Believe.

My mom's word of the year (every year) is "believe".  It means something special to her (and to me). I'll share a little more about that later.  But every time I get something that says "believe" in my papercrafting supplies I get excited.  And the new Brush Script Word Dies from Lil' Inker Design really got their work out when I started playing with them because one of the words in that set is believe.

For this card I first stamped my gray background with snowflakes from the Rustic Christmas Stamps (which I think I've mentioned a few times that I really, really like this set!) and then embossed them with white embossing powder.  I cut out a little window from the bottom of the panel and then used the Stitched Mats: Dual Stitched Rectangle dies to make a frame.

I put lots of colorful glitter in the box for my shaker and I really like how some of it sticks to the acetate window!  And of course there is that beautiful Believe from the Brush Script Word Dies!  Ahhhhh!  Love that font!  I also added a darling little bow die cut from the paper that my card is matted on using the Mini Bow Die.

Now for the reason why the word believe is so special.  Some of you may have guessed that it is special because of the magic of Christmas.  Well, yes and no.  The magic is not from Santa and the fun times that he brings to Christmas but the "magic" is really from what started at the manger and what was finished on the cross.  What started at the manger?  The birth of our Savior, Jesus.  The reason that the word believe is so special to my mom, and to my family, is that it represents the work that was completed on the cross: the gift of salvation to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.   That's it.  Salvation = believing.  And that is why that word means so much to our family. 

I'll leave you with one of the most well known verses in the Bible.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life."  John 3:16

Happy Christmas season to you and your family!

Joy, Joy, Joy

I am fully in the Christmas mode, how about you? 🎄  It still doesn't feel like winter yet and that's just fine with me!  It does SOUND like winter though with the wind howling like crazy outside my window.  But I don't think that the temp in the 50's really calls for a winter "feel".    My card for today is focused on winter though.

I just LOVE this Joy die from Frantic Stamper!  It's probably one of my all time favorite word dies!  For this card I started by building my tag.  I die cut the Tag Builder Set #1 Die out of striped pattern paper and then added some glittery hills in white & gold that I die cut with the Stitched Scene Builders Edgers dies.  I then added some more gold splattered foiled trees (you can see more about that process here) that were die cut with the beautiful Birch Tree Forest die. The top of the gold dotted tag was die cut using the Elementals #7 Coved Labels die.

Here's a closeup of some of the details on the card.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have an awesome day!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #386

Welcome to the next Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #386!  This week the challenge is to use the provided color scheme (shown below) on your card or project.  Our sponsor this week and the prize is from Kitty Bee Designs.  All of the details, including prize information, can be found on the Cupcakes Inspiration blog.  I hope you'll play along! 

For my card I used the adorable Kawaii Good Night Owl Digital Stamp.  I love owls so I thought this image was so cute!  I colored the image with copics and cut the circle out of my mint & mousse patterned paper with a dual Stitched Circle Die to make a window for a shaker.  I die cut a banner and stamped the Sweet Baby Sentiment onto with a gray/steel ink.

For the confetti I wanted to use stars but didn't have any precut so I used a couple of dies from Lil' Inker to create the confetti, Starry Sky Die & Cloudy Sky Die, that I die cut out of glitter paper.

I hope you'll join us this week for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #386!  Thanks for stopping by!

Lil' Inker Black Friday Sale Ends Tonight!

Don't forget about this great sale happening now at Lil' Inker Designs! 

Click here to shop now and get the best selection!

Everything in the Lil' Inker Designs store will be 25% off OR 50% off! 

No code is needed at checkout. Just add the items to your cart and discounts will automatically be applied. They'll even be a 50% off category so that you'll be able to shop those items exclusively!

Some fine print regarding the sale:

The Black Friday Sale is valid on orders placed 11/25/2016 - 11/26/2016, two days only AND in Eastern Standard Time. The sale is not valid on previously placed orders and is valid on in stock merchandise only, no rainchecks. This sale cannot be combined with any other offers or coupon/discount codes and is valid for retail orders only.

Happy shopping!!

Shop here: Lil' Inker Designs store

Lil' Inker Designs Black Friday Sale

Click here to shop now and get the best selection!

Everything in the Lil' Inker Designs store will be 25% off OR 50% off! 

No code is needed at checkout. Just add the items to your cart and discounts will automatically be applied. They'll even be a 50% off category so that you'll be able to shop those items exclusively!

Some fine print regarding the sale:

The Black Friday Sale is valid on orders placed 11/25/2016 - 11/26/2016, two days only AND in Eastern Standard Time. The sale is not valid on previously placed orders and is valid on in stock merchandise only, no rainchecks. This sale cannot be combined with any other offers or coupon/discount codes and is valid for retail orders only.

Happy shopping!!

