confetti by lexi

simple to spectacular: painted poinsettias

painted poinsettia is the perfect set to revisit today as poinsettias are arriving to doorsteps all over my neighborhood. i'm hoping my husband picks up a few from costco soon! as always, i stayed true to my typical clean and graphic style on all three takes, each one a little more involved than the last. and I've paired old with new in the form of my very favorite shape shifter for a modern take on christmas. the natural steps of these die collections make the progression from simple to stepped up to spectacular so easy.

for all three of my cards, i decided to use the inner cut out circle for my green element and backdrop to a single poinsettia. on the simple version, it's the only circle cut that i used and the poinsettia is adhered flatly to it. i decided on the modern looking merry christmas from sentiment staples: christmas to play off of the linear pattern of the cut out. with these basics decided, i began adding more details...

for the stepped-up version, i added the stitched circle around the cut-out circle, popped up the poinsettia on foam tape, and added nuvo crystal drops in english mustard to the dots in the center of the flower. then i sprinkled clear glitter on top of it before it dried. voila! just a little more detail and sparkle! the inner portion of the flower is also die cut on its own for a bit more dimension.

finally, for the spectacular card, i used the same layer panel elements as before but trimmed just a bit off the bottom to have a piece of luxe gold paper peeking out from below. to balance the gold, i added a thread nest to fit just inside the circle element, layering the small flower on top of the large one for a more full poinsettia, which is also attached with foam tape. again, the center of the flower is die cut separately for added interest and depth.

and there you have it - three degrees of holiday double cuts! just like other times, i love all three for different reasons. "simple" less fussy cards are perfect and easy when i need something fast, and i really enjoy a good "spectacular" session when i have a lot of open-ended creative time. but the "stepped up" version is probably my most typical stamping zone. what do you think - do you have a favorite? let me know in the comments! and if you haven't already, be sure to check out the original post on the papertrey ink blog - lizzie and melissa have projects too! i always love seeing what my fellow stampers do with the same set.

merry merry!
:) lexi

neutral christmas palettes

Good morning! Welcome to this month’s color installment! Today I decided to go on a hunt for a few new Christmas color combos. Although I have my favorites like the candy-colored Christmas palettes I shared last month, I’m always looking to try something new. I came across a post on HGTV about “Fresh Christmas Colors” to incorporate into Christmas decorating. Perfect!

Although not entirely the focus of the article, I found myself gravitating to the more neutral palettes included – green and brown, parchment and white, turquoise and white. Paired with the right images and sentiments these can be great colors for Christmas, especially if you’d like a break from the traditional red and green.

First up, green + brown. According to the article, it’s a good idea to take cues from Mother Nature and to consider layering several shades of green for added interest. I chose Classic Kraft and Dark Chocolate for my browns with Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse and Pine Feather for my greens.

This palette lends itself to a woodsy look, so I pulled out Text and Texture: Wood Slices for a patterned tag. I added the sentiment and leaves in Pine Feather and Simply Chartreuse on a strip of Spring Moss cardstock and finished it off with a plain tag in Classic Kraft for writing a sentiment and a green ribbon. I love the results! I will definitely be using these colors again.

Next, parchment + white with a metallic. According to the article this less is more approach is timeless and easily adaptable, resulting in a look of understated elegance. Adding the metallic breaks up the neutrals for a bit of a pop and any metallic will work – silver, gold, bronze, pick your fave!

I do love a less is more approach, so this one was a no-brainer. Fine Linen is my parchment color and after digging around for a metallic, I settled on silver and immediately thought of snowflakes, so that became my focus. The Pitter Pattern Tag Dies are perfect for adding layers of color to tags and the one with the circle cut outs reminded me of snow. Add a few silver snowflakes and silver edged ribbon along with a small sentiment and this clean and simple design is complete!

And last but not least, I landed on turquoise + white + parchment. Or in Papertrey colors, Hawaiian Shores, Stampers’ Select White, and Fine Linen. Turquoise is often paired in smaller doses with red and green or other jewel tones for Christmas, but here it is the main color along with white, while Fine Linen is an accent color.

