Author Archives: mauistamper

Flowers of Friendship: the Golden Poppy Version

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I grew up in California, and the state flower, the California Golden Poppy, is an evocative memory of home. This image in the Flowers of Friendship set reminded me of those beautiful golden fields.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Flowers of Friendship Square Card
  • Stamps: Flowers of Friendship, Forever Fern
  • Color Palette: Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Crushed Curry, Basic White
  • Accessories: Flowers & Leaves punch, Hand Penned Designer Series paper, White 1/4″ Crinkle Seam Binding, Granny Apple Green dark Stampin’ Blend, Stampin’ Write markers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Most people think of poppies as, well, poppy-colored, but California Poppies also grow in a glorious shade of yellow. I used Crushed Curry for the outline image of the flower (I used Stampin’ Write markers direct to the stamp) in order to make the petals more defined.

I colored the White 1/4″ Crinkle Seam Binding with my Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blend. I was prepared to wait a bit to be sure the ink was dry, but between the soft, lightweight ribbon and the magic of alcohol markers, the ribbon was dry and ready to add immediately. I hope we *always* have White 1/4″ Crinkle Seam Binding!!!

I also fussy cut parts of each flower to layer them and add more dimension. The shapes are simple, so it’s not really fussy cutting – more like snip-snip-cutting!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Flowers of Friendship Square Card

I left the sentiment off this card, as I often do, so that I can customize it when I’m ready to send it. I’ll create a custom square envelope with coordinating DSP and add the extra postage to be sure it arrives. If you make your card a 4 1/4″ square, you can put it in our standard envelope and send it for the regular one ounce USPS rate.

This set is another great option for quick and easy cards. The images are simple to color, and the coordinating punch makes it easy to add a layer. Shop HERE to add it to your crafty stash!

Just 5 more days in the DSP sale! Save 15% on these gorgeous papers – you’ll be so glad you did.

You’re A Peach and Biggest Wish Birthday

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Birthday cards mean a lot to me. Of course I love to get them, but let’s face it: that’s once a year. Rather, I love to send them. Most of us get so little personal mail anymore, so I like to be a little bit of sunshine in someone’s mailbox. As a result, I make a LOT of birthday cards!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up You're A Peach Biggest Wish Birthday
  • Stamps: Biggest Wish
  • Color Palette: Petal Pink, Basic White, Calypso Coral
  • Accessories: You’re A Peach Designer Series Paper (on sale til August 2!), Big Boss, Stitched Rectangle dies, Petal Pink Organdy Striped Ribbon, Pearl jewels, Stampin’ Dimensionals, staple

The You’re A Peach DSP is a stunner!! And it’s on sale (along with 8 other collections) through August 2nd. Every single piece of this paper is gorgeous, and the designs on the “B” side are beautiful, versatile monochromatic prints that make great accent elements on a card. It’s a perfect summertime paper, even if you choose to get it without the coordinating Sweet as a Peach bundle. (But why would you?)

I had a narrow strip left over when I cut my panel for the front of the card, so I used it along the bottom of the inside of the card. Little extras like this are what set apart a hand-made card, and this one is easy as can be. Card base, DSP, one die cut with a sentiment, a couple sticky jewels and a stapled ribbon! I choose to line the inside of every card with a 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White panel unless the card base is Basic White. I prefer the finished look that extra step provides, and it literally costs just pennies.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up You're A Peach Biggest Wish Birthday

When you have paper this gorgeous, you can create beautiful cards and have them in the mail before breakfast! (NOT BEFORE COFFEE. BEFORE BREAKFAST.) Every design in the You’re a Peach pack will give you these results, and if you add in the versatile Biggest Wish stamp set, you could have a month’s worth of cards with a quick morning’s work. Ready to get started? Shop HERE.

Flowers of Friendship: July 2021 DIY Calendar

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Flowers of Friendship is a brand new stamp-and-punch bundle in the 2021-2022 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog and it caught my eye the moment I turned the page. This wasn’t my vision at that moment, but as I thought about my July calendar I imagined these bright colors:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Flowers of Friendship DIY Easel Calendar July 2021
  • Stamps: Flowers of Friendship, Forever Fern
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Highland Heather, Polished Pink
  • Accessories: Flowers and Leaves punch, Playing with Patterns Resin Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Water Painter, Ink refill

I chose to watercolor these flowers. I would have gotten different results had I thought to stamp and punch them from watercolor paper, but that’s not what happened today. You see, I’ve embarked on a massive project: I am giving my craft room the full KonMari. As a result, crafting has taken a bit of a back seat, and crafting supplies are no longer where they used to be.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Empty Craft Room

I removed EVERYTHING from the craft room and heaped it in the hallway and the bedroom across the hall. Once everything was out I cleaned (massive clouds of cat hair, UGH.) There was also an astonishing amount of adhesive stuck to everything: countertops, floors, cabinets, you name it. Apparently when I get tired I throw glue dots at the wall! Slowly but surely I have been returning things with intention. I haven’t exactly used the “spark joy” technique, but I am being very discriminating about what goes back, and I’m thinking carefully about where things go. I’ve been at this for nearly 2 weeks and I’m not done.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Flowers of Friendship DIY Easel Calendar July 2021

The good news is that today I’ve made something, and that means that at least some things are where they belong! It’s quite satisfying to work in an orderly space – the chaos has been very discouraging.

