LilyBean's Paperie

home sweet home...

Home again, this time from a trip to Hermosa Beach.  Such a beautiful place to visit, lots of delicious food, my favorite being Pancho's Mexican Restaurant on Manhattan Beach, lazy days spent on the beach, a Dodger's game, enjoying my little girl playing in the sand and sea, but what a sweet feeling it is to come home again.

A couple of cards to share first off, both created using lots of Melissa Frances 5th Ave. papers and chipboard, and resin applique, Jenni Bowlin Bingo cards, a Tim Holtz figurine, vintage rhinestones, Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream felt, and scrunched seam binding from Memriemare and Craft Spot.

The trim used on both is from Prima and the border sticker from Creative Imaginations & IOD.

I love being pushed outside of my comfort zone, to explore and create with colors other than my favorites.  This little mini tag booklet was created for Emma's Paperie and is all about summer.

I used a kit from Little Yellow Bicycle as my base along with several embellishments from them and then topped it off with other pickings.  You can see a complete supply list HERE if you'd like to make one of your own.

Lastly, a card also created for Emma's Paperie based on a sketch there.  I used lots of Basic Grey Out of Print here and have all of the supplies listed for you HERE.

I have laundry washed and ready to fold while some yummy chocolate chip cookies are baking and a Pot O' Beans are simmering on the stove for dinner tonight.  I'm in the mood for comfort food.

Thanks for being patient while I've been away.

Melis

iconic images...

Lots going on at the Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-faire this weekend.  Nichole has prepared a special limited edition stamp set for those attending the event, but wanted to share it with those who couldn't attend.  Here are the details on how you can snag you're own:

"We will be making the limited edition stamp set available to ALL customers who place online orders of $100 or more between 9am EST, Saturday, July 23rd and 11:59pm EST, Sunday, July 24th."

The Papertrey Ink designers were asked to create a little something showcasing this set so you could get a feel for what it's all about...you'll love it.  As you can see from my card, one of the images is a silhouette...a fave of mine.  I love that an image like this (and all of the others found in this set) can suit any style of card-maker.  So, don't the the pearls and flowers fool you if you're a clean and simple kind of gal, you'll know just what to do with this set.

The sentiments included are sweet and general enough for many different occasions.

In addition to the Papertrey Ink Iconic Images stamp set I also used Melissa Frances 5th Avenue paper, a resin applique wreath, vintage trim, buttons, Kaisercraft flower, and adhesive pearls to finish it off.

Here are links to all of the other designer's blogs and they've each prepared something beautiful to share with you:

• Nichole Heady
• Heather Nichols
• Dawn McVey
• Lisa Johnson
• Betsy Veldman
• Michelle Wooderson
• Maile Belles
• Jessica Witty
• Erin Lincoln
• Danielle Flanders

Thanks for stopping by.

Melis

 

country cottage...

A new item created for my etsy shop....the Country Cottage pincushion available in any colors you choose.  Please let me know if you have any questions, I'd love to make one for you.

I'm heading into the kitchen this morning to make some Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies.  So happy to have zucchini season here once again.

Before I go, one more card for you.

Created with Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar Summer Fillers and die, My Mind's Eye, Pink Paislee, and Cosmo Cricket paper, vintage trim, and Cabbage Roses Ribbon from Memriemare.

 

Hoping you'll have a wonderful day today.

Melis

more merriment...

I have a couple more projects to share with you tonight created with the new Melissa Frances Deck the Halls collection.  On this first card you can catch a glimpse at a new cardstock sticker and two new patterned papers.  They are all so beautiful.  I love the mix of subdued and brilliant colors.

Another peek at new cardstock stickers here and patterned paper.  The brooch on the first card and resin frame, heart applique, and crepe paper garland used on the ornament are all from Melissa Frances as well.

You can see the full paper collection today on the Melissa Frances blog and enter to win a beautiful giveaway while you're there.

One last little number to share, created using Papertrey Ink's Fancy Flourishes and Star Prints stamp sets.  The paper is from Melissa Frances, die from K&Co., trim from Prima, scrunched seam binding from Craft Spot, and Raspberry Fizz buttons from Papertrey Ink.

Melis

deck the halls...

Today I get to begin showing you projects I created for Melissa Frances using the new Deck the Halls collection.  

New papers, cardstock stickers, die-cuts, and many other sweet things to Deck the Halls with this Christmas.  

I'll have more to shave over the next few days, but you can tune into the Melissa Frances blog for more projects and peeks at the Summer Holiday release...or stop by booth #1230 if you're attending CHA.

Just wanted to share a new card kit available for pre-order HERE at Frost it Pink.  It's all about friendship, stitches, sewing, vintage images, glitter, and trimmings.  

Have a wonderful day.

Melis

savoring summer...

A couple of cards to share with you tonight, the first created with Papertrey Ink's Peaceful Garden and Garden Variety stamp sets.  

The Vanilla Bean scrunched seam binding is from Craft Spot, the paper from Jenni Bowlin and Melissa Frances.  