While it’s a little less expected as a focal Christmas color, it works nicely in that role, especially when used on images like bows and ornaments. Again, a Pitter Pattern Tag Die is perfect for layering color, even when one of those colors is white. In keeping with parchment/Fine Linen taking an accent role, I added it only in the sentiment and ribbon, covering as little Hawaiian Shores as possible. A scattering of white sequins adds a bit of bling and finishes the tag off perfectly.

So there you have it – three neutral color palettes that are perfect for Chrismas and a few more to try if you follow the link! Even if you don’t go all out on these color palettes, they would make perfect one-offs for hostess gifts. I’m thinking my tags may end up around a bottle of wine or three. So, are you more of a candy-colored or neutral Christmas crafter? Inquiring minds want to know…

Have a colorful day!
:) lexi

 

Supplies:
Happy Holidays tag
STAMPS: Text and Texture: Wood Slices
INK: Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Pine Feather, Simply Chartreuse
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Spring Moss, Classic Kraft
DIES: Scalloped Tags
OTHER: MISTI, green ribbon

Peace on Earth tag
STAMPS: Glorious Globes: September
INK: Fine Linen
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Fine Linen, Luxe Silver Cardstock
DIES: Pitter Patterns Tags, Bold Borders: Prism
OTHER: Multi Medium Matte, silver and white ribbon

From Our House to Yours tag
STAMPS: Sentiment Staples: Christmas
INK: Fine Linen
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Hawaiian Shores
DIES: Pitter Patterns Tags
OTHER: natural ribbon or twine, Multi Medium Matte, white sequins

make it monday: envelope bags with patterned paper

good morning! it's my turn for make it monday with papertrey ink this week. today i'm sharing how i use the envelope bag technique to create simple gift bags out of patterned paper. with color coordinated paper and a little stamping (or not!), you can have small bags in a variety of sizes in a snap.

easy to coordinate with elaborate tags or as a small gift ensemble, it's a great trick to have in your gift packaging pocket as we head into the holiday giving season! i always need last minute packaging, how about you?head over to the papertrey ink blog to watch the video and play along... i can't wait to see what you create! 

happy stamping!
:) lexi

3D elements with symmetrical dies

good morning! it's my turn for this week's papertrey ink design team tips post and i thought i'd share a technique for adding fun 3D elements with dies and stamps that are symmetrical or at least close to symmetrical. i love cards and tags with dimension and pop and this step up from foam tape is the perfect way to add a little extra something to your christmas tags.

i decided to use the tree and snowflake circle from the winter fox stamp set. while they aren't perfectly symmetrical, they are both very close and worked well for this technique. you need to cut and stamp three of each. you could use more or less depending on how full you want the 3D element to be, but i found that with the thick cardstock, three was a good number for these small images. you want to be able to fold them nicely and still see the stamped details when they're assembled.

next, each die cut needs to be scored down the middle. to do this i added a little dot adhesive to the back and lined them up on my paper cutter so that my score line is perfectly placed without the small die cuts moving around. it worked like a charm!

next, i folded each die cut on the score line to get ready for assembly. you can see that i stamped the trunk on only one of the trees. after using the other trunks to help line the dies up for scoring, i cut them off so that my tree only had one trunk in the middle for a cleaner look.

with that die cut in the middle, i lined up and attached half a tree to each half of the front one and pressed and folded everything into place securely. i followed the same procedure with the snowflake circle, making sure that the snowflakes were all facing the same direction.

when everything is lined up and pressed into place, you should be left with a flat surface on the back of each on which to adhere them to a tag or card.

i went with tags - i stamped an allover pattern on aqua mist to set the stage for the tree, layering it over an additional tag in tropical teal for writing to the recipient.

the end result is so festive - perfect for a pretty package or maybe around the neck of a bottle of wine to bring to the hosts of a party.

i assembled a similar but smaller layered tag for the snowflake circle in stamper's select white and sweet blush.

on both the snowflake circle and tree elements, i covered the slightly uneven edges with a bit of clear crystal glitter to hide the minor imperfections. i also added glitter to the snowflake images for even more shine on that one. bling is always a good thing!

