Author Archives: mauistamper

Painted Poppies Split Card

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I playing with the Split Card technique again. Sometimes I like my results, and sometimes I don’t. Therein lies the beauty of paper-craft: paper, in general, is cheap. Don’t like it? Throw it away! The Split Cards I made with Painted Poppies were keepers:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Painted Poppies Split Card technique

Working with Stampin’ Blends allows you to get deep, intense images while still allowing you highlights and shadows. The bold colors of this card pop right off the page! I stamped the flowers with Poppy Parade ink, then used my Poppy Parade Blends to color them in. I did the same with the leaves in Mossy Meadow. Since I used the same color to stamp the image as to color it in, I didn’t have to worry if the outline ran a little.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Painted Poppies Split Card technique

This card front was a split card project so I had another side to color. I chose to go the opposite direction and use colored pencils. They are much more nuanced, and allowed me to create a much softer look:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Painted Poppies Split Card technique

The color palette is the same, but I used our Watercolor Pencils and a Blender pen to create this more subdued look. The sentiment is from Beautiful Friendship, and the trim is our new Braided Red Linen. I also slipped in a few splooshes (that is the technical term, btw) from the Forever Fern stamp set.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Painted Poppies Split Card technique

You can fluff and stretch and unravel that red trim to get a BUNCH of different looks. The natural linen is still my favorite, but this is going to be a great addition to my embellishment stash.

So tell me, what do you think? Do you like the bold, intense poppies, or do you prefer the gentler version? I want to try this again using watercolor paper and our new Water Painters. The possibilities are endless! It’s amazing I ever get anything done.

Need supplies for your next project? Shop HERE.

August 2020 DIY: Timeless Tropical

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August…who would have imagined this is where we would be???

A tropical scene seems like a soothing vision for this month, and I think many of us need that right now. I feel so fortunate that I can take a walk and place myself in this setting, but if that’s not available to you, I invite you to enjoy this paper version!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar August 2020 Timeless Tropical
Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar August 2020 Timeless Tropical

I worked a bit outside my comfort zone with this project – lots of sponging and improvising and experimentation. I managed to cover up some of the printed dates, but to be honest, I hardly ever use these DIY calendars to actually check the DATE.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar August 2020 Timeless Tropical

This is the second version I did for August. I got a little carried away with the first version, and after sleeping on it decided I would go back to the simpler version. Here’s the “I couldn’t stop myself” calendar:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Timeless Tropical DIY August 2020 desktop calendar

I kept adding layers and details, and at some point I set it down and said enough. This one has a lot more sponging, some Wink of Stella, and a fair amount of glossing using the glue from the Fine Tip Glue pen. I kept looking at it and asking myself if I would be happy with it for 31 days, and it became pretty clear that the answer was NO. What do you think? Would you choose the calmer, simpler calendar, or would you take it over the top?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bonus Days Promotion July 2020

Just a few more days to take advantage of Bonus Days – earn a $5 savings coupon for every $50 you spend. Those $5 coupons can be redeemed beginning Tuesday, August 4 – which just happens to be the first day that the August-December mini catalog is available to customers! Shop Here.

Cheryl and Crystal have their own versions of August for your inspiration, and I hope you’ll stop by and see what they’ve done.

If you’d like to create your own calendar, please click on Contact Me and provide me with your email. I’ll invoice you for the bargain price of $5 and you’ll have your own pdf to print and enjoy for all of 2021.

Technique Tuesday: Split Card

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You’ve probably seen it – stamp once, split the results, and BOOM! two cards. It’s been on my list of things to try, and today I can share the happy results.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beautiful Friendship Split Card Technique

This is an easy technique. In order to make your double card front, you start with a half sheet of card stock, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches. I use a pencil to make a light mark at the 4 1/4 inch point along the top and bottom of the paper. (If you have eagle eyes, you can just see it in this image.) Then just stamp down the middle…

Just like that! You might notice a couple of things: I used two different accent leaves in different colors from left to right, and I smudged on the right. Smudges are not always an insurmountable problem! It depends on the location of the smudge, and this one was easy to cover

The next step is to cut your half sheet of card stock into quarters. This yields two pieces, 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches – the perfect size to create a card front!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beautiful Friendship Split Card Technique

I love this gold trim – just tie a knot where you want it to stop fraying. It frays all by itself, such a time saver!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beautiful Friendship Split Card Technique

This side of the split panel uses Gray Granite ink instead of Cinnamon Cider, so my accessories and accents use that color. The ribbon is retired, and I’m sorry, but I have been waiting since Moses signed up to be a demonstrator for my 1/4 inch Gray Granite shimmer ribbon!! This was in the archives and I dragged it out for this card. I used the Layering Ovals dies for the sentiment on this card.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beautiful Friendship Split Card Technique

Adding a little extra color to the sentiment panel helps to tie it together with the rest of the card.

