confetti by lexi

'til next time...

sadly, i'm home again and there's only one more day of spring break left. the quick pic i took when we arrived the other day didn't truly capture the colors since it was late in the day, so here are a few from the rest of the trip, starting with the amazing view as you cross over the dunes on the watercolor boardwalk.

clear shades of blue and green - the emerald coast!

yolo boarding on western lake is a favorite for the kids.

i like sitting on the beach and watching the world float by.

jumping for joy in the ocean...

jumping for joy on the sand!

it was a whirlwind of sun, fun, food, and shopping in watercolor, rosemary, and seaside. right up until we finally got on the road yesterday, after one last grilled cheese from the meltdown and a shave ice from frost bites. on the up side, thanks to a late easter, summer is only a few short weeks away. i'm not sure when i can get back, but i'm always trying to figure it out!

sunburnt & refreshed,
:) lexi

happy earth day...

from our favorite beach! because it's pretty. and only one tank of gas away. spring break + bored without big sis + summeritis = working from watercolor for a few days. in between sunning...

#iwantabeachhouse
:) lexi

yoga birthdays, revisited

after a request for the yoga and yogurt birthday invitation i posted a couple of years ago, i realized i had never posted the two equally cute revisions i've created since. as i always say in my response emails, i create everything from scratch, so anything is customizable! usually, it's all about favorite colors, or coming up with wording specific to your activities or rhyming with a different name or age. but, i especially love when i've done little people and include hair and/or eye color to match the birthday child. for the invite on the right, for example, i was given a photo of the pigtailed birthday girl going down a slide in just that pose - the result is ella in yoga cartoon! i'm always up for a completely custom challenge, but sometimes a few changes are all you need to make it your own...

namaste!
:) lexi

flashback friday :: purple nail polish

edible purple nail polish! this is the cake i was making yesterday when i remembered that i hadn't posted the iphone cake yet. it's an almost identical take two of the nail polish cake i made a while back, hence the flashback. that birthday girl was turning 10 so spelling ten worked for the 3 letter logo. eleven is too long, so i decided to use the girl's monogram initials for that part and incorporate eleven into the color name, "purple-heaven-eleven" and i love the result. the birthday girl and mom were happy too. although, i'm still dying to do this cake in another color!! ok, locals, who's next?!

:) lexi

original post: november 8, 2011

iphone 5c

the c is for cake, of course! if you follow me on instagram or twitter, you might have seen this a few weeks ago. i was so happy with it that i instagrammed it immediately. but it's the kind of cake that deserves a full blog post, so here it is again. i was really excited to get the request for an iphone cake. i'm a big apple geek - why have i not created one yet?! but when the day came, i was a little intimidated by all those app icons. once i started though, they fell into place - especially thanks to apple's simple graphics.

i didn't think i would be able to create the photos icon, but a brainstorm hit and i cut into small circles to make petals - not overlapping like the real thing and fewer colors, but really close. and then that inspired my daughter to create the game center icon - again super close and recognizable! my favorite details are the birthday stats - addie's name across the top, her birthday on the calendar app, and 14 waiting texts for her age. i also love the camera, the weather, the envelope. and the buttons on the side. ok, i just love all the details, period. and pretty much anything apple, too!

:) lexi

modern cross quilt in review

there's always a feeling of withdrawal after a countdown to new stamps, so i like to follow it up with a quick look at the cards all together. so many this time! i had a blast creating them, but it was nice to be able to have a singular focus on some other projects on my desk today. when i'm in the middle of a release, my mind is often designing the next card i want to stamp, even if there's something else in front of me. the thing i absolutely love the most about release day is seeing the design team projects and how they used the stamps i created. what colors did they use? did we come up with some similar ideas? did they knock it "out of the box" with a unique design? when that last one happens, it's probably the most fun of all! as usual, this month definitely did not disappoint. so many great ideas! i've added all of the design team projects to my pieces of confetti: modern cross quilt pinboard along with all of mine. so, if you haven't ordered your own set yet, you can buy it here. and when it arrives, you can find the release projects and those to come all in one dedicated place with links to the original posts...

well, pinterest is a little neater than that, but you get the idea!! thanks so much for your comments along the way to release day. if you didn't know already, i try to answer most, if not all, in the comments section. be sure to check back, especially if you asked a question. i know i won't be able to keep my hands off of modern cross quilt, so be sure to stop by from time to time for even more inspiration. until then...

happy stamping!
:) lexi

release day bonus!

