Welcome to the Lil' Inker Designs Challenge Hop!!!

Hello and WELCOME!!

I'm so excited that today is finally the day!! We have a really fun challenge for you and I can't wait to get started. But before I do, I have a couple of announcements.

While we said goodbye to two fabulous designers since our last release, Mary Johnson and Judith Gowdy, who we all enjoyed working with so much and we'll really miss, I feel so lucky to say that Alyssa Scritchfield and Isha Gupta have joined our core team of designers and they're here to stay!

Mary and Judith, thank you for all your hard work here at Lil' Inker Designs. I enjoyed seeing your fabulous work with each release and your talents will really be missed. 

Alyssa and Isha, I think you're both fantastic and I'm so happy to have you as part of our little fam!

But WAIT, there's more!! Today we are announcing another amazing and talented designer joining our team. I think her designs are awesome and she is a Lil' Inker Designs enthusiast for sure!

 Here's a hint....... recognize this gorgeous lady?

 

Welcome to Taheerah Atchia, the newest member of the Lil' Inker Designs Family!!

You can head right on over to check out Taheera's fantastic blog HERE. And here's a little about Taheerah in her own words....

Hi everyone! I'm Taheerah and I'm so so *so* thrilled to be joining the Lil' Inker DT!!

I have been a long-term admirer and buyer of Lil' Inker Designs products so I was excited beyond belief when I was invited to join the team!! There's something about Lil' Inker that's just so fresh and fun and unique - and those dies are just to die for!! I can't wait to convey my passion and enthusiasm for the products into my work!!

I'm an early 30s girl living with my three gorgeous cats in the UK. I love all things geeky - having a background in science and working in IT I guess that can't be avoided! I can often be found singing, but almost as frequently going crazy over crafting! Being creative is a huge passion of mine, probably bordering on an obsession! I have tried my hand at quite a few different things in my time, but card making has really captured my attention in a way that's here to stay. I love experimenting with most styles and am a definite lover of trends, as my work will tell! I've really embraced Clean & Simple (in my own way!) in recent times and really thrive on pushing my skills and my creative eye to the limit. I hope you'll stop by my blog at http://littlemisst-papercraft.blogspot.com/ and take a further look at my work - I'd love to see you there!

Aw, thank you Taheerah! We're really excited to have you!!!

Are you ready for our challenge??????

When I started thinking about a fun challenge theme I started looking through our amazing designer's projects. Here are a couple that helped inspire our theme.

 All of these projects have a warm weather feel, beautiful skies and really make me smile! And in honor of the warm weather upon us (which feels like took FOREVER to arrive and still hasn't decided to stay a while here in the Northeast) our challenge theme is......

All you have to do to play along is make a project inspired by the graphic above!

You should use Lil' Inker Designs goodies as a focal point in your project but LID goodies do NOT have to be used exclusively.

Upload your project to your blog along with the inspiration photo above and tell us how you were inspired to create your project.

Then, upload your project using a direct link to your blog post and the Linky Tool beneath my signature below.

Also, HAVE FUN!!!

To be eligible to win our Grand Prize (more on that below) you must follow the criteria above. You have until Sunday, June 2nd at 11:30 p.m. EST to enter.

Here are a couple of projects I created based on the inspiration photo above.....

Here I was inspired by the pinwheels in the sky pictured above. It made me think of flowers so I went for it! I really love how this turned out! Notice how I used our Of the Hearts Dies to create the petal? The sentiment is from our Sentiment Flag Additions Stamp Set - a really handy and useful set of adorbs sentiments and of course our Original Pinwheel Die.

Here I was inspired by the sky in the inspiration photo. My brother is graduating with his Masters so this is for him. I thought it was slightly more masculine with the black background. I think this saying from our Rainbows & Clouds Sentiment Stamp Set is perfect for a grad! Nothing says beautiful sky like our Small Sunshine Die and Clouds Dies!

Here I was inspired by the rainbow in the inspiration photo. I recently bough all this fantastic colored, hemp twine from etsy and I am in love! I thought it was the perfect opportunity to showcase all the lovely colors together. LOVE my clouds dies, of course, and the sentiment is from our Sunshine Sentiments Stamp Set.

I hope you like! This was the first time in a long time I got my craft on! It felt sooo good!!

Want to know what you can WIN if you participate?......

Two lucky honorable mention winners will receive $10 gift certificates to Lil' Inker Designs. Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate to Lil' Inker Designs - our BIGGEST PRIZE EVER!! And they will receive a cute badge for their blog!

Also, for every 10 challenge entries we will be giving away a stamp set to randomly chosen participants! So there really is a LOT you can win! 

But wait, there's MORE! Beginning today and for the rest of May we're offering 15% off your entire order! Just enter the code SUNNYDAYS at checkout to receive your discount! Everyone wins!!!

Isn't this fun?? And all you have to do is do what you love!

