Author Archives: mauistamper

When brilliant minds collaborate

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Yesterday you saw my challenge card – today you get to see Cheryl’s.  Hers is similar to mine in many ways, but with just a few changes it has an entirely different feeling.

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  • Upsy Daisy stamp set; Linen background stamp (retired)
  • Basic Black and Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Ink; Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write marker
  • Basic Black, Kraft, Melon Mambo and Whisper White cardstock; Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper
  • Black gingham ribbon

We decided it really didn’t need the sentiment, although it would be easy enough to add at the last minute if you needed it.  I love the softness of the stems – I would have probably done them in black and it would have been too strong a contrast.  I love this Upsy Daisy stamp and I love what Cheryl did with it.  We’ll have to be mosquitoes again!

Learning new things

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In stamping, as in life, there is always room to grow.  New techniques, new projects, new points of view all serve to keep me inspired and encourage me to keep my work fresh.  Left to my own devices, I suspect I would make lots and lots of cards in primarily blue and green hues with very predictable layouts.

The best way I’ve found to grow is to stamp with others.  Stamping together in person is always the best choice – I think I need another person to ignite my creative juices.  Life being what it is, it’s not always possible to stamp with another person.  That’s when online challenges come into play.

Yesterday, I posted a link to the Mojo challenge.  There are also many challenges on Stampin’ Addicts, and even more on Splitcoast Stampers. SCS has a really broad selection of challenges – techniques, product spotlights, unusual inspirations – as well as the more typical color and sketch challenges.  The Blogosphere has made it possible for anyone with an internet connection to post a challenge, and you can spend the better part of the morning cruising through all those options.  Your best option there is to find a few bloggers whose style strikes you either because it’s so unusual, it’s so inspiring, or it’s a close match with your own taste.  Once you’ve done that, subscribe to those blogs to keep updated and start playing along with the challenges.  Don’t feel obligated to post your creations, but at the same time, realize that the sharing and the interaction when you do post can be enjoyable, inspiring, and perhaps even addicting.

Yesterday Cheryl came over and we ended up abandoning our original stamping plan and playing along with the color and sketch challenges at SCS.  Here’s what I did:

Anne_SCS_CC242_SC252

  • Thoughts and Prayers, En Francais, and Linen (retired) stamp sets; Leaves a la Carte (retired) wheel
  • Basic Black, Whisper White, Melon Mambo and Kraft cardstock; retired Designer Series Paper
  • Basic Black and Sahara Sand Classic ink;  Basic Black, Melon Mambo and Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write markers
  • Kraft taffeta ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig and Stampin’ Dimensionals

We had such a good time stamping, although I have to admit we’re like a couple of little kids with the attention span of a pair of mosquitoes.  We kept flitting back and forth between crafting and the computer – and of course we both had phones ringing – but we finished our cards and had a good time together too.

So stretch a little – try a challenge.  If you don’t like it, remember that it’s only paper.

I think I found my MOJO!

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It’s been a long time coming.  I’ve tried a number of the Mojo Monday sketches and looked at way more than I’ve tried.  More often than not, I’d look at the sketch and think it was out of my league.  The few times I did attempt the sketch, I felt dissatisfied with the results.

Until today.  Ta da!  Mojo110.

Mojo110_friendship

Mojo110 Mojo Monday Challenge

  • Inspired by Nature and Wings of Friendship stamp sets
  • Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Yoyo Yellow, Brocade Blue and Whisper White cardstock
  • Old Olive and Bashful Blue Classic ink pads;  Bashful Blue Craft ink pad; Champagne Mist Shimmer paint
  • Big Shot and SU Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die
  • Iridescent Ice Embossing powder, Embossing Budy, Powder Pal, Heat tool, pop-up glue dot and Stampin’ Sponges
  • Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon, Rich Razzleberry polka-dot grosgrain ribbon, and Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware flower ribbon slide

Do you like it?  I do!  I wouldn’t say it’s my absolute all time favorite, but I’m happy with it – especially considering how much I’ve agonized in the past, and by contrast, how naturally this card came together.  I was working with the color combination for a bag topper for my ribbon share, and decided that with a few changes it would make a great card.  The changes grew and expanded and the Mojo Sketch suddenly popped into my head.  Maybe the reason I’m so happy with this card is that it flowed from that point.