and there you have it! aren't they fun? i need to poke through my collection a little more to see what else i have that will work for this. a group of coordinating tags will look so good under the tree! if any specific stamp and die combos come to mind right away please share in the comments - i want to 3D all the things!  

thanks for stopping by!
:) lexi

color blended christmas

color blending continues to be a mainstay in card making, and like everything else in the hobby, there's no such thing as too many inks and tools to get the perfect blend. scrapbook.com is introducing a new line of premium hybrid ink pads and asked me to take them for a spin along with their new clear stackable daubers, jumbo sponge daubers, and stencil blending brushes. one of the coolest things about these inks is that they are organized in color families with four shades of a color to create the perfect ombre - and in addition to being able to purchase them individually, you can purchase them in color family kits.

i was on a roll with christmas cards, so i decided to continue with my candy-colored christmas theme from my previous post using the same stamp sets and color pairings. first up, i created a few modern christmas trees by masking off three different sized triangles, blending pink lemonade, succulent, and caribbean inks into one triangle each using the clear stackable daubers. instant trees!

the little daubers are the perfect size for small spaces like these and blended the ink on perfectly. and how great is the stacking storage feature? i topped the triangles with tiny star sequins and added clear wink of stella over them for added sparkle. to finish it off and give the look of snow, i splattered a shimmer watercolor paint over the entire card after stamping the sentiment. clean and graphic and so me!

next, i created a simple merry christmas card starting with a masked off square, inking it in glass slippers ink. a little bit of detail is all you need here! this time, since my space was a little bigger, i opted to use the jumbo sponge dauber. the rounded edges are great for getting consistent blending and the size makes for quick work.

after blending, i stamped a simple but cute merry christmas sentiment into the lower right corner and added a small sprig of holly for interest and additional color. i wanted something a little more than a one-layer card, so i cut it out and popped it up on a smaller 4-bar sized card base. not only clean and graphic, but clean and simple too - gotta love that!

and last, but not least, i tried out the stencil blending brush on a similar shadow frame card, this time specifically creating a one layer design. i just love these brushes. they're so big and pretty for starters, but they are perfect for soft gradual blending. after masking off my detail square, i brushed ink in from the edges, leaving the center open for a star to coordinate with the sentiment.

to highlight the star further, i used a small sponge dauber to get just the hint of a glow using the same color, kind of twisting it in place right over the star. then i colored the star with a wink of stella pen for added sparkle and shine. it's the litte details like this that make one layer cards work well. once again, the finished card is clean and graphic - my standard! and i learned that i need a few more stencil brushes so i can have one for every basic color family.

so there's my look at the ink and blending tools being offered by scrapbook.com - so much to love! the coolest being the color organization of the ink pad collection. and the stackable daubers. it's always so hard to pick one favorite. just give me all the inks and toys and i'm a happy stamper! let me know what you think in the comments. until next time...

happy stamping!
:) lexi

 

 

christmas is coming!

today, i have a couple of fun new christmas cards to share with you using a selection of new and exclusive premium clear photopolymer holiday stamp sets from scrapbook.com. it's hard to believe that september is coming to an end - the time is now to start on a solid christmas card stash, right? so when they asked me to stamp and share, i couldn't resist! in addition to stamps, they are also introducing a new line of premium hybrid ink pads, which i will elaborate on in a different post, but since i'm using them here, i wanted to point that out, too.

first up, i created a sweet believe card using a stamp from the set called holly jolly sentiments - clean and graphic, as is my favorite, but also with a fun technique. using a misti, i selectively inked and stamped the word believe in caribbean and pink lemonade inks, and then stamped the complete sentiment in succulent ink to finish it off. the misti or a similar stamp platform is especially helpful for equal spacing between words - you simply use the grid to measure how far to move the cardstock up or down to get the words in the perfect spot, while the stamp stays put on the lid.

to emphasize the magic and add a little extra detail, i stamped the little reindeer in camel, colored him in, and added a touch of red nuvo drops for his nose. as you will soon see, i was totally in the mood for what i like to refer to as a "candy" christmas. while i love a traditional red and green, these lighter and brighter colors are my favorites and just make me smile!

