confetti

happy father's day, dad!

my dad loves his harleys.  so when su! introduced the born to ride set way back when, i had to have it.  and every year, i try to think of something different to make with it.  last year, was a piece of art for his garage/showroom, another year was a photo album, and yet another, note cards.  he travels a lot, so i came up with luggage tags this year!  i wanted to keep them simple and include blue since that's his favorite color, and i thought a touch of ribbon would help him spot the luggage even easier.  i hope i can think of something else next year--any ideas??

:) 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

year round tree: november

i can't believe i've totally ignored my year round tree since moving!  at first i couldn't find where i'd put the little ornaments and then when i found them, i didn't have sets for the fall months or the time to make them.  while babysitting my printer during a big printing job, i spied my bare tree and realized that several of the stamps from the fall saltbox studio sets were the perfect size and look for the tree, so i got busy stamping and coloring while waiting for the printing...

and now i have a new set of november ornies!  the little pilgrim faces and the corn from the kid's table started it off, but i really needed at least five different ones for variety.  the pumpkin and leaves are from give thanks.  the pumpkin was a no brainer, and i wanted the leaves to add a little more of a fall color to the set, but i did omit one acorn and cut off some of the stem to make the size and shape work better.

it's hard to see in the first picture, but i also made a wire topper to go with the set.  when creating these, i have to think of a shape that coordinates with the ornaments, and that is easy to create by bending wire--and that is still recognizable!  i think i did okay with the leaf.  well if you recognized it as a leaf, of course!  i'm so excited to look over and see the tree dressed for fall instead of looking like a regular christmas tree that didn't get packed in the right box!

:) lexi

thanks for dinner

inspired by the saltbox cards posted on the a muse news blog today, i decided to create a thanks for dinner favor.  when we're invited to dinner, i like to bring a little something--a bottle of wine, a box of candy, a set of note cards, anything i can get my hands on, depending on how much time i have!  i rummaged around my pantry for something to use and came up with this box of pomegranate & orange cream bark from whole foods.  my personal shopper (aka my husband) likes to bring home random sweets and treats and these caught my eye because of the orange sticker label and colors in the candy.  after a quick measuring, cutting and corner rounding, i had the perfect brown layer to place over the package label--covering the words, but still leaving a frame of orange around it.  i simply embellished the layer with a few scraps and stamped pieces and stuck it on.  i finished it off with a quick tie of ribbon around the box.  if i were giving this for real, i'd secure the ribbon in a few places with mini glue dots because of the shape of the container.  for very little work, the box of candy looks more like a gift than a grocery item!

since i didn't have specific plans to give the candy away, i decided to take it apart and use the layer i created on quick 3 x 3 mini card, too.  this could be placed on any gift item or tied around a bottle of wine if you punch a hole in the upper corner.  mini cards are always great to have on hand, especially this time of year!

:) lexi

quick wrapping

i've been so busy with halloween stuff and miscellaneous invitations, that stamping hasn't been happening so much.  but when the girls have a birthday party, they have to have a gift and card, so i do manage to quickly stamp something.  usually an oversized flat card--add a coordinating layer and tissue and you can quickly turn a plain bag into a cute personalized birthday bag!  this one was so quick with a muse clear stamps, copics and a gold spica--clear stamps make placement a snap!  sometimes, printing is the way to go...

these were for a high school musical 3 viewing party, and colleen wanted something in the fonts she recognized from the movies--lucky her, i have tons of fonts!  i drew the chair for a fund raiser invitation last year, so we were all set.  i often need quick & easy, and i especially love it when it's cute, too!

:) lexi

tricks & treats from my busy week!

boo! to you...

with treats galore!

mignon wanted to be salt & pepper with a friend, so here's what i came up with--they were so cute!

eye-popping tomato soup (from marthastewart.com) for my book club crowd!

crescent mummy dogs (from pillsbury.com) for the girlies...

with a side of green noodles!

eyeball cupcakes for a school party...

and last, but most definitely not least--candy monster cupcakes based on these awesome ones.  not suprisingly the original inspiration came from martha stewart kids.  sooo much fun for the girlies and their friends, this was a great activity for kids.  and of course for mummy, too!

happy halloween!
:) lexi

dum-dum ghosts

today, the girls and i spent some time making dum-dum ghosts.  a favorite halloween craft, and one we've done together every year.  in fact, i remember making them when i was young, although my tools and technique have changed!  what used to be kleenex and a black marker is now tissue inserts and a stamp from the old su! set, fun faces.  one year, i found these leftover tissues from my wedding invitations and decided to try them--like the kleenex, they're the perfect size, and the weight is even better.  i don't know why i kept them other than i am a crafter and, therefore, a hoarder of anything that might remotely be useful one day.  and hey, it paid off!  here's one of the things we do with the ghosts...

a spooky ghost tree!  i got this tree from pottery barn kids a few years ago on major sale and it's one of my favorite decorations.  the ghosts make it even more fun--everyone likes to pick one when they're feeling like a dum-dum!  we also make them for class treats and any that are left over go into the cauldron of candy on halloween night, so it's an all around fun and useful halloween craft.  tomorrow, i'll try to take pics of the new finds i got to haunt the new house this year...

