Stickers + Paper =

= FUN!!

I used some of the Cardstock Stickers to decorate the front of the pocket, added a bit of Distress Ink to the pocket, inked up a Craft Flag and there you go...

They also have these really great Canvas Buttons which I incorporated into this card...I added dabs of Stickles here and there to really make the patterns pop!

And finally this card was a bit of inky fun! I again used some of the Cardstock Stickers and added a nice plump Cord Brad for the center of the sunflower.

Next was Elli's Day Out ... Makes me want to go shopping with my Mom - LOL!!

This was the card I originally shared (teased you with)...

I also created this fun scrapbook page.... Don't you just love those purse stamps!!

and this fun card...

Finally another of my favorites - My Sweet Cherry Pie. Now I normally am not attracted to bright pattern papers but this just screams FUN! I LOVE these papers and the stamps are just darling...

Here was the first card I created. The sentiment stamps included in this set are a hoot... "Life is a bowl of cherries.... Cherry Up!"

The stamp set also includes who, what, where, when, and Remember stamps. The vintage distressed feel of this yellow paper just called out for something of a time past so I decided to create this scrapbook page of these two cuties in their finest!

And finally a stamped cherry tree with a blue bird on top ;)

As you can see I had lots of fun with all of the nifty papers, stamps and embellishments. Not to keep all the fun for myself I am going to share several sets of goodies with some of my Ink Stained Friends!

I have 6 assorted sets of goodies to share with you pictured below.....

Will He B the 1

Bella Blue & Oscar Too

Dan the Record Man

Victoria's Street

Flaming Butterfly

and

Henry's Brilliance

To be entered to win one of these wonderful prize packages is tell me which Nikki Sivils line is your favorite and why. Maybe you're in love with the little owl in Henry's Brilliance or you love Dan the Record Man because of your love of music, or possibly even Sweet Cherry Pie because they are your favorite summer time treat. Whatever your favorite be sure to check them out and tell us all for your chance to win!

You will have until June 6th to enter to win!

Good Luck Friends!!