LID:: December Release:: Day 1

It's the first day of the Lil' Inker Designs December Release and what an awesome release it is! As usual, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies! You should have arrived from Jen's Blog!

I have two projects to show you today and the first uses some of my favorite products from this release. I started by creating a custom, and entirely way too fun, background using the Cover Up Die: Faceted. I die cut this from black cardstock, removed some areas and filled some areas in with purple cardstock pieces (that had also been cut from the Faceted Die.) I topped the background with a die cut rectangle from the really cool Long & Skinny Rectangles Set, then used a sentiment from Hello, Awesome and finished the sentiment block with a die cut word from the Awesome Word Die.

My last project for this release features yet again the Awesome Word Die plus a sentiment from Girl's Best Friend and a die cut ampersand from All About Ampersands Die Set. Love that fancy ampersand!

Your next stop is Kristen!

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

Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine:: A Fond Farewell

Welcome to the heartfelt farewell Blog Hop honoring the dedication and remembering the inspiration of Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine. If you are following the hop order, you should have arrived from Tessa Wise's Blog.

Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine...gosh, you were such a big part of my life these past few years. I remember the joy of receiving an email that one of my cards...one of my creations...was going to be published for the world to see! Then came the time where I saw a stamp design that I created being used in a published card as well! Thank you for that amazing feeling of being one of the elite to be selected for publication. Thank you for producing amazing inspiration year after year. Thank you, Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine and the amazing people behind the publication, for all you did!

Even though I don't craft as much as I used to and may not be up on all the current trends, I still enjoy the process of creating! My card today features some water-coloring and heat embossing, as well as some trendy gold. I used a nice, large sentiment from Lil' Inker Designs Darling Diamonds Stamp Set and heat embossed it in gold, then splashed some ink on the top as well as some water to mix all the colors together. I then cut the sentiment out using Lil' Inker Designs Pinking Edge Sentiment Flag Die Set and mounted that over two strips of gold washi tape onto a peach card base.

Thanks again, PC & S and the grand people behind the scenes, good luck in all your new adventures!

Your next stop on the blog hop is Tiffany DeGough!

May Arts:: Kid's Crafts:: Glittered Wired Icicles

The holiday season is upon us and the boys and I are decorating up a storm! Today and tomorrow, the May Arts Ribbon Blog is hosting a Holiday Kids Crafts Blog Hop, where you can find a ton of cute ideas to make with or for the little ones! The boys and I made some really elegant and super easy Glittered Wired Icicles featuring May Arts Wired Twist Tie Ribbon. I really like the idea of using my May Arts utilitarian ribbon stash for other fun stuff!

We started by running a length of the May Arts 3/16" metallic twist tie in clear (GF-216-01) through some white, washable, non-toxic school glue, wiping off the excess between our fingers. This particular product is normally used to adhere the loops of bows together or to tie a bow onto a package, but I took advantage of the unlimited length of the twist tie! The boys loved this part, getting all gooey and sticky on purpose!

Then we wrapped the glue soaked wire around a small cone and pulled the wire apart, creating our spiraled icicle shapes. You could also wrap the wire around fingers too, watching carefully that it isn't wrapped too tight!

Finally, we coated our icicles in various glitter (microfine, regular and extra chunky) and added a tie using May Arts Wired Colored Ribbon in Metallic Silver (KS-31) after the glue and glitter was nice and dry.

These icicles are gorgeous and sparkly when hung next to a Christmas light bulb!

As usual, May Arts is offering up some fabulous prizes for this hop! Head on over to the May Arts Blog for complete details and hop stops!

Here's the lineup:

Thursday

Charlene Driggs

Emily Lanham

Gini Williams Cagle

Jen Shears

Jenifer Cowles

Jennifer Davey

Karen Baker

Friday

Karen Hanson

Lalo IK

Mallika Kejriwal

Mary Brockway

Tracy McLennon

Virginia Fynes

May Arts:: Coredinations

All this week, May Arts has teamed up with Core'dinations for one fabulous blog hop! There is fun, inspiration and prizes!

I chose to work with the fabulous Chalk Core A2 Cards. I love the fact that these cards have a black base, but a white core. And...the inside of the card is white so it is perfect for a handwritten greeting. The above card features a wood grain and a few snippets of May Arts ribbon in the form of tabs along with a sticker greeting. Perfect for a guy! (Satin Grosgrain Edge in light green HN-18, and Twill Strips in Black 382-34-10).

This next card features some white embossed dots, along with a Core'dinations tag with a sticker greeting, some bling and a gorgeous bow from May Arts Sheer Silk Ribbon in Silver (C31).

And lastly, a clean and simple engagement, wedding or anniversary card featuring the classic Tiffany Blue (SK94)! I love silk ribbon and so happy that May Arts carries this color in their silk line.

Here's the hop order, and stop by the May Arts Blog for hop details and prize information!!

Monday

Virginia Fynes

Tracy McLennon

Rhea Weigand

Tuesday

Mary Brockway

Mallika Kejriwal

Lalo IK

Wednesday

Karen Hanson

Karen Baker

Thursday

Jennifer Davey

Jenifer Cowles

Jen Shears

Friday

Gini Williams Cagle

Emily Lanham

Charlene Driggs

May Arts:: New Product Line:: Artful Accents

May Arts has expanded their product line to include accents, Artful Accents! I made a set of gift tags using May Arts ribbon and trims, along with the Artful Accents Kraft Tags. Look at all the amazing new products from this line!

The May Arts Blog is featuring projects made from this line and of course, there is a giveaway involved! Stop on over and leave a comment for your chance to win one choice of one Artful Accent!

