Flowers...in Masculine?

Well, the Lil' Inker Designs new release blog hop is over but I have so many other projects to share with you that I thought I'd get started now.  Right.  Now.  :)

This release had a lot of C.U.T.E. feminine type products in it, but there was one particular item that I looked at and thought, "Hey!  This could work for a masculine card too!"  And, get this, it was a flower die!  It looked like it could double as a gear to me!  So, I put my little die and masculine-like papers to work and came up with this little card.  Does it work?  I just don't have many masculine sets, they aren't quite as fun to purchase, you know?  I love that I have a backup!

The sentiment was embossed in black so there are some gaps since I impressed the background design on the cardstock first.  I LOVE that sentiment though!  So fun! And, as far as the gears go, you could totally punch circles in the centers or use them as is, but I used some old accessories I had lying around to embellish them.

Here's the die I used for the gears:

Thanks for taking a look and stopping by!

Supplies

Dies: Lil' Inker Designs Spring Flowers, Cover Up Plate Pieced Chevron, Stitched Mats Rectangles

Stamps: LID Shiny Happy Sentiments

Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny Very Vintage Double Dot Designs

You Amaze Me! Lil' Inker Designs Release, Day 3

Welcome to the last day of the newest Lil' Inker Designs release!  All of the products being showcased are currently available in the Lil' Inker store already!  If you are following along in the blog hop you should have come from Heather Campbell's blog and if you'd like to start at the beginning, visit Laura's blog!  There are three $15 gift certificates to the LID store up for grabs, so the more blogs you comment on, the better your chances are of winning!

First up is a fun new set called Rat Race!  Oh my!  This is such a fun set, and so unique!  

I stamped the maze image on patterned paper and then cut the words out of the front panel with the new Mixed & Stitched Alphabet Dies.  The rest of the sentiment was stamped from the Rat Race set. 

An easy way to line up your die cut letters on your cardstock so that they cut exactly where you want them to is to use repositional tape.  Just attach your letters to the tape where you want them and then position it on the cardstock panel.  My favorite tape that I found for this is Scotch Matte Finish Removable Tape.  The only place I can find this tape is at Hobby Lobby in one of their center aisles with the office supply products.  Very rarely does it tear my cardstock like other tapes do.  

One last card for today.  This one uses the new Spring Flowers dies.  I used both sizes of the largest flowers and attached them together with a fabric covered brad.  

I bent each petal slightly upward and curved them to give the flower dimension.   The sentiment is from the new Spot on Spring Stamps.  Every time I see that sentiment I hear Phil Robertson in my head: happy, happy, happy! :)

Thanks for visiting this week! I have quite a few other projects I've created with these new projects that I'll be posting soon, so be sure to keep a look out if you'd like to see more samples!  

Your next stop on the hop is over to Karen's blog!

Papertrey Ink March Blog Hop: High Gloss

**This is my second post for today.  If you are here for my Lil' Inker Designs Release Post, please scroll down!  Thanks!**

Hey everyone!  I wanted to play along with the March PTI Blog Hop.  The theme for this month was high gloss.  I didn't have much time to pull together a card, so I kept it really, really simple!

I needed a birthday card for a man, so I picked colors that would work well with a masculine theme without going the earthy direction. 

It's SO hard to capture in the photo, but the "happy" is embossed in clear embossing powder to give it shine and the "birthday" is embossed with yellow.  The balloon has glossy accents added to the top of it to give it a lot of pop and shine.

If you'd like to join in on the fun, you have a chance to play along all day!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Stamps: PTI Wet Paint & Live Love Life, Lil' Inker Designs Balloon Builders (with matching die)

Ink: Avery Elle Cherry, Mimosa, Sapphire & Celery; PTI True Black

Embossing: Ranger Clear, Zing Mustard

New Beginnings, Lil' Inker Designs Release, Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of the Lil' Inker Designs Release!  There is some fabulous product for this month's release!  Have you stopped by the store yet?  It's all available right now!  If you are following along in the blog hop you should have come from Heather Campbell's blog and if you'd like to start at the beginning, visit Laura's blog!  There are three $15 gift certificates to the LID store up for grabs, so the more blogs you comment on, the better your chances are of winning!

I have several cards to share with you today.  I was so inspired by this release!

This first card was so much fun to create!  Aren't these bunnies PERFECT for baby cards?  They are from the new LID Bunnies & Bows die set.  Don't just think Spring with this release...think baby showers and baby gifts too and even a "congratulations" to an expecting mommy!  How cute would these be on a onesie?  I love how the "mama" bunny is kissing the nose of the baby bunny!  So adorable!  And that sentiment, from the new Spring Sentiment set, goes so well with a baby theme too!  

I watercolored the grass with my aqua crayons and then cut the bunnies from several different patterned papers from We R Memory Keepers Simply Spring collection.  The sun, shown on the first image of the card, is from the new Spot on Spring stamp set.  There are so many possibilities with that stamp set!

Sticking with this baby theme, I came up with a card based on a much-loved children's book and a gift.

Anyone remember reading this book as a child?

