confetti

a boxed set

three more days of school to go and the light at the end of the tunnel actually seems to be brighter!  i'll mostly be trading in the added rush of orders for less time to finish the others i might have, but that sounds good to me for now.  i know a lot of kids are gearing up for camp, so i thought i'd share this cute stationery set today.  the box from target was a perfect way to showcase the design and different elements of the set...

return address labels, stationery pages, foldover notes, address calling cards, and post cards--i should have photographed the back, but it looks just like a post card you'd buy.  all perfectly personalized for the camper who actually writes home--unlike my daughter!!

thanks for stopping by...
:) lexi

baby season!

here's one more baby shower invitation from last weekend, this time for an expected boy with a boat theme.  after studying lots of different tugboat pictures, i drew the boat on the computer using the basic shape tools.  i thought the design needed a little water and the scallop stamp from the a muse fancy borders clear stamp set fit the bill perfectly, especially since i could easily see through it to stamp it three times and space it just right!  i accidentally printed way too many of the little boats, so i offered the hostess a set of matching thank you notes to give to the honoree...

i still have lots more, so i'll have to come up with some new designs and more reasons to use them up!  when i'm creating sets like this (as well as individual cards), i rely on my teflon bone folder to press my creases perfectly.  do you have one?  it's such an unsung "behind-the-scenes" tool, but i really do use it every day, so it was the perfect tool to review for craft critique.  if you want to know more, my article was posted this morning--go check it out!

:) lexi

snips-n-snails & lots of blue

here is another invitation and cake pairing from this past weekend--a baby shower for an expected boy.  i had created a similar ensemble last year for my husband's cousin who was expecting a girl, so it was fun to create it all again in blue.  the cake was also inspired by the one i created for that girl shower, only this time, instead of putting a baby buggy on it, i created it in the shape of one!

i used two round cakes--a 10 inch and a 9 inch--and 4 large muffins for the wheels.  the details are cut from fondant icing.  this was a first for me and i'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

the mommy-to-be liked the invitation so much, she called me for some matching thank you notes...

i had also created these in pink before, so now i have both to show.  they'd make a cute set of twins, too!

thanks for stopping by...
:) lexi

right up to the end!

while all of my christmas card orders were complete by early last week, i had a few stationery gift orders right up to christmas eve!  luckily they were given locally, so i could fit in my own last minute shopping and creating.  and i managed to snap pictures to share...

today, my girls have friends over and i hear my new stamps calling my name...

peace!
:) lexi

more gift labels...

 

give 'em as gifts and use 'em on gifts!   and i spoke too soon the other day or, i guess, jinxed myself.  yes, i'm still near the end.  but, that night, my computer started shutting down on me again and i've seen this screen way too much over the last two days.  it had miraculously gone away during my main crunch time, but sadly it's not gone forever.  i guess i'd better go write a letter to santa...

:) lexi

nearing the end!

 

this last week has been so very busy with stuff like this.  printing, cutting, folding, stamping, etc. etc.  i finally feel like i'm nearing the end a little.  so in honor of that, i thought i'd play the recent tag game i was hit with--thanks jen and erika!  i'm supposed to share 7 random facts about myself and since i've done this one before, i thought i'd focus on now...

1. i have made almost 800 christmas cards recently, with 100 more to go.
2. that's not counting mine--hopefully by friday!?
3. in the last three weeks i've also created a handful of other invitations--people still have birthdays and parties this time of year!--as well as notepads, stationery and stickers--great gifts to give!
4. i've been going to bed around 2:00 or 3:00 every morning.
5. my tree is up and keeps me company!
6. my shopping is not all done.
7. but, even with all that, i still love christmas!

and the countdown continues--7 days to go...
:) lexi

p.s. if you'd like to be tagged, let me know and i'll be happy to pass it on!

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

feeling blue?

