Author Archives: mauistamper

A red-eyed bat

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You may have seen this on other blogs – it’s a shameless CASE but I love it:

Red eyed bat

What did we do before the Big Shot? (and if you don’t have one, you can have one for FREE when you purchase the Demonstrator kit in October)

We did an awful lot of measuring and scoring and back-to-the-drawing-boarding, that’s what!

This is the Petal Cone die, with the top flaps cut off and a pair of sides attached as wings.  Those wings got a little Spider Web treatment (anyone remember Classy Brass and the Light Box?  SOOO much faster!)  This silly fellow has Red Glimmer Paper eyes and Shimmer White fangs, and of course a little Champagne Mist shimmer paint on his wings.   So easy to make and so much fun – he’ll have company before Halloween gets here!

A fabulous Holiday Mini

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The Holiday Mini catalog had my head spinning when I saw it for the first time.  There are so many products that I can really use!  Our new 1 inch by 8 inch cello bags are a perfect example:

Owl Trick or Treats

Stamp, stamp, punch, punch, stick, stick and you are DONE!

The challenge is getting the candies into the bag and not into my mouth.  And if you’re wondering, that little masquerading owl is from the Warmest of Wishes Holiday Mini Hostess set.  Like I said…

Cobwebs in my hat

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My little ghosts and goblins are mostly grown up.  At 17, my son (the “baby”)  isn’t very interested in costumes or carving pumpkins, and I’ve had to re-think Halloween.   I’m not such a fan that I’ll go all-out Martha style, but I’m enjoying putting together something for the entry to my home.  Here’s a simple start:

 

Witch's hat

 

 

  • House of Haunts stamp set
  • Basic Black and Whisper White card stock
  • Pumpkin Pie textured card stock
  • Pumpkin Pie Classic ink pad
  • Blender pen and Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and Sponge Daubers
  • Big Shot and Petal Cone L and Scallop Circle Bigz dies
  • Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing folder
  • Decorative Label and XL Oval punches
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals, Sticky Strip and Mini Glue Dots
  • Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon

The hat is really simple – a petal cone assembled and inverted on a scallop circle.  I used a sponge dauber to highlight the Spider Web with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (an absolute MUST HAVE product).

If you purchase a demonstrator kit during the month of October, you’ll receive a Big Shot from Stampin’ Up! absolutely free!  Already have the Big Shot?  You can choose $100 worth of Stampin’ Up! product (think of all the dies you could get!) and pay nothing – not even tax or shipping!  Check out the details at my Online Store.

Using the right adhesive makes a huge difference.  Stampin’ Up! sells loads of different products and there is always one that is right for the job.  I use Sticky Strip whenever I assemble 3-D items to be sure they keep their shape, and I like to use Stampin’ Dimensionals to attach layers to cardstock that has gone through one of our Texutred Impressions Embossing folders.  Do you want to know the biggest secret for making this project stick together?  Assemble the Petal Cone die, being sure to Sticky Strip the flaps closed on the top of the cone.  Then use Mini Glue dots to attach the cone to the Scallop Circle.

If you do the math, you may be surprised to find that our adhesives are really cost effective.  Stampin’ Dimensionals are a penny apiece (ok, they’re 1 1/3 cents each if you want to be really technical) and Mini Glue dots are just under 2 cents each.  Once I sat down and figured that out I quit being so stingy with them – I use Mini Glue dots for everything now.  They’re REALLY sticky (just get one stuck to your fingernail and you’ll see what I mean!)

Why don’t you treat yourself to a fresh box of Mini Glue dots?  You deserve it.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset sail

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I’m sorry that this single sailboat stamp retired.  I love the image, and it lends itself to a lot of fun techniques.  There must be a few of you who bought it and are still looking for ways to use it, right?

Sunset sail

  • A Note of Thanks, Wonderfully Worn, Woodgrain (ret) and Sail Away (ret) stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Pear Pizazz and Not Quite Navy card stock
  • Pear Pizazz, Soft Suede and Not Quite Navy Classic ink pads
  • Not Quite Navy, Rich Razzleberry, Calypso Coral, More Mustard and So Saffron Classic ink pads (sunset)
  • Stampin’ Sponges
  • Big Shot and 3 inch circle Originals die

The sunset is just Stampin’ Sponges tapped on the Classic ink pad and dragged across the cardstock circle.  I stamped the sailboat image first, created my background, and then stamped the sailboat again on a scrap of Whisper White and cut out the sails.  It was easier to piece them than to try to mask them and keep them in place with all of that dragging!

Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder

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Have you used our colored embossing powder?

Warmest Wishes for Fall

  • Gently Falling and Warmest of Wishes (Hostess) stamp set
  • Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red and Pumpkin Pie card stock
  • More Mustard Textured card stock
  • More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Riding Hoot Red and Rich Razzleberry Classic ink pads
  • Versamark ink pad
  • More Mustard polka dot scallop ribbon
  • Cherry Cobbler Embossing powder
  • Embossing Buddy and Heat Tool
  • Aquapainter
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Aquapainter got dragged across the leaves to blur the lines and add just a hint of color.  And if you saw the Versamark pad I use to do my embossing you would be horrified – it’s almost a charcoal grey color, it’s so dirty.  I only use it for colored embossing – I have a pretty, clean, “virgin” Versamark pad for Versamarkin’.  Don’t you?

 

 

A special card for a special couple

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We have some dear friends who were married this month, and they needed a special card:

Brooke and Jeff

  • Sweetly Said and Creative Elements stamp sets
  • Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush, Pear Pizazz, Shimmer White and Whisper White card stock
  • Wisteria Wonder and Concord Crush Classic ink pads
  • Blossom Builder and XL 2 Step Bird punches
  • Big Shot and Fun Flowers L die
  • Stampin’ Sponges
  • Vanilla Smooch Spritz
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer paint mixed with rubbing alcohol in a spray mist bottle
  • A retired brad (oops, my bad)
  • Mini Glue dots and Tombo the wonder adhesive

I love making these flowers (I know – surprise, surprise).  But they really add something special to a project!  They’re a leeeetle bit tricky to get into an envelope, but I’ve even mailed them using a larger padded envelope (#116911, #2.95 for 3).  This was a hand-delivered card, so I put it in a Medium envelope and gently closed the flap.

I really love that Creative Elements stamp set too.  It always seems to supply the right image when I’m looking for something…you know, that kind of looking when you don’t know WHAT you’re looking for but you know you’ll recognize it when you find it?  That kind of looking.

The paper in this flower has been mashed into a completely new substance.  It almost feels like raw silk when I’m done mashing it.  Once I get it like that, I mist it with the Champagne Spray until it’s pretty damp, then shape it and set it aside to dry.  When it’s dry, it stiffens up a bit and holds its shape.  I don’t know how that works, I just know it happens.

 

My Paper Garden

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Look what’s growing in my garden:

Spice Cake Flowers

Easy, too – Spice Cake Designer Series paper, buttons, ribbon, twine – and of course my Simply Scored!

Here are a few tricks:

  • Score the paper every 1/4 inch.  I’ve tried scoring every half inch on one side, then flipping it over to score in the middle of each half inch on the other side (that creates every 1/4 inch alternating mountain and valley), but in my opininon it’s not worth the trouble.
  • Cardstock is harder to fan fold than Designer Series paper, so practice with the DSP – just be sure not to press so hard that you tear instead of score
  • Your paper doesn’t have to be tall – maybe 1 or 1 1/2 inches – but longer is better.  If it’s too short, when you try to fold the fan around to make a circle the top edge has to stretch too much and it will “lampshade” on you.  Mine are two pieces (8 1/2 inches) each stuck together with Sticky Strip.
  • To get a secure fan, I use my piercing tool and mat after I have scored to pierce a hole in the center of EACH panel at the bottom edge of the strip.   Then I use a big needle threaded with Linen Thread and stitch through the holes.  I leave the holes on either end for the last step:  when all the other holes are threaded, I attach the two ends of the paper strip with Sticky Strip and thread the Linen Thread through that last hole.  Then I can cinch up the fan and tie it off.

I know, I know, it sounds complicated.  The first one feels complicated.  After that, they are mindless.  Trust me.  I have a basket with pieces of these fan-fold flowers in varying states of completion, and when I have a couple of minutes I’ll work on them.  They are a perfect finishing touch!

