Author Archives: mauistamper

Stamping and other wonderful things

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There’s a group of stampers that meets at my house once a month…well, we call ourselves a stamping group and we definitely do stamp, but we also have a very good time.  We are a really diverse group but the things we all share are a love of crafting and a love of people.  There’s always a little teasing, a little story-telling, and a lot of laughing.   We met last night and here’s one of the cards we made:

Vintage Vogue Gate fold card

  • Vintage Vogue stamp set
  • Very Vanilla, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie and Early Espresso card stock
  • Real Red, Pumpkin Pie and Early Espresso Classic Ink pads and Stampin’ Write markers
  • Real Red 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon, Rhinestone Jewels, Blender pen and Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Big Shot and Top Note Bigz die

This card is really simple to make and a nice change of pace from a standard card.  Use a  quarter sheet of cardstock for the base and layer on  a piece of cardstock that measures 1/4″ less in both length and width.  Before you attach the two pieces together, insert the two flaps one on each side between  the layers and you’ve got the basic idea.

I didn’t include it in the list of supplies, but the Espresso circle in the center of the Real Red flower is an Owlie Bit.

Do you love to stamp?  Can you get to Maui once a month?  We’d love to have you join us…

A Happy Birthday Lei

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Women of a certain age don’t tell their ages anymore, but we still celebrate our birthdays.  First of all, we’re worth it, and second of all, considering the alternative we’re happy to be around to have those birthdays!!

Today is Robbie’s birthday and I made her a special lei.  What you may not realize is that I don’t have the Candy Wrapper die – yep, you guessed it – it’s hers and I borrowed it.  But I came up with this goofy idea all by myself (you can certainly tell, can’t you?)  It was actually one of the first things I thought of when I saw the little box.

Candy Wrapper Bigz Die lei

As you can imagine, lei are a very important here in Hawaii.  There are many beautiful and more traditional lei made from plants and flowers, shell,  or feathers, each invested with cultural significance.  This is not one of those lei.  This is a crazy-cousin-who-really-doesn’t-quite-belong-in-the-family-but-we-love-him-anyway lei.  We have many variations on that too – some time I’ll have to do a post on some of the more creative versions.  This one is made from Melon Mambo cardstock rolled with the cupcakes wheel, spritzed with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint spray and embellished with words from the Fabulous Phrases set.  The boxes are attached to one another with some retired ribbon.  I know, I know…maybe next week when my schedule frees up I’ll post another Un-Tutorial.

If you look closely you’ll see a couple of slightly amusing things in this photo.  The first is Owlie Eyeballs drying on the side of my desk.  The second is my pathetically warped cutting pad from the Ribbon Flower episode (And yes, I’ve gotten my hands on some Sticky Pages and I intend to try again.  But first I need a 2×4 to hold the ribbon securely so I don’t melt anything else in my craft room.)

Don’t tell her…I’m counting on her being too busy to look…but I had to post this photo – her outfit coordinated with the lei!!  Happy 29th birthday, my friend.

Robbie and the Birthday Lei

Putting your heart on paper

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My brother and his wife had to make the painful decision to put their dog to sleep last month.  Anyone who has had a pet knows how agonizing that process is, and the thought that your fur friend is depending on you to do the right thing makes it that much harder.   I never met Ghostrider, but we loved her from the photos and stories and know that Don and Theresa are missing her.  It took me a while to get the feeling right, but I finally finished the card that’s been in my heart:

Thinking of you

  • Just Believe and Silhouette Sentiments stamp sets
  • Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, River Rock, Whisper White and Melon Mambo card stock
  • Crumb Cake, River Rock and Melon Mambo Classic ink pads
  • Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Melon Mambo and Rose Red Stampin’ Write markers
  • Antique brads, Linen thread and Stampin’ Dimensionals

That Melon Mambo panel has a fluorescent pink cast – trust me, it’s our lovely Mambo pink.

The message I’m sending is simple – I’m so sorry.  As much as I love words, I’ve never found any more profound than that when someone has lost a loved one.

While we’re on the subject of Halloween…

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This was one of those projects that sits around for a while and gathers dust while I decide what to do with it.  The final touch was the tree and since my favorite Branch Out stamp set is RETIRED, of all things, I had to wait for Crystal to come by with Season of Friendship so I could use that tree:

Owlie by the light of the moon

  • Aviary, Season of Friendship, Wonderfully Worn and Paisley Prints stamp sets
  • Paisley Party Stampin’ Around Wheel
  • Tangerine Tango, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Whisper White and Shimmer White card stock
  • Crumb Cake, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, River Rock and Early Espresso classic ink pads
  • Cajun Craze  and Old Olive Stampin’ Write marker
  • Linen Thread, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Sponges  and 1 1/4 inch circle punch

The moon is Shimmer paper sponged with Old Olive…or it might have been River Rock, I can’t exactly remember.  I added the tree after the card was all finished, and I was terrified to stamp directly on the card even WITH a Stamp-a-ma-jig.  I ended up stamping the image on a piece of scrap copy paper (it needs to be thin paper) and cutting the image out carefully.  That left me with a negative image of the tree that I temporarily put in place over the card with Dotto repositionable adhesive.  I very carefully sponged through the copy paper template to put the tree exactly where I wanted it.  Pretty sneaky, huh?