 

chances are you're still giving gifts even if a red and green christmas isn't your thing.  so here are a few personalized gift card desings in blue--with touches of silver or gold for a nice bit of glitz.  changing the color or sentiment would make them perfect for a variety of occasions.

happy everything!
:) lexi

success!

 

the little camper had a great time at camp, was happy to be home and wants to go back next year!  and it's nice to have our family back together again.  this is a picture of some stationery i made for mignon to give to her counselors as a little thank you.  more blue and orange + one of my go-to layouts for quick personalized printed stationery.  we got to meet counselors and friends on v-day--it was fun to see how they lived and played for the last two weeks...

she showed off her top bunk to her happy little sister!  and then we got to observe water activities in the lake.  even after swimming in it every day for two weeks, mignon couldn't handle the "seaweed! seaweed! seaweed!" in her hair--shaking and screaming it off as she climbed out!

we also had a nice little weekend at the rustic canyon of the eagles on lake buchanan.  we had limited internet access, mostly near the main lodge, so i only had time to read a little email and let mignon check in on her webkinz.  but, there was a cute pool and beautiful views...

 

and sleepy kids!

another fun part of the trip was a visit to archiver's on my way through austin--thanks to geeta for the tip!  i do love to shop!  especially since we have only one scrapbook store and michael's here.  hopefully i can play with my new toys and post the results soon...

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

alligator purse + other fun faves

i'm working on various orders today, so i thought i'd share some fun gift stickers and tags for girls that i photographed for my portfolio albums recently.  nonsense! said lady with the alligator purse...

   


 

hopefully i'll have time for a challenge tonight...

:) lexi   

school's out!

 

here's yet another monogram note design, this time a 5.5 x 4.25 flat card.  i just love this simple combo of the celery open circle line and the pink monogram (or tiny bird!) and as i was stamping more gift sets of the monogram minis, this larger design popped into my brain.  i needed a quick gift card, so i used a sticker and stamped it to coordinate with the cards, since they were packaged in a clear cello bag.  i also did one with a three letter monogram which came out great too, but forgot photograph it.

mignon finished school today and now both girls are out for summer!  colleen's gotten so much blog time this week, so i figured i'd better post a picture of mignon, too, just to remind you that colleen does have a big sister!  she tends to pose with friends most of the time, so i can't post those, but here's a solo one from her class party last friday.  she's quite the fish... 

 

tgif & happy summer!
:) lexi

p.s.  thankfully colleen is much better and we'll have a birthday dinner followed by cake tomorrow since it doesn't work to keep it for the rescheduled party.  i guess it turned out to be my practice cake!    

more mini monograms

after i made these monogram mini cards with martha stewart adhesive ribbon and alphabet stamps last week, i wanted to make several more.  i was making a lot at once and since i didn't have enough ribbon for full sets, i decided to use papertrey's faux ribbon in place of the real ribbon.  i started off with the more ribbon-like design for the d cards, but my favorite stamp is the open circle line on the s ones, so i let that one stand alone.  i've used it on several quick cards in a similar way lately.  if i had more time or was making a smaller quantity, i might try to design a two color ribbon design, but i do like the simplicity of these and how the monogram takes center stage.

now, here's what i've been busy with last night and this morning... not simple, but i guess you could say i had a ball!

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

quick gifts

 
so busy again this week.  here are some quick gifts i stamped today for a group birthday dinner.  the cards are 3 x 3 minis--great for gift giving!--and feature adhesive ribbon and alphabet stamps by martha stewart at michael's.  i'm dying to stamp for fun & challenge--hopefully i will have time this weekend, so stay tuned!

:) lexi

let's hear it for the boys!

i definitely think like a girl and because i have two girls, i create lots of girly things.  but i have so much of fun when i get orders for boys!  here is an invitation i created on the computer recently...

 

and a few of my favorite gift enclosures & stickers...
 
 
 

i'll be adding these and others to the photo albums over the next few days...

