confetti by lexi

hooray, it's still party time!

welcome back to the papertrey ink june countdown! it's day four and the biggest party day yet - birthday inspiration group day! the design team is featuring caution: another year older and so much more. i can't wait to see what they create, but first i have a couple projects to share too. now that i've shown you all of the borders, i decided to put them together to create my own patterned paper. i wanted a simple light colored background, so i stamped both the candles and the party hats at the same time in soft stone in rows across a full card base. depending on what you're creating, you could also ink them separately in alternating colors or different shades of the same color, etc. you could even add in a caution tape or two and have more alternating rows. so many choices! to my simple soft stone party pattern, i added a die cut sentiment, watercolored with zig clear color markers, and continued on with snippets from one of the caution tape borders. sequin flowers from betsy's shaker kit are the perfect finishing touch. hooray! it's party time!

i really liked how the soft stone pattern turned out and had a little extra from experimenting on my desk, so i decided it just had to be turned into another card. i think it's like having patterned white space because it's so neutral and light and still allows me add in colorful elements without being too busy. anyway, for this one, i did the maile tilt and added in a big die cut balloon in orange zest colored transparency and a die cut and stamped sentiment from heather's new good times set. i found some waxed string in my bottomless studio, which is perfect for the balloon - it sticks to itself and holds shape well. the trick for sticking the balloon down without seeing the glue? i strategically added the flower sequins to the front so that i could put glue behind them on the back. i love being able to see the patterned element through the balloon - such a fun detail! and probably one of my faves so far this week. these are the last of the cards i was able to bring to the soccer fields. if our team is still in it after today's games, i will be a little late with my post tomorrow. if i'm not here bright and early, check back later. i'm sure the design team will have you hopping anyway - and speaking of them, i've got to run over to nichole's blog and see what they've created today...

see you soon!
:) lexi

caution: another birthday post!

hi! it's day three of the papertrey ink june release countdown and i'm here with another look at my upcoming stamp set, caution: another year older. rounding out the borders in this one page set are three caution tapes, similar to those you might find in the over the hill section of your favorite party store. above, i've created a card using all three together for a 40th birthday. not that 40's over the hill of course - 'cause if it is, i'm already rolling down the other side! the comic strip pixel dot paper sets the stage for the brightly colored border tapes to truly pop, with all three colors coming together at the top in the number clips and party hat (cut from the party hat border). i finished it off with a touch of silver wink of stella on the hat - a little bit of sparkle is good at any age!

next up, another candle card. this could have been a part of yesterday's group, but it ended up coordinating with today's first card even better - they both have a black and white with color all over kind of look. sometimes i don't even realize when i get on a stamping kick! here i wanted to create an even larger grouping of candles to go with that fun sentiment so i stamped the border three times. so many candles, so little cake! and then i had fun with it, coloring only some of the candles in rainbow colors. there's no pattern - i'd call it careful random, since you want a good scatter and mix of colored vs. not. once again, my candles are more of a focal point than border or background and i've cut my sentiment right out of the caution tape border it comes on, but that just further demonstrates the mileage you can get out of these images - this set can party! sadly, i only have two cards again today, because time was not on my side before heading out to club soccer regionals. i do have two more tomorrow, so be sure to check back in. but first, today is a group post day - as always, nichole has the product scoop and links to the design team!

enjoy!
:) lexi

make a wish

welcome back to day two of the papertrey ink countdown to the june release and a second look at caution: another year older, my new birthday borders stamp set. yesterday was all about party hats - today, i give you candles! first up, the candle border stamped once in black and then watercolored with zig clean color markers, using a waterbrush to bleed the color out a bit. clean and simple and trendy too!

next, i cut away a candle from the border and used it in place of the i in wish. when designing the border, i made sure that there was a single candle that would be easy to cut out and pencilgrams ended up being just the right size alphabet to go with it. just because the images are borders doesn't mean you have to use them that way! that's all i have for today - if you haven't already, head over to nichole to see what's in the spotlight and who's showing it off. and be sure to come back tomorrow for more party time fun...