in fact, i decided to keep the candy christmas going with a second card, along with more selective inking. this time, only inking, not inking and repeating. i just love how this sentiment forms a little tree - so clever! with that in mind, i inked the words in succulent, the star in daffodil, and the heart in cardinal red, stamping each on it's own without moving the stamp or the card from the misti. the focal sentiments comes from gifting and tag chrismas, while the background sentiment comes from holly jolly sentiments.

voila, perfect placement! although i love clean and graphic to the point of simple, the card seemed just a little too simple, so i added a merry christmas background in a light gray called fog for additional interest. it's almost tone on tone, which is perfect for letting the candy color scheme shine and it adds to the sentiment perfectly. this would be great for cash or a gift card - what my kids always ask for a lot of!

i hope you've enjoyed this look at scrapbook.com's new line of stamps. some bigger sets, some smaller and so many great sentiments across the board. one can never have too many christmas stamps - they're magic and just what i want!!

merry merry!
:) lexi

 

make it monday :: photo ornaments

good morning! it's my turn again for make it monday with papertrey ink and this week i'm making photo ornaments!

i've used limitless layers: hearts, but there are so many possibilities - other limitless layers, tags, shaker shapes, and the list goes on!

so head over to nichole's blog to check out the video, and then find a photo and dies to play along and link up. i can't wait to see what you create!

happy monday!
:) lexi

 

make it!

christmas in october

good morning! it's the seventh of the month, which means it's my turn to guest on nichole's blog with your monthly moments inked planner feature. today, I'm sharing part two of the christmas cheer holiday planning section that i began in july.

 

 

this includes five additional pages for more detailed, finish line type plans - december is quickly approaching!!

 

so head on over to nichole's blog for the full post, including links to download the new set of christmas planning pages for yourself.

happy planning!
:) lexi

 

plan it!

christmas in july

good morning! it's the seventh of the month today, which means it's my turn to guest on nichole's blog with your monthly moments inked planner feature. today, I'm celebrating christmas in july and getting a head start on my holiday plans.

this includes a dedicated section in my planner and printable pages of course!

so head on over to nichole's blog for the full post, including links to download the christmas planning pages for yourself.

happy planning!
:) lexi

 

plan it!

make it monday with wrapping paper

hello again - two posts in one day! once again, the stars aligned and it's my turn for moments inked tips and make it monday on the same day. it may look like i have my holidays mixed up a bit with a christmas project up there. isn't it halloween today, lol? but the truth is, christmas will be here before we know it and that means it's time to start working on a few crafted christmas faves to have them all ready to go. and one of those for me is stamped wrapping paper for small gifts...

customized mini wrapping paper! all you need is printer paper, your favorite stamps and ink, and a little bit of planning. as i shared in the video, i created a few guideline templates to help keep your designs straight and well-spaced while you stamp.

Download wrapping paper guidelines

if you have two boxes to tie together like my little sample stack, try two different patterns in the same colors for added interest. of course, mini wrapping paper isn't just for christmas - pick your favorite stamps for any occasion and you'll be good to go. create a matching tag or incorporate a name into your design to customize it further. easy peasy and super fun!

 

check out the video, stamp some fun paper patterns, and link up over on nichole's blog. i can't wait to see what you create...

that's a wrap!
:) lexi

 

supplies used:

InLinkz.com

release day bonus post!

today's the day! new papertrey ink stamps, including my new set give me a hand, will be available and ready for purchase tonight at 10 pm eastern. i have so many more ideas in my head for this set than i was able to put to paper for the countdown. there are just not enough hours in the day (or night actually!), especially in december. i did manage to get one more really fun one done to post today. and considering that my tree finally went up this weekend, it's a timely one, too! so i've been picturing the hands throwing snow all week, which led to a little give me a hand + tinsel and tags mash up and this merry & bright snow ornament came to life. i snipped the house and deer off of their respective layers to simplify the scene and make room for the hands to take center stage. for added color interest and to coordinate with the banner, i double inked the ends of the sweater cuffs. then, using the back full circle die to trim the arms and sleeves to fit, i added them as an extra layer on foam tape, bringing them into the foreground. add a little snow, close it up, shake, and hang. first ornament on the tree! these are so much fun to make - i think i'm addicted!! i also wish i had a little real snow to go throw myself, but we don't and rarely ever do, so i'll have to be happy with stamps and fake flakes instead! speaking of stamps...

