Author Archives: mauistamper

Adding Texture with Embossing Folders

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I was a little late jumping on the Big Shot Textured Impressions Embossing Folders bandwagon.  My “gonna be hot” intuition isn’t especially well-tuned and I actually get it wrong quite often.  I’ll see something – of course, it’s going to be something that I absolutely love – and I’ll be convinced that the rest of the world (read here “My Customers”) will be crazy about it.  Case in point:  there was a hostess set a couple of years ago with a gorgeous rooster.  The less said about that stamp set, the better.

So where was I?  Ah yes…Embossing Folders.  I wasn’t quite sure if I would use them.   (Sorry, did you just snort your morning coffee all over your monitor?  Yeah, me too.)  I should hasten to add that once I got my hands on those folders I quickly realized the error of my ways.    But last fall when the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder came out in the Holiday Mini I didn’t buy it.   I did borrow it from my upline, and I ran a bunch of quarter sheets through my Big Shot in holiday colors.  Let’s define “a bunch” as WAY more than I needed, ok?  So when I saw a project this fall that would use multiple quarter sheets, you can bet I paid attention:

Santa and the Kleenex

  • Jolly Old St Nick and Peaceful Season stamp sets
  • Real Red and Whisper White card stock
  • Basic Black, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive and Always Artichoke Classic ink pads
  • Real Red Stampin’ Write marker; Stampin’ Sponges
  • Blushing Bride ink refill and an Aquapainter;  Gold ink
  • Real Red satin ribbon; Linen thread; Deck the Halls Buttons
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals and Sticky Strip

There’s a great tutorial for this project at Splitcoaststampers and it was very easy to follow.  I want to point out that when I say Kleenex box, that is what I mean:  this is the genuine article, not Brand X.  The tutorial dimensions are for a Kleenex brand box, so if you use another brand be sure to check your dimensions.  And pay attention when the instructions tell you to sponge the edges of the box and across the embossing – it matters.

Here’s the top:

 

The top of the Santa Tissue box

Just imagine how dull this would be without all of that Textured Impressions Embossing.  What WAS I thinking??

Getting ready for Trick or Treat

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I’ve got a little more Halloween fun to share, but it isn’t actually mine.  I’m really more about the chocolate than the decorations when it comes to Halloween, but fortunately Kellie has been busy with her Wicked Cool stamps and paper!!

Spooky Box

Who would have thought that PURPLE (ok, ok, Rich Razzleberry, but it’s purple already!) would work so well as a Halloween color?  Go figure!

Wanna see what’s inside?

Spooky Box open

Kellie stamped her images on tissue paper, put them in place on the tea lights, then used her heat tool to melt the wax over the tissue.  Wicked cool, wouldn’t you say?  And please notice that she stamped those psycho little bats along the side of the box too – that girl thinks of everything!

For the finishing touch, how about a card that says it all:

Wicked Hat

If this doesn’t say Wicked Witch of the West to you, well then I don’t know what would!  I’m not going to attempt a product list because I would surely make a mess of it, but Kellie did point out something very clever.  She doesn’t have the biggest scallop circle, so she punched two XL Fancy Flowers and offset them behind the witches feet.  Absolutely brilliant!

Thanks, Kellie, for the inspiration.

 

Yellow and Black

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One of my favorite color combinations isn’t really a color combination at all.  I love black and white paired with a bold color, and the other day I decided to pair it with yellow.

Black and White and Yellow All Over

  • Silhouette Sentiments (Level I Hostess) stamp set
  • Basic Black Classic ink pad; Blender pen; Real Red Stampin’ Write marker
  • Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black and Daffodil Delight card stock
  • Black Lace trim; 1/8 inch Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon
  • Big Shot and Vintage Wallpaper Textured Embossing folder
  • Basic Pearls
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

I didn’t intend to include red when I began this card, but it just fell into place as I was putting things together.  I like the way the black lace trim looks like a skirt  under the skinny Daffodil ribbon – I’m finding a lot of use for that skinny ribbon.  I need more colors – I only have 3 of them.  (I know.  What a whiner.)

I won’t put a sentiment on this card until I’m ready to send it.  I like having a few “ace in the hole” cards like this.

Kangaroo Boo

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I have a soft spot in my heart for the Build-a-roo stamp set.  To be honest, that spot encompasses all things Australian since my daughter moved there in February.  She and her boyfriend were with us for almost three glorious weeks recently, and I loved every moment of it.  I’m missing them both:

a Jack-o-roo

  • Build-a-Roo, All Holidays, Vintage Vogue and Sock Monkey Accessories stamp sets
  • Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla card stock
  • Early Espresso, Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie classic ink pads
  • Jumbo brad, Crop-a-dile and Aquapainter
  • 1 1/4 inch Old Olive striped grosgrain ribbon
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig

Kind of a silly card, isn’t it?

