confetti by lexi

color inspiration

Good morning! Welcome to this month’s color installment. Today, I thought I’d share some of my favorite websites to go to when I’m stuck in a rut or interested in trying out new color combos. Of course, a simple Pinterest or even Google search will turn up something inspiring, but there are many sites that take photos and create color cards or inspirations boards with the colors compiled to make it a little easier to translate into a card. I decided to take Aqua Mist and find a different palette to try from each of three websites that included something close in the line up.

First up,  Color Palettes – you can search for palettes that are warm, cool, pastel, or contrasting, or by choosing a couple of colors to focus on. The palettes are centered around beautiful photography and art pieces, lanscapes, fruits, and flowers. I found this one with watermelons and leaves and of course an Aqua Misty color.

After a little swatching, I translated the colors into Aqua Mist, Pine Feather, Lavender Moon, Hibiscus Burst, and Raspberry Fizz. I’ve paired a couple of these colors together on projects here and there, but not necessarily all together at the same time. And I don’t think I’ve used Lavender Moon much at all.

I decided to create a graphic pattern layer using Bold Basics and I love it! It turned out to be a really great mix of greens and pinks. For the sentiment, I pulled out the Aqua Mist as a base for the darkest color, Pinefeather. You can also add other neutrals like black, gray or brown, but I decided to stay true to the palettes for today’s post.

Next, Color Crush from Love Print Studio – I really like this approach of collecting a variety of pictures and drawings that have different combos and quantities of a larger color collection. Sometimes it’s a little easier for me to visualize a card when I can see the colors presented in more than one way. In this case, I was drawn to the doodles on the lower right of the inspiration board.

I pulled the five colors in the doodles from the line up at the bottom of the board and matched them up to Melon Berry, Harvest Gold, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain, and, of course, Aqua Mist. I don’t usually put Aqua Mist and these two other blues together, but again, I love it. It has kind of a clean retro feel to it.

I was also inspired by the doodle look and ended up pulling out the Ink It In series to create this fun hello card. The sketchy images in the sets were perfect doodles on the notepad. Again, I went with the darkest color of my palette for the sentiment to draw your eyes to it and make it more dominant.

And finally, Design Seeds – you can search palettes by color or by collection. I personally love the photos used for Design Seeds palettes. There’s a lot of nature, but there’s also candy, kitchen tools, and other random items and they’re always so well laid out. I searched by color – an Aqua Misty one – and landed on the pretty purple flowers above. I don’t stamp with purple a lot or pair it with Aqua Mist, so that seemed fitting for the challenge I gave myself.

Like the first card, I wanted to branch out from the photo imagery and just focus on the colors, which I interpreted as Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush, Plum Pudding, Winter Wisteria, and Lilac Grace. I left off the light blue since I’d already used Spring Rain in my second card and I thought five colors was a more manageable limit.

Again, this color scheme is not one I would typically pick, and I won’t be adding it to the go-to list, but I do like the results. It’s a perfect illustration of why I go looking for color inspiration. It’s out of my box, but it’s also quirky and fun, which is totally me. Again, I chose the darkest color for the sentiment to finish it off and ground the imagery. Clean and quirky – a new style name perhaps?!

And there you have it, three cards for my stash that are pretty different from my norm, all incorporating Aqua Mist. It’s yet another great exercise for when you want to get out of a rut! There are tons of color palettes pinned to Pinterest, so it’s also a great place to start and if you don’t have a color board, it’s a good one to add. Mine is called Color Stories. I pin from the three sites listed, plus others that pop up in my feed, as well as colorful pictures that catch my eye. For pictures without swatches, I just pull the dominant colors out myself. Do you have any favorite color inspiration sites? Please share in the comments – inquiring minds want to see!