:) lexi

warning: it's party time!

hi there! welcome to day one of the papertrey ink june countdown, and a first look at my latest pieces of confetti stamp set, caution: another year older. today i decided to focus on the party hat border from the sneak peek, starting with a very clean and simple design above. a little stamping, a little ombre copic coloring - so quick and easy, you can stamp it on your way out the door to the party, and still super cute!

next up, a rainbow of party hats. more quick and easy stamping and coloring, plus a little wink of stella sparkle. clean and simple again, with a big pop of color. because who doesn't love a rainbow?!

in fact, i love them so much i had to make another - this time, stamping the hats in rainbow colors without coloring. rows of the party hat border make for a quick and easy background pattern. and you can leave room for a sentiment this way, like an additional border image in black so that it stands out. warning! it's party time! don't forget to come back tomorrow for party day two. but first, be sure to check out nichole's blog to see more of what's coming and who's showing it off...

enjoy!
:) lexi

sneak peekin'

hello stamping friends, it's that time again! here's a little peek nichole posted of my latest pieces of confetti stamp set. i'll be sharing countdown projects starting tomorrow - new stamps available on the fifteenth. ready for some birthday fun?

stay tuned!
:) lexi

superhero in review

superhero, superhero dies, superhero mask 1 die, and superhero mask 2 die are all now available in the papertrey ink store. it was such a fun countdown for me! i think the primary ink pad smoosh card is my favorite, but i'm also pretty partial to the super girly yellow and pink designs. and the party masks. and yesterday's detachable mask card. it's always so hard to pick!! did any one design stand out to you?

Follow Lexi Daly's board pieces of confetti: superhero on Pinterest.

of course, the design team created the most super projects ever! i've pinned them all to a set specific board on pinterest along with mine for easy reference. i'll add more when i create or spot them, so be sure to follow the board if you want the inspiration to pop up on your feed from time to time. and if you create something, i'd love to see it and pin it too. thanks so much again for stopping by and leaving comments during the release - it's always fun to see your excitement for my new sets!

happy stamping!
:) lexi

release day bonus post!

tonight's the night! all of the new papertrey ink product showcased this week, including my new set superhero and coordinating dies, will be available for purchase at 10:00 pm eastern time. but first, i have one more project to share. i couldn't resist creating a super zappy birthday card with a detachable, wearable mask. the card is 4-1/4 x 9, sized to fit a legal envelope.

beginning with a full sheet of the red sunburst in the center trimmed to fit the width, i added color blocks of comic strip patterned paper to the card base, measuring the space left over to fit the blue and yellow. the two part sentiment pieces are popped up on foam tape, leaving the inside edges close to the mask position free to tuck it under. i die cut the mask from smokey shadow card stock, added eyelets to each side, and strung and tied elastic silver cord. then i attached a die cut and stamped star circle icon over each eyelet, using a double layer of foam tape on only half of the circle in order to not interfere with the movement of the elastic. simply stretch the finished mask into place over the front of the card, tucking the edges under the sentiments to better hold it in place. and there you have it - a perfect card for the aspiring superhero!! so, here's the full reveal...

 

 

 

stamps, coordinating dies, and two mask dies - mega super fun!! and if you don't have it already, take a look at zappy birthday and coordinating dies, cover plate: comic strip, and comic strip patterned paper collection, too. while they're not necessary to use superhero, they certainly add to the fun! nichole has the full reveal along with the design team's release in review. i can't wait to see what amazing super goodness they've created...

happy shopping!
:) lexi

party masks!

hello! we've made it to day five of the papertey ink may countdown to new stamps!! new product will be available for purchase tomorrow night, but first today is all about the mask dies. there are two shapes and lots of possibilities! on day one, i showed you two felt masks with an elastic band for wearing. felt is a great option for longer lasting masks, but sometimes paper is all you need...

you could use elastic like i did on those felt masks, probably a thinner one, or ribbon or twine. but if you have the secret agent glasses die from a few months ago, you can also use the arms to create mask glasses.

quick and easy and you don't have to punch any holes! plus, they will fold flat for including in a card.

i used one of betsy's kit papers that are designed to be cut into four card fronts for both of my mask glasses. by putting the center of the mask between two colors, i got a color block mask. cool, right?!

