BRI:: Just Can't Resist

I couldn't resist pairing this cute bear and tree ring on my card featured over at the Butterfly Reflections Ink Blog. I would be delighted if you stopped over there to take a look!

Owl Friend

You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me.
You've got troubles, and I've got  'em too.

There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you.
We stick together and can see it through.
'Cause you've got a friend in me.
You've got a friend in me." ~Randy Newman-Toy Story

I'm sneaking in to play along with the Little Tangles Challenge  #72-Sketch.

For the most part, I flipped the sketch on it's side and shaded an oval onto my woodgrain patterned paper with some ink. I stamped and colored (with a mixture of zigs and copics) one of the cute girls from Neat & Tangled's Better Together Stamp Set and used the coordinating dies to cut her out. I also stamped and die cut a sentiment from Neat & Tangled's Big Top Birthday Stamp Set and Dies. 

Papertrey September Blog Hop Challenge

Keeping things simple today, and being inspired by the image for the Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop.

I started with a kraft card base and stamped the leaves from In Bloom with black ink, and some splatters with an older anniversary set. Then I created a white focal panel and embossed with the Woodgrain Impression Plate. I die cut the butterfly from Simply Chartruese cardstock and stamped the largest bloom from In Bloom over it. I added an antennae with black floss. The card was finished with a white heat embossed banner, the sentiment coming from Fillable Frames #2.

Off to hop, and see how everyone was inspired by this clean and crisp image!

Fall Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

Yes, you are in the right place, I used patterned paper, and a whole bunch of it! I couldn't resist this perfect paper (from my stash, not sure who the manufacturer is...) to create a fall inspired coffee card for the Fall Coffee Lover's Blog Hop. There is sure to be many amazing creations! Thanks again to the coordinators of this hop, I know it takes you a lot of time and effort and I truly find it to be a great place for inspiration and to meet great crafters!

I also am playing along with the Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try #40, as my card features the fun to-go mug from the Caffeinated Cups Stamps and Confetti Cuts. The word "Gratitude" is a metal embellishment, also from my stash, probably close to ten years old!

I also want to thank all the sponsors for this hop, especially Lil' Inker Designs and Butterfly Reflections, Ink. They both have many, many coffee related items available at their store, so please stop by and check them out!

BRI:: Birthday Bear Hugs

Can you imagine that there are actually two of these cute critters in a stamp set, and they both made it onto my card featured over at the Butterfly Reflections Ink Blog. I would be delighted if you stopped over there to take a look!

MFT 2016 Card Design Superstar Entry #3

This is my third and final entry for the MFT 2016 Card Design Superstar Challenge. I was going for a storybook look, bold lines with fun, bright colors. I started by stamping and black heat embossing some fun images from Forest Friends and Magical Unicorns onto watercolor paper. I then loosely, er, messily, colored the images with watercolor and die cut them. I added these to a watercolored panel and then added a stamped sentiment from Happy Hedgehogs. The panel was mounted to a kraft card base and bordered by some thin washi tape.

I hope you have a chance to check out all the amazing entries for this contest. There is some seriously amazing inspiration!

MFT 2016 Card Design Superstar Entry #2

My second card for the MFT 2106 Card Design Superstar Challenge features some colored pencil coloring on kraft paper and selective masking. I thought that the cute little hedgehog from the Happy Hedgehogs set needed a buddy in the form of one of the fun gnomes from You Gnome Me. I also added some flowers and butterflies from Adorable Elephants and then mixed sentiments from Adorable Elephants and Happy Hedgehogs.

MFT 2016 Card Design Superstar Entry#1

"You won't know unless you try." These amazing words were said to me many, many times while growing up (and still to this day!) by my parents. So, I made three cards for the MFT 2016 Card Design Superstar Challenge, as even though intimidating, I had to try my hand at creating some cards! This first card features the inking technique I learned here, along with the cute little dragon from Magical Dragons Stamp and Die set. He tried and tried until he did breathe some breathtaking fire!

It looks like I have to do separate blog posts for each entry, so I'm off to create the others. See you soon!

Metallics

Precious metals are something that I don't reach for often when crafting, however, the Winnie & Walter Gossip Column #5 spoke to me as a true challenge. I recently acquired some foil and a laminator so I was able to sit down and play.

I started by painting some Minc Reactive Paint onto cream cardstock. I then topped it with Gold, Silver and Rose Gold Foil and ran it through my laminator. (This Minc Paint is kinda crazy, the first part being that it has "this can cause cancer warning" and the second, was pretty liquidy so it got everywhere. Then it dries super sticky, so it was difficult to pick up the mess! I can overlook this though, because wow, was it ever cool when you foil it!) I inked the edges of the panel and mounted it to a cream cardstock base.