I also used a Creative Scrap from Crafty Secrets Birds & Blossoms collection.  

This second card uses beautiful stamps and supplies from Darkroom Door.   Thank you Rachel for your sweet package.  The stamps are from the Correspondence collection, the floral image from the Art de Fleur Montage, and the Wordstrip from the Love Letters collection.  The paper is from Melissa Frances and Jenni Bowlin once again and the seam binding from Memrie Mare.  

Hope you're enjoying July wherever you are.  It is flying by like never before, but has been wonderful.  I found this quote today and wanted to share it here:

Elder M. Russell Ballard has taught us the importance of the Savior’s admonition to “behold your little ones” when he said: “Notice that He didn’t say ‘glance at them’ or ‘casually observe them’ or ‘occasionally take a look in their general direction.’ He said to behold them. To me that means that we should embrace them with our eyes and with our hearts; we should see and appreciate them for who they really are: spirit children of our Heavenly Father, with divine attributes” (“Behold Your Little Ones,” Tambuli, Oct. 1994, 40; emphasis added; “Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children,” Ensign,Apr. 1994, 59).

Thanks for visiting.

Melis
 

sending smiles...

Me again, with a bit of time to share my Papertrey Ink July projects.  I love this month of stamps with each set having something that I am crazy for.  This first card uses the Peaceful Garden set and coordinating dies, designed by Lisa Johnson...I just love her and her amazing design skills.  I can't get enough of the font she's used, kind of a fun handwritten feel to it that is perfect for elegant or more casual greetings.

The scrunched seam binding is from Memrie Mare and the little metal trinket is a vintage find.

Next up is the Congrats All Ways set.  Oh so many fonts to love in this set and it covers all sorts of occasions.  Very fun!  I also used the Double Ended Banner and that beloved Love Lives Here die.  

Sweet Summer Jar Fillers is just darling...I can't get enough of Mish's Friendship Jar Series.  Truly unique.  

The Hanging Out set is one that I think you could just play with all day long.  Love the bitty dies that coordinate with the stamps.  The large sentiment is from the Think Big Favorite #6 set.  

I'm kind of a sucker when it comes to back to school items, so I love this little mini set from Heather called Tag-its #6.  I also used Maile's new Background Basics:  Vines and coordinating die.  

The cutest ice cream cone set I have ever seen...Sweet As Can Be with coordinating dies.  

And lastly, the Flower Fusion #6 set used to create a really quick and easy set of mini cards.  Kind of nice to have a stack of Thank You cards on hand.  

I used Jenni Bowlin journal cards as my base and color inspiration and stamped directly onto them, covering the stamped flower with just a bit of lace for fun.

Thanks again for stopping in.

Melis

school girl...

Summer is flying by and naturally I'm starting to think about the beginning of school once again....new backpack, shopping for clothes, pencils, rulers, all of the school supplies needed, new lunchbox, etc.  When I saw the color challenge at Emma's Paperie, I immediately saw all things fall-ish and a School Girl mini album came to mind.

I used some vintage Bingo cards I had on hand that I found on etsy a while back and used them as my album base, then piled on the embellishments.

You can find all of the supplies I've used listed on the Emma's Paperie blog along with the beautiful color challenge photo.

Now taking a step back to summer, I created this card using a favorite color combo of mine and a few of my favorite things.  The Garden Variety stamp set was used along with the Garden Variety, Seed Packet, and Seed Packet Frame dies.  

I cut the gardening tools from cardboard once again and painted and distressed them.

A peek at the tag found inside the seed packet.

The floral paper on the card can be found at Made by Janet, the scrunched seam binding from Craft Spot, and the millinery flower from The Little Pink Studio.

 

Enjoy your day today!
Melis 

tranquility trilogy...

Here I am again for another Papertrey Ink group post, today focusing on the new Tranquility Trilogy set and coordinating dies...all so beautiful and versatile.  Each design team member is using the set and dies in different ways and I jumped at the chance to create a layout and use the products as a border. I've found that creating layouts is one of the most enjoyable things for me right now.  I don't do them often enough, but love to bury myself in the process when I have chance.  

I die cut several triangles to create a layered border with some of them stamped with the wreath image and some showing patterned paper.  I added the stamped heart from the Bundle of Love stamp set topped with a bit of glitter.

 

I titled this layout "Lucky Blue" because of those bright peepers of hers.  You'll notice that this little tomboy of mine is kissing her horny-toad...his name is Claw and he lives under our front porch....a very important part of our family.

 

Here you can see a peek at another new stamp set, one I just adore, called Little Labels designed by Nichole and Mish.  The set comes with the absolute sweetest sentiments.  I also used the Wonderful Words die here as well...those little babies are my favorites!  Around the edges I've used several different pieces of patterned paper and die cut each using the Banner Borders die collection.  

Other supplies used here are Sweet Blush buttons, Hibiscus Burst Satin Ribbon, Pure Poppy Topnotch Twill, Pure Poppy and Rustic Cream cardstock, Damask Designs paper, True Black ink, and Rustic Cream Button Twine.