Shop here: Lil' Inker Designs store

Bump & Swing Card Dies + Video

Frantic Stamper has released a new series of dies called Scalloped Square & Scalloped Circle Bump Card Dies & Flip/Swing Card dies.  I've put together some cards and a video to show a few ideas on how to use these dies.

For this card I used the new Flip/Swing Card: Scalloped Circle die.  This die cuts the scalloped circle & scores the lines in the middle.  I used the same die to create the scalloped circle for layering my sentiment on (from the Motherly Love & All in the Family stamps).  I used the Milk Can die, cut out of shiny silver metallic cardstock and used a sanding block to rough it up a little.  I put flowers in the can  that I cut from the Sunflower die and the Wreath & Swag Components dies.

 I used the same die to create the scalloped circle for layering my sentiment (from the Motherly Love & All in the Family stamps).  The happy birthday sentiment is from the Celebration stamp set.  To see how to create the scalloped circle to layer, please check out my video below!

Hopefully that video will help answer some questions about how these dies work!  Of course there are lots of other ways you can use the dies too, but this will get you started!

Here's another card I shared in the video.  This card uses the Bump Card: Scalloped Square die.  To decorate the front I also used the Little Barn die, Barnyard Fence die and Party Animals stamp set.

For the inside I inserted a gift card that is held in place with slits I cut using the Pop-Up Bases die set.  

I cut the scalloped square in half from the Bump Card: Scalloped Square die to decorate the inside.

Thanks for joining me today!  Have a great day!

25 Days of Christmas Tags - Day 13

**If you are here for the Cupcakes Inspiration Post, please scroll down**

Welcome to the 25 Days of Christmas Tags with Tracey McNeely featuring Lil' Inker Designs!  If you haven't visited Tracey's blog, be sure to do so so that you don't miss out on any of the great information and prizes!

For my Christmas tag I pulled out an oldie but goodie tag!  This is the Scallops Folding Tag Die by Lil' Inker Designs (there is also a similar one called the Original Folding Tag Die).  I love these tags as you can hide a little surprise inside!  For the patterned paper on my tag, I used some cute patterns from the Snow & Cocoa paper line from Crate Paper.  That adorable truck is from one of my favorite Lil' Inker sets (and it's new!) called Rustic Christmas and there are coordinating Rustic Christmas dies too.  I cut off the back of the car included in the stamp set to make it into a truck.  Then, I stamped one of the trees from the set and put it into the bed of the truck.  Those adorable pink snowflakes are from the Snowflakes dies.

When you open the tag up, which has been tied with black twine from the Twinery, you get this...

...a peeking bear.  

Isn't he cute?  The bear, trees and sentiment are all from the Rustic Christmas set.

Thanks for stopping in today! I hope you enjoy the tour of Christmas tags!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #384

Welcome to the next Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #384!  Today is my mom's birthday also!  Happy birthday mom!  This week the challenge is to use the provided color scheme (shown below) on your card or project.  Our sponsor this week and the prize is from Serendipity Stamps.  All of the details, including prize information, can be found on the Cupcakes Inspiration blog.  I hope you'll play along! 

For this card I used a fun die set from Serendipity Stamps called Cupcake & Candle Die Set.  I used two of the three colors from the challenge for the cupcake, mounted that on top of a piece of striped vellum cut with a Pinking Edge Sentiment Flag die and then mounted all of this onto a stitched rectangle mat.  The gold embossed sentiment is from PTI's Hooray stamp set.  I also placed a piece of gold cardstock behind my mat.

Here's this week's inspiration photo with the challenge colors.

I hope you'll join us this week for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #384!  Thanks for stopping by!

Save $$ on Online Christmas Shopping? YES!

From time to time I come across money saving programs that I just can't help but share!  This is one!

I have found myself doing more and more of my holiday shopping online through the years.  And I love to save money.  I don't check out from any store until I have done everything I can to find as many coupon codes, etc to make my purchase as low as it can be.

I joined Ebates almost a year ago and I wish I would have joined sooner!  I LOVE getting those checks/paypal credits (you choose!) in my account!

Click Here to Start Saving

Crafters do you like saving even more at Michaels, Joanns & Amazon to name a few?  

Moms do you like saving at Kohls, Target, Walmart, JcPenneys, Amazon, etc?  There are over 1,700 stores to choose from!

Then THIS is a program you'll want to check into!

How Ebates Works

Ebates is the pioneer and leader of online cash back shopping. Ebates pays members cash back every time they shop online as well as provide them with the best coupons and deals online. Founded in 1998, Ebates Inc.'s websites have paid over $325 million in cash to its members. That's why millions of people have joined Ebates, and we're excited you are ready to start earning cash back, too.

Here's how simple it really is:

Each store offers a different cash back percentage. Just look at the percentage next to the store name on the Ebates.com site to see how much savings you will earn.

