confetti

amuse-bouche :: warm winter wishes!

it's officially a*muse*a*palooza amuse-bouche time!  it's always exciting to share the new releases with you, but even more fun this time around.  i know several readers have been waiting to see the new images since they either don't have participating stores nearby or their stores didn't have events until this week.  so, here you go!  today, i have an "all natural christmas" card.  the new wood grain patterned paper is probably my favorite of the whole release, although it's really hard to pick favorites from so much goodness!  here, i went for huge impact and cut my whole card from it and i think it's the perfect back drop for the cardinal silhouette image, which is a solid version of the line image in the elegant winter class kit.  i stamped it first in brown on natural white and then again in red, so i could cut out the cardinal and place him over the brown one on the branch.  the branch is actually longer behind the cardinal, but i wanted a little out of the box action for interest!  there's so much to see on the a muse news blog today, and still more on the creative team blogs, so start clicking and...

happy snacking!
:) lexi

peaceful wishes

welcome to day three of inspiration from the a*muse*a*palooza online class kit: elegant winter.  i love reds and greens at christmas, but i really enjoy adding paler pinks and blues to mix things up a bit--and the snowflake in the elegant winter clear set was perfect for just such a card!  so, have you bought your class kit yet?  pretty stamps, perfect supplies, and an online class with julie!  don't forget to check out the usual suspects for more class kit creations and stay tuned to the a muse news blog for more a*muse*a*palooza fun...

happy clicking!
:) lexi

elegant winter!

if you followed my link yesterday to the a muse news blog (or if you followed their link to me!), you now know that the stamps featured yesterday and today are a part of the online class kit: elegant winter, created especially for those of us who don't have an a*muse*a*palooza participating store where we can party in person!  the kit comes with everything you need to make lots of beautiful cards--a wonderfully versatile clear stamp set, coordinating note cards, envelopes, ribbon, bling, and a free online class with julie!!  and as she said yesterday, it's never to early to start working on holiday cards!  while waiting for you kit, be sure to go back to the original post on the a muse news blog and follow the links to the others who are playing with the kit...

see ya' tomorrow, too!
:) lexi

christmas in july!

merry christmas, season's greetings, and winter wishes?  it may be hot, hot, hot outside, but my studio is all aglow and dripping in reds & greens and new holiday images!  check out today's post on the a muse news blog for details!  and come back for more tomorrow...

happy a*muse*a*palooza!
:) lexi

seeing spots

it's the final countdown--a*muse*a*palooza is almost here!!  the theme this week is spots, so today, i have a quick card for ap challenge #4: spots!  i thought it was a perfect time to pull out one of my old favorite mod dot note cards and now i'm definitely seeing spots.  way back when i started falling in love with a muse images, i made a few cards similar to this.  in fact, here's one from a*muse*a*palooza '07, think pink!  i decided to make this version all about enjoying the summer ride, using images from the recent summer fun release.  i love them all, so it was fun to use so many at one time!  i hope you'll a muse yourself with spots, too for a chance to win, and for another chance, be sure to play this week's game--can you spot the difference?  it's also your last chance to participate in the badge contest.  of course, if you're lucky enough to live near an a muse selling shop, you'll be able to continue the fun in person.  all of the instructors are cutting and kitting as i type and have lots of fun planned!  if you're stuck without a shop like me, stay tuned to the a muse blog for more online fun and sneak peeks, too!  and soon, it will be christmas in july for everyone...

happy stamping!
:) lexi

p.s.  if you love the mod dots note cards, head over to a muse--i "spotted" them on the sale pages!

true love twilight style!

another week of a*muse*a*palooza countdown fun brings ap challenge #3: twilight!  can you tell?!  i don't own several stamps that i wanted to use for this challenge, so i've been thinking and thinking the last few days what to do.  i was so stuck on the stamps i didn't have that i was having a hard time coming up with something else, but finally this clicked.  it's super simple, but so are the book covers that inspired it.  i'm really happy with the outcome!  there's still time to create your own twilight inspired cards--how does the word "twilight" inspire you?--and there's also a *little* time left to play this week's game, where's eddie?  click, play, and possibly win!!

happy stamping!
:) lexi

meet daisy & more ribbon

i recently purchased a blythe doll.  her name is daisy--isn't she pretty?  i've always loved dolls and this one reminded me of my childhood and just totally sucked me in!  do i really have time for another hobby?!!  anyway, i've been having so much fun attempting to sew clothes, fixing her hair, and setting up little photo shoots--a few new crafty challenges and a great way to practice taking better pictures, especially when i get my new digital slr for my big bday next month.  i figured i'd show her off a little today since this week of the a*muse*a*palooza countdown is all about ribbon and i used a little fabulous a muse stitched ribbon on her outfits in these pics--as a belt on the white dress she arrived in and for straps on the sundress i made.  it really is the perfect ribbon for all kinds of things, not just cards!  if you want to see more pictures of daisy, you can check out my fledgling photostream on flickr.  and to my stamping readers, be sure to "a muse yourself" with stamps and ribbon before tomorrow night for a chance to win free a muse goodies!