I can't wait to see what the others have created to share:

• Nichole Heady
• Heather Nichols
• Dawn McVey
• Lisa Johnson
• Betsy Veldman
• Michelle Wooderson
• Maile Belles
• Jessica Witty
• Erin Lincoln
• Danielle Flanders

Melis

 

half & half...

Back again with July's first Papertrey Ink group post...I think you'll love the adorable stamp set Nichole has dreamed up, I know I sure do.  It's such a fun concept that can be stretched, cut short, folded, wrapped, embellished, etc.

Each stamp has a coordinating die available along with brackets and sweet sentiments that can be added here or there.

For this first project, I wanted to show how the stamp set and dies could be used vertically and created a couple of layers to embellish the front of this card.  I love the flourish at the tail end of the die.

This next project shows how the stamps and dies can be used horizontally.

I chose to wrap up my latest favorite read called The Help...oh my, how I love this book... and used the stamps and dies to embellish the front so that I can pass it along to someone else when I'm done. I love the idea of making something beautiful like this just to dress life up a bit.  I originally heard about this fun idea of passing along used books in a thoughtful way in a  Somerset Life article.  

I also used the Tiny Tags stamp and die set along with the Parisian Lace die.

That's it for me, but the other designers have wonderful things ready to share with you on their blogs:

• Nichole Heady
• Heather Nichols
• Dawn McVey
• Lisa Johnson
• Betsy Veldman
• Michelle Wooderson
• Maile Belles
• Jessica Witty
• Erin Lincoln
• Danielle Flanders

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Melis

 

fresh flowers...

This card uses Papertrey Ink's Wildlfower Garden, Button Boutique, and Garden Variety stamp sets on this card along with the Button Card and Garden Variety dies.  

I cut the watering can from cardboard and embossed it with the bottom of the Cupcake die, painted it with off-white acrylic paint and distressed it with ink.  

I also used My Mind's Eye and Melissa Frances paper, Memrie Mare scrunched seam binding, Spring Moss cardstock and buttons, and a few other odds and ends.  Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to get right back to you.

Papertrey Ink's 1st group post for July goes up later tonight.

Thanks for the visit.

Melis

hungry bear flats...

I'm back from a getaway with my family.  Truly the most memorable 4th of July yet.  We traveled 15 hours or so to Island Park, ID and spent many days in Yellowstone hiking and sight seeing.  We watched fireworks on my birthday on a beautiful stretch of land between Island Park and West Yellowstone called Hungry Bear Flats...such a fun experience.  On the 4th, we watched fireworks in West Yellowstone in the middle of a rain storm with lightening striking as the fireworks went off. Completely amazing!  This summer has worked its way up to one of the busiest of my life, but busy is good and I have loved spending so much time with family.  It's been 4 years or so since all of my brothers, their families, and my little family have all been together.  Now comes the hard part, wondering when it will happen again and wishing we could be closer.  Next up...a trip to the beach, pheewwww!

Just sharing quilt block no.3.  I've finally decided for sure what I will do with my blocks when they are all completed.  I'm not your traditional kind of girl and love the original idea of sewing them all together, but for me I will be framing them in an old, shabby window frame I've had tucked away with each block framed in a window pane.  I will be sure to show you the finished project when it's complete.

The rub-on is from 7gypsies, chipboard and die cut from Melissa Frances, trim from Prima and Maya Road, book print and buttons are vintage, and then a few other odds and ends were tossed in

This first card is a redo of another just like it that I created in blues for a baby boy.  I used Papertrey Ink's Night Night Moon stamp set on this, one of my all time favorite baby sets.  I also used the Tiny Tags stamp set, coordinating die, and the Double Ended Banner die.  

The twill is tea stained from my stash, paper from Making Memories and My Mind's Eye, trim from Prima, and chipboard from Maya Road.

Lastly, a card created for Emma's Paperie.  All of the supplies and a short, easy workshop can be found HERE on the Emma's Paperie blog.

Hope you all had a wonderful week.

Melis



 

belongings...

I love taking little bits of leftover projects and arranging them together. Snippets of trim, a stray tag with a rub-on already applied, rhinestone chain, buttons, etc.  It seems that when they're all gathered together, they take on a whole new life.

These belongings include  Prima trim, a tea stained tag with a 7Gypsies rub-on honey bee, rhinestone chain, a millinery flower, and an adhesive pearl.  I framed them using a Melissa Frances applique layered on a Melissa Frances chipboard Bingo card, and then of course layered on more beautiful Melissa Frances.  The Provencial Stamps are from Unity and the aqua tea trim is a making of my own.

Tonight I have a fun challenge for you and that is to take your left over bits and pieces and create a home for them.  Frame them, layer them on a chipboard shape, stitch them together, adhere them to a scrap of felt, etc.  Just have fun.

If you'd like to share you're belongings, just link to this post and I'll be sure to stop by and check out your beauties.  It might take me a while, but I hope you'll enjoy and share.

Happy 4th America!

Melis