25 Years with Stampin’ Up: Best of Birthdays

What a fabulous start to the 25 Years of Stampin’ Up! celebration!  This Best of Birthdays set ($14.95!!)  is a great selection of birthday images and I immediately saw the potential for favors:

Maui Stamper Best of Birthdays Anniversary Blog TourOf course, this is a Stampin’ Up! birthday, so the favors have to be Stampin’ Up! favors!  And the Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper (DSP) is such a great bundle of designs and colors that I knew it would be a perfect choice for birthday fun.

Maui Stamper Best of Birthdays Anniversary Blog TourHow about a rosette for your birthday cake – or your cupcakes – or your centerpieces – or your flowers?  This rosette was a snap with the Designer Rosette Bigz XL die.  I cut the DSP about 1 1/2 inches wide and used two 12 inch strips.  A little Tombo (the Wonder Adhesive) attached the ends into a circle, and some hot glue on our Silicon Craft sheet secured the rosette quickly and easily.

The images are embossed in White and Tangerine Tango for an extra pop, and those curly ribbons are from the Sale-a-bration Sycamore Street ribbon and button bundle.  I’ve tried curling our ribbon before with limited luck, but I had an idea this time:  I wrapped the ribbon around a skewer and taped it down (and by the way, I consider a fistful of skewers an essential tool on my craft desk).  Then I spritzed it with a little hair spray – yep! – and gave it a shot with my heat tool.  I let it cool down and success!!  I had curls 🙂

Maui Stamper Best of Birthdays Anniversary Blog TourI love the Petite Pocket die for favors.  It’s a fun size and shape for anything from pencils and crayons to Pixie Stix or even Stampin’ Spritzers!  This image is also embossed to make it easier to color with markers – I’m a messy, outside-the-lines artist.  A few quick accents and these little pockets are done – with our beautiful, two-sided DSP this is an easy project to mass produce.

Maui Stamper Best of Birthdays Anniversary Blog TourAnd here’s my current favorite favor – the Petal Cone die!  It just takes one die cut folded over on itself to make this cute ice cream cone shape, and then a pair of fun DSP scalloped half-circles (also on the die) to dress up that cone.  Our super-soft seam binding is supple enough to thread through the buttonholes, so that button is tied right onto the favor.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this stop on the tour!  There’s much much more to come – skedalddle on over to see what Robin Merriman at http://www.TrinityDesignStudio.com has created or click on the link below to send you over.  And check back next month for the Best of Love 25th Anniversary Blog tour!

Maui Stamper Best of Birthdays Anniversary Blog Tour

Rows and rows and rows….

If it hadn’t been for my girlfriends this would have never happened:

Maui Stamper Wedding FavorsHave you ever made one of those little paper rosettes?  You stack 6 or so scallop circles, push a brad through the middle to hold them together, dampen the paper and then scrunch, scrunch, scrunch.

It took a LOT of loving hands to make all of those rosettes!

Maui Stamper Wedding Favor MakersRobbie, Peggy, Cheryl and Crystal literally saved my life – and my fingers – and we had a wonderful time doing it (ok, mostly – it was a little bit insane).  Once the rosettes were made it was pretty simple:  a doily from the Petite Pennants Bigz die, a flower trimmed from the 5/8 inch Flower Trim, some Pear Pizazz Seam Binding (a Clearance Rack SCORE!), Hemp Twine (also from the Rack) and Linen Thread.

Maui Stamper Wedding FavorsI made the tags a couple of days later, although Crystal was the one who designed them so that I could print them on my printer and then punch them out.

These favor jars were filled with an amazing seasoning salt made here on Maui by a dear, wonderful woman named Iris Nitta.  Carol knew her from her Baldwin High School days, and when Carol graduated from college she worked on Maui with Iris’s son-in-law for a while.  He brought the season salt to his co-workers as a Christmas gift that year, and when it was time to find something for the favors Carol knew exactly what she wanted.  Iris made up a special batch for us and for a few days my car – and my house – smelled divinely as nearly 40 pounds of salt waited to be put into jars!  All the loving hands that participated in this wedding made every aspect so special.

I’m really glad Carol and Clarence decided to keep the guest list under 100 guests.

Memories and messages from the guests

My daughter’s wedding was a very personal event.  She and Clarence had many choices to make, but each of them had a very personal touch.   They were looking for a different sort of guest book – not the traditional “sign your name” variety.  Since everything had to go back to Australia (boo!) after the wedding, we didn’t think one of those big photo mats would work.  I came up with the idea to encourage each guest to write a little “love note” to the bride and groom, and of course they couldn’t write those notes on scratch paper:

Maui Stamper Wedding Guest BookOnce again the fabulous Needlepoint Border TIEF added just the right touch!