Tags for your packages

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I was on a roll with these tags…if I’d had more time I would have kept on going.  They’re generously sized for tags so you can put a mushy note on them to make your teenaged son roll his eyes.  Since I gave all of these away for the Water for People auction, I’ll have to make some more for my family to use later on.  (Famous last words.  I am so last minute it’s embarassing.)

Treats of the Season tag

Sweet Season and Snow Swirled stamp sets, Riding Hood Red and Always Artichoke classic ink pads, Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red and Always Artichoke card stock, Scallop Circle, 1 1/4 inch and 1 3/8 inch circle punches, and retired Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon.

These tags have are stamped with “To” and “From” on the back and they are perfect to hang from the lid of a jar or around a package of home made goodies for the holidays.

I also did a set of tags with non-traditional Christmas colors.  Since I crossed over to the retired product side anyway, I decided I might as well break out the Bermuda Bay.  You know, I love being a demonstrator, and I am thrilled with our new Color Renovation, but it is really difficult for me to let go of certain things.  Riding Hood Red ribbon is definitely in that category.  So are Bermuda Bay and Soft Sky.  Sigh.

Tags for Christmas snowman

Tags for Christmas stamp set, Bermuda Bay and Rich Razzleberry Classic ink pad, Wisper White and Rich Razzleberry card stock, Rich Razzleberry Stampin’ Write marker, 1 3/4 inch circle and 2 3/8 inch scallop circle punches, Vanilla Shinmmer Smooch Spritz, and retired Bermuda Bay ribbon.

 

A whole row of Snowman tags

Don’t they look cute all lined up?  There’s something about seeing them together that makes me want to smile.  Yeah, I know.  Dork.

Where HAS that Maui Stamper been?

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Oh, but it’s been a busy couple of weeks.  It’s a long and complicated story, but the condensed version is that at the end of September we flew to Northern California to celebrate a very special 85th surprise birthday party for my husband’s aunt .  We came home for a few days and then turned around and flew back to the Bay Area for a week split between SanFrancisco and the Northern Sonoma Coast.  It was a wonderful time – the birthday party was really a family reunion of sorts, and best of all, I had all of my kids together.  My middle daughter was able to fly in from Boston – thank you, United Mileage Plus – and my oldest daughter and her boyfriend came in from Perth.  YES!!  It was a whirlwind of huggin’, kissin’ and eatin’ for 3 crazy days, but it was worth everything it took to share that time together.  Even my mom and dad were able to drive up from Santa Barbara to be with us.   Needless to say, Ray’s aunt was VERY surprised.  Our second California week was all about fun and relaxation, sight-seeing in San Francisco, reading books and hiking on the Sonoma Coast, and of course eating and drinking lots of good food.  Our Aussies have become excellent cooks and I was delighted to turn over the hot mitt and let them be in charge.

Mr and Mrs Maui Stamper

Such fun and adventure has a price, of course, and I came home to mountains of laundry and mail in addition to the regular routine.  I think I’m through the worst of it and hope things will feel normal again soon, although you might be hard-pressed to define normal in my world.

One of my immediate projects this week was to make some tags for a silent auction to raise money for Water for People.  This organization works on many levels to bring safe, clean water to under-developed communities throughout the world.  My tags were packaged in sets of 5 and I gave myself permission to pull out a few retired products to put them togethre.  To my immense delight, some of those retired products are now available on the Clearance Rack at FABULOUS prices, so if you haven’t taken a look, wait no longer – for example, that gorgeous striped Riding Hood Red ribbon is now $1.99!!  The Clearance Rack blitz will end on October 18, and supplies are limited.

Now, how about some tags:

Peaceful Season tags

Peaceful Season stamp set, Old Olive and Riding Hood Red ink, Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake cardstock, Smooch Spritz, Champagne Mist Shimmer paint, Riding Hood Red grosgrain, Linen thread, and a retired button.

Peaceful Season tags

 

This post is getting long, so I’ll share one more set of tags today and leave the rest for tomorrow.  Shoot, you all know the truth – I’m not all that organized yet and I need to get hustling!

Do Not Open Til Christmas tag

Cute, eh?  This polka dotted ribbon is also $1.99.  I bought a bunch to use on Christmas packages – at that price, you can’t beat it!  Here’s the set of tags:

More Do Not Open tags

Tags til Christmas and Snow Swirled stamp sets, Real Red and Garden Green Classic ink pads, Whisper White card stock, Ornament Punch, Gold Brad, and Real Red polka dot ribbon.

Hurry on over to that Online Store and be sure you select me as your demonstrator – orders through demonstrators get preferred pricing and shipping! 

 

 

Kellie’s Halloween Treats

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Kellie was here this week and shared these fabulous Halloween treat holders.  She told me that she made over 30 of them with her mom and her daughter for her daughter to share at school, and they had a great time together.  Her mom commented that the 9 year old recipients might not appreciate all the time and effort that went into the making, but her daughter responded   “But I’m having a GREAT time!!”  Doesn’t that make your heart melt?