i decided to embellish each with a single lightening bolt (from zappy birthday) on one side in the opposite color, and add rhinestone embellishments to the other. i love how these turned out! so did my girls - the eighth grader might be snagging a pair of these to wear with her tacky day ensemble today!

the masks are also perfect for photo booth accessories! i chose four bright colors for the masks themselves, imagining a brightly colored superhero themed party. 

i embellished them with various superhero and zappy birthday stamped die cuts in the same four colors, being sure to balance out the color among the masks, and then adhered them to skewer sticks. here's a close up of all four... 

the various die cuts add such a fun flair - i think they'd look really cute in photo booth pics! if you're worried about durability, you could double the masks and use slightly heavier dowels. a similar idea would be to use the paper masks for a party craft activity - cut a stack in the colors of your party and give the kids markers, embellishments, etc. to decorate their very own. like i said, so many possibilities!! i still have a few ideas i didn't get to, so i'll definitely be back with them soon - i'll try to get a bonus post up tomorrow. until then, be sure to check out nichole's blog for scoop and links! and thanks so much for following along this week and leaving super comments. as usual, i've had a blast!!

:) lexi

the perfect superhero pair!

hi there! it's day four of the papertrey ink may countdown, and i have three more cards showcasing my new set, superhero. in designing the set, i purposely drew the the superheroes kind of facing each other, with their capes flying up in opposite directions, to make it easy to use them together. so that's how i've stamped them today - it's couples day! first up, i couldn't resist creating another smooshed ink card similar the girly one from earlier this week. this time, i used all three primary colors for full color impact and i love it! a few scattered sequin confetti stars add just the right sparkle and shine.

next, i have a shaker card similar to one i created when zappy birthday was released. only this time, i used a smaller portion of the comic strip sheet and cover plate instead of the whole thing. these three sections are the perfect size centered on a standard 5-1/2 x 4-1/4 card. 

the superhero couple is inside the shaker with the stars, while the sentiment is on the outside to call attention to it. the various patterned paper sections add a pop of comic color to set the stage and there's more of that perfect sequin star confetti filling it all up. shake, shake, shake!

and last, a clean and simple card, using a single color piece of the comic strip paper - my favorite color and one of my favorite patterns. after adhering the panel to the card base, i added a sentiment for the superhero couple to stand on, as well as the star superhero icon with, yes, a single star sequin! once something lands on my desk, it's hard not to keep using it! i hope you've enjoyed seeing the super couple (and the star confetti!!) in action. c'mon back tomorrow for the last countdown day. but first, don't forget to check out nichole's blog for today's group post information and links...

have fun!
:) lexi

boy wonder, my hero...

good morning & welome back to day three of the papertrey ink may countdown. today i decided to focus on the boys. and while i'm using a lot of the traditional superhero colors again, i also decided to add in a little aqua mist. i saw it on a superhero fabric with the red, blue, yellow, and black. it was used as a background color and seemed to lighten things up a little. first up, a clean and simple birthday card. another mini die cut collage, grounded with the pixel dot pattern stamped in aqua mist, and then again in harvest gold, slightly offset. zappy birthday, boy wonder!

next, a card for dad. a skyline die cut over the pixel dot pattern, stamped the same way as on the first card in aqua mist and harvest gold. the superhero icon, stamped in red and colored over with a slightly different shade of red copic, is the perfect base for the dad die cut stamped in blue and colored over in aqua. together, they create a recognizable superdad symbol that fits right over the low building with the spotlights. the sentiment continues below the focal grouping. dad, you're my hero!

and last, but never least, a sound effects hero card that would be good for a birthday or even a fun hello. the tower has been zapped! i had not thought of using the soundburst in this way before, but it landed under the tower on my desk and i thought i'd give it a try. i think it turned out really fun! wham! zap! hope your day is action packed! again, i've incorporated aqua mist, but this time in card stock form. i really like the light touch it adds. what do you think? i'd love to hear! i'll be back tomorrow with more super fun - meanwhile don't forget to head over to nichole to see what's in the spotlight today, including links to lots of amazing projects!