Have a colorful day!
:) lexi

 

Supplies:
Happy Birthday Card
STAMPS: Bold Basics
INK: Aqua Mist, Pine Feather, Lavender Moon, Hibiscus Burst, Raspberry Fizz
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Aqua Mist
DIES: Double-Ended Banners, Dream, Fly, Soar
OTHER: MISTI, foam tape

Hello Card
STAMPS: Ink It In, Ink It In: Notebook, Ink It In: Quoted
INK: Melon Berry, Harvest Gold, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain, Aqua Mist
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Blueberry Sky
DIES: Ink It In, Ink It In: Notebook, Traveler’s Journal: Passport Cover Die
OTHER: MISTI, foam tape, silver pen

You Are a Superstar Card
STAMPS: Stars and Stripes
INK: Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush, Plum Pudding, Winter Wisteria, Lilac Grace
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White
OTHER: MISTI, foam tape

throwback thursday: wonderful words snow

good morning! it's thursday and that means it's time for a papertrey ink throwback. i love snowy stamps, probably because i don't get much of the real stuff in my southern life! with the holiday break coming to an end soon, a bonus snow day off is a january dream, so i was inspired by that particular sentiment combo along with shaking up some fake flakes. 

using pierced feature frames, foam tape, and clear cardstock, i created a shaker element for the front of my card. i wanted the feel of snow, of course, so i went on a search for white and iridescent fillings in my bottomless studio and came up with flakes, tiny star confetti, sequins, and glitter sprinkles. when focusing on one color, a mix of shapes and sizes is a great way to add interest.

the set consists of the focal word snow along with words to build phrases around it. i decided on "bring on the snow days," stamping the extra words on the spring rain backer panel before filling and closing the shaker. you can stamp, die cut, or stamp and die cut the word snow to complete your sentiment, the latter of which i did here. i added it right over the top of the shaker element, layered on two additional die cuts for a little extra pop. with the different phrase options in wonderful words: snow, this design could easily be duplicated for a variety of occasions. don't you love a fun shaker card? if you haven't already, be sure to check out the other throwbacks today, linked on the papertrey ink blog - a great substitute for a real snowstorm!

happy new year & happy stamping!
:) lexi

matchboxes of any size

during the last release while sharing projects with perfect match, i shared templates for making two different sizes of matchboxes. i also mentioned that it was easy to make matchboxes of all sizes with a simple formula, so i thought I'd share that today. the finished size of this one is 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" x 1/2" but using the same steps you can make them any size you like. 

 

once you decide on the main size you want your box, you can easily figure out your sizes of cardstock to cut. for the box portion, starting with your width and height, you add your depth once on each side, and again on both the top and bottom (or twice to the width and four times to the height), so for 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" with 1/2" depth, we need a piece of cardstock measuring 3-1/2" x 5-1/2".

 

then you score the depth all the way around once and a second time on each width as shown above.

 

next, you snip the corner pieces as shown and add adhesive. i like to trim the corner pieces at an angle as well to help with folding the flap that hides them.

 

once you fold up the sides, the corner pieces fall into place and then you fold the extra edge over to cover them up.

 

for the sleeve you need a strip of cardstock the same width as the length of the box, in this case 3-1/2", with an overall length to equal three times the width of the box plus two times the depth. so 2-1/2" + 1/2" + 2-1/2" + 1/2" + 2-1/2", for a total of 8-1/2", scored following the same pattern, width, depth, width, depth, width.

 

i chose this particular box size so that i could add a window using the heart die from matchbook medley. any window cutting and stamping should be done to the center box size panel as shown above. i backed the window with a layer of clear cardstock so that my contents could be both protected and seen.

 

to complete assembly, fold the two sections on the right of the box over, add adhesive to the last box size section and adhere to the first section from the left. i like to have the bottom sections overlapping to create a more solid structure and support.

 

once adhered, the box pops up to the right shape, a perfect fit to slide over the box base.

 

decorate and fill for the perfect valentine (or birthday or anytime) treat! dies are great, but having tricks like these up your sleeves adds a bit of flexibility to match whatever you're packaging - pun intended!

happy stamping!
:) lexi

you light up my life in color

good morning! welcome to day five of the papertrey ink december countdown to new stamps and one last look at my new pieces of confetti set, perfect match. i managed a post a day since the introduction - yay! i really wasn't sure i would be able to, so that makes me happy. today, i decided to make a couple of cards in a more unexpected color palette using the outline single stamp image. 

as i always say, i love a good rainbow card! so i started with just that - a line up of rainbow topped matches. i think i need a box of these in real life, lol!