it's release day and the countdown is over, but i couldn't resist one more card. i have several designs floating around in my head, some in pieces on my desk, but this one had to happen now. a modern cross quilt and teepee time dies mash up! teepee time is melissa's new set this month and it's just so cute. for now, i only have the dies, so i thought it would be fun to use my modern cross patterns on and around the teepee for something totally different than anything i've created all week - and i love the end result! the teepee makes me think of summer and camp, so i used the same "camp colors" from yesterday's blue and orange card and went on from there to create a little scene. i think the patterns work very nicely on the teepee itself, especially with the dotted line on the right half, from initial thoughts, also being released today. the grass and sun spots might be a little bit of a stretch, but those patterns reminded me of those elements so i went with it, haha! i am so ready for summer. but i guess i shouldn't get ahead of myself - next week is spring break here afterall. and today, of course, is release day! nichole's got all the info you need to make your list and check it twice, and the members of the design team are sharing their release day projects, which may require you to check your list again - they're good at that! so much great stuff to choose from and it all goes live tonight at 10pm est...

happy shopping!
:) lexi

pin-spired crosses

welcome back for day five of the countdown to new stamps! realease day is tomorrow, and i've got another round of modern cross quilt projects to share. i decided to create three hello cards inspired by images from my cross cross swiss cross pinterest board. first up, a paper replica of modern crosses on wood, a home decor piece. as soon as i saw the crisp white crosses on weathered wood with a single pink one at the end, i knew i had to turn it into a card. since i don't have any wood stamps or the right shade of wood paper, i found a perfect weathered wood image on cg textures to print myself. using two copies at 80%, i cut four boards to size, assembed them with crosses just like the photo, and added a simple hello (from heart-2-heart #4) in pink to match. quick and easy, total love!

next, i wanted to replicate this blue and orange cross background. these are my girls' camp colors and i'm always drawn to them. i also really like the pattern of the inspiration piece - i think of it as controlled random. i'm sure there's a repeat somewhere, because it's a crib sheet, but there's no immediately obvious pattern. rather, a balanced mix of crosses in the two colors, spread across the sheet with somewhat of a diagonal movement and enough white space to make it feel loose. i had fun trying to make a puzzle of the pieces without them actually touching or fitting perfectly - easier said than done for this obsessive stamper, but i love the outcome. the die cut hello and arrow (from the new phrase play #3) plus friend (from modern basics), all in navy, were just the right finishing touch!

and last, using a few 3/4" punches of coordinating patterned papers plus a few stamped crosses, i created a quilted square similar in feel to this pillow, adding another hello from heart-2-heart #4. definitely a more frilly look for the stamps, especially compared to the other two cards today, but it just proves how versatile these crosses are! i still have so many cards in my head that i want to create, so even though the countdown is coming to an end, i will have more posts using modern cross quilt very soon -  so be sure to check in every now and then! but first, it's group post day for nichole and the design team, so head on over to follow the links from there. lizzie's got another play with her new set too...

enjoy!
:) lexi

cross banner birthdays

for day four of the countdown to the papertrey ink april release, i thought i'd share a few banner creations using modern cross quilt. in my inspiration hunt, i came across this picture and knew i was going to have to recreate it with paper. so i did just that, with one string of mirrored silver crosses, and another with stamped ones in bright pink, orange, and yellow. i used an enamel dot on each end to bring the threads of both banners together, and secured the loose ends on the reverse side before adhering to the card base. hooray! hooray! happy birthday!

for my second card, i was inspired by the quilt square flag banner in this picture. i happen to have a 3/4" square punch, the perfect size for stamping these modern crosses. but you could also cut 3/4" squares for the same look. this time, i stamped the large line from banner builder and added my cross squares along it, with the ends bent up a little, as though they were hanging and floating in the air.

and last, i have a banner created out of one strip of squares from a die cut cover plate. the six squares led me to the rainbow again. like the pale gray baby blanket, i stamped each square on the diagonal in order to avoid stamping on the connector sections. this gives the crosses a whole new look! a little black and white twine and a birthday sentiment finish it off perfectly. i can't decide which of these is my favorite - they were all so much fun to put together! don't forget to come back tomorrow for day five. but first, be sure to stop by nichole's blog for a look at monthly moments and more plus links to the monthly moments team posts - dawn, erin, and lizzie all have projects with their new products as well...

enjoy!
:) lexi

modern cross baby quilts

welcome back for day three of the countdown to the papertrey ink april release. for today's take on my new set, modern cross quilt, i decided to focus on the coordinating cover plate and babies. quilts are great for anyone, but images of babies and cribs come to mind pretty quickly when i think of cute quilts. first up, i created a pale gray and white quilt with touches of yellow based on this quilt. i used only the cover plate here without any cross pieces. to get a little texture on the squares, i stamped a cross at an angle on each one and clear embossed them. for the yellow, i simply colored the thin sections between the crosses with a copic marker to mimic the inspiration piece. a little white pen stitching around the edge and a couple of blue enamel dots finish it off nicely. clean, simple, modern & sweet!

next up, one of the first things i thought of when i began playing with the cover plate was to layer rainbow colors of washi tape under the cover plate and i love how it turned out! i don't have any 3/4" washi, which is the size of the full crosses, so i just started lining up what i did have, placing the die cut cover plate over it every now and then to make sure i liked the placement. the good thing about washi tape is that it's removable, so if you decide to rearrange anything, it's easily done. the hardest part was figuring out where and how to add the sentiment!

