Sparkling Poinsettias

Posted on November 29, 2011 by mauistamper

Robin Merriman shared this beautiful Red Glimmer paper poinsettia and I thought it would make the perfect embellishment on the top of a gift box:

The petals are made with the Blossom Petals Builder punch. I layered cardstock on the top and sides and used the Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions Embossing folder to give the top layer a little dimension. Dazzling Details added just a smidgen of sparkle to the flowers – it really didn’t take that long!

Underneath the button and tab is a self-stick Velcro closure. The box stays closed very nicely on its own, but I wanted to put the tab on and I didn’t want it flappin’ around. Here’s a look from the top:

A few gold brads and a dusting of gold glitter (shhhh, don’t tell!!) finish off this pretty Christmas flower.

Kisses from Santa

Posted on November 28, 2011 by mauistamper

This isn’t my original idea – it came from a fellow Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. Natalia Danko is one of the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet, and her little fat Santa jars are a perfect Christmas door prize:

Just a little bit of cardstock – Real Red, Basic Black and Whisper White – but the thing that makes these Santas rock is that blingin’ belt buckle! Let’s hear it for Silver Glimmer Paper!

These are easy as can be – just wrap the Real Red cardstock around the bottle and attach (I used Sticky Strip). Next attach a narrow strip of Whisper White down the front (to cover the seam) and then wrap another thin strip of Basic Black around the middle. Cut a square out of the Silver Glimmer paper and punch a smaller square of Basic Black cardstock to fit in the middle. Stick ’em together with Glue Dots and then fill your jars with Kisses! A little 1/4 inch grosgrain around the lid and a scallop circle on the top and you are finito!

One more bag and the weekend is done!

Posted on November 27, 2011 by mauistamper

And now a gift bag in the traditional colors of the season:

(This bag is perfectly straight – the photographer has “issues”!)

Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive make a bright and cheery Christmas combination. Stampin’ Up! really knocked our socks off (get it?? c’mon, you’ve gotta at least giggle) with the Stitched Stockings stamp set and coordinating punch. Seems like every other project I’ve done this year has had a stocking theme – but they’re all so different!

The big scallops on the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die are echoed in the small scallops from the Scallop Trim border punch, and I am crazy about those tiny little jingle bells . You can stick them on with a Glue Dot if you’re in a rush, but for things that I want to last I use a little piece of beading wire. (I know, I get kind of goofy with stuff like that).

The best part about using gift bags is that they are re-usable! No more mountains of gift paper piled up and thrown away. It’s not such a small thing, you know – but even if it were, small gestures add up and become significant. Use a gift bag this year – and next year too!

A gift bag for — Super Saturday!

Posted on November 26, 2011 by mauistamper

I have to tell you the truth: I don’t shop after Thanksgiving. I am a Crowd Curmudgeon: detest crowds, detest pushing, detest waiting in line. Today I’ll be at my son’s Eagle Project taking photos, and if the stars line up, I’ll head out to Cheryl’s in the afternoon for some stampin’ fun. Shopping and giving are still on my list – just not today.

When I do shop, and have a gift to give, what better way to present it than in a hand-stamped gift bag?

Don’t you love this color combination? Crystal and I were looking for something that said holiday but was not the traditional red and green and we came up with Concord Crush and Pear Pizazz – with a little Gold, Suede and ~~Kraft~~ Crumb Cake on the side. And that Sounding Joy stamp set…oh my goodness! I have used it for so many projects and loved the results every time. It’s in the Holiday Mini catalog – do you have yours yet?

Gift Bags for Black Friday

Posted on November 25, 2011 by mauistamper

Have you started your gift shopping? Because I have a few little bags you can create for those special gifts:

This bag uses the Perfect Pennants Bigz die and it’s simple as can be – just tear a little chocolate trunk, embellish the edges with the Eyelet Border punch and some Dazzling Details, and add some shimmery ornaments and a Rhinestone Star at the top! The easiest way to put this together – and attach it to the bag – is with Stampin’ Up! Glue Dots. Honestly, they make assembly a breeze and with 300 on a roll you can fly through your projects!

That cheery little tag uses one of the two beautiful round die cuts from the same Bigz die. Santa’s smiling face is a single stamp available in the Holiday Mini Catalog – don’t wait too long to order that one! He’s all sparkled up too:

Lots of Dazzling Details and another Rhinestone Jewel give Santa some holiday bling!

Just a few more days of BIG BIG savings at my Online Store! I’m sending out hand-stamped goodies with every order, and I’m drawing for fun prizes too.