 

i stamped them a little wonky for interest and colored them in with two shades of each color for depth. then i balanced my line up of matches with a mix of black text for the greatest contrast. i love the boldness of black with a rainbow. popped up and flush to the right side, this is one of my go-to clean and graphic layouts. this card lights up my life!

next, i've been dying to pair the matches with bold borders: love - the hearts in the frame coordinate nicely with the small puffy hearts in the perfect match set and the smaller sentiments are just the right size for the opening and layers that fit there.

 

i ended up using a similarly sized layer from nesting basics: pierced rectangles for the extra detail and how it looked popped up, stamping two matches touching tips with a heart above. in keeping with my bright and white theme, i decided on bright blue matches and a contrasting red heart. a perfect match all around - what's not to love?!

 

and there you have it - two clean and graphic cards with a whimsical appeal! these are the kind of cards i could/should leave out for my husband to "borrow" for my gifts, lol! i hope you've enjoyed my projects this week. it's such a fun set to play with, especially when it comes to the non-card projects. but you can make some pretty cool cards too - or maybe we should say they're hot! be sure to check out the papertrey ink blog for the final countdown links and product info and get your trigger finger ready for tomorrow night!

happy shopping!
:) lexi

more matchboxes

good morning! welcome to day four of the papertrey ink december countdown to new stamps and another look at my new pieces of confetti set, perfect match. today, i have a couple more matchbox ideas. this time, i used blank pre-made matchboxes from my bottomless studio. i've had mine forever, but i did find some on amazon, both with matches and without. they're slightly smaller than the boxes i made myself, and since they're made from cardboard, they're a little sturdier as well - perfect for the "interactive" magic i had up my sleeve today...

first up, c'mon baby light my fire! pretty simple from the outside - a match striking up a spark.

pull the ribbon, which i added to be sure the recipient opens it correctly...

 and the fire pops up - happy valentine's day!

the trick for this little pop-up is a spring stolen from an ink pen - hot glued to the back of the flame and into the bottom of the box. it bends when closed and springs up when you slide the box open. voila!

next: hey there, hot stuff! you light up my life!

i wanted the flame to appear from above, so this time i added a pull ribbon to the top of the drawer to direct the recipient.

i still wanted a little action, so i decided on an action wobble. there's a little bounce when it opens and you can nudge it to wobble it more. there's even enough room on this one to add small candies if you want - i'm thinking red hots would be fun!

these little boxes would be great as stand-alone valentines with their elements of surprise or as tags on a hot gift. either way, they're super fun - little boxes of big love! tomorrow i promise to move on to something else, although figuring out these little matchboxes is kind of addictive! as always, check out the papertrey ink blog for more countdown links and new product info and swing back by here tomorrow - one countdown day to go!

happy stamping!
:) lexi

c'mon baby, light my fire!

hello! welcome to day three of the papertrey ink december countdown to new stamps and another look at my new pieces of confetti set, perfect match. i wasn't sure if i was going to make it to posting today, but once i got these little valentine treats finished, i couldn't wait to share them! 

i followed an old formula for making matchboxes and created two in different depths. i'll add a template for these below, and then once the release is over, i'll try to put together a video for those of you who'd like to know the formula in order to recreate them in various sizes. soft stone bitty big made quick work of one matchbox sleeve, adding the little sparks into a few strategic circles, while i stamped my own tone on tone word pattern in sweet blush for the other.

matchboxes are perfect for many a small gift. i've used them for jewelry, stickers, pins, and more over the years. but they're especially perfect for valentine's candy - like the red m & m's in the narrow box and homemade candy "matches" in the deep one. pretzels dipped in candy melts for the win and a fun class valentine project!

i even added a little glitter tape to the sides of each box to mimic striking strips for a bit of a realistic touch. aren't these fun? i may have to make a class set this year for my students - they do light up my life, afterall!

click here to download the matchbox templates

and stop back again tomorrow for another fun post. meanwhile be sure to check out the papertrey ink blog for more countdown links and new product info.

it's lit!
:) lexi

introducing perfect match

good morning! it is day two of the papertrey ink december countdown to new stamps and feature day for my new pieces of confetti offering, perfect match. as you can see, it's a fun new valentine stamp set based on vintage matchbooks. Strike up some love in reds and pinks with the bold words and match images. 

for starters, i created a simple math inspired match card. included in the set are pieces to create a single match as well as a criss-cross of two. 