here's the full give me a hand reveal! phrases, hands, sleeves, jewelry, and dies - lots of mix and match options!! be sure to visit nichole's blog for the complete product release details and the design team's release in review and contest. they'll make you need things you didn't know you wanted...

happy shopping!
:) lexi

merry kiss-mas in review

wow! what a merry whirlwind of a week with kisses all around! my desk is covered in red and green and mistletoe and i love it. i had so much fun creating with this set. cards, tags, and even decor items - such great possibilities! the design team knocked it out the park as usual, but i especially loved erin's treat boxes, including one with chocolate kisses! i thought of pairing the phrase with red and green kisses when they came out, but i completely forgot that there was a chocolate kiss image in scent-imentals. which already lives here. and now i have more to stamp...!

Follow Lexi Daly's board pieces of confetti: merry kiss-mas on Pinterest.

speaking of design team projects, as with every pieces of confetti release, i've pinned their projects and mine to a dedicated board. i'll continue to add any i create or come across, so be sure to follow it if you want them to show up in your feed. and if you make a merry kiss-mas! project you'd like me to add, just leave a comment with a link. of course, that goes for any of my sets - i love to see what you make!! hugs & kisses...

merry kiss-mas!
:) lexi

p.s. now i need to get halloween up in my house! my holidays are all over the place, lol...

outside the christmas box...

welcome back to the final day of the papertrey ink october countdown to new stamps, including merry kiss-mas from me. today i wanted to challenge myself to create non christmas cards using this very christmas set! first up, two birthday cards. every time i have a die cut shape that could work for a banner, i create a card with this layout and these bows are no exception. a bow birthday banner had to happen! each bow is two layers with the baker's twine sandwiched in between. the ends are looped and hung over shiny black brads found in my bottomless studio. but, instead of sticking the brads through the paper, i bent both prongs the same way and tucked them behind the layer. i used the same colors i used the other day because they were on my desk, but colors could easily be changed match the recipient or season and sentiments for any occasion would work - even christmas!

next, i put a bow on a box! to create the present, i scored lines 1/4" apart diagonally across a 1-3/4" square - just big enough to stamp the xoxo's in rows to create the look of wrapping paper. it's hard to tell in the picture (thanks to late night photography!), but i covered the bow in glossy accents so that it had a little extra dazzle and shine. either of the two bows would work for this idea and again, colors could be changed to match the recipient. it could also be created for christmas too, but this time: hugs & kisses, birthday wishes! 

so the bows were kind of the easy answer to this challenge, but did you know the mistletoe has an alterego too? the image reminds me of dried flowers hung upside down, so that's exactly what i made it look like! i used the smallest flowers in betsy's brushstrokes kit, stamped and colored a little more with copics to get the edges, and pressed a stylus into the center on a foam pad. any small flower die or embellishments would work as well. assembled with a twine line stamped accross the frame and a bow of the same, now it's a stem of flowers hanging up to dry. if friends were flowers, i'd pick you - an oldie but goodie from green thumb!

and then there was take two, which actually started as take one. if you follow me on instragram you may have seen the simple black and white "leftover" i posted. the sentiment had smudged when i was working on the christmas tag for yesterday's post, so i had to redo it, but i cropped it and kept the mistletoe portion for another possible project. i almost added the flower die cuts to this one, but then moved on with the card above with other desk leftovers. when i came back to this one, i played around with "chalk" flowers, which started to match what had been in mind first - a chalk drawing of the hanging flowers. in the end, i like them both - same idea, different look. i really had fun adding the little details to the chalkboard! so there you have it, christmas stamps, but not just for christmas! and that's it for the countdown, too - i'll probably pop back in with a bonus post tomorrow and then the stamps will be availiable tomorrow night - yay! but first, it's another group day for the design team - head over to nichole for all the details and links. melissa has a post up with her new set as well...