I finished the card with some sentiment panels from Winnie & Walter's The Big, Bold and Extras Stamp Set as well as some gold sequins and Nuvo Gloss Drops in Ebony Black. Not my usual kind of card, but so glad that I created it and I think I can use it for gals or guys, and for many occasions.

September Pin-Sights Challenge

There is always a rush when you find out you have been invited to participate in a well known, well respected and absolutely fun challenge, and being asked to guest design for the Essentials by Ellen September Pin-Sights Challenge was no exception. Isn't the inspiration collage just heavenly?

Essentials by Ellen Pin-Sights challenge is a monthly inspirational challenge based on a Pinterest Inspired photo that is located on the CLASSroom blog. A random challenge participant will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Ellen Hutson Store. (To be eligible, you MUST use Essentials by Ellen products and the photo badge as inspiration. There will be an inlinkz on the challenge post where they can submit.) 

My first card (above) showcases the bottom left corner photo of the Inspiration Board. I loved the pop of pink with the woodgrain and soft blue. I started by stamping the Concord & 9th Tree Ring Background Stamp onto watercolor cardstock with Ranger Distress Mini Ink Pad in Antique Linen and then did a light watercolor wash with blue paint from the Kuretake Gansai Tambi 36 Watercolor Set around the tree ring. I die cut the bud from some paper that was colored with watercolor from the Essentials by Ellen Wild Garden Dies. I finished the card with a stamped sentiment from Essentials by Ellen Fancy Thanks Stamp Set and some Bubblegum Pink Nuvo Crystal Gloss Drops.

My second card features the leftover watercolored paper from the first card. I die cut various pieces from the Essentials by Ellen Wild Garden Dies. These were loosely adhered to a card base, and I raised some edges to play off the properties of the die. I finished the clean and simple card with a stamped sentiment banner using the Essentials by Ellen 12 Days Companion Greeting Stamp Set and Altenew Crisp Die Mini Ink Cubes in Warm Gray as well as Bubblegum Pink Nuvo Crystal Gloss Drops.

LID:: September 2016 Release:: Day 3

It's the last day of the Lil' Inker Designs September 2016 Release. The first day I featured holiday items in a non-holiday manner, yesterday I featured the other cool Halloween items for Halloween cards, and today I've got some beautiful fall/Thanksgiving inspired cards for you. 

Have you picked up the fabulous products showcased yet? Which is your favorite? We have one final day of blog hopping for you for some last minute inspiration. If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from
Amy Kolling's Blog! 

My first card showcased the absolutely beautiful Reap a Harvest Stamp Set and Reap a Harvest Die Set, along with the Dual Stitched Pumpkin & Grateful Word Die Set. I created a quick, custom background card base by stamping the outline images from Reap a Harvest onto kraft cardstock in kraft ink. I then created a sentiment panel from rust paper using the On the Diagonal Die. I stamped and die cut some of the images from Reap a Harvest (two-step stamping was never so easy, these stamps line up great!) and affixed the arrangement to the card, tying them with Natural Burlap String. I then die cut the Grateful greeting three times and stacked them together, affixing this to the sentiment panel. I finished the card with a stamped sentiment, also from the Reap a Harvest Stamp Set.

My last card for this release showcases the new Dual Stitched Pumpkin & Grateful Word Die Set and Pumpkin and Flower Greetings Stamp Set.

For this card, I die cut the pumpkin shape from metallic copper cardstock and a white piece of cardstock using the Dual Stitched Pumpkin & Grateful Word Die Set and created a border with the Stitched Mats: Rectangles Die Set. I stamped one of the many detailed pumpkin images from Pumpkin and Flower Greetings Stamp Set right onto a kraft card base, being careful to line up the white and copper cardstock where the pumpkin was die cut. I mounted the copper panel with dimensional adhesive and stamped a sentiment from Reap a Harvest Stamp Set onto a banner which was mounted with dimensional adhesive over the stamped pumpkin image.

Here's a look at the new release products showcased in my card today:

Laura also announced a pretty cool deal in the Lil' Inker Designs Newsletter. If your crafty total at the store adds up to $50 or more, you get the the stamp set Here for the Boos for free! All you would do is add the FREEBOOS at checkout. Click Here to sign up for the Newsletter to receive future offers! 

I'm going to send you over to the talented Jen Carter's Blog to finish the hop, however all the items are up on the shop already!

Don't forget to leave a comment along the each of the stops on the hop, as there are three $15 gift certificates up for grabs to the Lil' Inker Designs Store!

BRI:: Circus Act

Look at that cute little strong man! Were you a fan of the circus? I was, until I saw the clowns...still don't like them to this day. (However, the clown in this Neat & Tangled Big Top Birthday Set is super cute, so she will probably get inked up soon...) I've got the full card up over on the Butterfly Reflections Ink Blog and would love if you popped over and checked it out!