And oh, did I love working with these summery colors! This flower reminds me of clematis, although I’ve never seen a vine with all of these colors. The July calendar will be a joy to see all month long.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Flowers of Friendship DIY Easel Calendar July 2021

If you’re as smitten with Flowers of Friendship as I am, head over to the Online Store. You can purchase select DSP on sale this month while you’re there! And please take a look at the July calendars that Cheryl and Crystal have created this month – I know you’ll be delighted by their talent.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up July 2021 DSP sale

I’ve had a couple of requests for the 2022 DIY template. It will be available late this summer or in the early fall. I’ll be sure to let you know here, and if you’ve purchased in the past, you’ll get an email to notify you it’s ready for sale.

Sassy Snailed It Snails

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Here’s one last peek at the Sassy Snailed It snails! It’s a snail parade, celebrating great accomplishments – I’ve die cut and colored this lineup with Stampin’ Blends. I have LOVED this stamp set, and I’ll be sorry to see it retire in just a couple of weeks.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Snailed It Handmade Card DIY
  • Stamps: Snailed It, Picture Perfect Birthday (retired sentiment)
  • Color Palette: Poppy Parade, Pale Papaya, Granny Apple Green, Pool Party, Highland Heather, Gray Granite, Basic Black, Basic White
  • Accessories: Snailed dies, Big Boss, Stampin Blends, Peony Garden (retired Designer Series paper)

(My apologies: I used a couple of retired elements for this card.)

I cut out a bunch of these snails and started playing with colors. I decided I liked using Gray Granite as a neutral body color to offset the rainbow of snail shells, and once that was in place, the fun of combining the colors began!

I thought that setting alternate snails up on Stampin’ Dimensionals helped separate them and give more sense of motion. The shading got easier as I went along, as I could just repeat the process with different colors.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Snailed It Handmade Card DIY

I created another version with a Gorgeous Grape card base and Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight, Mint Macaron, Balmy Blue and Gorgeous Grape snail shells. I used the Gray Granite blend to shadow underneath the die cut snails.

This bundle leaves the lineup for good on June 30. Shop the Online Store for your own Slither of Snails!

Color and Contour and Stampin Blends

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Can I just go out on a limb and say you NEED the Color and Contour Bundle? The images and sentiments make gorgeous cards, and the dies – especially the layering scalloped rectangles – are indispensable. Oh, and Blends: you’ll need Stampin’ Blends.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Color and Contour Stampin Blends #handmadecard #DIY #makeacardsendacard #fancyfold
  • Stamps: Color and Contour, Sweet Strawberry
  • Color Palette: Pale Papaya, Mint Macaron, Basic White, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Scallop Contour dies, White Crinkled Seam Binding ribbon, 21-23 In Color DSP, Champagne Rhinestones, Stampin Dimensionals

This card is a Fancy Fold. It’s pretty tricky to photograph and get the full impact, but the scalloped focal point opens on a hinge to the right, and the card opens the normal way to the left. My inspiration was a Stamptastic Designs Youtube video and she does a great job of explaining how the card is constructed.

I used the dark Mint Macaron Stampin’ Blend to color the White Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon. It is VERY easy to do, and dries in the blink of an eye. (Really.) I also used the leaf image to create an abstract border on the white panel inside of the card. Those little extras aren’t necessary – but they make a card so personal.

Each scalloped rectangle has a different detail on the edge, but they nest beautifully. The large stitched scallop edge die is also part of the set, and I confess I clapped my hands and laughed out loud when I figured out that I could add that to the edge of the card. Those details are truly a Stampin’ Up! trademark.

Spend a little happy time coloring with Stampin’ Blends this weekend. And don’t forget the Last Chance products from the January – June Mini Catalog! They’re available while supplies last, but gone for good on June 30th. Find all of them HERE, and click HERE if you’d rather just see those on sale.