Seriously!  That is ALL there is to it! Each store has a different % that you get in cash back.  For example, I shopped at Kohls.com this week and earned 8% cash back.  Today it is 3% cash back, so the % changes regularly.  Ebates also has at least one store every day that you get double cash back from for purchases.  And they also find coupons for each of their stores and post them on their site as well! 

I have the Ebates site bookmarked on my toolbar and when I want to shop online I click on that site first, find the store I am shopping at and it takes me to that site. I shop just like usual and then at the end of the transaction (or when the payment is charged) that store sends the info to Ebates and they apply the credit to your account.  You can also add a button to your browser toolbar that will alert you when you can get cash back if you forget to click on ebates first. 

Once you have at least $5.01 in your account you will get a payment.  They pay every 3 months (although it seems more often than that) and you can choose to be paid via check, paypal or you can even designate a charity for it to go to!

I would love if you would sign up via my referral link, because then we both get a bonus!  (And I promise you that this is legit and a GREAT DEAL!!)  You can click on the button on the right hand side of my toolbar or click on this link here:  CLICK TO START SAVING MORE!

Have a great day!

God is on the Throne

How can it be the 2nd week of November already?  WOW!  Time is flying this year!   Today is a BIG day in the life of the USA.  And today, no matter what, I choose to be grateful.  I'm thankful to be in this Country and I know no matter what is to come in our election, in our nation, in the world, that God's already got it.  He is on the throne.  Praise the Lord!  I rest in that.

With grateful being the key word for me today, I want to share this card.  I created the background by die cutting the Lil' Inker Designs Cover Up Die: Diamond Lace out of Rustic Cream cardstock and the layered gold glitter paper behind it.  I love the subtle shimmer it gives the card in real life.

To create this panel, I die cut two rectangles with the smallest Stitched Mats Rectangles die.  I then die cut the pumpkin, pumpkin stem & the grateful word using the Dual Stitched Pumpkin & Grateful Word Die Set.  I embossed the images on the pumpkin & heat embossed with a glittery gold embossing powder that I stamped with the Pumpkin & Flower Greetings Stamps.  I die cut the grateful word several times and then glued them together to create dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope your day is one full of beauty!  And if you are so inclined, I love this new song by Steven Curtis Chapman that reminds me that no matter what happens with the election that GOD IS ON THE THRONE!  

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #383

Welcome to the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #383!  This week the challenge is to use a tree on your card.  All of the details, including prize information, can be found on the Cupcakes Inspiration blog.  I hope you'll be able to play along!  This week our sponsor is Paper Sweeties.

For my card I stuck with the theme of trees but went in a different direction from the inspiration photo. I've been creating Christmas and winter cards so I went that direction with this challenge and I'm very happy with how it turned out! 

I started by creating my tag.  I die cut it with polka dotted vellum.  Then, I die cut glittery hills with some fun Stitched Edger dies from Frantic Stamper.  I die cut some deer with a couple of different die sets, Herd of Deer and Buck & Doe.  Lastly for the tag I layered the Winter die cut word on top of all of the tag layers and tied the tag with red silk ribbon.  

For the trees, I die cut the Birch Tree Forest (LOVE THEM!!) and then spritzed one of them with the Heidi Swapp Minc Reactive Mist and ran them through my Minc with gold foil.  I really love how that turned out! After adhering them to my card front, I added the little cardinal also included in that stamp set.  

The theme this week is "Trees".  You can choose to use the cupcake graphic for inspiration if you'd like but you don't have to, as long as your card or project fits the theme.

I hope you'll join us this week for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #383!  Thanks for stopping by!

Hay There

Frantic Stamper is releasing a new line of stamps & dies this month with the focus on Barnyard.  I've never lived on a farm but my grandparents did and I found that this release really connected to me and my special memories out there on that farm.  In the last few years, my grandparents moved to a retirement home and my grandma has since gone to be with the Lord in heaven.  In my heart, their farm will always hold a special place in my heart.

This is a card I made for my grandpa originally, although I've since made another one instead that features a white barn like he had.  Honestly I think his tractor was red and not green too. :)



This new release includes 2 sizes of barns.  For this card I used the smallest of the barns named appropriately Little Barn.  

 I love how the barn doors and windows are "hinged" so that they score on one side and open.  I paper pieced each of the little details and added a patterned flag at the top because my Grandpa's had a flag that he had made above his loft windows.   I also used the Barnyard Fence die on this card and a hay bale from the Barn A2 Card Maker die set.   That cute sentiment is from a new clear stamp set called Hogs & Kisses.

Paper piecing this tractor together was fun too.  I used the new Tractor die and you can make it whatever color you'd like easily.  In the background you can see the grassy hills I created with the new Stitched Grassy Hill Edgers.

Thank you for taking the time to visit today!  Be sure to check out all of the Barnyard release by clicking here.