enjoy!
:) lexi

tie one on!

hi! it's day four - just two days until merry kiss-mas and the rest of the papertrey ink october release are revealed and in the shop. as you can see from my inspiration pics, today i'm focusing on tags and embellishments that you can make with the mistletoe, particularly the die - things to tie up or tie on! (photo sources, clockwise from top left: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6/center)

first up, a felt bundle of mistletoe - one of the first things i thought of when designing the die! i cut four, added small pearls for the berries, and attached them to each other using floral tape and wire. two face the front, and two face the back so that you can see berries on both sides if hung from a doorway. i left the wire long enough to bend down to create a hook and added a red and green string bow and hanging loop to finish it off. one other thing i did before attaching them to each other was to clip apart the leaves where it made sense to gain a little more natural movement. i designed the stamp with overlapping branches for depth when stamped alone, but was careful to have places where it would be easy to separate leaves for projects like this. one clip on the right, two on the left - use the image as a guide to see where the leaves meet but don't overlap that much, and then round out your cuts gently. this little bundle would also make a great present embellishment!

speaking of presents, next up i have two gift tags. first, a mistletoe bundle created from two paper die cuts tied to the top of instant photo die 2, which was cut three times and stacked. i love the two photo dies and this layout is one i've done before, placing an element right over the photo space, leaving it open. as for the mistletoe, i wanted the results to be less stiff than card stock usually is, so i softened the paper by rubbing it on the edge of my desk and breaking the fibers down a bit. once flattened it was much softer and more pliable and has a soft wrinkled texture, which makes it easier to manipulate the leaves without creasing and adds interest to the bundle. the large verse in the set fills the lower part of the photo frame nicely. i can't wait to find the perfect gift for this little card!

for the second gift tag, i had to create a faux chalkboard tag based on the print in my inspiration set - and because i thought the image would look cool that way after being stamped in red and green all week! black card stock; white embossed mistletoe, twine tie, and sentiment; additional offset stampings of each with white pigment ink, and lots of fun "chalk" smudges with more white ink and a paper towel - and voila! the back is blank, ready for another stamped sentiment or a personal note. this design would also be great on a full card.

and finally, a mini mistletoe garland inspired by the one above, which is probably bigger. originally i intended to create this in felt, but my order didn't arrive in time. i wanted it to look different from the first project, so instead of using the same felt again (actually you could make several of those and string them together!), i went shopping around my studio and found some printable canvas pages. not as soft as the felt and not as flimsy as regular fabric; stiff, but definitely more pliable than card stock. stamping did not work well because of the texture, and i wanted to be able to snip the leaves apart like with the felt, so having them fully colored (i used a copic) was better anyway. they look a little like gingham, but that's just the texture showing through. 

for the berries, i was running low on pearls, so i went looking for something else fun to try and came accross a pack of air dry clay. it was super easy to roll the tiny balls, which i adhered with glossy accents and the end result is so cool! i added a second die cut without berries behind each one to build them up a bit. to the second from the end, i also added a small tag with a mini clothespin. i cut it to fit the sentiment and punched the top corners with a tag punch. i can't wait to add this (and the felt bundle above) to my christmas decorations this year! and just like i said with the felt one, a single sprig and a tag done this way would also make a great gift embellishment as well. so what do you think? so much fun, it's addictive! there's one more countdown day and i still have lots more ideas, so c'mon back tomorrow to see. meanwhile, it's group post day so head over to nichole for the details and links. melissa has a post up with her new set as well.

hugs & kisses!
:) lexi

candy colored christmas kisses

today is day three of the countdown to christmas kisses, aka the papertrey ink october release, including my new set merry kiss-mas! so far i've created projects with a simple, traditional red, green, & white, and then a vintage inspired red, green, & cream. today, i decided to play with some of my favorite christmas color combos. so i went looking through my blog archives and photo files for inspiration from christmas past and the above "candy colored" projects led the way. still christmas-y, but a little less traditional. here's where these colors took me...