If you’ve never tried a sketch challenge, there are an abundance of them.  Here’s the MojoMonday site.  You can also find them in a multitude of blogs and stamping community sites.

The photo doesn’t pick it up, but there’s Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint Magic Elixer (1/4 tsp shimmer paint with 3-5 Tbsp of rubbing alcohol in a mist bottle) on the sentiment.  It goes on everything these days – we even used it on my girlfriend’s Halloween costume!

The moral of this story?  You may have to kiss a lot of card stock before you find your Mojo!

Journey into Autumn

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Spending time on the Mainland this month has put me in an Autumnal mood.  Living in Hawaii our seasons are defined a little differently; we have mango season, lychee season, whale season, and tourist season.   I love the colors and the setting sun – I’m sure it’s setting.  The sky has that hazy glow and the silhouetted grasses are dry as can be.

Autumn_Days_brayer

  • Autumn Days Stamp Set
  • Dusty Durango, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla card stock
  • Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, More Mustard, and Summer Sun Classic Stamp Pad
  • Autumn Harvest Rub-ons, Always Artichoke narrow grosgrain ribbon, brayer

This card is another creation from my marvelous friend and upline, Crystal.  I love her style.

Surprise! It’s a tree!

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This tree is about as different from yesterday’s tree as you can get.  Soft, sophisticated, really a classy tree.  No Googly eyes here.

I suppose this could have been a sympathy card.  That’s what I needed, and that’s what I intended to make when I pulled down the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set.  Somewhere along the way it took a very slight detour – it could still be a sympathy card, but that wasn’t what I saw as it came together.

Thoughts_n_Prayers_grommet

  • Thoughts and Prayers stamp sets; Cornelli Lace wheel
  • Old Olive, Kraft, Soft Suede and Whisper White cardstock; Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper
  • Old Olive Classic Ink pad; Old Olive and Soft Suede Stampin’ Write markers
  • Jumbo Basic Grommets; Old Olive 1 1/4″ Stripe Grosgrain ribbon

I like the simplicity of this layout.  It complements the elegance of the tree.  I also love that Cornelli Lace wheel and can’t believe it took me almost half the catalog year to notice it.  You would think my constant poring over the catalog would have caused me to spot it sooner.  In case you’ve missed it, it’s on page 64 of the Idea Book and Catalog.  Item # 115624, $8.50.  A bargain.

Crystal’s Spooky Branches

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What is it with me and trees these days?

I am crazy about cards with trees…spring trees, autumn trees, soft trees, stark trees, trees with eyes…

This card is from the amazing Crystal, who by the way has been freed from the confines of her sofa.  Do you love the Googly eyes or is it just me?  I think I need to send an email to Demonstrator Support requesting that Stampin’ Up! add Googly eyes to the product line.  There are SO many uses for them.

Crystals_Hallloween_Branches

  • Season of Friendship and Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets
  • Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pine, More Mustard and Glossy White card stock
  • Basic Black, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink pad
  • Round tab punch, 1 3/8″ circle punch, brayer, Stampin’ Sponges
  • Googly eyes

Deal of the Week #4

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DEALS_OF_THE_WEEKHow about a party in a box?  The last October Deal of the Week features party kits – invitations, decorations, and favors for 8 of your favorite Pink Princesses or Swashbuckling Pirates for $9.99.  Perfect for the grade school set, these creative tool kits would also put a fun spin on a baby or bridal shower, a night with your friends, or your club, game or team meetings.  There’s no limit on the number of kits you can buy, but this offer turns to a pumpkin at 7:50pm Hawaii Standard Time on Saturday, October 31!