while drawing images, it dawned on me to include the math symbols for just this card - 1 + 1 = 2, we're a perfect match! super clean and crisp and totally me. while this card does scream valentine, it could also be the perfect anniversary or everyday love card, don't you think?

next up, another card, this time focusing on one match and a flame image, paired with the previously released shape shifters: circle 1 (my fave!) and the new nesting basics: circles and pierced circles (my new fave!).

i love how i can use the nesting basics to frame and cut out the shape shifter detail piece in a perfect simple circle - including the lining circle in red below it - to create the perfect backdrop to highlight the match and flame. 

again, this card would make a great valentine for a guy for whom puffy hearts and flowers wouldn't do. but it could also be a thank you card or birthday card for anyone who lights up your life! 

and last, but not least, a "match up" with matchbook medley die collection, the collection that inspired the stamps. 

the various components are designed to work perfectly with the dies, including sentiments that match up in size, and an interior cut of matches for a whimsically complete card.

hey there, hot stuff! there's a spark between us. happy valentine's day!

i love a non-traditional card, especially for a sweet valentine treat. you could even include your own hand-written personal "coupon-style" activities on the matches to be pulled off one by one. so fun!

and there you have it! three fun cards to kick things off. i was out of town this weekend, but hope to catch up with a couple more posts this week to show off the set, so please keep checking back. until then, there's lots more to see today from the design team, all linked up on the papertrey ink blog. as always, i can't wait to see how they rock my images - i have no doubt they'll be lit! (sorry, couldn't resist!)

happy countdown!
:) lexi

We're a Perfect Match Card
STAMPS: Perfect Match
INK: Fine Linen, Pure Poppy, True Black
PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy
DIES: Perfect Match
OTHER: MISTI, Foam Tape, Glitter Pen

You Light Up My Life Card
STAMPS: Perfect Match
INK: Fine Linen, Pure Poppy, True Black, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise
PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy
DIES: Perfect Match, Shape Shifters: Circle 1, Nesting Basics: Circles, Pierced Circles
OTHER: MISTI, Foam Tape, Glitter Pen

Hey There, Hot Stuff Matchbook
STAMPS: Perfect Match
INK: Fine Linen, Sweet Blush, True Black, Pure Poppy
PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy, Sweet Blush
DIES: Perfect Match, Matchbook Medley
OTHER: MISTI, Stapler, Glitter Pen

color of the year 2019

Good morning! Welcome to this month’s color installment! Every year Pantone selects a “color of the year” that they believe sets the tone for the year and will pop up in various creative media. This week, they announced the color of the year for 2019, a shade of coral named “Living Coral.”

“Vibrant, yet mellow PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment… Representing the fusion of modern life, PANTONE Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media.”

So, in honor of that announcement, I decided to take our very own coral, Berry Sorbet, for a spin. First up, a Pantone chip inspired card, of course!

A little ink blending to create the color chip as I’ve done in the past with a few pieces of stamped and die cut coral to match, set off on the neutral backdrop of Soft Stone bitty big stripes. I just love the crisp look of Pantone’s color chips and how the look translates into a card – this will always be a favorite layout element for me.

Next, I created a card inspired by the Living Coral banner. Shades of aqua offer a nice complementary color contrast to coral – in this case, Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores.

Add a few die cut coral pieces and coral fish to the watery Shape Shifter in these two blues and it’s the perfect re-creation of Pantone’s banner photo. Way to Seas the Day!

And last, I decided to focus on Berry Sorbet cardstock in the form of a bold border and frame out a sentiment and some flowers. Coral isn’t just for sea life!

Although not perfectly next to each other on the color wheel, yellow and green are somewhat analogous colors to coral and thus play nicely together. I love the light and bright result here using Harvest Gold and Green Parakeet.