for my first card, i used a lighter shade of green for the mistletoe, layered on a panel of aqua mist, with a pop of red for the bow. i wanted to try something different for the berries as well, and finally decided on betsy's yummy rainstones. the smallest in the tube is about the size of the berries, but some of them overlap in my drawing. so i simply placed three stones over each grouping on the stamped image - the pale green is so light that it doesn't show through much at all, and even then it's just a hint. i finished the card off with a strip of silver grid washi tape and another fun christmas kiss sentiment in teal - what happens under the mistletoe stays under the mistletoe! i just love that one!! the result: clean and simple christmas, with a fun modern twist.

i continued with light and bright for my second card, adding pink to the typical red and green. slightly more traditional than the color story above, but still eye catching in the sea of red and green that is christmas. i used the xoxo stamp in the set to create a simple pattern of pink on pink inside the instant photo die 1, stamping and layering die cuts of the mistletoe and ribbon hanger in green and red respectively. the sentiment repeats and completes the background in words - hugs & kisses, merry christmas! two stamps make these sentiments easy to place in different ways and use separately or in different colors. finally, clear glitter on the berries is the perfect finishing touch, and another great berry option. like the first, the overall look is clean and simple christmas, with a fun modern twist. so now, we have three personalities for these sweet leaves and berries. come back tomorrow to see what's next. but first, enjoy the goodies posted by nichole and the monthly moments gang today - a little october in october action! melissa is sharing more with her new product as well. btw, the naked christmas rock star in my inspiration collage above was inspired by a funny scene in one of my favorite christmas movies - do you know which one?

xoxo!
:) lexi

introducing merry kiss-mas!

welcome to day one of the october papertrey ink countdown to new stamps - and a first look at my newest pieces of confetti set, merry kiss-mas. which, along with the rest of this fabulous release will be available on october 15th. first of all, i thought i'd share a few of my inspiration images. in drawing this set, i really wanted to be true to traditional european mistletoe, with it's interesting branch structure, symmetrical leaves, and white berries nestled into the joints of the branches. (photo sources + cool info: mistletoe matters, the mistletoe pages, and mother earth news.) from a symbol of fertility in ancient druid times to kissing at christmas and offering peace and luck into the new year, mistletoe has a long history. i'll touch more on that during the week, but for now, how about a card or two?!

as always, i wanted to ease into my week of stamping with something quick and easy. a sprig of mistletoe in new leaf "tied" to the top right of a panel with the wrapped jute image, balanced by a double sentiment to the lower right in pure poppy. a little glitter pen keeps the berries white while adding a touch of interest and shine. the result? clean and simple, just the way i like it!

here, i decided on a centered sprig, tied up with the pretty bow and hanger, layered on red to match the bow. again, clean and simple. but these berries got my favorite shine treatment: glossy accents! i was very cautious with my squeezing so that my berries maintained their individual shapes.  (a little dab will do, as i always tell my first graders!) i love the translucent gloss - they look so much like the real inspiration!

and finally, the inside of the second card - the phrase that nichole included in the peek was a perfect addition to "meet me under the mistletoe." it's a great inside type of phrase, but it can be used on the outside too. i love versatility - pun intended! if you stopped by yesterday, you might wonder if i used my trusty rhyming dictionary on this verse - and the answer would be a definite yes! what do you think so far? i'll be back with more projects tomorrow, so don't forget to stop by. until then, be sure check out nichole's blog for all the scoop - she and ashley are showcasing merry kiss-mas! meliss, dawn, erin, and melissa all have posts up as well...

enjoy!
:) lexi

flashback friday :: counting down

i posted this vintage coke crate advent calendar after christmas last year because time got away, so i thought it was worthy of a flashback at the correct time. the original post has all of the how and why, but i will confirm here that it's great to be able to pull it out, fill it up, and start on time this year! let the december countdown begin...

merry, merry!
:) lexi

original post: december 31, 2012

stained glass in review

today is the day! nichole has revealed full product previews of everything in the september 2013 papertrey ink release, including my new pieces of confetti stamp set, stained glass. the new goodies are available for purchase now and the release party has been underway all day. as part of the festivities, the design team members have showcased their full round up of projects created with the new sets on their own blogs, too. of course, i love what they've done with stained glass...