I have to try a couple more like this.  I really like the effeect of that sponged tree.  In all honesty, there’s no way I would have been able to do this with those gorgeous spidery branches on my Branch Out tree.  Season of Friendship finally wins.

Whoooo are you waiting for?

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These owls make me giddy.  I have a bunch of little jars on my craft table with Owl Bits in them…bodies, vesties, and eyeballs.  I punched out a bunch of the medium circles in white and the bitty eyeballs in Espresso and Chocolate and Black.  I discovered if I put that part together in a big batch that it saved a lot of trouble when it was time to finish my owls – I just reached into the eyeball jar and poof! there they were.  Now when I finish a project I check the scraps of paper before I brush them into the trash – anything big enough for Owl Bits gets punched and put in the jars.

Who Owl You Waiting For?

  • Word Play and Wood Grain stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, and So Saffron card stock; Playdate Designer Series Paper
  • Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake Classic ink pads
  • Old Olive Stampin’ Write marker
  • Two-Step Owl and Bird XL  punches; Large oval  punch
  • Big Shot and Top Note Bigz die

There are a couple of little punchy tricks in this card that you might not notice.  One owl is sitting on branches that come from the Bird punch, but if you look carefully, the other owl is sitting on a little green patch that happens to be the wing from that Bird punch.  I’m sure all of you are much smarter than me and had this figured out already, but I recently discovered that the little heart that you get from the Owl punch makes a great owl-beak.  I’ll bet the punch geniuses did that on purpose.

You could make this card over and over again in so many colors…just keep an Owl Bits jar on your craft table and you’ll have Owls-in-a-Flash!

Maui Stampers Brainstorming Goes Batty

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The Maui Stampers met Friday morning for our monthly team meeting (wouldn’t you love to be one of us?  You can, you know – email me!).  We mostly gab and stamp and then at the end we try to eat healthy stuff because we’re all watching our girlish figures.  Crystal brought Isaac – she was only going to drop off some stuff and run home but we persuaded her to stay.  I had a senior photo moment and didn’t take one picture of him, but he was very happy sitting next to Auntie Kellie.

We were playing with Halloween stuff (most of it was Robbie’s, and she had to work)  and came up with a concept that we thought needed work but had great potential.  I have faith in all of you and your creative abilities so take a look and then leave a comment on how to spiff this baby up:

The Candy Wrapper gone Bats

  • Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black card stock
  • Early Espresso Classic ink pad
  • Big Shot and Candy Wrapper Bigz L die; small oval punch
  • Stampin’ Sponges, Window Sheets and Tombo the Wonder Adhesive

We punched out the bats and used the negative image as a template to sponge bats all over the cardstock.  We tried adding ribbon to the ends but it didn’t work for us.  To make the bat stand up, we punched a small oval from a window sheet and cut it in a spiral to make something that spproximated a spring.   The oval worked best because of the shape of the bat.

We all think it needs more/another color – some white somewhere to catch your eye?  Can’t wait to hear what you think.

Beautiful crochet lace

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I can’t believe it took me so long to use this lace!  Sometimes I’m stubborn about using something new like that.  I should have gotten over it sooner.

All of the images in the Just Believe stamp set are gorgeous, but I found myself returning to that same fabulous wildflower bouquet image so I challenged myself.  Yeah, I do that…sometimes with rather disastrous results.  I’m happy to report that this time the results were kinda cool – at least I thought so:

Just Believe Thanks in Jewel colors

  • Just Believe, En Francais and Vintage Vogue stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Concord Crush, Always Artichoke and Riding Hood Red card stock
  • Always Artichoke and Concord Crush Classic ink pads
  • Riding Hood Red and Concord Crush Stampin’ Write markers; Blender pen
  • Corner rounder, Crop-a-dile, Big Shot and Top Note Bigz die
  • Victoria Crochet Trim and Antique brads

I did NOT have to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig for the sentiment in the middle of the label because with our beautiful Clear Mount stamps I could see just where to put it!  I like that 🙂  I also fell in love with this color combination so watch for it again.

This has a real vintage feeling with the brad and that gorgeous crochet lace ribbon.  It’s really soft and easy to work with, and I’m looking forward to using it for some of my holiday projects.  There are some beautiful new products in the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Mini that will be available to the general public on September 1 – be sure you check with your demonstrator to be sure your copy is on the way!