And there you have it – my own little Papertrey take on the Pantone Color of the Year for 2019. What do you think of their prediction? Do you see more Berry Sorbet popping up in your own projects moving into the new year? Inquiring minds want to know…

Have a colorful day!
:) lexi

 

Supplies:
Hello Friend Card
STAMPS: Salt Air: Flora, Bold Basics
INK: Berry Sorbet, True Black
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Bitty Big Soft Stone
DIES: Salt Air: Flora
OTHER: MISTI, painter’s tape, ink blender, foam tape

Seas the Day Card
STAMPS: Salt Air: Fauna, Salt Air: Sentiments
INK: Berry Sorbet, True Black
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Berry Sorbet, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores
DIES: Salt Air: Fauna, Reef Builder, Shape Shifters: Oval 2
OTHER: MISTI, foam tape, dew drops, circle punch

You’re In My Thoughts… Card
STAMPS: Flower Power, Botanical Bounty II, Ombre Sentiments: Thinking of You
INK: Harvest Gold, Lemon Tart, Green Parakeet
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Berry Sorbet
DIES:Flower Power, Botanical Bounty II
OTHER: MISTI, spray adhesive

throwback thursday: holiday double cuts

what a great papertrey ink throwback thursday die set this week! holiday double cuts is the perfect trio of holiday sentiments - three traditional words that can stand alone or be used to complete a variety of phrases. and the font and stacking layers are great for playing with color, too!

and play with color was exactly what i decided to do. i was inspired by the idea of a children's picture book. i feel like i've read "this book" somewhere but i can't put my finger on what book it is - i read a lot of books to kids for my day job! anyway, the idea of a mostly black and white illustration with a pop of color was stuck in my head, so i went with it.

important to that idea was coloring each letter of the word a different color to peek through the double cut top layer since that was my only color on the card. i cut a base layer and three top layers of the dies, keeping one of the top layers in tact. i masked off each letter and blended ink over each one individually. then i layered two white top layers, frame only over the top to build it up. the colored pieces show through perfectly! 

i selectively inked words from the same phrase from sentiment staples: christmas to build my sentiment around the word die cut and added a few stars to finish it all off. the outcome is exactly what i was picturing and fits the sentiment perfectly. i always love when that happens! do you have this set already? please share any great new ideas in the comments! and if you haven't already, be sure to check out a couple more throwback treats by michelle and kelly, both linked on the papertrey ink blog...

happy stamping!
:) 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

transformation tuesday: 3D tree ornament

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, etc. i always love this chance to revisit an old card... 

today, i decided to do something a little different. with holiday crafting gaining speed, i was inspired to take one of the tags from my recent design team tips post on 3D elements with symmetrical dies and transform it into an ornament. i love creating paper crafted ornaments as much as tags and everything else christmas related and the little alterations i made for this one were so easy.

i wanted a fully round tree, so this time instead of stamping three die cuts, i stamped six. the original tree was created from three and sat flat against the card, so i basically created two of those to sandwich the cord through. you can try adding a few more die cuts, but keep in mind that more means they're closer together and you may not see the stamped details as well.

i wanted the tree to hang or float in a frame, so i settled on the medium frame from pierced feature frames: oval. i cut two and stamped both of them with the same snowflake pattern from my original tag. i created a loop for the top with silver cord, leaving a long tail portion to sandwich between the two frames and the tree, using a couple of found beads to finish off the look and hold pieces in place. 

the result is a simple, but sweet ornament that can be used as a package embellishment, given as a gift, or hung on my own tree. because i was creating it based on the tag, i used the same colors and patterns, but really there are so many possibilities with this style of ornament and i'm sure you could find a variety of stamps that would be fun to dangle from a frame and hang on your tree. have you found any great symmetrical die and stamp pairings to share since my tag article? i'm always looking for something fun and new!

happy stamping!
:) 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

you're my kind of corny!

i love a random national day and i love candy corn, so of course, i had to make a card for national candy corn day today. i even had the perfect die for the job! with about an hour to spare, this is what i came up with...

i die cut candy corn collage four times, twice in black and twice in white. i popped out only the negative spaces on both black and one white, adhering them together with spray adhesive. then i colored in the orange and yellow spaces on the white one, not overly concerned with bleeding over a bit. the final white with all pieces popped out becomes the top layer and perfect frame. i love the white on white with just a hint of black on the sides.

i thought about making this a simple happy halloween or trick or treat card, but it just wasn't doing it for me, lol. finally, i landed on a punny sentiment by selectively inking "you're my kind of" from everyday affection, replacing the word "weird" with "corny" using pencilgrams (still hanging in online - at $3.50 it's a steal!) for the phrase you're my kind of corny - perfect! i tied on a bow of baker's twine in black and white to balance the other touches of black and voila! clean and graphic, quick and easy - holiday (and candy corn) celebrated...

