Alpha-blocks + Train Tracks

Welcome to the first group post this month by the Papertrey team. Today we're showcasing a new alphabet set called Alpha-blocks and I'll be showing you Beth's new set called Train Tracks also. With each project I'll be including a little heat embossing too.

My first project today is a baby boy card. I chose colors of aquas and greens to pull together a scrappy little card. With the Train Tracks stamp set there are also coordinating dies to cut out the sweet little train images.
I used two train die cuts on my card to make easy work of cutting out the detailed images. Using the Alpha-blocks stamp set and it's coordinating dies, I die cut rectangles and heat embossed them with the alphabet stamps. The solid images are perfect for heat embossing. I stacked my letters on the flatbed with wheels to create a cute *it's a boy* sentiment. Machine stitching ties the two train pieces together along with rhinestones for the centers of the wheels. Perfect for a new baby boy!
Here I've used the same concept for stacking letters on the train trailer.
I heat embossed Alpha-blocks once again onto the coordinating die cut rectangles. This time I used a Copic marker to color in the letters. A great way to get multiple colors when heat embossing. More rhinestones finish off the wheels. Scraps of patterned paper (some from Green Boutique + Happy Spots) are pieced together to resemble a train track of sorts. The *birthday boy* sentiment was stamped on scraps and popped up with pop dots.
This next card features another die cut train image which was colored with various grey Copic markers. Little rhinestones were used to make little smoke puffs coming out of the train engine. On the top left, I used a portion of a die cut and stamped image from Lisa's new set Ad Sense.
Die cut rectangles from Alpha-blocks were stamped with green ink then stitched to my card front. Don't be afraid to sew on male themed cards. I think the stitching can resembled stitched blue jeans or baseballs, etc.
And for my last project I added in a little something for the girls. It's obvious that the Alpha-blocks stamp set is gender friendly but images from the Train Tracks set can also be used on girly projects. Girls like trains too, right? I could easily see a pink little train rolling down the tracks. For my birthday card I used the packages from Train Tracks, definitely gender friendly.
At the top of my colorful card, I created a birthday sentiment by piecing together a sentiment from Train Tracks + a number from Alpha-blocks + the word *you* from All About You. All of the embossing powders I used today are from Zing. The butterfly embellishment was pieced together using Papertrey dies along with a tied Vintage Button. The embossed, bright green circles are from another new set being released this month called Simple Circles. I stitched those down with my sewing machine and then scattered orange rhinestones around the butterfly.
Along the bottom of my card I heat embossed a row of presents then added a few layers of patterned paper. A bright Orange Zest ribbon finishes off the card.
I hope you enjoyed my projects today. For even more inspiration, please visit Nichole's blog + the other Design Team blogs here:

• Nichole Heady
• Heather Nichols
• Dawn McVey
• Lisa Johnson
• Betsy Veldman
• Melissa Phillips
• Maile Belles
• Jessica Witty
• Erin Lincoln
• Danielle Flanders