Maui Stamper Last Chance 2021 January-June

Hand-Penned Petals and Stampin’ Blends

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I need to practice my coloring skills with Stampin’ Blends, so I produced a handful of images from Hand-Penned Petals and got to work. To my delight, this image is a PERFECT image for the purpose! Not too big, not too small, not too complex – it’s just right. Here’s what I did with the results:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Hand Penned Petals handmade card
  • Stamps: Hand-Penned Petals
  • Color Palette: Pale Papaya, Pumpkin Pie, Granny Apple Green, Basic White, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Penned Flowers dies, Stitched Rectangle dies, 21-23 In Color DSP 6×6 pack, White Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, Champagne Rhinestones

Today’s serendipity: The Champagne Rhinestones are a FABULOUS match with Pale Papaya! (Forgive me shouting, please.)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Hand Penned Petals handmade card

The White Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon is my favorite. When tied, it’s still soft enough to slip through the USPS without extra postage. You can add color with Stampin’ Blends. And it’s just so pretty! It’s part of my Must Have Stash.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Hand Penned Petals handmade card

My technique with Stampin’ Blends is pretty simple. I start with an overall light blend wash, then add the deeper tones and go back with the light tone to do the blending. I use the shading marks in the stamp to guide me, but I don’t have a sophisticated system for dark/light placement. Learning that is on my to-do list <wink>

The Hand Penned stamps and dies are available in a bundle, saving you precious crafting dollars! Stop by the Online Store to get yours today.

While you’re shopping, don’t forget to check out Last Chance shopping for the January – June 2021 Mini Catalog! June 30 is the retiring date for products in that catalog that don’t carry forward in the new 21-22 Annual catalog. Don’t miss out – check the Mini Catalog page HERE.

Maui Stamper Last Chance 2021 January-June

Friends Are Like Seashells: June 2021 DIY

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When I realized I had yet to create a seashells calendar I had a moment of disbelief: how had I neglected that? Never fear, the situation is remedied. And June is a lovely month to think of seashells and sandy shores and all things beachy:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Friends Are Like Seashells DIY Calendar June 2021
Friends A
  • Stamps: Friends Are Like Seashells
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petal Pink, Soft Succulent, Crumb Cake
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Seashells dies, Blending Brushes, Stampin Dimensionals, Wink of Stella, Silver and Clear Epoxy Essentials, Water Painter

I was inspired by a very talented Aussie demonstrator named Narelle Farrugia. She’s on the Artisan Design Team for Stampin’ Up!, and when you see her work it’s clear why she earned that opportunity. Check out her work – I’m sure she’ll inspire you!

I used Petal Pink and the Blending Brushes to create a soft, tropical background, and used the Brushes on some of those die cut images as well to soften them. Color is a never-ending experiment for me, which is one of the reasons I love stamping so much. I don’t have to draw – and I’ve never been happy with the results when I do – so stamping allows me to focus on the parts that I like. These die cut images are layered with dimensionals and multi-purpose glue to create a little dimension on this tiny canvas.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Friends Are Like Seashells DIY Calendar June 2021

I’m looking forward to seeing these seashells each day in my crafting space. I’m in the midst of a re-organization, and that’s messy work. These soothing colors and reminders of the beach will help me keep my focus.

Maui Stamper Last Chance 2021 January-June

There are FABULOUS savings beginning today on the products featured in the January – June 2021 mini catalog. Do not hesitate – these deals will fly off the webpage! Shop HERE.

If you’d like your own printable 2021 calendar pdf, please contact me with your email. It’s $5 and you can print as many as you’d like! I know there are early-birds out there, but the 2022 pdf won’t be ready until the fall. I promise to let you know as soon as it is.

Stop by to see what Cheryl and Crystal have done for June – every month we have a teeny DIY calendar blog tour! And if you’d like to do add the Seashell stamps, dies, and embossing folder to your crafty stash, shop HERE.

….annnnd a little dose of Vitamin Sea from a sweaty but very happy Maui Stamper!! Mr. Maui Stamper and I have a tandem bike and take it out most Sundays for a spin. This past Sunday was especially gorgeous, even by Maui standards!

Hand-Penned Petals and a DIY background

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I did my best to create a simple card, using one stamp set and just the Big Boss and some dies. It’s not an absolute beginner card, but it’s an easy one to re-create. I’d love it if you gave it a go:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Hand-Penned Petals hand-stamped card DIY
  • Stamps: Hand-Penned Petals
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Pear Pizazz, BumbleBee
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Stitched Rectangle dies, Penned Flowers dies, Stampin Dimensionals

My technique was VERY simple. I stamped the focal point with Memento Black ink on a piece of Basic White and stamped the flowers and petals each twice without re-inking (that’s what creates that lighter color layer particularly visible on the flowers). Then I inked the focal point in Pear Pizazz and lightly stamped it off on a scrap, then stamped it onto my Basic White Stitched Rectangle (that technique is called stamping off). I repeated that process until my background was sufficiently filled, stamped the sentiment right on top of it with Memento Black, and positioned the focal point with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Hand-Penned Petals hand-stamped card DIY
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Sooo…about the inside. It’s a special double panel inside. It didn’t start out that way, but when I opened the card to add the panel, I placed it on my craft table upside down, so the panel was on the wrong side. I tried to lift it, but oh no, I did a good job of pressing my Stampin’ Seal in place and it wasn’t going ANYWHERE. So I made this a double panel card.