Princess_kit_display

Princess Party Kit  #116214 (Idea Book and Catalog p. 174 and 75)  regularly $15.95, now $9.99 through October 31st!

Princess_Party_Kit

Pirate_Party_KitPirate Party Kit #116718 (Idea Book and Catalog p. 175 and 74) regularly $16.95, now $9.99 through October 31st!

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You can place an order any time at my Demonstrator Website! Just don’t miss that deadline of 7:50 pm Hawaii Standard Time on Halloween!

More Sweet Centers

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I’ve seen loads of these on blogs and forum galleries and decided to try it myself.  I’m here to tell you this is about as easy as it comes, and if I hadn’t needed a heap 0′ Sweet Treat cups for my Hostess Club, I would have made a rainbow of these flowers.  Well, a Halloween Rainbow…Yellow and Orange…Toe-bod-butt colors.

You see, in my family, we don’t call these Candy Corn.  We call them Toe-bod-butts.  Please excuse our French, but that’s what we’ve always called them.  The yellow part is the toe, the orange part is the body, and the white part, well, it’s the butt.  That’s just what it is.  Of course, when we start scouring the grocery aisle for them around August we have to remember to ask for Candy Corn.  You get funny looks at Safeway when you ask for Toe-bod-butts.  Go figure.

Sweet_Centers_Flower_Pick

  • Sweet Centers Stamp Set
  • Very Vanilla cardstock
  • Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange, and Old Olive Classic Ink pads
  • Two 2 1/2″ circles of cardstock  (for the back to cover the bag of the Treat Cup)
  • Tombo adhesive, Sticky Strip, Linen Thread, Old Olive 5/8″ grosgrain and Old Olive 1 1/4″ grosgrain stripe ribbon, Circle Scissors Plus, bamboo skewer

Gotta order me some more Sweet Treat cups!

Up, Up and Away!

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Who’s old enough to remember that tune?

We did this card at my hostess club this past week.  It was a lot of fun, and everyone agreed it had a great WOW factor.  I know it’s a winner when I hear that kids and spouses really loved the card.

Sweet_Centers_Balloon_closed

The colors from this card were directly driven by the M&M’s.  I also decided to use the slider technique that allows the recipient to access the candy without ripping up the card.  It just so happened that there was a lot of media attention recently focused on a balloon, and with my admittedly twisted sense of humor, I decided to embellish the tag with a nod to the Boy in the Balloon:

Sweet_Centers_Balloon_open

  • Sweet Centers, Teeny Tiny Wishes, All in the Family and Best Wishes and More stamp sets
  • Real Red, Yoyo Yellow, Brilliant Blue and Whisper White card stock; Designer Series Paper scraps
  • Real Red and Brilliant Blue Classic Stampin’ Pad
  • Real Red and Yoyo Yellow Stampin’ Write Markers
  • 1 3/4″ Circle punch, Tag Corner punch, Sweet Treat cups, piercing template, Mini glue dots, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Somebody missed me…

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Since I’ve been home from the East Coast, I’ve had an orange shadow.  The kids were home while we were away, but this goofball cat thinks I’m his mother.  In a way, it’s true – when he comes home after losing yet another argument with the neighborhood cats, I’m the one who patches him up, not to mention feeding, brushing and general babying.  While I was gone, he didn’t get his usual in-the-door, out-the-door service and I think he missed being able to plant himself in the exact spot where my feet need to be on the kitchen floor.

Helper_Cat_post_vacation

I was deep into a number of projects and he kept coming into my tiny craft space, talking to me and demanding my attention.  Apparently I wasn’t responding with enough enthusiasm, because he managed to get up onto the counter and plant his orangeness where he couldn’t be missed.  Fortunately, he has a sufficiently dopey expression to be endearing, and he purrs at the drop of a hat.

Now to get the cat hair out of the Snail and Sticky Strip.