ashley - clean and climple christmas cross

betsy - an amazing stained glass church window, complete with white siding!

cristina - stained glass manger on vellum - perfect purples & beautiful blues!

danielle - embossed panes of stained glass

dawn - merry christmas manger window - love the reds!

debbie - beautiful christmas angel in stained glass on vellum

erin - a window card with stained glass stamped on the inside - love the depth!

heather - rustic water colored window on kraft card stock - very pretty!

laura - soft & white + brilliant & bright - a lovely stained glass bookmark!

maile - clean & simple with a little extra - love the extension of the lines to the card front!

and we can't forget the introductions to stained glass from nichole and melissa earlier this week.

it's always so much fun to see what the team does with my little images. so many pretty creations and lots of great coloring techniques! so, now it's your turn - do you have a favorite?  any that you want to case as soon as you get the stamp set? i can't wait to see what you do too, so be sure to come back and share...

happy shopping!
:) lexi

stained glass ornaments

hello! welcome to day four of the papertrey ink september 2013 countdown to new stamps, and another look at my new set stained glass, available for purchase on the 15th. today, i have ornaments! and another cool stained glass technique - one that looks even more like the real thing...

it's a little easeir to see in the detail shot because they overlap and you can see right through. pretty cool, right? i stamped each of the windows on clear cardstock in versafine onyx black ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder. then i colored them in by filling the spaces with glossy accents tinted with dye ink refills. a little time consuming, but not difficult at all - and i love the results! the frames were made using the coordinating dies, two cuts per window, trimmed to the final size after sticking it all together. punch a hole, add some ribbon or cording, and the ornament is complete!

here's a progress shot along with a few tips. use scrap acetate or something non-porous as a pallette for your tinted glue. (you can toss it when you're done!) the glossy accents worked well because it's pretty fluid, but other similar glues would work too. start with small dots of ink when tinting. apply the tinted glue to the embossed image with a toothpick, kind of pushing it into the corners as you go. work fast! it starts drying and can get gummy in the process. if you had stray embossing powder speckles, the tinted glue covers it right up, so don't stress too much with the embossing. scribble on your pallette with a white paint pen and add the glossy accents to it for white glaze. the clear cardstock will warp when you heat it. try bending it back with your hands or press the finished ornaments in a book after they are completely dry. and finally, while the whole ornament is transparent, the "back" becomes the perfect front - the glass looks smother and you see less of the bubbles and streaks. these would look great decorating a package, hanging around a bottle of wine for your party or dinner hostess, or given as a little thought all on their own. you could also use the same technique on a window card similar to the one i posted on day one. hopefully you can tell how much fun i'm having with this set!

nichole and the creative team have lots to share today - it's group post day, so it's best to follow the design team links from there. plus melissa is sharing more with her new sets as well.  and don't forget to stop by tomorrow. there's one more day of countdown projects to go and i have a hint for you: there won't be any christmas cards in the mix...

t.g.i.f.!
:) lexi

away in the manger...

hi again! we've made it to day three of the papertrey ink september 2013 countdown to new stamps, including my new set, stained glass, available on september 15. surprise, i have another clean and simple card, and with it, another stained glass technique. today, i'm featuring the manger window from the sneak peek last week, the third and final of the windows - and possibly my favorite!

like yesterday, i went to town coloring with copics. for some of the colors, i simply swiped the colorless blender over them instead of blending even more color, both to preserve the lightness of the light colors, and to add a mottled texture. then came the glassy detail of the day - embossing! versamark all over, clear embossing powder, heat & repeat. i did it two times in order to get a nice thick "glass" coating. i really like the way the embossing deepens the color, too. i decided to fussy cut over die cutting, because i didn't want any extra white around the image. i also dragged the edges of the card across my black ink pad for a more polished look. adhere the window with a little foam tape, add a sentiment, and there you have it!

you know the drill - check out nichole's blog to see what's being featured today. erin, danielle, dawn, heather, maile, and melissa are all sharing too. and be sure to come back tomorrow for more stained glass!

thanks for coming by...
:) lexi