Silver Lining

Even though it has taken me a long while, I have begun to realize every cloud in life does indeed have a silver lining. I still am learning this, every single day.

I was inspired by the Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday Challenge: Ombre Stenciled Backgrounds to make this card. I started by selecting colors fro the ColourQ Challenge #331 and inked up a white panel with the various blues, teals and aqaus. Then I added ink on top of this through a chevron stencil. The video is very informative and easy to follow, the technique is one I'd really like to try again!

Supplies Used:
MISTI 
Neenah Solar White 110lb Cardstock 
Papertrey Ink Up, Up & Away Sentiments Stamp Set
Papertrey Ink Cloud Dies
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
Fiskars Paper Trimmer
Memento Bahama Blue Ink
Memento Danube Blue Ink
Peacock Feathers Distress Ink
Papertrey Ink Hawaiian Shores Ink
DCWV Glitter Paper
Studio Calico Mr. Huey's Chevron Stencil

*affiliate links used when applicable

LID:: March 2016 Release:: Day 3

Welcome back to the third and last day of the Lil' Inker Designs March Release! As usual, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies! You should have arrived from The Lil' Inker Designs Store Blog!

I've got some non-card projects for you today! My first project features the the really versatile and awesome Dual Stitched Easter Egg & Easter Greeting Die Set. To make the tag, I sponged a variety of distress inks onto white cardstock and then spritzed lightly with water. It truly looks like a hand-dyed egg! I die cut the greeting in black cardstock and adhered to the egg. I punched a hole in the top of the egg and tied the tag onto a filled Clear Pillow Box (now available at Lil' Inker Designs, and in kraft too!) with May Arts Black Burlap String.

I have a series of two tags next using the Egg & Flower Greeting Stamp Set! I wanted to showcase this lovely set used beyond the egg shape, and beyond the Easter/Spring Holiday, because they really are versatile! For the candle tag above, I stamped in gold a bottom half of an egg onto a white circle and then the greeting in black above. I adhered it to the candle with a mini clothespin, added some mini pinecones and a one-loop bow from May Arts 1/4" Black Grosgrain Ribbon to complete the look.

For this next project, I made some muffin toppers! Truly, I had more than one made, but, umm, I ran out of muffins. My boys really, really like these pumpkin muffins and I wasn't quick enough to claim but one for today's project. I used the same idea as above, this time stamping a top part of the egg from the Egg & Flower Greeting Stamp Set onto a white, cardstock circle. I then stamped a sentiment, and selectively colored bits with an orange marker. I adhered the circle to a toothpick onto the back of the circle with some orange washi tape. The end result is a quick and pretty muffin topper!

I really hope you enjoyed this release as much as I did, all products are available at Lil' Inker Designs Store and are ready for you to grab up and create magic with.

Your next stop is Chrissy Larson!

Don't forget to comment along the hops, as there are three $15 gift certificates up for grabs to the Lil' Inker Designs Store!

LID:: March 2016 Release:: Day 2

Welcome back to the second day of the Lil' Inker Designs March Release! As usual, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies! You should have arrived from Chrissy Larson's Blog!

My first project (above) is me gearing up for a busy baseball season that will be starting soon! I love watching my boys play baseball! I figured that I would make up a few treats for them using the Clear Cone Treat Baggies & Metallic Green Twist Ties now carried at Lil' Inker Designs. I filled the bag with some sunflower seeds and tied it off with a bow from May Arts 3/4" Red Chevron Twill Ribbon and Natural Burlap String and a tag from the newly released Embossed Dots Tags. I stamped a greeting onto the tag from the Bunny Hugger Die & Stamp Bundle.

Speaking of the Bunny Bunny Hugger Die & Stamp Bundle, I put the die into action on my next project, and it is too cute, if I do so myself! My boys will be giving these to their classmates for their Easter party (a simplified version, anyway!)

I die cut the bunny fro white cardstock, inked up the center of his belly and ears with pink ink, and then stamped his cute little face. I also stamped a teeny tiny heart in the center of its belly.

I secured a lollipop in its hands with a glue dot and tied a pretty pink bow made.

A little pink pom pom affixed to its backside finished off the gift. Eek! Too cute!

Your next stop is Sarah Jay!

Don't forget to comment along the hops, as there are three $15 gift certificates up for grabs to the Lil' Inker Designs Store!

LID:: March 2016 Release:: Day 1

 

It's the first day of the Lil' Inker Designs March Release!

As usual, I love the new products, and I am pretty sure that you will too. Once again, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies! You should have arrived from Sarah Jay's Blog! I have quite a few cards to showcase today, because there are that many amazing products being released!