enjoy,
:) lexi

supergirl to the rescue!

welcome back to day two of the papertrey ink countdown to the may release, and another look at my new stamp set, superhero. today it's all about super girl! sticking with the same yellow of the traditional color scheme, i swapped out pink for the red and aqua for the darker blue. immediately more girly! first up, i created a collage of layered die cuts. the yellow base layer is from the cover plate: comic strip, the burst bubble from zappy birthday, the rest from the new superhero die collection. i always have fun playing with pieces to come up with a look like this one - it's a little like putting a puzzle together. the end result is fresh and fun - looks like a job for super girl!!

next, how about a little ink smooshing? the blast of pink with a few dots splattered around the edges, is the perfect backdrop for another little grouping of die cuts and images, without adding an extra layer. kapow! i also pulled in the star doodle from pencil me in (which is still on my desk from last month, ha!) and stamped it three times around the circle. stars and superheroes are always a good match!

and finally, a card showcasing one of the full sized masks as an oversized focal image. i used the pixel dot stamp along a length of pink cardstock from which to cut the mask and added an embellishment with one of the superhero icons. the mask was then layered over a yellow sunburst panel centered on a white base card - the edges of the mask were trimmed to the card edge. a sentiment in the lower right corner and jewel in the middle of the star are the perfect finishing touches. 

and because they're all about super girl, each card needed to sparkle! a little wink of stella on select areas did the trick: on super girl and the mini mask, on the superhero star icon on the large mask, and on kapow in the thought bubble. gotta have sparkle and shine! who should i create for tomorrow? c'mon back to see! but first, check out nichole's post for scoop and links!

have fun!!
:) lexi

meet superhero!

welcome to day one of the may countdown to new papertrey ink stamps, including a new pieces of confetti set from me. i loved zappy birthday so much that i had go back to the drawing table and create superhero. more super images and super sentiments, and they can all work together, along with the comic strip paper collection and cover plate too. to kick things off, i have a few cards and an additional die introduction at the end. first up, a superhero silhouette woman with a friendship phrase that i love. i used a section of the full color comic strip page and added the sentiment caption box style like you would see in a comic book. the sunburst sets off the superhero perfectly! 

i liked the sunburst/superhero look so much that i decided to use another leftover piece of the same comic strip page for the guy superhero silhouette. this time, i popped him up to draw more attention to him and added the sentiment in black right over the red patterned section. i added a city silhouette die cut from the zappy birthday die collection on a box of blue dot pattern to add balance to the line of images below, both strips extending off the page in opposite directions. the end result is another quick and easy card that will be super fun to give!

and last, i created a small collage of sorts. this is a perfect example of how well superhero works with zappy birthday. the action packed sentiment could easily be used on it's own, but it's also a great continuation phrase for zappy birthday. the speech bubble (also from zappy birthday) is popped up for added interest and the two masks, stamped and die cut, add the perfect pop of color.

and because mini masks weren't enough, i also created dies of the same masks in full size! these can be used as oversized design elements on cards, but the main idea is to wear 'em, of course! i die cut each one from felt, sewed on an elastic strap, and covered my stitching with lightning bolt cuts from the zappy birthday die collection. i used white thread, so i also colored over it with a matching copic in order to hide it even more. super fun!! i so wish i were throwing a superhero party right now! i guess the countdown can be my party - i'll be back with round two tomorrow. until then, be sure to stop by nichole's blog to see what's in the spotlight and the links to who's showing it off. betsy's take on superhero will be a must see for sure!

see you tomorrow...
:) lexi

sneak peekin'

hello stamping friends! if may weren't crazy enough on it's own, i have a new stamp set coming your way! nichole posted this little peek the other day, and i can't wait to show it all off during the countdown starting tomorrow. five days of "super" in the middle of may madness...

stay tuned!
:) lexi

pencil me in in review

pencil me in, pencil me in paper collection, pencilgrams, and pencil papers labels are all now available in the papertrey ink store. it's been a hectic few days since the release, but i finally had time (and a sunny day!) to photograph my countdown lineup. from standard no. 2's to colored pencils in rainbow colors - lots of fun possibilities with this set! it's hard to pick favorites, but i really love how the staggered rainbow pencils and the gold pencil with notepaper turned out. did any stand out to you?