LID:: September 2016 Release:: Day 2

Welcome back to the second day of Lil' Inker Designs September 2016 Release Showcase! I hope you've enjoyed seeing all the new products in action as much as I have enjoyed working with them!

Once again, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies! If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from the ever so talented
Joy Taylor's Blog! 

I wanted to showcase some of the Halloween specific products in ways that can be used all year round, as I like to get the most out of my stamps and dies. So my first card features the adorable Batty Hugger Die and Stamp Bunch, as well as the Halloween Word Tag Dies, on a birthday card! I die cut the adorable bat from white cardstock and inked him up in soft purple. I personalized the bat even more by stamping some details in soft gray from the Batty Hugger Stamp Set. He was then adhered to a white cardstock background that had some clouds stenciled onto it-made with the Border Builders Die Set. I am obsessed with the cloud looking border in this die set!

I finished the card by die cutting and stacking three times the "Eeek" word from the Halloween Word Tag Dies. Before adhering, I snipped off the tag hanger. Then I stamped a mix of sentiments from the previously released Seriously Awesome Stamp Set.

My next card features many of the awesome new dies from this release, along with some previously released dies. Still lovin' how Lil' Inker Designs products work so well together!

I started by die cutting in white cardstock the Spiderweb Greeting Die and then adhered the spiderweb portion over a piece of black cardstock. I then created the spooky headstone from the new Tombstone Peek a Boo Die. (This die was designed to make interative cards, as it has a score line on the left side, but I easily just trimmed in a straight line to make a stand alone tombstone). I think the end result is so cool! The next step was to create a mound of grass using the Border Builders Die Set from green cardstock (sky on the first card, grass on the second, this die set is so versatile, I tell ya!). I adhered the grass and the tombstone to an inked up nighttime sky panel and then cut the panel with the Stitched Mats: Rectangles Die Set. This was mounted to a white cardstock panel. For the greeting, I adhered the words from the Spiderweb Greeting Die and for the finished touch a added a bat cut from the previously released Bats & Broomsticks Die!

Here's a look at the new release products showcased in my cards today:

I am the last stop on the hop today so it is with pleasure that I get to send you to the Lil' Inker Design Store to review all the newly released items and previously released Fall and Halloween items.

Laura also announced a pretty cool deal in the Lil' Inker Designs Newsletter. If your crafty total at the store adds up to $50 or more, you get the the stamp set Here for the Boos for free! All you would do is add the FREEBOOS at checkout. Click Here to sign up for the Newsletter to receive future offers! 

Don't forget to leave a comment along the each of the stops on the hop, as there are three $15 gift certificates up for grabs to the Lil' Inker Designs Store!

LID:: September 2016 Release:: Day 1

It really doesn't surprise me that Lil' Inker Designs just released some awesome and unique new products, I adore this company, the owner and their products. Today is the first of three days of the Lil' Inker Designs September 2016 Release Showcase...which is full of Halloween and fall items!

Once again, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies! If you are following the hop, you should have arrived from the ever so talented
Joy Taylor's Blog! 

I'm starting off with one of my most favorite stamp and die sets from this release, Zombie Kids Stamps and Zombie Kids Die Set! Seriously so cute! My card was created to feature the girl zombie image with an interactive element. She kind of lurches across the card to wish you a happy birthday! Hah, love it! I heat embossed the sentiment in white onto black cardstock paper and die cut it with the previously released Speech Bubbles Die Set. I love how this set incorporates sentiments that extend beyond the Halloween season. 

Continuing on with the total cuteness, my next card features a coordinating trio of the Superkids Stamps, Superkids Dies and amazing Superkids Patterned Paper. This one is also an interactive card, in the form of a shaker! To create the shaker, I cut the frame from the new Wonky Rectangles, and them mounted this on top of the fun Superkids Patterned Paper. The card was finished with one of the fun critters from Superkids Stamps, colored with Zig Markers to match the paper!

Here's a look at the new release products showcased in my two cards today:

It is with pleasure that I get to send you to the talented Stephanie Gold's Blog as the next stop along the hop. I hope you get a chance to visit the Lil' Inker Design Store now as all the NEW SEPTEMBER 2016 RELEASE products are already up at the store!

Laura also announced a pretty cool deal in the Lil' Inker Designs Newsletter. If your crafty total at the store adds up to $50 or more, you get the the stamp set Here for the Boos for free! All you would do is add the FREEBOOS at checkout. Click Here to sign up for the Newsletter to receive future offers! 

Don't forget to leave a comment along the each of the stops on the hop, as there are three $15 gift certificates up for grabs to the Lil' Inker Designs Store!