This first one features the lovely, new Stitched Easter Basket Die Set. I die cut the basket from cream colored cardstock, first inking the actual die up with Vintage Photo Ink. I then spritzed the die cut with water, so the ink that was impressed into the paper with the dies became softer. I filled the basket with custom inked and die cut eggs, added "grass" from made from green cardstock die cut from a previously released product, Fanfare Scalloped Border Die. I finished the card with two die cut and glued layers from the beautiful Dual Stitched Egg & Easter Greeting Die Set.

This next card features some simply beautiful, new stamps and dies, Fresh Cut Flowers.

I started by die cutting the entire set dies from Fresh Cut Flowers Die Set from pale green cardstock. I then stamped each of these with various shades of green, and some blue from the Fresh Cut Flowers Stamp Set. I adhered them onto a white cardbase and finished the card with a die cut sentiment from the With Sympathy Word Die. These flowers were so very easy to stamp and arrange, and in any combination it will come out beautifully.

And one final card for today!

This Easter card came together so quickly and would be perfect for mass producing. I adhered a panel of one of the pretty patterns from the new Easter Greetings Paper Pack that was die cut with the second largest rectangle from Lil' Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Rectangles onto a yellow cardstock panel, first tying a bow made from May Arts Pink Wrinkle Ribbon. I tucked a beautiful scallop underneath the bow (made from the Fanfare Scalloped Border Die). I finished the card with a white bunny die cut from the previously released Bunnies and Bows Die Set, and added a sentiment with the new Easter Hodge Podge Stamp Set.

Gah! I so very much LOVE everything in this new release, and how well they work with previously released products. Makes card making so easy!

Your next stop is Amy Kolling!

Don't forget to comment along the hops, as there are three $15 gift certificates up for grabs to the Lil' Inker Designs Store!

Time with Chase

Last night I had a chance to spend some time with my youngest, just me and him. I love these times when it just can be me and him, him and me, as I know they are getting fewer and far between. After our trip to the zoo, dinner and Target, I asked him what he wanted to do next. He said, "let's make a card for a challenge!" Ahh, that's my boy! So together we chose to participate Jessica Frost's Instagram Hop Challenge! (I am totally addicted to Instagram now, my link is on the sidebar.)

We each did our own design, so I chose to play with Wplus9's Bountiful Blooms Dies. I ran the combined dies twice with vanilla cardstock, then colored the images with Copics and adhered the arrangement onto a speckled vanilla card base. I didn't really have a plan, so it is a rather random arrangement, but I did use all the colors in the inspiration palette. It was fun to create a card with dies only, and I love the sentiment. I'm also entering this into Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Inspired by a Song. Adele's Hello has been one of my favorite songs lately!

Now onto Chase's card for the challenge, he chose the stamps and the dies and the design. I could tell he had a plan and he executed it!

Gah, I think it is the cutest! He used Lil' Inkers Robot Builders Stamp Set and Stitched Mats: Rounded Rectangle Dies, and the flower on the belly he drew himself! I helped him use the MISTI and watched him carefully with my beloved Copics, but he did a great job.

Chase is also entering this one into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes!

Finally, I have another card for Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday Challenge: Watercolor Resist.

This was a tough challenge me, I wanted to give up but didn't. I layered yellow, then green and then blue watercolors, with layers of rubber cement masks in between.  I ended up with a boy or guy birthday card, which is much needed, so I guess it works!

It is an unnaturally beautiful, warm and sunny day here in Wisconsin so I'm going to get out and enjoy the weather and not list the supplies I used, but please feel free to email me or comment with questions!

Papertrey February Blog Hop Challenge

Soft pink, blush, olive green and gold...oh my! What a beautiful color combination and even more beautiful inspiration picture over at Papertrey Ink for the February Blog Hop Challenge.

I was inspired most by that beautiful bloom on the right side of the picture, as well as the gold ribbon running down the left side. What I did was ink up my In Bloom Impression Plate with Versamark Ink, embossed a white cardstock panel, then gold embossed it.

I colored in the remaining areas with Copic Markers. I've never tried this technique before, and I think I will do it more often! I mounted the panel onto a blush card base after inking the edges, bordered the image with gold washi tape and then gold embossed the sentiment.

Supplies Used:
MISTI 
Neenah Solar White 110lb Cardstock 
Versamark Ink
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue 
Antique Linen Distress Ink 
Papertrey Ink In Bloom Stamp Set 
Papertrey Ink Communique Sentiments Mini Stamp Set
Papertrey Ink In Bloom Impression Plate
Papertrey Ink Paper (Sweet Blush)
Hero Arts Gold Embossing Powder
Fiskars Paper Trimmer
Various Copic Markers
Gold Washi Tape

*affiliate links used when applicable

Birthday Bear Hugs

Bear hugs are the best, whether they are from little boys, tweens, parents, family or a good friend.