Follow Lexi Daly's board pieces of confetti: pencil me in on Pinterest.

Follow Lexi Daly's board pieces of confetti: pencilgrams on Pinterest.

as always, the design team did a knock out job on their release projects. i've pinned them along with mine on stamp set specific pin boards for easy reference. i'll add more when i create or spot them, so be sure to follow the board if you want the inspiration to pop up on your feed from time to time. if you create something, i'd love to see it and pin it too. thanks so much for stopping by and leaving comments during the release - it's so fun to see your enthusiasm for my new sets!!

happy stamping!
:) lexi

release day bonus post!

today's the day! new papertrey ink product, including my new sets pencil me in and pencilgrams plus coordinating papers, will be available and ready for purchase tonight at 10 pm eastern. there's never enough time to make all of my ideas happen during a release, but i did manage to get one more ready to post today. while stamping the white and gold pencils the other day, i fell for the white colored pencil that is created when you stamp just the wood portion of the pencil point. it doesn't get easier than that! i didn't want the eraser, so i inserted the full pencil cut into the paper piece pencil die at the desired length and cut it that way to get the same die cut edge, but you could use a paper cutter as well. to finish it off, i mimicked the color name on the end of a prismacolor pencil by embossing the happy day sentiment in gold. a panel of white doodles on smokey shadow under the popped up pencil brings it all together and almost makes it look real. hip, hip, hooray! happy day! and a happy day it is with new stamps and papers to add to your collection...

 

 

 

 

 

here's the full reveal! stamps, dies, paper, more stamps, more paper - lots of mix and match options!! be sure to visit nichole's blog for the complete product release preview 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

pencil me in gold

welcome back to day five of the papertrey ink countdown - all of the new april goodies will be available tomorrow night! but first, i have a couple more cards to share. the card above was inspired by these pencils, available on etsy. i love the fresh look of the white pencils with the touches of gold.

and they were super easy to create - i simply stamped the wood part of the pencils at the bottom of the die cuts and swiped a bit of smokey shadow ink straight from the pad for the lead. the gold pieces at the top were cut from strips of gold sticker paper, impressed with an embossing tool to create the lines. i finished them off with gold hearts to mimic the original inspiration pic. i may need some of the real white with gold pencils for my desk!

next up, i decided to create a full gold pencil - once i start playing with gold, i can't stop! this time, i paper pieced the pencil on top of a full die cut, with the wood and lead added to the base, which adds depth and dimension to the pencil.

i popped the pencil up on foam tape over a mini notebook page, die cut out of the gray loose leaf from the pencil me in papers and adhered with gold dotted washi tape, slightly askew for a fun layout. i also lifted up the edges a little, for even more depth and dimension. clean, simple, and golden - i love the end result! well, that's officially it for me this countdown. i still have a few ideas in mind, so i may be back with a bonus project tomorrow, definitely more down the road. until then, be sure to click over to nichole to see what the group is posting about today - more amazing projects and products we can't live without, no doubt!

:) lexi

hi! pencil me in...

hi there! it's day four of the papertrey ink april countdown to new stamps, including my newest set, pencil me in. i have two more cards to share today. first up, a staggered set of colored pencils inspired by a rug i came across in a google search. i love finding inspiration pieces that immediately make me imagine them in card form! 

a panel of primary lined paper in gray was a perfect backdrop and it was also quite helpful in lining things up. because the red pencil "wrote" the sentiment, i popped it up to call attention to it. the end result is an almost one layer card that is bright and fun!

next up, i just had to create my favorite white die cut card with the pencil! i layered the paper piecing die cuts over full cuts to get the added lines of the dies for better definition and interest. to give the impression of pencils dropped on a table, i placed the pencils facing different directions, slightly askew.

like the others i've done before, i created one pencil in full color and popped it up on foam tape to call attention to it and highlight the sentiment. i love the end result - this is a layout and style that i just don't get tired of! i hope you enjoyed both of today's cards as well. i will back for day five tomorrow, so be sure to stop by. but first, check in with nichole to see what's in the spotlight today, plus links to the design team showing it all off. so much fun stuff this month...