'night!
:) lexi

husband, wife ... happy life!

here's a cake i made for one of colleen's teachers.  she got married a couple of weeks ago and while she was on her honeymoon, i helped the class write a book of marriage advice for her.  the second graders recommended that the newlyweds cook each other's favorite meals, take lots of trips, get a maid, and always have a kiss goodnight--soo cute!  anyway, she got back on monday, so on friday during snack time we surprised her with a reception to celebrate, including a grand entrance, dancing, tossing the bouquet and garter, cutting the cake, and presenting the book.

the book is almost the same as the wedding wishes book we created for mignon's second grade teacher from two years ago, who is actually colleen's other teacher, and who happens to be expecting twin boys very soon.  i can't wait to see what advice the kids come up with for her!

don't forget to kiss goodnight!
:) lexi

swimming sunfish!

it's swim meet again today and i was in charge of treats.  actually i was in charge of them last week, but we got stormed out--luckily, it was a treat that could wait!  i've done this for a mermaid water party once--goldfish mixed with two shades of blue m&m's--i actually put them in a fish bowl for that!  but the concept was perfect for swim team, too, and a great sweet & salty snack after finishing their first race.  of course, i had to include a little stamped label!  i've had this unmounted fish for a while and i'm not sure who makes it, but it matches the team t-shirts, so i use it every year.  i recently purchased the swimmer from a muse, which colleen adores, so i decorated the bag that holds the treats, too...

i even stamped colleen's lunch bag with waves and swimmers to get her excited, but i forgot to take a picture.  not a surprise since i usually stamp those right when i need them!

go sunfish!
:) lexi

born to ride

here's one last fun item i made over the weekend for my dad, although it isn't necessarily limited to father's day giving.  my dad is a harley enthusiast, so i purchased the now retired set born to ride when it first appeared in the su! catalog so that i could create things for him from time to time.  so far, i've decorated a photo album, created personalized note card sets, and made a variety of other cards to give him, but i think this is the first framed art i've made using it.  i was obviously inspired by andy warhol along with my dad's many bikes and the fun new garage showroom he keeps his bikes and cars in.  i think it will go well with the eclectic mix of posters, pictures and lights he has going on.  i'll have to think of something for the car side of the garage next!

enjoy...
:) lexi

to one of my favorite peeps!

 

last week, jennie posted this idea for peeps s'mores--isn't it the cutest?!  i love peeps and i always make easter treats for my nieces and nephews, so this was the perfect little project for me.  i couldn't find the peeps stamp she had at the michael's here, which is why i carved my own!  i decided to use smaller quantities and package them in cellophane bags.  for the tag, i printed the microwave directions six to a page, leaving room to stamp the peep and the peeps sentiment from a muse.  after cutting and stamping, i punched the corners and hole and tied them to the bag.  easy, peasy, but oh so cute--just the way i like it!  i also created individual versions for the girls' classmates and teachers, with stickers to hold them closed instead of tags...

thanks so much jennie!!!
:) lexi

p.s.  if you're looking for more fun with peeps, be sure to check out the official peeps website!

luck o' the irish to ya!

when i created the heart turned lucky clover card a couple of weeks ago, i had one lonely little square left over and i was saving it for today.  then over the weekend, i saw this cute little project jen created using my clover idea and i knew exactly what i was going to do with my leftover square!  she got the idea from an easter basket pattern created by leslie miller--by leaving off the tall basket handle and changing the color scheme it was perfect for a pot o' gold.  i decided to add a wire handle to mine--the eyelet helps make sure my seams don't pop.  don't ya just love the domino effect--one great idea leads to another and so on?!  stamps by the saltbox studio, a muse kitchen green note, su! basic black, and ribbon from my endless stash.  i think my girls are going to be thrilled for sure!

happy st. patrick's day!
:) lexi

ETA: a couple people were curious about how i carved my peep stamp, so i will photograph and share later tonight when i have a chance, so stay tuned!

valentine, valentine...