I created a shaker card, still trying to get the hang of it, but after two tries I got one that works! I started by embossing a white card stock base with stitching, following the MFT Card Challenges: Sketch 268 and added a sentiment. Then I cut a rectangle from white cardstock and stamped the cute bear from Birthday Bears. I masked out his one paw that was lifted in the air, and redrew it to match the other. I also added a smile. He was colored with Copics. I then masked the bear off and inked a loose landscape onto the panel. The shaker was created using the same rectangle die with two layers of foam, acetate and a cardstock border. These rectangle dies really make for easy lining up for shakers. Before adhering the shaker border, I added some various sized sequins and flower shaped sequins. Can't wait to give this to my little nephew for his birthday.

And of course, because it is a shaker card, I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Shake it Up!

Supplies Used:
MFT Birthday Bears Stamp Set 
Neenah Solar White 110lb Cardstock 
MISTI
Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black  
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
Hot off the Press Acetate Sheets 
Tuxedo Memento Black Marker Dual Tip
Copic Marker Tender  Pink RV13
Copic Marker Cool Gray 1 
Copic Marker Warm Gray 1 
Peacock Feathers Distress Ink 
Peeled Paint Distress Ink
Lil' Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Rectangles
Lil' Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Skinny Rectangles
Pretty Pink Posh Springtime Sequins Mix
White Craft Foam

*affiliate links used when possible

Masculine Congrats

Dang, making cards for the male gender is kind of difficult, but I welcomed the challenge when a buddy asked me to make one.

Having been inspired by the latest Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday to customize patterned paper, I gold embossed a series of arrow points, then applied the same treatment to the large sentiment and adhered both to a card base. The sentiment panel was mounted on foam. I finished the card with four rows of burlap string.

Not only masculine cards being a challenge, so is trying to photograph the shine from embossing powder! I thought the earth tone colors, gold, burlap and the not too girly script font were a good match for guys.

Supplies Used:
MISTI 
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue 
Versamark Ink 
Papertrey Ink Think Big Favorites #5 Stamp Set
Papertrey Ink Paper (Canyon Clay)
Hero Arts Gold Embossing Powder
Authentique Radiant Patterned Paper
May Arts Natural Burlap String
Fiskars Paper Trimmer
White Craft Foam
The Craft's Meow Geometric Foundations Stamp Set (retired)

Herringbone Bird

Bluebirds will always hold a special place in my heart, even if it is just a rendition of one colored with colored pencils.

I was inspired by the gorgeous, geometric pattern image at Pinterest Inspired Challenge. So... I started by applying a light sponging of yellow ink onto the corner of a white cardstock panel. I then added a herringbone pattern with a stencil and embossing paste, applying the paste heavily at the top of the panel and less towards the bottom. I then colored (with colored pencils) and fussy cut a digital bird stamp and mounted it to the dried, geometric panel, which was then edged with black marker and adhered to a white card base. I finished the card with a stamped sentiment.

The Whipped Spackle was quite fun to work with. It's really soft looking after it hardens, kind of tricks the eye! I could have mixed some yellow ink into the paste, but I knew I wanted the yellow to show underneath the pattern, to make the pattern stand out more.

I'm also adding this to A Day for Daisies Challenge: Add a Touch of Wood!

Supplies Used:

Neenah Solar White 110lb Cardstock 
A Day for Daisies Freehand Bird Image
MISTIPrismaColor Colored Pencils 
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
Faber Castell Whipped Spackle
Tuxedo Memento Black Marker Dual Tip
Dreamweaver Palette Knife 
Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink 
Cutterbee Scissors
Dreamweaver Herringbone Stencil
The Craft's Meow Hope Blooms (retired)

*affiliate links used when possible 

Storytime Scene

"I wish you bluebirds in the spring, to give your heart a song to sing."

I'm playing along with two challenges with the above card.

I knew I wanted to try out some no line coloring and make a celebratory card for the Lawnscaping Challenge #124: Celebration...so I pulled out some Lawn Fawn critters from the Into the Woods set, stamped them in Antique Linen Distress Ink and used PrismaColor Colored Pencils to color them in. I was really drawn to the colors from showcased at The Card Concept 49, but I went more muted, to match the storybook theme.

I fussy cut all the critters and adhered them onto a simply colored landscape that had been cut into a scalloped and stitched circle-the circle is raised with foam tape as is the bird.

The scene was then mounted to a card base with a patterned paper panel, and then I stamped, colored and fussy cut the sentiment banner.

I'm also really enjoying coloring everyday...on a mission to participate everyday for The Daily Marker's 30 Day Coloring Challenge. I have some snippets of my coloring on my Instragram (the link is on the sidebar).

Supplies Used:
Neenah Solar White 110lb Cardstock 

Authentique Flourish 6x6 Paper Pad
Spellbinders Petite Scallops 
Lawn Fawn Into the Woods Stamp Set   
Lawn Fawn Sophie's Sentiments 
Lawn Fawn Bannerific Stamp Set
MISTI
PrismaColor Colored Pencils 
Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
Antique Linen Distress Ink 
Lil' Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Side-Stitched Circles

*affiliate links used when possible