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

sugar & spice

 
by request, i added several baby shower invitations to my invitations and announcements photo album today.  the request was for girl designs and today's additions are old favorites--most of my friends are throwing more birthday parties and less baby showers--but i'm always ready for a new baby challenge!  i created this one last year for a mom who'd chosen a frog theme for her nursery.  if you look closely, you'll see that i used a funky flower stamped in green for my lily pads and a frog prince is easily turned into a princess with a little pink!

another recent request was for more samples of stickers, tags & calling cards, again specifically for girls--since i have girls, i know a lot of other moms with girls!  i photographed several favorites today, which i will add over the next few days, starting with a little sugar & spice...

and while i have two daughters of my own and have a head full of girly designs, i also create often for boys.  i enjoy the challenge--sports, trucks, dinosaurs--how fun!  so stay tuned for some designs of the snips & snails variety...

:) lexi

printing, cutting & padding!

 
lots going on in my little studio this week!  i thought i'd share a stack of notepads i just shipped off yesterday.  fleur de lis are a hot item here in new orleans--on paper, in home decor, for your car, etc.  they've always been a big symbol for our city, but since katrina, you really do see them everywhere.  and for those who've moved, having them around is a reminder of home.  i have a few different fleur de lis designs--some already shared here--and i'm always ready to create one more!

i noticed i was tagged again in a slightly different way, but i need to get to that later, maybe tonight.  hopefully i can sneak in a little fun stamping, too and post them both together.  for now, it's back to...

work, work, work!
;) lexi

got you covered

as i mentioned before, notepads are a big part of my stationery design business.  this is a simple monogrammed design that i created a few years ago for someone who ran booths in several holiday marketplace events.  the order was for a variety of letters, covered decoratively and wrapped in a cellophane bag with bright ribbon to showcase the cover.  someone who received one of the notepads as a gift reordered them recently--a reminder to put my sticker on everything i do!  of course, whenever i can, i incorporate stamping.  here, i was dressing up the notepad to be more "gifty" and to look nice on a countertop.  so i added a fun tone on tone design to the cover with one of my most loved stamps--atomic explosion from hot potatoes.  i use the stamp so much it has it's own spot on my desk!

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

"have a good kiss!"

yet another wedding creation... not only have we had several family weddings (with one still next month!), but my daughter's 2nd grade teacher is getting married this saturday. today they celebrated the occasion with a mock wedding (!) after which we gave her this book.  each student wrote a wish for the wedding (the post title being my favorite) and illustrated it.  then i laminated them, created this cover and bound it all together. i actually punched the holes and twirled the wire myself--gotta get a bind-it-all machine!

for the cover, i stamped the bride and groom on white card stock, laminated it and then ran it through my bigkick with the cuttlebug d'vine swirls embossing folder placed just below the bride & groom.  then i traced the cake from a cookie cutter and cut it out--i actually had to eyeball it a bit smaller since the cookie cutter was a little bigger than i wanted. i printed and laminated the blue cover on it's own and added the cake with crystal effects after, along with a jewel in each corner for some bridal bling. the ribbon was for even more extra flair--and it didn't hurt that it covered up my not so perfect spiral binding!

the stationery photographed with the book was an extra little gift from mignon and me.  one of my favorite wedding presents was similar little note paper with both david's and my names together--our names in print was such a fun new accessory!  this is my own contemporary version of that, which i've created for all the various newlyweds in our lives lately.  and don't you just love that paperweight--talk about bling!

so, i think we should all follow the advice of a wise second grader and...

have a good kiss!
:) lexi

later gator!

simple stamping for a set of fun brother-sister stationery.  i love this "animal cracker" alligator from the retired su! noah stamp set--actually i love all of the animals in the set.  but the alligator is yet another symbol of louisiana and, in this case, was chosen as a reminder of home for a family who moved away after katrina.  it was particularly fun to stamp the gator in pink for a more girly twist!

:) lexi