LID:: October Release:: Day 3

I love this time of year when new stamps are released for the holidays! It's Day Three, and the last day, of the Lil' Inker Designs October Release. As usual, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies with a holiday theme! You should have arrived from Jen's Blog!

My project today features two new products, the Cozy Winter Wishes Stamp Set and the Stitched Mats: Rounded Rectangles Dies. I created a soft and subtle watercolor background with distress inks on white cardstock and then die cut a portion with the Rounded Rectangles Die. Then I stamped various snowflake stamps from the Cozy Winter Wishes set onto the panel in silver ink and adhered the panel to a card base. I finished the card with a stamped sentiment from the set and a bow from May Arts Sheer Silver Ribbon.

There are so many other products from this release, check them out below!

Your next stop is Kristen! Lil' Inker Designs has added two new members to their design team. Stop by the blogs Christine and Laura during the Blog Hop to welcome them. And we are saying goodbye to Heather this month as well, she's joining us today with a farewell post.

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:: October Release:: Day 2

I love this time of year when new stamps are released for the holidays! It's Day Two of the Lil' Inker Designs October Release. As usual, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies with a holiday theme! You should have arrived from Jen's Blog!

My first project today features two new products, the innovative Baubled Christmas Tree Die and Stitched Mats: Rounded Rectangles! I die cut the bauble tree from a piece of patterned paper that first had been die cut into a Rounded Rectangle with the LID Exclusive Double Stitching. Then I had a bit of fun finding some coordinating patterned paper to stick behind the die cut tree for the leaves and trunk. I finished the card without a greeting and tied it with some May Arts Natural Burlap String.

My next card features three products from this release! I started by die cutting the background from white cardstock with the very beautiful Cover Up Die: Snowflakes. Such intricate designs but so easy to use! Then I adhered that to a blue base and added some snow hills created from the Border Builders Die Set. Finally, before attaching the last snow hill, I added the sentiment via a die cut from the Stitched Script: Holiday Word Dies! Talk about innovative, clever and oh so cool!

Your next stop is Kristen! Lil' Inker Designs has added two new members to their design team. Stop by the blogs Christine and Laura during the Blog Hop to welcome them.

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:: October Release:: Day 1

I love this time of year when new stamps are released for the holidays! It's Day One of the Lil' Inker Designs October Release. As usual, we have a fabulous hop for you featuring innovative stamps and dies with a holiday theme! You should have arrived from Jen's Blog!

My project today features two new products, the Big Christmas Stamp Set and Seasonal Stars Die Set! I die cut some stars from white cardstock and colored a few with gold ink. These were attached to a stamped card base with a greeting from Big Christmas that also features some gold misting.

Your next stop is Kristen! Lil' Inker Designs has added two new members to their design team. Stop by the blogs Christine and Laura during the Blog Hop to welcome them. And we are saying goodbye to Heather this month as well, she's joining us today with a farewell post.

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

May Arts:: Christmas Card Hop

May Arts is getting into the Christmas Spirit with a Handmade Christmas Card Hop! I've got two cards to show you today, and both of them are clean and simple and easy for mailing.
I went a bit rustic with my first card, above. It features a length of 2.5" Cotton Blend with Vintage Inspired Print (468-25-15 Pinecones). I simply glued this to a stamped card base and tied it off with May Arts Burlap String in Natural and Dark Brown (SM10 and SM33).

My last card is a bright and fun greeting featuring a length of 1.5" Holiday Satin Cut-Out (459-31 Snowflakes). So shiny and pretty! Here I simply glued them onto a stamped card base as well and wrapped the card with 1/8" Black Silk Ribbon (SK10) tied in a bow.

As usual with May Arts Hops, not only is there amazing inspiration, but there is also a prize up for grabs! 2 prizes of 2 spools each (one each day) from the May Arts Christmas Section!

The line up from yesterday is as follows, with today's as well! Your next stop is Jennifer!

Thursday
Virginia Fynes
Tracy McLennon
Rhea Weigand
Mary Brockway
Mallika Kejriwal
Lalo IK
Karen Hanson

Friday
Karen Baker
Jennifer Davey
Jenifer Cowles
Jen Shears
Gini Williams Cagle
Emily Lanham
Charlene Driggs

May Arts:: Authentique/Imagine Crafts

Woohoo! I love these hops with May Arts and other leading crafty companies. Today we are teaming up with Authentique and Imagine Crafts!

I've got two cards. The first one (above) plays off the gorgeous paper from Authentique's Radient Collection. I accentuated the rays with some May Arts Burlap String in the gorgeous Grape color (SM-36).  I stamped a cute sentiment in the very luscious Memento Luxe Lilac Posies stamp pad from Imagine Crafts.

This next card has the Authentique patterned paper covering the whole card front, and a stamped sentiment (again using Imagine Crafts ink). I think the highlight of the card though, is the big bow made from 1.25" May Arts Silk Ribbon in Burgundy (SK25).

I highlighted the gorgeous ribbon further by first spraying it with Imagine Crafts Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Gold and let it dry before adding it to the card. Love the subtle beauty it adds!


I've got to let you know that there is an amazing giveaway up for grabs. There is three sets of prize packs! Each prize pack has goodies from each company. Please be sure to check out the May Arts Blog for further details.

And here's a complete line-up: 
Monday
Charlene Driggs
Emily Lanham
Gini Williams Cagle

Tuesday
Jen Shears
Jenifer Cowles

Wednesday
Jennifer Davey
Karen Baker
Karen Hanson

Thursday
Mallika Kejriwal
Mary Brockway

Friday
Rhea Weigand
Shellye McDaniel
Tracy McLennon