confetti by lexi

happy are the mardi gras muses!

it's muses night, and although i'm taking a break from riding this year, i still helped with the headpieces - i'm crafty that way!  mardi gras parades are full of satire and current events and our headpieces have to represent our float.  it's hard to describe, so you should definitely see it in person at least once.  or just live here and go to as many parades as possible, like i do!  of course, i went to lunch with my float to help celebrate their ride - the best parade of the season!

see you on the street...
:) lexi

children's world's fair xiv

from time to time, i design logos and invitations for local schools and organizations.  the louisiana children's museum is at the top of my volunteer list, specifically the children's world's fair, a learning based fundraiser that they hold each spring.  i've worked on it almost since the beginning and was so excited when they brought it back last year, after a few years off following hurricane katrina.  i recently finished the design for this year's olympic themed fair, but had yet to see it in print, so it was a nice surprise when i received it in the mail last week!  i have to admit to suffering from severe designer's block when starting this one, but finally inspiration hit and it all came together - in fact, everything seems to have been coming together a little more quickly since.  and it's a good thing with how busy i've been - it seems like everyone is throwing parties right now!  anyway, if you're local with kids, this is definitely the place to be on march 10th, so check it out, mark your calendars, and...

let the games begin!
:) lexi

i mustache you a question...

for about a week, the girls have been saying things like "seventh graders don't do valentines" and "i don't think we are supposed to bring any" and "probably not this year, mom."  until about 9:00 last night that is, after soccer and play practice, while still finishing homework, when they decided they "needed" them for their advisory groups.  lucky for them, i hoard crafting supplies and ideas.  and that i happened to buy the candy melts anyway.  so they poured the candy and i made the cards and they had the cutest valentines ever!

happy valentine's day!
:) lexi

flashback friday :: it's carnival time!

a friend of mine was wearing this necklace the other day - a real life flashback to inspire this week's flashback friday!  i've made many of these over the years for friends, family, teachers, etc.  i love the small canvas and the resulting necklace is fun to wear.  this mardi gras design was one of my first and still my favorite.  seeing it on my friend's neck reminded me that i need to pull mine out and wear it soon!  mardi gras day is quickly approaching...

:) lexi

original post: february 3, 2007

a very happy day!

i usually save my flashbacks for fridays, but after my exciting news yesterday, i just had to dig up my very first papertrey ink card, made with the very first set, paper tray.  you can click to read the original post, but basically i challenged myself to use only that set to create a card while waiting for the second reveal.  and then to top it off, nichole left a comment calling it genius!  i look forward to my first stamp set being out there, but yesterday i found myself on the other side of this story, seeing my little toaster pop up on other stampers' creative cards - and it was so much fun!!  your cards & your welcome wishes definitely warmed my heart, so here's a toast to you...

scrap my stash - love the button detail!
jamie greene - i almost did a silver toaster, too - great shadowing!
a day in the sunshine - super cute kitchen window!
blissful paisley - pretty colors & another great sentiment to match!
mary rose's cafe - perfect background paper!
papertopia - very nice - put the toast on something to toast with, lol!
random reflections - very valentiny!
mapleberry musings - nice sketch & another great color combo!
sentimentally sue - peek a boo!
handmade cards by helen - hearts that really pop!
harvest moon papiere - the toast is *in* the toaster - so hot!
pink star creations - great inside/outside sentiment!
stampin-jen - this toaster is working overtime!
sheri e - toast + newspaper = happy day!
my stampy stuff - yummy polka dots & pale pink toaster!
craft coffee cat - love the glitter and glossy accents!
project organized chaos - the toaster really pops & twine for the cord!
carol's ink spot - black and red really make this one pop, too!
plus one from gail0404 with a broken link - i think it might have a doily on it!

if you haven't already, check them out and give them some blog love!
:) lexi

designing with papertrey

i am beyond excited today to be able to share a little about a small new stamping venture i have been working on the last few months.  basically the title and nichole's post say it all - i am a new stamp designer for papertrey ink!!!  i am so excited to be counted with such wonderful designers whose stamps i love using, as well as getting to know the designs of the other two newcomers, erin lincoln and lizzy jones.  i submitted a few designs which you will see here and there during the next year, and i really hope you'll have fun with them when the time comes.  for now, as part of papertrey's 5th anniversary celebration, the stamp designers were asked to design an image to be included on a printable freebies sheet for you to create with.  if you create and share, you can win prizes, too - a collection of the stamp designers' favorite stamp sets!  i chose my punny valentine as my favorite set, because of fond honorable mention memories from way back when - plus i really love a good pun.  so in keeping with that theme, i designed a little toaster image that brought lots of fun puns to mind: feeling hot, hot, hot!  a toast to you!  you warm my heart!  and pop goes my heart!  which i've used above, because this news has my heart poppin' for sure!  i hope you like my first little image.  stay tuned for more pieces of confetti coming soon...

now go download the freebies & play to win!
:) lexi