Before I let you go I want to tell you that we have the MOTHER of all releases coming in June! When I tell you that I have been doing back flips while experimenting with our new dies and stamps...well, that would be an ginormous understatement. We'll have more details about our next release SOON!!! 

Ok, so I'm going to send you on your way to newbie (to us) designer Taheerah's blog for some eye candy and challenge inspiration!

Thanks so much for joining us today! Don't forget to link your challenge cards/posts here using the Link Tool below. Enjoy the rest of our hop today and gorgeous projects from our fabulous design team!

A Card for Mom from Designer Amy Kolling!

Here's an amazing post from Designer Amy Kolling just in time for Mother's Day!

Hi everyone!  !  Laura just released this Mom Word Die and it couldn't be more fantastic!

I die cut my "mom" die from chipboard and stamped it lightly with the Envelope Pattern stamp from Hero Arts for just a little added texture. I saved the heart and used that to layer my twine on and then placed my die cut word over the top with foam adhesive!

 Have you seen the new MME Kate & Co. papers yet?? The one I've used is called Cambridge Court . I've used it for several cards already....it's just beautiful!! 

Are you all ready for summer?  Please join the Lil' Inker Design Team with a challenge Blog Hop starting on May 20th!  

More details to come!

Amy Kolling Stamp-N-Paradise

Features:

Join Us May 20th!

Look at what we're gearing up for!!

Join us beginning on May 20th for a super fun Challenge Hop (a Chop?, LOL!)

We'll have a super fun theme just right for getting crafty with so many of our fabulous goodies. We'll have loads of inspiring projects from our Designers and we'll be giving away out BIGGEST Prize Ever!!!

It all starts Monday, May 20th right here at shoplilinker.blogspot.com!

See you then! We're so excited!!!

 

Boston, You're My Home!

Hi there, Lil' Inker Friends!

As many of you know, Lil' Inker Designs is based just outside of Boston. Personally, I grew up in the suburbs of Boston and it's only been 3 years since we moved just outside the city limits to Dedham.

 As a kid, I grew up at the "Y" and each year we'd gather together what seemed like a million volunteers and we'd head on off to the Boston Marathon and set up a station and hand out water to the runners. I have fond and fun memories of those days and the cool jackets we would receive for helping out!

 This past Monday I was out when I received a call from my husband about what happened. My first thoughts went to my friend Dave who ran the marathon for the very first time this year and his wife, Suzanne, who I knew would be there to cheer him on. What I didn't know is that many more of my closest friends were there as well and experienced what happened and at close proximity. I was so incredibly relieved when I learned the news that all were safe...but forever changed.

 I'm so proud of my mom, an "essential" Boston employee called into action when emergencies happen in our city. She went in to work Monday night to help runners, family members and spectators reconnect with their lost belongings right in the heart of the happenings of the day.

 Needless to say, this tragedy struck close to home not only because it happened in my hometown but because people that I love were there, participated and are forever affected.

 Massachusetts Governor Patrick and Boston Mayor Menino have set up a charitable fund called The One Fund Boston, Inc. to help those most affected by the tragedies of Monday's events. Lil' Inker Designs will be making a contribution and we have decided to donate a percentage of profits over the next several weeks to the fund as well.

 You can read more about The One Fund Boston or make a direct contribution HERE. So, spread the word and know that a portion of your sales will be donated to families in need. I feel like it's the least I can to show my support. I love Boston! I'm proud to be from Boston - you're my home!

Thank you for your support!

 

April Release Hop Re-Cap & Prize Winners Announced

Well, hello there! Thank you for waiting so patiently for this post!!

As you may recall, we had a hop last week and it was AMAZING! I am always so humbled when I see our new goodies flying out of here!

I mentioned in some of posts last week that I was feeling generous! I decided that I would pick two $10 store credit winners AND a grand prize winner!! Our grand prize is our entire release from last week!

Are you ready for the winners????

Hang on for a few minutes more......you know I LOVE a project recap! Here in no particular order and hopefully in full are all of the projects made by our amazing Designers for last week's hop...

I love seeing all of the projects together! It really gets me in a crafty mood!!

Ok, on to our winners! I randomly selected the fabulous and talented Suzanne Dahlberg's blog The Card Yard as our secret prize blog! Here are our two $10 store credit winners.......

Loly Borda-Towery & Lynn - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Ladies, please email me at lilinkerdesigns at gmail dot com and I will email you your prize code! So exciting!

Even more excitement? Drum roll please.................................

Our Grand Prize Winner of our entire release chosen at random from Suzanne's blog is.............

Leigh

CONGRATULATIONS, LEIGH!!! You have won the following goodies...

Please email me at lilinkerdesigns at gmail dot com with you mailing address so I can pop your HUGE prize in the mail to you!

Thank you to all of you for your enthusiastic comments and praise! I know I speak for each of our designers when I say this!

We will see you in what is looking like June with our next release. We are busy behind the scenes designing you some amazing new goodies AND we're going to be putting together a challenge hop (a chop?) for you in May with another HUGE prize so be looking for those details coming soon!

Chat soon!