Un-marked cards

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Are you sick of Spice Cake yet?

A Spice Cake Rosette

How could you be?  Honestly…

This is a very simple card that will go into my stash of “un-marked cards”.  It’s nice to have a few cards without any sentiment for that moment when you realize you need a special card and NOW.  I’m sure I’m the only disorganized person out there.  I think Stampin’ Up! made a “Happy Belated Birthday” stamp just for me.

Did you want to see the whole thing?  There really isn’t much more to it:

Spice Cake Rosette

  • Pear Pizazz, Pool Party and Early Espresso card stock
  • Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
  • Simply Scored
  • In Color Designer Printed Brads
  • Big Shot and Floral Fusion Sizzlet

It really IS very simple!

Grateful for Spice Cake

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I need more Spice Cake Designer Series paper already – my package is just about used up:

Spice Cake celebrate gratitude

  • Fabulous Phrases and Gently Falling stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Pool Party and Early Espresso card stock
  • Spice Cake Designer Series paper
  • More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
  • Big Shot and a retired Sizzlet – you could use Floral Fusion
  • In Color Designer Printed brads
  • Stampin’ Sponges
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig

This paper and these colors are my absolute fall favorites!  I’ve never been a big fan of More Mustard but I am now reformed, and even though Cajun Craze doesn’t appear (officially anyway) in the paper, I think it’s a great addition.  I’ve been really inspired by these colors and I love the patterns in the paper.

Here is the truth about the banner:  it took me multiple attempts to get those words lined up JUST the way I wanted them.  The first couple of attempts I made without the Stamp-a-ma-jig, and clearly I was operating under some sort of fantasy there.  Once I pulled out the SAMJ my words lined up just the way I wanted them.  Duh.

Spice Cake Celebrate Gratitude up close

Gratitude is an attribute I am constantly seeking.  It seems that no matter how well things are going, I can find something to complain about (and yes, it often involves people who have the nerve to be driving at the same time I want to be driving on MY ROAD –  and this would refer to any road on which I am currently traveling.)   The sentiment to “Celebrate Gratitude” could be my theme song.

Time for a little bit of singing.

 

 

The 2-4-6-8 box: An old friend made easier with Simply Scored

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Simply Scored makes short work of that old stand-by, the 2-4-6-8 box:

Spice Cake 2-4-6-8 box

  • Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
  • Pool Party, Pear Pizazz, More Mustard and Early Espresso card stock
  • Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
  • Spice Cake Designer Buttons
  • Pear Pizazz Classic ink pad
  • Simply Scored
  • Medium Jewelry tag punch
  • Hemp twine
  • Dazzling Diamonds

Those are some humangajangous buttons!!  I’m going to set up my neglected sewing machine and have some fun with buttons and fabric – it’s been a long time since I’ve done any real sewing.  (We’ll see how far that goes!)

Like my crazy haircut fringe?  I’m not sure what posessed me to do that but it was fun.  I just scored a strip of cardstock so that each side would be 1/8 inch shorter than the corresponding Pool Party side.  Then I snipped that goofy fringe and used SNAIL to stick it to the inside of the box.

Spice Cake Box from the top

The 2-4-6-8 box is a simple concept and easy to adapt.  The basic concept is to score a piece of cardstock across the 8 1/2 inch dimension at 2, 4, 6, and 8 inches.  That gives you 4 panels each 2 inches wide and a little tab that’s 1/2 inch wide.  Turn your paper 90 degrees and score 1 to 2 inches from the bottom, snip and fold up the bottom, and you’ve got a simple open-top box.  If you turn your cardstock to the 11 inch direction, you can easily adapt the box to a rectangle.  For example, score at 2, 5, 7 and 10 and trim the last inch to a half inch and you’ve got a 2 inch by 3 inch box.  Clear as mud?  Try it, you’ll see how easy it is.  Or Google 2-4-8 box as there are loads of tutorials out there.  I’m not into re-inventing the wheel by documenting a technique someone else has already covered!

Needless to say, the Simply Scored tool makes this project super simple.  I’m finding myself reaching for it more and more, and I can’t imagine how I lived without it.  It’s like the Big Shot that way – once you’ve used it, you can’t imagine using anything else!