:) lexi

it's all about the ribbon!

i've been busy stamping behind the scenes and working on orders lately, but i managed to find time to create a card inspired by ribbon for this week's a*muse*a*palooza challenge #2: ribbon!  as soon as i saw that ribbon was the challenge, i thought of the rooster card i did last summer and wanted to create a new version of it.  i love all a muse ribbon, but since yellow is my favorite color, i'm pretty partial to this one--and it makes such a fun sun!

so have you created with ribbon for the ap challenge #2 yet?  you have until sunday night, so get stamping!  you can also still participate in the badge contest, and play this week's game--how many yards of ribbon?  so much fun as the countdown to a*muse*a*palooza continues...

:) lexi

feeling square!

the countdown to a*muse*a*palooza 2009 is here!  it's the 4th annual of this fun a muse event and i've actually participated every year since surfing into the countown for the very first one.  of course, back then, i never imagined i'd be on the a muse design team!  there will be lots of fun & games over the next few weeks as we get closer to the big party in july.  my favorite is the weekly challenges, so i stole a few minutes today to stamp something for ap challenge #1: square!  having such an open ended challenge was perfect, because i've had this idea forming every time i've walked by my girls on the computer.  they've been playing club penguin quite a bit, and this week is "adventure party" in penguin land.  palm trees, surf boards, and other summer island objects have popped up all over the ice, which made me think of pairing old faves baby penguin and igloo with open palm tree, surfboard, and sun from the recent summer fun release.  and "square" gave me the perfect backdrop--an older square a muse card, with square layers behind the cool summer scene.  i think it's a little cluttered, but as mignon said, so is club penguin!  and since she's the expert on that, i didn't take anything away.  so go play with squares--i can't wait to see the different ideas the a muse fans are sure to come up with.  and don't forget to check back daily for more fun on the a muse news blog--the badge contest and secret squares game are going on now...

have fun!
:) lexi

kitschy digitals ~ craft critique

so posting every day right away was a little ambitious!  yesterday ended up being pretty hectic, but i'm back today with a card from the new craft critique article i was working on.  the article is part of a vendor spotlight on kitschy digitals by danielle thompson.  kitschy digitals offers "digital kits, paper goods & embroidery patterns for the kitsch-lover in you."  really cute, fun images and papers that you can use in digital layouts, or print and use on other projects.  and since it's digital, you can do all that as many times as you want.  the soft serve and green bubble talk paper in this card are two of my faves, especially when paired with "you make life sweet" from a muse.  bright, kitschy fun!  click here to read my article and see more cute pics and here to look through the whole vendor spotlight--and be sure to leave a comment over there for a chance at free kitschy digi fun!  if you've ever wanted to try digital scrapping or designing, these kits would be a fun way to start.

enjoy!
:) lexi

iron on tshirt transfers ~ craft critique

we're back!  it was a fun week at the beach, but i'm glad to be home.  i've had quite a bit of catch up the past two days, wrapping up an invitation/party order and working on an article for craft critique.  that article will post some time this week, but i also had another one posted while we were gone.  internet access was hit or miss, and i was only able to write once, so i thought i'd share the link today in case you missed it.  i love to make personalized tshirts for the various parties i do, so the wilton ink jet tshirt transfers i use were the perfect product to review--click here to read all about it.  i even stamped a couple of the new a muse critters from the summer fun release on a transfer scrap for a very special alligator shirt!!  i still have a long list of fun stuff to share from my busy last month of school, so i hope to be back daily now that i'm home.  no guarantees, though--summer does have a way of messing with the schedule...

'nite!
:) lexi

hippo birdie bag tag

the other day i needed a quick little birthday card to dress up this plain white gift bag, and as luck would have it, the a muse summer fun release was still sitting on my desk.  tap, tap, stamp, color it quick, and stick!  think simple. think a muse.  gotta love it!!  aren't the new hippo and sentiment adorable?!  tiny bird and tiny hat are perfect "old" additions.  and there's more of that awesome petite gingham--it's my new go-to paper and i love having so many colors of it!

have a great weekend!  school ended today for us, so every day is the weekend for a while--yay!

:) lexi

searching for treasure?

today's the day you'll find it!!  the new summer fun stamps are now available online directly from a muse in addition to a muse selling shops everywhere!  you can even win a nice bunch of them on the a muse news blog x2--click here for details!!  i think i mentioned the other day that pirate bird was one of my faves, so i just had to share another design using her.  alligator had to get in on the pirate action, too!  doesn't he look nice with a blingy eye patch?  they do make a nice pair--friends to the end...