It is a touch and feel book and the inside looks like this:

I remember reading this at my Grandma's house and loving it!  It brings back fond memories when I see it.

My card and gift are based on this Pat the Bunny book.

I kept the card very simple to keep it in line with the book.  I used the new Bunny & Bows dies to create my bunny silhouette.  The sentiment is from the previously released Pinwheel Stamps.

I placed a piece of white cardstock behind the cutout.  On the white paper I added glue to cover the surface and then sprinkled white Fun Flock over that to make the bunny fuzzy. I added a white pom pom for her tail.

For the little gift favor, a great idea for a baby shower, I took a little votive candle holder and a decorative cupcake wrapper and tied twine around it to hold it in place.  I made a little tag by die cutting the smallest circle from Stitched Mats: Circles in white.  I stamped one of the new stamps from Spot On Spring on to the tag and then stamped just the "girl" sentiment from the Pinwheel stamp set.  I added little Robin Egg candy into the holder in pastel colors.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!

Next, hop on over to Karen Baker's blog!

Spring! with Lil' Inker Designs Release, Day 1

Welcome to Day 1 of the newest Lil' Inker Designs release!  I can't wait to share projects with you this week!  I've created so many that it was hard to choose which to share now and which to save to show you later!  If you are following along in the hop, you should have come from Heather Campbell's blog.  If you'd like to start at the beginning, please visit Laura's blog.

Today I'm going to start with something that some of you have been waiting for for a long time...LID Mixed & Stitched Alphabet & Numbers dies (sold separately) and a small peek of Stitched Butterflies & Spring Sentiments too!

You are going to love adding these stitched alphabet dies to your collection!  I love how there are both mixed upper case & lower case letters...so trendy!  I used a partial sentiment from the new Spring Sentiments set.   I die cut each letter from the Mixed & Stitched Alphabet dies three times and adhered them together to add dimension.  Don't you just love those stitched letters?  SWOON!

You are also seeing a sneak peek of another new die set called Stitched Butterflies.  See that little "spring" stitched into the card?  That is the butterfly tail from the Stitched Butterflies set!  LOVE this little detail!

I have another project to share today.  It was almost an afterthought and once the idea came to me, I decided to go with it and that is how this next project came together.

I have to admit that I had babies on the brain with this release!  NO, we are done having children, lol, but when I looked at this release I saw more than just spring themes...I saw products perfect for baby themes too.  

With that in mind I kept this project simple.  I pulled out a picture of my daughter shortly after her birth. I used the number dies to make her birth date.  Think simple & easy but very thoughtful baby shower gift idea here!   Doesn't the stitching just go perfectly with the sweet little baby picture?  And, isn't my daughter so sweet too, lol?  She's six now and growing up way too quickly before my eyes!

The stitched butterfly up in the corner is one from the Stitched Butterflies set that I added an enamel dot to.  

What BETTER alphabet and number dies for a baby theme then STITCHED?  There is just something so homey about the letters with the stitches...they truly are perfect for baby projects! 

The products that I used today are:

With this release we are saying goodbye to a long-time Lil' Inker Design Team Member, Alicia.  She will surely be missed!  I always enjoyed seeing her creations and how her creative mind worked with the products!  We are also welcoming a new Design Team member who has also taken on the additional responsibilities of Director of Social Media.  Her name is Erin Schreiner and you'll be hearing from her a lot!  Speaking of social media, did you know LID is on Instagram?  Check them out at lilinkerdesigns.  

There are THREE $15 store credits to Lil' Inker Designs up for grabs during this release!  The more blogs you comment on, the better your chances are of winning!  Good luck!  

Thanks for stopping by today! I can't wait to hear what you think of these new products!  And, you don't have to wait to purchase them, they are all available in the store right now!  

To continue on in the hop, please visit Karen Baker's blog!

Supplies

Spring 

Dies: Lil' Inker Designs Mixed & Stitched Alphabet, Stitched Butterflies

Stamps: Lil' Inker Designs Spring Sentiments

Patterned Paper: Echo Park Sunshine

Frame

Dies: Lil' Inker Designs Mixed & Stitched Numbers, Stitched Butterflies

Paper: PTI Winter Wisteria Cardstock

Hello.

Hey!  I thought it was about time to update my blog again!  It's amazing how fast time gets away and I look back and realize it's been several weeks since I've posted!

I have a card to share today that I made a while ago.  In fact I received this stamp set in the mail and sat down and made this card that day and I still haven't shared it!

I absolutely ADORE the sentiments in this set by Inspiration Ave!  This is from a start up company and the sentiments are large and scripty...love!  I wanted the focus on the card to be on the sentiment and not to have it get lost in the card so I kept the design super, super simple.  I added the little metallic sequin as a statement piece...my husband didn't "get" it though and thought I should take it off, lol!  So...maybe I should have but I left it on.  :)  I was glad that he cared! 

The sequins come from a great company called Cartwright's Sequins.  I tell you, if you like sequins and want to be overwhelmed by selection and like to buy at bargain prices, check them out!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have a great week!