An un-tutorial on the Matchbook Style Sticky Note holder

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I’ve had a couple of requests for more detail on some projects in the past few days.  I have to be honest – I don’t see tutorials in my future.  I don’t really have the patience to set it all up, and especially to do video.  Ugh.  That means a script, and lighting, and maybe editing, and — aaarrrgg! — a manicure.  I don’t think so.

But when someone asks so nicely and tells me how much they love my blog, how can I say no?  (PLEASE do not test me on this.  Ask my kids:  I am capable of saying no.)  Here are a few photos and some dimensions for the matchbook style sticky note holder:

Matchbook style Sticky Note open

Here’s the basic folder.  The cardstock is cut to 7  7/8″ x 3  1/4″ and scored at 1/2″,  1″,  4 1/4″,  and 4 1/2″.  That gives you room for a standard 3×3″ sticky note pad – it’s about 3/8″ thick.  If you’re making these as favors or give-aways you can split the pads in halves or even thirds and adjust the scoring marks accordingly.  (Sorry, I detest fractions – you’ll have to do the math yourself.)

Matchbook style sticky note holder from the side

Here you can see the way the Sticky Notes fit into the cardstock.  The score marks at 1/2″ and 1″ make the base of the matchbook cover.  I’ve used a 1/2″ circle – actually two of them adhered together with Tombo-the-miracle-adhesive – and attached to the center of that first 1/2″ tab with a brad.  I put the brad through the circle in the bottom half to leave enough room to tuck the top flap in.  I tried buttons, which I thought would be cuter, but you couldn’t cheat them to the bottom like that and they didn’t hold the top flap down.

Ta Da! The Matchbook Sticky Note holder

Here’s the finished Sticky Note holder, all ready to go.  I’m working on my September class and this will be part of it.  Wouldn’t you like to come to Maui to go to this class?  I have room for you…

I need to learn the keyboard shortcut for the “registered trade-mark” symbol – you know, the R with the circle around it.  All this talk about “Sticky Notes” is really annoying.

The first kolea of 2010

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Every year in August I start watching and listening for an old friend’s return.  The Kolea (Pacific Golden Plover) migrate between Hawaii and Alaska every year, arriving here in August and leaving us in April.  Their arrival in late summer tells me that soon cooler weather will be coming!  This morning on my walk I spotted my first Kolea of the season – actually a pair which is relatively unusual.  I recognized their flight as they wheeled over the shore and landed on the lawn of one of the Wailea resorts:

First Kolea sighting August 17 2010

I know it’s not a great photo, but this pair didn’t like me attempting to approach them.  Kolea are generally territorial, and some people think they return to the same spot each year.  We had one take up residence in our backyard one year, but I didn’t encourage it because of Captain Stupidhead.  Cats and owls are Kolea’s main predators.

In addition to their distinctive cry, the Kolea is notable for the dramatic change in appearance it makes while living in Hawaii.  When it arrives, it has a subtle speckled pattern to its plumage, but by the time it leaves in the spring, it has a dark underbody and more distinctive appearance.  We tell the changing of seasons a little differently here, and the arrival of the Kolea is one of the indications that fall is on the way.

Missed it by that much…

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Anybody else an old Maxwell Smart fan?  I loved Get Smart back in the day, but I thought the movie was dumb.  Some things shouldn’t be re-done.

Anyway, what does all this have to do with the price of tea in China?  (My we ARE digging out the old chestnuts today!)  I had the ColourQ 45 Challenge colors listed on my craft table all week and finally finished the card yesterday, only to realize that I’d just missed the posting deadline.   Well, I missed being considered for Colour Queen, but of course I can still upload to the site.  Would you vote for me?

ColourQ45 Believing is Seeing

  • Just Believe stamp set
  • Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Early Espresso and Wild Wasabi card stock
  • Wild Wasabi and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
  • Regal Rose and Rose Red Stampin’ Write markers
  • Big Shot and Lattice Embossing folder; Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Pretty in Pink 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon and Pearls Stick-on Jewels

I couldn’t get into the Tempting Turquoise in the Colour Q scheme, and I thought I would be really sneaky and just put a teeny tiny border in to satisfy the requirements.  Who would have guessed that it would work so well??  I was astonished to say the least.

Today’s ribbon treatment does NOT involve sticky, tacky adhesive, thank you very much.  There’s a simple running stitch on one side of a 2 inch scrap of ribbon, pulled together and knotted to make a half-rosette.  A pair of those are on either side of the sentiment and I am very pleased with they way they turned out.  I’m sure someone has done this before but I haven’t seen it done so for now I am claiming this brilliant concept.

You know you’re gonna need this stamp set…