confetti by lexi

throwback thursday: craft brew

good morning! welcome to papertrey ink's throwback thursday. craft brew is one of those sets that i loved right away - the solid guy possibilities amidst all of the flowers, the graphic label-style sentiments, the large size of the glass stamp. it's just so fun! in fact, many girls love a tall glass of beer too and without a "guy" or "man" specification, my card could go either way.

 

i decided on a medium colored beer - not too pale, not too dark! - combining a couple of full layers of bright buttercup followed by a couple of layers of summer sunrise applied to the edges and bottom of the stamp with an ink blending tool. this is one of those designs brought to you by misti. i can't imagine lining up a stamp, even one as straight-lined and simple as this one, that many times without it! a few bubbles in bright buttercup inside and embossed in white on top finish off the pint perfectly.

once i was happy with my golden brew, i added the glass lines in soft stone along with sentiments and details from the set as text on each glass. on the second glass, i selectively inked "let the good times roll" - i thought a simplified version of the stamp worked best on the partial glass since it's still mostly readable and i was able to connect it to the primary glass with the graphic element. the #happybirthday text bubble ties it all together, saying exactly what we're cheering in a fun, current way.

finally, a red bottle cap with a simple flag detail finishes the design off with a pop of color - so worthy of a beer card, right?! while i did originally create this design with a guy in mind, once i uploaded it, i thought of adding a 21 to the bottle cap to turn it into the perfect "coming of drinking age" birthday card for anyone. made for a guy, but perfect for a girl or something like that! like i said, this set is so fun!! if you haven't already, be sure to check out a couple more throwback brews by betsy and michelle, both linked on the papertrey ink blog...

beer cheers!
:) lexi

 

 

transformation tuesday: #hbd

good morning! today it's my turn to host transformation tuesday for papertrey ink. we all have cards that don't necessarily turn out the way we had envisioned or a project that we designed to be feminine that could be made masculine with a few tweaks - or vice versa as in today's case!

when i created this card during the countdown earlier this month, i knew i would eventually want to recreate it in more traditional girl colors, so i put it on my transformation tuesday list and moved on to other designs. now, here we are - #girlcolors plus a few other changes. 

in addition to swapping the weathervane card base for sweet blush, i decided to create a balloon background on the white layer - a monochromatic take on the balloon filter that you can add to text messages on an iphone - since the layout was originally inspired by the text screen itself. while i still love the clean look of the white space on the original, the balloons add a fun touch, too!

next, i dolled up the birthday emoji in hibiscus burst and limeade ice - a decidedly "girly" color combo. then i added a mini pom-pom - originally white, colored with a copic marker - in place of the star sequin. i kept the text box the same, modeled after the real thing. with just a few little tweaks, this card can be changed to match the recipient in a variety of ways - traditional colors, school colors, favorite colors, etc. gotta love the #versatility! now it's your turn - head on over to the papertrey ink blog to see how to play along and link up...

happy transforming!
:) lexi

 

 

throwback thursday: in bloom

hello! welcome to papertrey ink's throwback thursday. i love the detail and lines on the large in bloom flower and couldn't wait to color it for this week's post. inspired by a current tory burch pattern, i decided to color block the flower with shades of pale pinks and peach, and contrast it with a geometric element for a modern twist, all similar to the inspiration.

for the background geometric feature, i created a cover plate: modern cross quilt stencil from yupo paper, traced two rows and colored them in with a pale peach copic, continuing the line image look. hello friend from colorful words is the perfect sentiment, adding in another color-in element along with a cursive to coordinate with the flower.

i added pale neutral gray leaves to the flower rather than introduce a competing green, popping the bloom up on foam tape. the leaves are tucked under the foam tape and bent up for added interest. i actually liked the color blocked flower so much, i couldn't stop with just one card, so i quickly colored a couple more - i rarely die cut just one of anything!

for the next card, i used the same geometric element, but as a die cut in white on white. i trimmed off a square of it to layer behind the flower, adding texture and a frame of sorts. again the flower is popped up on foam tape to call more attention to it. in fact, i decided to skip the leaves here and keep it all about that flower.

the in bloom sentiment was a perfect fit under the finished square element. similar to colorful words, i like the pairing of block and flowery fonts. clean and graphic - and simple too. my fave kind!