Giving thanks

Posted on November 24, 2011 by mauistamper

A pretty autumn-colored card for you today on this beautiful Thanksgiving morning:

Simply Soft Stamp set
Naturals White, Old Olive, More Mustard and Cajun Craze card stock
Old Olive and More Mustard Classic ink pads
Aquapainter
Champagne Mist shimmer paint
Dimensionals
Rhinestone Jewels

I made this card for my mom’s birthday. She’s a gardener and a good one, and I wanted her card to be full of flowers, so I put the message on the inside. I cut out a few of the blossoms and stuck them on little pieces of dimensionals – it wasn’t hard – I can hear some “no cutting” stampers groaning!

One of my favorite things to do is make a card FOR someone. Creating a design that suits the recipient and the occasion is part of the pleasure, but for me the best part is enjoying thinking of that “someone” while I’m making the card. I live apart from many people whom I love, so making something especially for them allows me to draw them near if only in my mind.

Today, as every day, I am grateful. My life is abundantly rich in beauty, comfort and the love of family and friends, and I make an effort to live with thanksgiving. I am very blessed, and I wish the same for you. Happy Thanksgiving Day.

One more Advent calendar

Posted on November 23, 2011 by mauistamper

Hello there, friends! I’ve missed chatting with you – it’s been a busy month stamping and sharing and being a wife, friend and mother! I’m happy to be back at the keyboard.

Almost a month ago I shared my first version of an Advent Calendar made with the 25 and Counting stamp set in the Holiday Mini catalog. I was inspired at convention back in July when I saw the version the creative team at Stampin’ Up! made, and Cheryl and I spent a couple of hours on the plane home trying to figure out all the products that were used and how much it would cost to re-create the project. The answer, to be precise, is 1) a lot and 2) a lot!!

Still, I was committed to the project and put together my version of the calendar. I even offered it as a class and the brave women who came assured me that they loved it, even though we spent over 5 hours and didn’t quite finish! Talk about the class that never ends! It was a lot of work, but I confess I’m really happy with the end result.

In addition to the Advent Calendar done as little envelopes, I created one using boxes put into a frame with velcro:

Do you like it? These are the boxes from the Bitty Boxes and Envelopes Bigz die, and they were the perfect size for the little date cards I designed. The challenge was that when you put 5 boxes in a row, they added up to 12 1/2 inches wide. AARGH!! I couldn’t find ANYTHING ready-made that would accomodate them, and I didn’t want to pay for a custom frame.

I was rummaging around my local craft store and stumbled upon canvas stretcher bars. They’re not designed to be frames, but in a pinch – well, they were the perfect solution! I used four 16 inch bars and it gave me just the right dimension. A piece of poster board attached to the back with Sticky Strip gave me a place to put my velcro dots. At the moment, the boxes are a little catty-wompus since we were taking them out and playing with them at a couple of recent classes. They’re plenty large enough for a treat or a message.

It was a lot of work, but well worth the effort.

CASE-ing Lisa Young

Posted on November 2, 2011 by mauistamper

One of my favorite paper craft artists is Lisa Young at Add Ink and Stamp. She has a true artist’s eye, and even more, she’s just a wonderful person! Her loving, gentle spirit radiate in her posts. Some day, I’m going to meet her “in the skin”!

Until then, I happily CASE her projects. I loved this Silver Tree Box she made, and I adapted it to be something of a blank canvas:

The tree is made from the Pennants on the new Perfect Pennants Bigz L die. Instead of using the Box #2 die, I made a small 2-4-6-8 box with my Simply Scored tool. I wanted it to look more like a tree trunk, so in subsequent boxes I put a little torn piece of Soft Suede card stock onto the box as a trunk. Dazzling Details provided the sparkle on the edges of the pennants, and the little ornaments are just circles cut with the Bitty Circle punch. A little white gel pen provides the impression of reflected light.

The decorating was the fun part. We made these in Hostess Club, and everyone made the same tree. I brought my scrap basket to the table though, and everyone rummaged through looking for bits and pieces. I wish I’d taken pictures of all those trees! They were as unique as the crafters who made them and I loved seeing the results. Actually, what I really enjoyed was watching everyone sort through those scraps of paper!

Downey said she was going to put pencils in hers, and I thought that was a great idea – a holiday themed pencil cup for my desk. I’m going to put some glass floral marbles – the flat ones – in the bottom of the box to keep it from tipping and voila! a festive desktop.

And…MARK YOUR CALENDARS…

There will be FREE downloads available at My Digital Studio November 4 to 7 – stay tuned!