enjoy!
:) lexi

pencil me in group post day!

welcome back to day three of the april countdown to new papertrey ink stamps. today is pencil me in group post day - yay! i'm also excited to be back at home with all of my supplies and can finally show you the dies and paper and everything else too. above, i used the second of the two patterned pencil fill ins that i mentioned yesterday to create a yellow pencil with a little pizzazz. i popped it up on foam tape across a layer of looseleaf paper cut with the new moments inked: edged die for design interest, but still wanted to stick to my usual clean and simple style. this paper definitely has the "write stuff" to warrant a smiley face, star, and check!!

next up, another layer cut from the pencil me in paper. the collection includes three designs in two color ways, in traditional aqua and pink and in gray. i thought the primary lined paper would be fun with fancy patterned colored pencils, right down to the erasers, and doodles in matching colors. write on!

here, a simple layer of graph paper in gray is the perfect blank slate to encourage someone to write. draw. create. paired with a pretty blue pencil, how could one not feel inspired?!

and last, but definitely not least, introducing pencil papers and pencilgrams! pencil papers is another new paper collection, actually a label collection that are designed to fit around pencils to dress them up. there is a white stripe of space on each design for adding a monogram or other image, both of which are included in pencilgrams, a mini monogram set created specifically to fit the space. here, i've presented a set of three pencils on a card cut three times with betsy's write stuff holders dies - genius! i kept the rest of the design super simple because i used three different patterns on the pencils and those needed to take center stage. sometimes quick and easy is definitely best.

as you can see from these two pictures, the pencil papers can be adhered with white stripe placed at the top or bottom of the pencil. gotta love options! these pencils definitely have the "write" stuff! i was working against the clock for this post after getting home from spring break at the beach and hearing about my older daughter's exchange trip to paris, and i just barely made it. of course, i'll be back with more tomorrow, but i had to join in the group post fun today. be sure click over to nichole's blog for all the scoop and links to see what pencil loving pretties the design team has created for us.  i'll be "write" behind you doing the same!

:) lexi

 

pencil me in color!

welcome back to day two of the papertrey ink april countdown to new stamps including my new pieces of confetti stamp set, pencil me in. while yesterday was all about the basic yellow no. 2, today i give you colored pencils! i designed the tip of the pencil open, with a fill in stamp, for just this reason. there are also two patterned pencil fill in stamps, one of which is shown above, for more pencil fun. the doodles, including the handwritten "hi" above, are great for showing the pencils in use.

speaking of doodles, i imagined this card before i even created this set. i think the loopy doodle is my favorite one. if you've followed my blog for a while, you know a set of rainbow pencils was a must!

i stamped the pencils off the edge of the panel for interest, lining up the loopy doodle to show them in action. write. draw. create. i see many colored pencils in my future! this is my last post from the beach. sniff, sniff. we will be driving home today, hopefully arriving in time to go to the airport with my husband to pick up my 10th grader from her paris exchange trip. yay!! she's been adding pictures to a cloud album daily and i can't wait to get the descriptions to go with them and see the fun stuff she bought! it will be a busy day, but i will do my best to stamp (with not so limited supplies!) and be back tomorrow. it's a day by day release for me because of spring break and paris. until then, be sure to get the total scoop from nichole, including links to what's in the spotlight today.

have fun!
:) lexi

pencil me in...

welcome to day one of the papertrey ink april countdown to new stamps and a look at my newest set, pencil me in! since i'm stamping and posting with limited supplies from the beach, i'm easing in with a couple of designs based on the yellow #2 standard. first, i channeled maile with a peek a boo panel showcasing the doodle designs in the set, all drawn with a special happy day yellow pencil.

next, a test-ready line up of several yellow pencils with a focus on the points - be sharp! for the paler pencil above, i used harvest gold with a hibiscus burst eraser. and for the bolder set below, i went with summer sunrise and pure poppy erasers. lots of possibilities - come back tomorrow to see what else you can do! but first, be sure to check out nichole's blog for more of what's in store and links to who's showing it off...

enjoy!
:) lexi