i had one more flower, along with a smaller one and a few leaves, so for one last card, i decided to create a focal cluster with them. with fewer color elements and an additional bloom on this design, green leaves made more sense, adding a bit of a pop to the cluster.

i skipped the cross quilt background this time and went back to colorful words for the added structure and color-in option. i love how the script font flows under the flower with this particular font pairing. the end result is another clean and simple design.

this is what happens when you make extra cuts - one flower, three cards! and it's such an amazing flower, it really doesn't need much added to it. at the same time, there are so many cool ways to color it, too - if you haven't already, be sure to visit the papertrey ink blog for links to more in bloom eye candy. i love thursdays!!

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

 

 

celebrate with a bang!

good morning! we've made it to day five of the papertrey ink may release countdown! today, i have a closer look at my third and final stamp set of the month, celebrate with a bang, a phrase building mini set. included in the set are the individual words for "happy 4th of july" and the phrase "let freedom ring" plus the makings of a few different sizes of a graphic firework and some tiny stars. 

i designed the phrase based on the layout i've used on this card, but i kept everything separate so that it's easy to rearrange the elements in different ways and stamp them in different colors. the fireworks are also in separate pieces for multi-color bursts - four bursts in graduated sizes that fit into each other. i really like how the finished phrase fills out the shape shifters: square die cut - just the right size and shape! which then led to a square card. i need to remember to make square cards more often!

while this set is a stand-alone set, it can also be a great companion set to stars and stripes. obviously, the stars can be used with the fourth of july phrase in place of or with the fireworks and the "stars and stripes forever" phrase fits right into the same place as "let freedom ring." vice versa is true as well - the fireworks would be perfect with phrases from stars and stripes for other occasional cards, like the one above - shine bright!

this card also showcases the extra "spikes" for building out the fireworks even bigger. i chose two shades of the same color, adding on alternate spikes to build it out. i love how they turned out in tone on tone color! i layered the focal panel on top of the sticky side of a label die cut from mix and mat: confetti and covered the exposed edges in fine clear glitter. because the label was a scrap of avery trueblock, it's gray on the back side which results in a silvery look. i finished it all off with mini sequin stars at the center of each firework - of course! what am i going to do when they're all gone?!

from patriotic projects to bright celebrations with a bang, this mini set packs a fun punch! and that brings us to the end of the countdown. thanks for stopping by all week - it's been a whirlwind! all new stamps will be available tomorrow night, may 15th, at 10:00 eastern time in the papertrey ink store. have you made your list? what made the cut?! stay tuned to the papertreyink blog for links, contests, winners, and more!!

happy list making,
:) lexi

 

 

more stars and stripes

hello! it's day three of the papertrey ink may release countdown and i have a another look at stars and stripes - the non-patriotic edition! while the patterns in the set were inspired by the american flag, that was just my jumping point. stars are so versatile - birthday, celebration, congrats, etc.! so i added several sentiment options to reflect that versatility.

first up, you are a star! in pink, orange, and yellow. the various words in the set are separated into parts to make it easy to line them up in different ways depending on your layout. like my shamrock set from earlier in the year, the stars come in three different sizes in addition to the three different patterns - stars, stripes, and solid. 

i used a star of each size and pattern to create a focal cluster and stamped my sentiment strategically right over the largest one. i added a frame from shape shifters: circle 2 and voila! betsy's mix and mat and shape shifters have definitely supported my clean and graphic habit - especially the ones like this that give the look of layers without the fuss!

next up, happy birthday superstar! in blues and greens. again, i used another frame die (from mix and mat: confetti) to frame my sentiment hanging it off the edge this time for added interest.

to get the two color look on the stars, i stamped each die cut with a light colored solid star and stamped right over it with the striped pattern in the darker color. i added an extra die cut behind the green star, and foam tape for the blue in order to get different heights and placed them right over the left edge - happy birthday superstar!  

and last, yay! you did it! i just love making focal clusters with images and words like this - it's like putting a puzzle together.

and this one has it all - a layered star, multiple sizes, and words stamped right over the images. details, details!

and there you have it - three all-star clean and graphic cards that are not patriotic! be sure to click all the links on the papertreyink blog - stars and stripes is one of today's features, along with my third set, celebrate with a bang, which i'll show off more tomorrow...