#sweet!
:) 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

transformation tuesday: merry teapot

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, etc. i always love this chance to revisit an old card... 

today, i decided to rework a tea for two design from my simple to spectacular post last month, specifically the stepped-up version with all of the layers. following the same basic layout, i swapped out the colors and changed up a couple of small details to quickly take it from fall to christmas. 

first, i decided on a two-tone green for the plaid panel, so i die cut one piece with the outer edge die only in new leaf and a second with all three dies in green parakeet, stacking the two together for the new leaf to peek through. this set the stage for a new red polka dot teapot.

a double layer "be merry" die cut stands out nicely against the plaid and a sprig of holly finishes off the christmas teapot perfectly. the overall result is so festive and fun! not to mention quick, since i had the layout ready and waiting to be transformed.

using one card to jump-start another is a great way to build up your card stash or get over a creative block. if you love a layout or certain look, go for it and make it again in all the colors for all the seasons. you know how the saying goes: if a card fits, make one in every color - or something like that, lol!

happy stamping!
:) lexi

throwback thursday: tricky trio dies

i love creating for halloween so I was very excited to play with tricky trio dies for this week's papertrey ink throwback thursday. it's the perfect sentiment to add to any Halloween stamp set or image, so I pulled out scared silly and put them to work together.

i decided to go with my favorite halloween color scheme of green, purple, and black in the form of green parakeet, plum pudding, and a mix of true black, smokey shadow, and soft stone for my blacks and neutrals. The shape of the long line trick or treat die reminded me of a seesaw so i chose that one and let it guide my layout, adhering it on an angle between a cutaway in the soft stone panel and balancing a scared silly monster on the middle.

i selectively inked "li'l monster" under the die to relate the sentiment to the image. and with a trick or treat phrase as part of my focal point, i thought it would be fun to give my monster a trick or treat bag - with a coordinating eyeball, of course! not only is he cute, but he moves too - i couldn't resist another wobbly monster and i think the recipient who ends up with this will agree. a card that moves is the best! well that's all for today. it's a quickie tricky from me, but if you haven't already, be sure to check out a couple more throwback treats by dawn and michelle, both linked on the papertrey ink blog...

happy stamping!
:) lexi

candy-colored christmas in october

Good morning! Welcome to this month’s color installment! Today I thought we’d have a little Christmas in October feature. I craft a lot for the holidays, often in the traditional red and green or shades of green with a small pop of red. But my favorite Christmas colors are what I like to call candy-colored Christmas. Or merry and bright, heavy on the bright!

Red and green play a part – it doesn’t seem Christmas enough without a small touch of one or the other – but I like to bring in pink, light blue, and lighter shades of green as well. Since the overall look is a bit lighter and brighter, grays are my go-to neutral for sentiments and other elements. Within this larger color palette, I can mix and match the colors to create smaller pairings for cards and projects that will coordinate nicely.

First up, I paired Pure Poppy with Limeade Ice and a small touch of Pale Peony. A lighter green with a strong red is a playful take on the traditional red and green. Rather than repeating one of these colors on the sprinkles, I opted for pink.

The specific shade of pink here coordinates with both colors nicely – similar in lightness to the green, and basically a lighter shade of the red, it’s the perfect third color from my candy-colored palette.

Next, I’ve added Hawaiian Shores to the fairly traditional red and green combo of Pure Poppy and New Leaf. I could’ve stuck with red and green here, but I’m partial to an offbeat element whenever possible and the Hawaiian Shores offers that.

It gives the card the slight modern edge I was going for, and a little pop of extra color! As you know, color makes me happy, especially bright color!

And speaking of bright color, for my last and brightest card, I’ve combined Hawaiian Shores, Pale Peony and New Leaf, with a small pop of Pure Poppy added to all three.

I’ve always loved the look of candy-colored Christmas trees and create them with different tree stamps whenever I  can. I think it reminds me of pastel tinsel trees or the tree lot Charlie Brown goes to. And the look is perfect with any phrase that has “bright” in it.