 

as soon as i saw linda's post about making sweet treats with the heart punches for her kids' class valentine treats (she saw it here), i knew that's what we were going to do for ours.  a lot of my saltbox studio, a muse and elzybells stamps are perfect for valentines and very loved by my girls.  and i'm glad i was able to get a few of the heart punches before they sold out!  the girls did most of the punching, so i could stamp and not waste the pretty little papers that i'm very low on.  but they told me which stamps they wanted, helped with some of the coloring, chose who to give each one to and wrote their names on the back.   in order for them to be able to put the to/from on the back heart (i flipped some so you could see), i opted to stamp or write the sentiment on the front.  i also stamped some of the larger images off the edge to make them fit better, balancing them with the words as much as i could.  copics did a great job covering the patterns of the pretty little papers--even the lighter colors masked them enough to not notice too much.  i just love all of the colors and patterns together and the girls were really excited about them!

i also created a few personalized valentines this week for a couple friends' kids to give.  they are a little bigger than a trading card and combine printing with stamping--for the signature and the sentiment if i didn't have it.  again, i used a muse, elzybells and saltbox studio stamps.  i love the size of the the stars & moon, the star and the tiny heart from saltbox--perfect finishing touches!  the fish is one that i've had for several years--it's unmounted and unlabeled, but i use it for boys quite a bit here and there--one of the only times i use kaleidacolor pads these days.

happy valentine's day!
:) lexi

nuts for nuggets

 

today i have another bit of papertrey love.  this is what inspired my trading cards for saturday's stamp club.  i was in the middle of creating it when i realized i still hadn't done them yet--oops!  anyway, back to the tin.  with all the nuggets i've covered, this is my first time creating a tin for them!  i had fun using the limitless labels to match the nuggets inside to the card on top--coordinating both the colors and the images, even finding the red polka dot ribbon to repeat the red polka dot band on the nuggets.  now i just need to make a few more for some special valentines next month!

:) lexi

christmas magic

 

i love the magic of christmas, so we have lots of magical traditions in our house.  along with cookies for santa on christmas eve, we also scatter reindeer food.  since it's one of my girls' favorite traditions, we share it with all of their classmates every year.  contents: oatmeal + red and green sugar sprinkles for sparkle--all edible for the birds (!) and topped with a stamped label, of course.  a cute little take home treat and one less piece of candy!

:) lexi

a muse admiration!

 
 
 

these are a few treats i made for my amuseaddict secret santa buddy--she should have received everything by now, including my reveal, so i thought i'd post 'em before christmas!  the clear paint can was filled with chocolate and lots of stamped and punched images and sentiments, along with the stamp shop christmas card.  the little box (a re-purposed papertrey ink box!) holds the cd and the four a muse ornaments in this post.  the cd is a mix of my girls favorite rockin' christmas tunes.  i used an a muse square card to decorate the box--untie the cord and it opens as usual.  in this case it was my reveal!  i also want to say thank you again to my secret santa, jenna hipps, who sent me the cutest little bag and box with cards, stamped images, candy and even a stamp.  good stampin' fun!

christmas rocks!
:) lexi

ETA:  i tried my hand at creating an imix to share the cd playlist--click here!  even though i purchased all of the songs through itunes over the last two years, only half of them are available there now, but it's a start!

papertrey hooray!

 

last night was another fun papertrey ink release.  i was so close to that puzzler prize!  and today the honorable mentions were posted and my bookmark was there!  thank you nichole--it's such an honor to be mentioned!  i sent it in at the last minute--i thought it was too simple and i've been too busy to do much extra this month.  i had actually wanted to include the bookmarks i posted yesterday too, but i couldn't get to them in time.  i did manage one other project...

a gift set of mini gift cards--same colors, different designs, eclectic but still cohesive.  i love monograms and the combination of borders and corners and the fonts nichole has chosen are perfect for simple and stylish.

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

more bookmarks!

 

i wanted some quick little thoughts for a group of friends and immediately thought of the ribbon bookmarks--complete with monograms, of course!  it was fun to come up with different color and shape combos for each person, especially since there were a lot of the same letters.  (all stamps are from the borders & corners and monogram sets by papertrey ink, punches are either su! or marvy)

 

to make them easy to give, i simply rolled them into small cello bags with the monogram taking center stage--gotta love quick & cute!

:) lexi

j is for...

just personalize it!  here is a quick little birthday thought for my sister in law.  i love little notebooks and adding a chipboard monogram covered in red patterned paper to this simple black one was a great way to transform it into something special.  add to it a handy stack of personalized gift cards and she's ready to make a list and check it twice--and give a few gifts of her own!

:) lexi

ideas for free ~ craft critique

 

i love creating at christmas time, especially when it involves paper and ink--ornaments, gifts and cards, oh my!  need some great ideas for cool christmas projects?  it's beginning to look a lot like christmas at craft critique!  check out my article there today to find out about these ornaments and a great resource for free ideas.  it's a good thing!

:) lexi

p.s. the girls were holding the bird for the first time on thanksgiving and i just loved the quick pictures i took, especially the one of mignon--it kind of reminds me of the elzybells stamp from yesterday!