happy mother's day!
:) lexi

 

 

stars and stripes forever

 

hello! welcome back to day two of the papertrey ink may release countdown. today, i have a quick look at stars and stripes, another new set i have making it's debut this month. this new set is all about the star - big, bold, and shining bright.

since i was inspired by the american flag when choosing patterns for my stars, i decided to go with the same inspiration to create my first card. the stars and the ink do all the work - super easy stamping! the large stars in the set are just over 1-1/2 inches wide, so they really stand out. this size would also be great for making patriotic party decor - a garland with these two stars on repeat would be so festive!

on first glance, it's easy to see that stars and stripes can be used to create a great patriotic card, invitation, or scrapbook elements, but the set is much more than that. come back tomorrow to see what else you can do! until then, be sure to head over to the papertreyink blog to see what's in the spotlight today...

happy countdown!
:) lexi

 

 

hashtag everything!

good morning! welcome back to day two of the papertrey ink may release countdown and a closer look at hashtag everything, one of my new sets this month. this set is so perfect for kids and teens - fun, relevant to their world, and easy to use if they want to participate in the creating...

first up, another smiley face emoji - yesterday i stamped directly on my cardstock layer, today i used die cuts. birthday cards are one of the cards i make for kids the most, so i included birthday gear and two birthday specific hashtags, #hbd and #happybirthday, as well as a few other words to add in case you want to go big on the hashtags like i did yesterday.

i chose a blue text bubble with white embossed words to mimic the speech bubbles in texts and boy colors for a simple and fun iphone inspired birthday card. a simple change of colors could easily make this card more girly and/or personalized to its recipient. of course, i couldn't resist adding a mini star sequin to the point of the hat!

next up, another favorite emoji icon - thumbs up! clearly, i like this basic layout! but this time, i added a mix of hashtags in soft stone behind the focal image and sentiment to call attention to them and add overall interest to the card.

the set includes oversized hashtags in three different sizes - create a background, or use as an accent or focal point - lots of possibilities! i really like the soft stone with the small pop of blueberry sky. what do you think - would you hit the like button?!

and last but not least, a rainbow card, because rainbows are total love! and what better choice for a rainbow than the showing love icon?

this icon is another one of my favorite images in the set. i haven't stamped a straight up rainbow card in a while, so it had to be done! (overlapping analogous colors of course!) i used a long speech bubble for the sentiment, trimming the edge flush with the card base. total me card, right?!

clean and graphic and cute! not only are emojis fun to text, they're fun on cards too!! do you have a favorite? check out the full set to see which ones you can create - click here and scroll down! #sofun! tomorrow i'll be switching gears with a quick card from set number two, so c'mon back when you get a chance. until then, be sure to click all the links on the papertreyink blog - hashtag everything is one of today's features! 

#happyday!
:) lexi

 

 

#sofun #amazing #celebrate

introducing hashtag everything! welcome to day one of the papertrey ink may release countdown and a look at one of three pieces of confetti stamp sets debuting this month. i'm so excited about this one - not only perfect for teens and tweens (including boys!), but also great for anyone of any age who likes to text or post to social media. or forums...

with a handfull of different face feature options, you can match them to recreate a few texting faves or create a mix that's a little bit new. today i'm feeling all starry-eyed and excited!

to coordinate with the emojis, the sentiments are all hashtags - a fun little twist on the typical. definitely teen talk! but i have to say i like a good hashtag myself, too. you can group several together like i did here or focus on a single one that coordinates with your emoji. hashtag everything! do you have a favorite emoji or hashtag? c'mon back tomorrow for another look - until then, be sure to follow all the links on the papertrey ink blog - eye candy everyday!!

#yay!
:) lexi

 

all new product, including hashtag everything, will be available for purchase on may 15th!

 

analogous color schemes

hello! it's the seventh of the month, which means it's time for a new papertrey ink color ambassador post. this month, i decided to take the color wheel for another spin, this time focusing on analogous color schemes - a.k.a. colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.

so head on over to the papertrey ink blog to read more about what analogous colors are, why they work well together, and ways to use them in your stamping designs...

including a few cards to showcase analogous color schemes papertrey ink style, along with variations to try, too. click here for the full post!

have a colorful day!
:) lexi