Maui Stamper Wedding Guest Book

I used stamps from the Summer Silhouette, Loving Thoughts, and Everything Eleanor stamp sets to embellish the cards.  One was at each place setting along with a sign designed by Crystal:

Maui Stamper MDS Wedding Memories Table Sign

These signs were printed 3×5 inches on Very Vanilla card stock and were put on small table tents, two per table.  The guests drew, told stories, gave advice, and created a wonderful reminder for the bride and groom.  I didn’t get a photo before they left, but when all the cards were gathered together I created a front and back cover and made a book to hold all these wonderful messages.

A special wedding welcome

My daughter Carol and her husband Clarence wanted to be sure every guest at their wedding felt welcomed, and they wanted that welcome to be very personal.  They decided to give each guest a lei greeting and take a photo with them.  We set up a table for the lei:

MauiStamper wedding pennantsOne thing I have to make clear before I go any further is that when I say “we” I mean Crystal.  Honestly, if you are planning a wedding you need a lot of friends to help!  Crystal has a great designer’s eye, and she offered to set up decorations at the reception site while I was being MOTB.  We did lots of pennants – sorry to say I don’t have photos of all of them.  The bird cage (courtesy of Cheryl) was to hold cards and our idea of a guest book.  Wish I had another photo of those goofy birds at the foot of the birdcage – they were hilarious – and 75% off after-Christmas clearance!

Maui Stamper Birdcage Pennants

The pennants were cut from the Perfect Pennants Bigz die and embellished wtih the new Needlepoint Border TIEF from the Spring catalog.  I also used the fabulous new 5/8 inch flower trim from that Spring catalog – THANK YOU STAMPIN’ UP!, your timing was impeccable!!  And if you are wondering about the color scheme, we used Blushing Bride and Pear Pizazz – both retired In Colors from 2010-2012.  Again, Stampin’ Up! had incredible timing as these two colors of cardstock (and a number of related accessories) hit the Clearance Rack just when I needed them!  I had been hoarding bits and pieces, but with all the paper I bought I was able to do anything I wanted!

Check in later this week – I have more photos for you to enjoy!  It was such fun to create these small touches for my daughter’s wedding day.

A RemARKably Curious Day

Welcome to the Collage Curios RemARKable Stamp of the Month tour!   Whether you’re just beginning the tour here with the Maui Stamper or have been halfway across the USA with our many talented paper artists, I hope you’ll enjoy yourself today.  Those of you in New England deserve a blog tour after strugging through all the weather that has come your way this weekend!

The Collage Curios set is made up of primarily small images, and my first inclination would be to go small – 3×3 cards, milk carton favor boxes, or even jewelry crossed my mind.  The more I thought about it, the more I felt challenged to make a card that would still spotlight those small images but somehow find a balance.  Tell me what you think:

Maui Stamper Collage Curios RemARKable Blog TourDO YOU GET IT?  There’s a little joke here…

  • Collage Curios and Delightful Dozen stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Primrose Petals card stock
  • Crumb Cake and Primrose Petals FFIP (Firm Foam Ink Pads)
  • Dazzling Details
  • 1 inch circle and 7/8 inch scallop circle punches
  • Big Shot, Delicate Designs TIEF and Delicate Doilies Sizzlet
  • Primrose Petals 3/8 inch stitched satin ribbon
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals and Sponge

I love that little bee…my Valentine…

Maui Stamper Collage Curios RemARKable Blog TourI couldn’t stop at just one card!

Maui Stamper Collage Curios RemARKable Blog Tour

  • Collage Curios and Petite Pairs stamp sets
  • Calypso Coral and Chocolate Chip FFIP
  • Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake card stock
  • Chocolate Chip and Calypso Coral Stampin’ Write Markers
  • Linen Thread
  • 1 inch circle punch
  • New distressing tool!
  • Color Spritzer
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Stampin’ Sponge
  • Dazzling Details
  • Rhinestone Jewels

You know, I kept going with that “More is More” kinda thing here.  The little hot air balloons just naturally floated across the page, but then the Color Spritzer wanted in, and the Crumb Cake card base wanted a little bit of spongin’ texture, and before I knew it there were jewels and Dazzling Details and we were off to the races!  Kinda fun, though…

Maui Stamper Collage Curios RemARKable Blog Tour

Now float on over to Robin Merriman’s Trinity Design Studios and see what she has come up with….she’s a talented stamper and I’m sure you’ll love wht she has done!  Don’t forget to leave a little blog love (comments) as you do – all of these hard-working bloggers will thank you!

RemARKable Stamp of the Month February

Memories to last a lifetime

ScottDrexler Photography“There’s no such thing as the perfect picture…just the perfect moment.”

That’s a quote from Scott Drexler, the enormously talented photographer who captured many perfect moments for our family last weekend.  We spent the week before the wedding celebrating with family and friends who arrived from near and far.  Saturday was a gorgeous Maui day, and our hearts were full to bursting with love as Carol and Clarence celebrated their commitment to one another.

ScottDrexler Photography

The tables at the reception were perfect with gorgeous arrangements by Teresa Sena and a few hand-made touches by MOTB (Mother of the Bride).