and last, but not least, a card with the more expected use of the cover plate - filled with crosses for a full card front quilt. i didn't want it to be too pattern heavy, so i alternated my blue and yellow stamped crosses with plain pale gray ones left over from the first card. in searching for inspiration, striped edging on many quilts caught my eye, so i took the time to try it out here. i used the grid on my desk pad to keep it somewhat even and i really like how it finishes it off. the sentiment on all three cards, as well as the little circle details on the last two are from another new set being released this month, initial thoughts. three days down, two more to go - what do you think so far? let me know and come back tomorrow for another look! until then, be sure to visit nichole's blog - you'll be seeing stars on this group post day! lizzie's also running more plays with her new set as well...

happy saturday!
:) lexi

black & white & red all over

day two. and the countdown continues to the papertrey ink april 2014 release on april 15, including my new pieces of confetti stamp set, modern cross quilt. if you google modern cross quilt, you'll see several quilts and pillows that are colorful like yesterday's projects. but if you google swiss cross quilt, you'll see more monochromatic designs and patterns, especially black & white and red & white. so that's where i decided to go today, beginning with the square black and white quilt card above. i used a cover plate for perfect placement, layering the resulting square on red, adding just the right bit of color to the bold black and white design. i opted for no sentiment, and wait to put one inside when i decide to use it. i liked the perfect balance of the square quilt element, along with the square card, and a sentiment might have detracted from that.

my next card was inspired by a pillow i saw on etsy - a neutral linen pillow, with a red band and a white cross centered on top of it. this triangle paper from my scrap box was the perfect stand in for the pillow, similar in color, more detailed in pattern. i placed the white cross to the left in order to have room for a sentiment. the cross in red and white reminds me of lifeguards and first aid kits, so i thought it would be fun to use the doctor sentiment from comfort food and create a get well card. a single modern cross in white on a quick and easy card - minimal time, maximum payoff!

and finally, a clean and simple cross card focusing on one patterned cross in red and white. i used a section of the cover plate to pop up the crosses, adhering them to the resulting squares instead of putting them in their cutout spaces. i chose the starburst pattern just so i could add jewels to the center of it. it's been a while since i pulled out that particular bling - i miss them! you could also go with sequins, enamel dots, a little glitter - it's the perfect place for an embellishment. the end result is very retro modern! so with that, we have three more cards in the done pile - please stop by tomorrow for more! and definitely visit nichole's blog - she and maile are both showcasing modern cross quilt (yay!), along with several other really cool set introductions by betsy, erin, and laura. and dawn, heather, lizzie, and melissa are all sharing projects with their upcoming products too. as promised, there is so much to see...

have fun!
:) lexi

introducing modern cross quilt!

welcome! it's officially day one of the countdown to the papertrey ink april 2014 release. first of all, i can't believe it's april - this year is flying by! but i'm so excited that it's april, because i can finally share this new pieces of confetti stamp set, modern cross quilt, available for purchase on april 15. like i mentioned with the sneak peek image, i was inspired by the swiss cross popping up in home decor across the web, and i just had to create a stamp & paper version. for today's projects, i decided to focus on six of the patterned crosses in my go to favorite color scheme, the rainbow! above, i stamped crosses directly on a white panel in a puzzle pieced pattern, mixed in a sentiment pairing from comfort food additions in black, and finished it off with a few white cross die cuts. a little texture, a lot of white space, and a big pop of color - a clean and simple trifecta!

next up, another pop of rainbow color. this time, stamped die cuts scattered a little more loosely. still in my favorite clean and simple style - white layered on white, bright color, black sentiment. i love the way the patterns look together and add interest.

and last, but not least, a more simple rainbow card, with crosses stamped directly on card stock, lined up in two rows. trimmed all together and layered on black, they create a mini quilt-like piece, perfect for a focal element. add a sentiment - any sentiment, really! - and you've got a quick and easy card to stamp and send in no time. so, there you have it, a bright and colorful introduction to modern cross quilt. be sure to come back for take two tomorrow! until then, don't forget to check out nichole's post, along with dawn's and melis' to see what else is in the spotlight today - erin, heather, lizzie, and melissa are all showing and telling about their new product, too. if the sneaks are any indication, there will be lots of eye candy this week!

enjoy...
:) lexi

sneak peekin'

hi there! long time, no blog. it's been crazy busy around here, but i'm so excited to be back with a new pieces of confetti stamp set this month - and a cover plate, too! if you follow interior design blogs or pins, you've seen swiss cross designs popping up on pillows, walls, quilts, and more. while i have yet to add it to my home decor, i just had to create my own version to stamp on paper and i can't wait to show it off. it's bold, graphic, modern, and fun! come back to see it in action beginning april 10th, as we countdown to release day on the 15th. until then, nichole has one more day of sneaks...

enjoy!
:) lexi