So there you have it – a clean and simple, candy-colored Christmas! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one of the best things about stamping is that you can stamp in any color that floats your boat – creative license is everything! Do you have a favorite Christmas palette beyond the basics? Please share in the comments so I can try it, too!

Have a colorful day!
:) lexi

 

Supplies:
Merry Mug card
STAMPS: Merry Mug
INK: Limeade Ice, Pure Poppy, Pale Peony, Weathervane
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White
DIES: Merry Mug, Shape Shifters: Square 1
OTHER: MISTI, foam tape, 2-way glue, sequins

Be Merry card
STAMPS: Glorious Globes: September
INK: Pure Poppy, New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White, Soft Stone
DIES: Glorious Globes: September, Mix & Mat: Confetti, Bold Borders: Yuletide
OTHER: MISTI, 2-way glue

Calm and Bright card
STAMPS: Winter Fox, Corner Adorner: September
INK: Hawaiian Shores, Pale Peony, New Leaf, Pure Poppy, Weathervane
PAPER: Stamper’s Select White
DIES: Winter Fox, Mix & Mat: Confetti, Double-Ended Banners
OTHER: MISTI, foam tape, mini star sequins

throwback thursday: mighty oak

i was so excited to play with mighty oak for this week's papertrey ink throwback thursday. i love all of the whimsical leaf patterns included in the stamp set. and since whimsical patterns inspire me to play with whimsical colors, once again, i found myself in the mood for a rainbow. 

but this time i thought i'd try a fall inspired line up. after a bit of swatching on my desk pad, i decided on terracotta tile, canyon clay, summer sunrise, simply chartreuse, ocean tides, enchanted evening, and autumn rose, with weathervane as my neutral. all slightly deeper versions of my typical rainbow and i have to say i love the results!

with three die cut and stamped leaves per color, i decided to place them in loose rainbow order from one side of the tree to the other, tilted this way and that right on the branches rather than fill the cover plate with them. each leaf is adhered to the tree on one side of the leaf, and then bent up for added dimension on the other. i also kept the tree itself white so that the rainbow of colorful leaves could take center stage.

i love a burst of color and this autumn rainbow of leaves did not disappoint - my kind of fall! i guess i'm finally having to face the facts that it is actually here - although i'm still waiting for the temps to reflect this. meanwhile my cards can! if you haven't already, be sure to check out a couple more throwback looks by lizzie and laurie, both linked on the papertrey ink blog...

happy stamping!
:) lexi

simple to spectacular: tea for two

good morning! it's my turn for simple to spectacular today, one of my favorite papertrey ink blog features! who doesn't love a simple, classic sugar cookie? but then you add icing and it's even sweeter and more decadent. and then you pop on some sprinkles and suddenly it's a party! today we're showcasing tea for two, a great stamp set for a variety of occasions - a reminder to "sip & relax" is often just what we need. i was particularly excited to take the polka dot teapot for this simple to spectacular spin, pairing it with something new - and plaid! 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. from simple to stepped up to spectacular, i used the same stamps, colors, and basic layout...

for my simple version, i created an almost one layer card. i love the middle die from the shape shifter series to add the look of a layer without actually adding one. it's one of my favorite clean and simple tricks lately. i did decide to use a die cut teapot for added interest and just a little depth. it just seemed a little too simple stamped directly into the oval.

next, i stepped up the design a little bit by adding the middle die cut from shape shifters: oval 3 for an additional pattern. i love this plaid and lining it with weathervane cardstock really makes it pop! after adding this detail, i lost the area needed to add my sentiment. the double ended banner in cream was just the right size, also serving to ground the teapot. this is my next favorite thing to do with the shape shifters sets - the pattern surrounded by the frame adds such a cool detail!

and finally, for the spectacular version, i added the outer ribbon frame to my focal piece. it really adds a dainty touch, perfect for a teapot. and just as i had hoped, i love the contrast of golden yellow polka dots with the bold gray plaid. the result is so cozy and with the white on white, still a bit modern, too. it definitely makes me want to sip and relax!

and there you have it - three degrees of tea for two! just like other times, i love all three for different reasons. "simple" one layer 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 - dawn and heather have projects too! i always love seeing what my fellow stampers do with the same set.

take some time to sip & relax!
:) lexi