Tell me you’ve never done that.

The Hand-Penned bundle is a great beginner set. The images can be hand colored, or stamped with our Two Step Stampin’ process to be quick and easy. Shop for it HERE.

Using Designer Series Paper with Garden Wishes

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I love our Designer Series Paper (DSP). My favorite thing is the way it coordinates with our products, both colors and images. But wait, there’s more! I love the range of styles, the images themselves, and the perfect weight: not too heavy, not too light, jussst right. The fact that it’s two-sided (and often a multi-colored design on one side and a monochromatic design on the other) expands your crafting options even further.

DSP is an easy way to add interest or complexity to a simple design. With a couple of well-measured cuts, you have a quick addition to your project that often just makes it sing. Our Dandy Garden 6×6 DSP has been a star in the January-June Mini Catalog, and it’s going to retire at the end of June. It coordinates with both the Garden Wishes and Dragonfly Garden stamp sets, so it’s a real hero.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Dandy Garden DSP Garden Wishes
  • Stamps: Garden Wishes, Many Messages
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Mossy Meadow, BumbleBee, Basic Black
  • Accessories: Stitched Rectangle dies, Messages die, Stampin’ Blends, Mossy Meadow Braided Linen Trim*, Stampin Dimensionals, Wink of Stella, Dandy Garden DSP*
  • *Retiring June 30 and available while supplies last

I used the Daffodil Delight and Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Blends to color this image, and treated the light and dark toned Blends as separate shades. The Dandelion leaves need a light color and a soft touch to retain the detail in the images. I’ve also used a very old, long-retired tool to get that color spritz. I just can’t seem to pull off the paint-brush-flick with any reliable results!

I did a series of these cards with my clubs using the monochromatic papers from the Dandy Garden DSP pack, and I had a narrow strip of the Bumblebee Dandelion design left over. I really wanted to use it, and came up with the idea of adding the Mossy Meadow strip to the side in order to fill out the front of the card.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Dandy Garden DSP Garden Wishes

I used the same layout with a multi-hued DSP option from the same pack. It’s definitely colorful! This card includes one of the little ladybug embellishments that will retire the end of June. They’re the perfect size to secure with a Glue Dot.

Ready to shop? The Connect, Craft, and Collect offer adds $25 in Host Rewards to your qualifying order through June 14th! Maybe you’re ready to take the leap and earn a discount on Every. Single. Purchase. you make – Join+ increases the value of your No Obligation kit when you join the team by May 31st!

Or just pop on over to the Online Store to see what catches your eye. There’s ALWAYS something!

Sweet Strawberry: May 2021 DIY

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It’s time for fresh strawberries: strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, strawberries eaten out of your hand with the juice running down! The Sweet Strawberry bundle is sadly on the not available list right now, but when it comes in, you’ll want to be first in line to get yours! I shared a strawberry card on Wednesday, and today I’ve made the May DIY calendar with the same images:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up May 2021 Sweet Strawberry DIY Calendar
  • Stamps: Sweet Strawberry, Natural Textures (21-22 Host Rewards stamp)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Gray Granite
  • Accessories: Strawberry Punch, Pearl Jewels, Stampin Dimensionals, clear raindrops from the craft archive (pretty sure it was a long past Paper Pumpkin)
Maui Stamper Stampin Up May 2021 Sweet Strawberry DIY Calendar

Can I just say that Poppy Parade could easily be renamed Sweet Strawberry? I’m not very good with alliteration, but the folks at the Head Office seem to have made it an art form.

The designs in the about-to-be-released Natural Textures stamp set are right up my alley. I stamped off the Gray Granite in this case because I wanted to showcase the berries. These textural images will be heaps of fun.

Cheryl and Crystal have a calendar to share with you too! Please stop by and give them a little blog-love. If you’d like to make your own 2021 DIY calendar, it’s just $5. Click Contact the Maui Stamper and give me your email address, and I’ll send you an invoice.

You have just 2 more days to shop the Retiring List, which would be terribly sad except that it means we are about to have access to the ENTIRE new 2021-2022 Annual Catalog! I am ready to fill my cart – how about you?