Kellie's Halloween Treats

  • Wicked Cool Stamp set
  • Basic Black Classic ink pad; Whisper White Craft ink pad
  • Basic Black, Whisper White and Pumpkin Pie card stock
  • Wicked Fun Specialty paper
  • Circle and Scallop Circle punches
  • XL Two Step Owl punch
  • Big Shot and Candy Wrapper Bigz die

I don’t have the exact list of supplies from Kellie, so I’m improvising here.  My photo barely picks up the cob webs running along the side of the black cardstock but they are the perfect touch.

Do you recognize the ghost?  Kellie saw it on Stampers’ Showcase, the Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator creative sharing site.  It’s the XL Two Step owl, standing on his head with his feet cut off.  Doesn’t that crack you up?  I guess I’m easily entertained, but it gives me the giggles.

So what’s keeping you from making a few treat holders – and some memories – with your family??

A morning without coffee…

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…would be a total disaster!  I love my java.  When I travel, I’ve been known to take my own beans along.  My dear Sister-in-Law (she who revealed Kara’s Cupcakes) made sure I had a fresh bag of The Major when we arrived in Santa Clara recently.  That woman is amazing…I wouldn’t have made it through the weekend (fabulous as it was) without her culinary oversight.

A really rough morning might look like this:

Mambo Morning Cup

  • Morning Cup stamp set
  • Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Old Olive and Whisper White card stock
  • Pacific Point Classic ink pad; Staz-on Black ink pad
  • Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango and Rich Razzleberry Classic ink refills
  • Aquapainter
  • Brights Designer Button collection
  • Corner Rounder punch
  • Linen Thread

Honestly, if I drank that many cups of coffee I would be seeing in Technicolor like this all day.  But mercy, would I be cranking through the old To-Do list!!  When I’m at home, I usually have a double cappucino to start the morning.  Most days, that’s enough to keep me powered up, but if I have to drive in the afternoon or I just get the Threesies Nods I’ll make a second cup.  No caffeine after 4pm though – I can usually get to sleep if I drink coffee in the late afternoon or evening, but I’ll wake up around Oh-Dark-Thirty and won’t be able to get back to sleep.  A girl’s gotta know her limits.

Crazy for Cupcakes

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Is it any wonder that cupcakes are so trendy?  They’re just the right size to fit in the palm of your hand and can generally be eaten in just a few bites.  We were in Santa Clara a short time ago celebrating a very special family birthday, and my fabulous Sister-in-Law introduced me to Kara’s Cupcakes at Santana Row.  It’s a good thing I live 2500 miles away – I’m a Weight Watchers® leader, for goodness sake!  I can’t recommend the Coconut cupcakes.   Or the Chocolate Velvet cupcakes.  And whatever you do, avoid the  Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Ganache cupcakes at all costs.  I warned you.

Phew.  OK.  Let’s get to the card:

CUPCAKES!

  • Crazy for Cupcakes, On a Pedestal and All Holidays stamp sets
  • Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turquoise, and Whisper White card stock
  • Play Date Designer Series Paper
  • Tempting Turquoise and Wild Wasabi Classic ink pads
  • Wild Wasabi and So Saffron Stampin’ Write markers
  • So Saffron 5/8 inch grosgrain ribbon (retired)
  • Scallop Edge punch
  • Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Embossing Folder

Clearly I have cupcakes on the brain.  Sara, can you get home this weekend to bake a batch?  (I know, I know, I just need to send you the ticket.  Sigh.)  I pieced the cupcake paper to match the layer behind the focal point.  It’s really simple with this set – just stamp the cupcake on your DSP and trim out the part of the image that you want.

This looks good and contains no calories.  I should be happy.  Yes, I should.

Soothing Sahara Sand

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Sometimes you need a card that is soothing.  Your message is simple and subdued, and your colors and images need to fit the same criteria:

Soothing Elements of Style

  • Elements of Style and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Soft Suede and Sahara Sand card stock
  • Soft Suede Classic ink pad
  • Oval and Small Oval punches
  • 3/8 inch Vanilla Taffeta ribbon
  • Basic Pearl Jewels
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

Although this card didn’t start out to be this understated I’m happy with it all the same.  As a matter of fact, if I’d set out to create a card that looked like this I’m not sure I would have been able to accomplish that task.

The ribbon embellishment is a pair of 1 1/2 inch pieces that are loosely hand stitched along one edge and gathered slightly.  The ends are drawn together and I’ve tied a knot to hold each short piece in a rough semicircle.  They’re attached to the back of the oval with a bit of SNAIL and a second Soft Suede oval is adhered over the first, sandwiching the ribbons in place so they’ll be secure.  The completed embellishment is attached to the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Sahara Sand is an under-appreciated color in our palette.  I need to remember to choose it more often.