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

amuse-bouche :: hello snorkel boy!

it's day number five of a muse summer fun and time for another tasty amuse-bouche!  please say hello to snorkel boy--isn't he adorable, with those flippers and polka dot trunks?  i stamped him on blue petite gingham and colored him in with copics.  having the pattern show through makes it look even more like he's under water.  add a couple of martha stewart punched fish, twinkle stickers, and a glittered sentiment bubble, and the effect is complete!  hello is from the new "a warm hello" stamp.  the sentiments are just as wonderful as the images.  and all of them will be available in 24 hours or less, depending on when you're reading this!  don't forget to stop by the a muse news blog and my fellow ct members' blogs for one last day of appe-teasers, and then...

hello new stamps!
:) lexi

amuse-bouche :: aye matey!

i'm back for day four with one of my favorite stamps of the a muse summer fun release, pirate bird.  isn't she a cutie?!  and orange petite gingham paper--so many colors, so little time!  the new open palm tree also helped set the scene.  add twinkle stickers colored with a brown copic marker for perfect coconuts!  after stamping the bird and the tree, i doodled the sand, colored it with a sand copic marker, and used various blender ink on a scrunched up paper towel to remove some of the ink and give it texture.  i wanted just a bit more texture, so i scribbled the sand with a glue pen and dipped it into a bit of chunky white glass glitter--just the right amount of sparkle and texture!  the sentiment is an older favorite, but it's perfect for the pirate bird, don't you think?  don't forget to check out what else is in store on the a muse news blog and creative team blogs all over the web--lots of great eye-candy to snack on...

happy hunting!
:) lexi

amuse-bouche :: sun-sational orca

it's the early beginning of a new day--cst--and day 3 of summer fun amuse-bouche!  today's appe-teaser showcases the adorable orca, one of three new a muse critter friends.  i love how placing her above water makes her look like she's diving.  my waves are made from repetitive circle punching on the edge of the blue petite gingham, embellished with "waterfall" stickles.  i definitely think this orca is having a sun-sational day.  pretty blue water, bright yellow sky--life is good!  don't forget to surf on over to the a muse news and creative team blogs for more tasty treats.  maybe you'll find the other critter friends...

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

amuse-bouche :: simply sublime

it's after midnight central time, so for me, it's officially amuse-bouche day two for a muse's soon to be released summer fun collection.  and of course, i have another tasty treat--the submarine is the cutest and the sentiment, a perfect match!  the first thought that came to mind when i looked at this stamp was the beatles and the yellow submarine, so that's where i had to go with it.  i also thought it would be fun to have the submarine pulling the sentiment on a banner.  the background was inspired somewhat by a yellow submarine movie poster.  did you notice the two new gingham colors??  blueberry & yellow--love 'em all!!  don't forget to check out the a muse news blog and those of the creative team for more stamped yummies--it's highly possible that you will see a few more yellow submarines floating around...

happy snacking!
:) lexi

ready, set, recline...

it's amuse-bouche time!!!  new a muse "summer fun" stamps are on the way and i've been *dying* to show them off.  isn't this cabana just awesome?  and the sun and the sentiment.  i am so ready for summer and i'm so loving this release!  if you're lucky enough to have an a muse selling shop nearby, you may be able to run out and buy new stamps right now (well, in the morning!).  if not, there will be plenty of "tasty treats" to whet your stamping appetites on the a muse news blog as well as the blogs of various creative team members.  and don't forget to come back here, too--five cards in five days...

bon appetit!
:) lexi

rockin' wallet

here's another very quick gift card i created recently.  i can't give a gift without a stamped card, so this month especially, it's all about quick!

a popular (and easy!) gift for 10 year olds is an itunes gift card, but it's kind of boring to wrap it up alone.  so i decided to make a wallet card.  there are probably tons of patterns out there for just such a card, but i was working with just a few minutes, so i quickly devised this one pocket card, cut to fit.  luckily the right rockin' stamps from a muse were sitting on my desk from my recent a muse anniversary card!  speaking of which, the celebration is winding down, but there's still one more chance to win on the a muse news blog--the winner will be announced tomorrow, so don't miss out!

once again, i'm working hard and i'm building a pile of stuff to share, but that's may madness for you.  two weeks of school and a birthday party to go, and then hopefully things will calm down a lot...

:) lexi

another retro label card

it's been a crazy busy weekend--house guests, deadlines, mother's day, and more.  it all started with a birthday party on friday night.  a surprise laser tag family birthday for a 40 year old.  so fun!  the girls liked the retro martini card on my desk so much that they wanted a birthday version for uncle scott, so i stamped one up super quick.  gotta love birthday builder!!

:) lexi