ScottDrexler PhotographyThere’s a story behind those favors, and I promise to tell it in the next week or so 🙂

This weekend is the RemARKable Stamper’s Stamp of the Month Blog tour, so it’s back to Stampin’ Business!!   Be sure to stop by on Sunday to see an abundance of creations with the Collage Curios stamp set, and then check in next week for more wedding details!

RemARKable Stamp of the Month February

Hello, February!

This is the month everyone in my family has been waiting for!!  Not just Valentines’ Day, but a wedding day.  I’ll be floating all month…

Maui Stamper February 2013 calendar

  • Whisper White, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Pool Party, and Wisteria Wonder card stock
  • Red Glimmer Paper (I hope you stocked up!!)
  • Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Pool Party, and Wisteria Wonder Bakers Twine
  • Itty Bitty punch pack

This would make a sweet card – matter of fact, it did.  I CASEd it from Heather Summers. and you have NO IDEA HOW PROUD I AM that I can link back to this card.  Don’t thank me, thank Pinterest.

 

Pool Party Favor

Love the colors in the More Amore Designer Series paper.  I have a hard time loving a lot of pink and red, although I like each color on its own well enough.  Add in some Pool Party and I am a happy stamper!

Maui Stamper More Amore Petal Cone Valentine

  • Love Single Stamp (retired)
  • Pool Party, Whisper White and Real Red card stock
  • More Amore DSP
  • Real Red FFIP
  • Full Heart Punch
  • Petal Cone Bigz die and Big Shot
  • Sticky Strip
  • Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon
  • Valentine Candy 🙂

Of course you could substitute something else for the Valentine candy, but why would you want to do that??

This is just one section of the Petal Cone die, folded in half and secured with Sticky Strip.  When you NEED it to stay put, Sticky Strip is your adhesive!  The scallop half circle is cut from More Amore and attached to the top of the Petal, and another Petal is cut from the same More Amore sheet but used in reverse below the opening.  Super fast – you could make a classroom full of these in no time!

Pool Party Valentines

My first run through the Spring catalog was not exactly inspiring.  I’m not sure what I was looking for or expecting, but whatever it was I didn’t see it.  All my other demo friends were excited as can be and I was just kinda meh.

But of course I placed a pre-order and hoped for the best.  The box arrived and I opened it and something happened.  The things in the box were so much better than their pictures!!  I take it all back!!!  I am an Official Spring Catalog Fan.  And as such, I have been busy creating:

Maui Stamper More Amore Valentine

  • Delightful Dozen stamp set (annual catalog)
  • Pool Party card stock
  • Primrose Pink Core’dinations card stock (Spring catalog)
  • More Amore DSP (Spring catalog)
  • Primrose Pink FFIP
  • Finishing Touches Edgelit
  • Hearts Collection Framelits
  • Needlepoint Border TIEF (Spring catalog)
  • Big Shot (well, duh!)
  • Stampin’ Sanding System

Those little peek-a-boo hearts are easy to achieve – just place a couple of Heart Framelits on your card front and run it through the Big Shot.  Cut a piece of DSP – I used More Amore from the Spring Catalog – to 4 x 5 1/4 inches – just a hair smaller than your card front.  Adhere it to the inside of the card and the DSP shows through the openings.  Even better, you’ve got the reverse of the DSP as relief on the inside of the card.

The DSP also covers up the line where that strip of Embossed and trimmed Core’dinations is attached to the front of the card on the inside edge.  I trimmed off 3/8 inch from the front of the card to make space for that trimmed piece.

We made these last week at Hostess Club.  There’s a sweet little favor that matches, so tune in later this week to see it.  There’s also a very special event coming soon in my family, and I’ll have some fun things to share from that too.  I can’t wait to show you!!

 

 

Petite messages on a line

Sale-a-bration BEGINS TODAY!!!!!   And I am so loving these Sale-a-bration 2013 goodies!!

Maui Stamper Pretty Petites SAB Birthday

  • Pretty Petites SAB and Wacky Wishes stamp sets
  • Tangerine Tango, Pool Party and Island Indigo FFIP
  • Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Pool Party and Island Indigo card stock
  • Sycamore Street DSP SAB
  • Petite Curly Label Punch SAB
  • Big Shot and Labels Collection Framelits
  • Festive Paper Piercing Pack
  • Piercing Tool (aka pokey doodle) and mat
  • Rhinestone jewels
  • Island Indigo Bakers twine
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

This card is substantially CASEd from a talented stamper and I PROMISE I made a note of the image but it has evaporated!!  I pinned it!  I know I did!  The pinner’s black hole must have eaten it up.  I changed the background dsp and a few other minor elements, but this design belongs to someone else.

And isn’t it cute?  If you tweaked the colors a little more it would be an excellent man-card, but I think it’s reasonably gender-neutral as it is.  When you put it together, poke a small hole on the right side of the DSP and thread the Bakers Twine through without cutting it off.  Tie a bow, then drape the long tail across the card front and secure it.  Your sentiment will cover that end, and your Petite Curly Label punches can go on dimensionals right over it.

Maui Stamper Pretty Petites SABNow go make a card – any card!!