Lil' Inker Designs 3rd Birthday Celebration & Challenge

It's hard to believe but Lil' Inker Designs is turning three this month and we're here to celebrate with a fun challenge hop and lots of prizes!

It's funny, but had it not been for Facebook I never would have known that my friend from High School, Ariana, became a professional graphics artist. Little did I know but "spying" on my friend's profile (LOL) and learning this information would later change my life! 

I've been a stamper for a long time now - 10 years actually! It wasn't until I wanted a ribbon-tail ended die for my own personal craft stash and couldn't find one anywhere on the market that I decided to design one myself. That's when I thought that it would be fun for this die to have stamps to coordinate with it but I would need a little help to produce the graphics in order to manufacture these items myself and that's when I remembered having stalked my friend's profile!!!  

Ariana and I had been in touch but hadn't seen each other in YEARS. I emailed her with my idea and the rest is history! We released our very first die and coordinating stamp set, Sentiment Flags, in August of 2010!  What started out as one fun idea has turned into many and Ariana has been my right hand since Lil' Inker Designs was formed back in 2010! 

We'd like to celebrate today....with YOU! We wouldn't be here without the support of our fans and customers so let's have some fun. Are you ready?

All you have to do is do what you love! Make a birthday card, tag or paper project inspired by the graphic below which I LOVE!

Then, blog about your project and directly link your blog post to the Linky Tool provided at the bottom of this post. In your post, please link to our challenge here and feature the inspiration photo. Goodies from Lil' Inker Designs should be the focal point of your creations/projects but do NOT have to be used exclusively to be eligible to win a prize.

You will have until 11:59 p.m. EST. on August 25th to link your post to be an eligible prize winner.

PRIZES

We will be giving away a $50 Store Credit to one randomly selected winner who meets all of the challenge requirements.

I will be hand-selecting 2 Honorable Mention Winners who will each receive a $10 store credit. 

Also, throughout our hop you will be seeing our brand new today Snarky Sentiments Stamp Set...

We'll be giving away one brand new Snarky Sentiments Stamp Set for every 10 challenge participants!

This stamp set is also available today at a reduced price of $10 through September 2nd or while supplies last. On September 3rd (the day of our next release) it will retail for $15, so get yours NOW! It's SUCH a fun and sassy little set! And I am so so SO loving these fonts!

******8/25 EDITED TO ADD - Due to POPULAR demand, Snarky Sentiment are now sold out! They are on reorder and I expect them in September in probably 2-3 weeks time from now. When they restock they will be available at the regular retail price of $15. Thank you!**********

We thought that since it's our 3rd birthday that we should celebrate by having a $ALE too!

Through August 31st if you spend:

at least $50 you will receive 10% off your order by using the code LIDIS3A 

spend $100 or more and receive 15% off your order by using code LIDIS3B

**These codes are entered in your shopping cart screen before proceeding to PayPal for payment. These codes MUST be entered at the time of checkout in order to take advantage of the offer.**

Who wants to see some projects?? This post should also be called Fun With Vellum, LOL! I was really inspired by the red gift bow in the inspiration photo as it looked like it was made out of vellum. I had recently purchased some colored vellum stock and once I started I didn't stop!

I cut our Small Bow Die four times from red vellum and assembled together with glue dots. I embellished the center with a cork and enamel dots. For my background, I used chalkboard card stock and my chalk ink pen and just hand wrote everything - super fun and easy!!! 

Here is used my Balloon Dies and cut them from a whole bunch of different colors of vellum and arranged them as a focal image. I was very inspired by the balloons in our graphic! I just love using vellum for balloons because I think they look so life like. I also used one of the balloon string stamps from our Balloon Builders Stamp Set as well as our Double Ended Banner Die from our Flags & Tags Die Set. By scoring the flag twice at each end you can get this cute banner effect!

Here I made a couple of tags to attached to gifts for upcoming parties we have. Again I used the Balloon Dies and Balloon Builders Stamp Set and of course our Folding Tag Die - Original. The sentiments are from our Sentiment Flag Additions Stamp Set. I LOVE how these turned out!

I told you I didn't stop with the vellum! Here I just randomly added strips in a neat pattern. Then I die cut a Stitched Circle from Chalkboard card stock and hand wrote my sentiment with a chalk ink pen. Can I just tell you that I am obsessed with this paper and pen! 

This card uses our new Snarky Sentiments Stamp Set. I am absolutely head over heels in love with this sentiment. I think it's the most perfect birthday greeting on a handmade card, don't you agree? I also used our Fanfare Scalloped Border Die and if you don't already have one I highly recommend this die. It's just so super gorgeous!

Another fun card using our Snarky Sentiments Stamp Set and another greeting that makes me chuckle. On the top right you can see I stamped "Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit" in grey ink and the coordinating "Look who's having a birthday" sentiment. The biscuit sentiment also works with the "Look Who's Expecting" sentiment in the set as well.

So as you can see, I really go busy this week in my craft room!!!

Ok, so I am going to let you get started on your way. Your first stop on our hop today is Alicia Thelin and I am sure she has some fabby goodness she's ready to share!

Don't forget to link your cards using the linky tool which is below my signature. Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy our hop!!

And THANK YOU for THREE GREAT YEARS!!!