Ready to make your own? Grab some stamps, ink and a half sheet of card stock and have some fun. I used some sticky notes to mask my images, creating a sense of depth, but do whatever it is that makes you happy. Try monochromatic color schemes as I used here, or go big and bold with bright colors. Flowers are a great way to start, but other images will work too. Just a note: I couldn’t come up with a satisfactory card using images of people or animals. They look odd cut in half, and inevitably one side gets stuck with a “back side”.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bonus Days Promotion July 2020

Just 10 more days to earn Bonus Days Bucks! Beautiful Friendship is one of my all-time favorite stamp sets for the lushness of the images and the many different types of cards they allow you to create. Shop HERE.

Lovely You: Miles Apart, Still in my Heart

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This sentiment was the first thing to catch my eye in the Lovely You stamp set. I have family and friends all over the world – literally – and I knew this would be a message I would use again and again.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely You handmade card

I watched a video where a crafter used blue painters tape to mask off the center portion of the card. After she stamped all her beautiful images, she whisked off that tape like nothing doing and voila! she had a spot for her sentiment.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely You handmade card

Crafty Friends, I did that FOUR TIMES. FOUR STINKIN’ TIMES. And every single time it tore my card stock. I was Not Amused. So I stamped my sentiment on a 3/4″ wide strip of card stock and adhered it to my card front and was Very Happy. Moral of the story? There’s always another way to get the result you want.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely You handmade card

That Braided Red Linen Trim is a little sneak peek from the August-December mini catalog that will be available to all of you on August 4th. It’s a teeeeeny bit darker than the Poppy Parade ink, but it’s close enough for me.

And don’t miss the Lovely You bundle – it includes the amazing Lovely Labels Pick a Punch at a 10% savings!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bonus Days Promotion July 2020

Don’t forget to shop Bonus Days – every $50 you spend will earn $5 to spend in that new August-December mini catalog! Shop HERE.

Celebrating Sunflowers – Anything but Yellow!

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On Sunday I shared a sunflower card in Just Jade and apparently I’m not the only one who wants to see alternative color palettes! I experimented with a few additional combinations, but had to stop when I ran out of White Crinkled Seam Binding (that stuff is AH-MAZING.) Here are some of my favorites:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

I got a little carried away with the Stampin’ Sponges here! This is Gorgeous Grape and Highland Heather ink, and mats in Purple Posy and Highland Heather.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

I used pearls to embellish the card, and have poked out some of the circles in the center of the flower. It’s completely random, because they tend to fall out as I remove the die cut from the die, and my objective is to just even up the look.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

Although this version is similar to the original Just Jade card, it’s Misty Moonlight, Balmy Blue and Seaside Spray. The Balmy Blue ink has a bit of a turquoise hue, which you can see under the petals.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

Oh, my goodness, you NEED that White Crinkled Seam Binding! It is so soft and molds so beautifully, but it also rather magically holds its shape. I’ve embellished again with the 20-22 In Color Enamel dots.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

BOOM!

Magenta Madness here, and wow, talk about madness! There isn’t a set of tonal inks that work well for this, so I just softened my sponging as I went outward on the card. Here’s a look before I put it together:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

Because I didn’t have the range of colors, I was actually even more careful when I sponged, and I like the results. I kept the deepest tone underneath the opening in the center of the flower, allowed it to lighten in the area where the petals open out, and then barely tapped the rest of the card.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers Anything but Yellow

This is the base before I add the detailed die cut. Note there are 4 mini dimensionals placed where they won’t obscure any of my carefully selected open spots on the flower (lol). The various stems are all adhered with Tombo Multipurpose glue – even the vellum. Because there’s so much detail, you don’t notice any adhesive.

For details on the supplies, see the post from Sunday.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bonus Days Promotion July 2020

Shop in July and earn Bonus Bucks to spend in August!

Celebrate Sunflowers in Just Jade

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Every time I search Celebrate Sunflower images I get a sea of yellow and gold. I’ll be honest: I’ve discarded multiple versions trying to find other color options, but I think I’ve found one that’s a keeper.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers in Just Jade
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers in Just Jade

I’ve LITERALLY just finished this card, and have taken photos in order to share this today. I’ve been crafting a lot but sharing, well, not so much. I am so pleased with this one I didn’t want to wait another minute!

I wanted more texture but with a soft focus, and sponging gave me the result I wanted. I almost kept the little leafy bits to white and vellum, but at the last minute decided to add a couple of stems in Just Jade at the very back of the leaf stack.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers in Just Jade

After determining where I would place the white sunflower die cut, I started sponging dark-to-light from the center out. I sponged across the bottom and nearly but not completely to the top, and used Pool Party ink to add a few speckles from the Forever Fern set.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers in Just Jade

If you NEED the Celebrate Sunflower bundle, don’t forget that you’ll earn Bonus Bucks – a $5 coupon to spend in August for every $50 you spend in July. Shop at the Maui Stamper Online Store.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bonus Days Promotion July 2020

I’m off to try this in other colors. I promise I’ll be better at sharing!

DIY July 2020: Celebrate Sunflowers

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There are SO MANY GORGEOUS FLOWERS in the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog! I am a complete pushover for a gorgeous flower stamp set, and Celebrate Sunflowers definitely sent me over the edge. Two sizes of flowers, lots of leaves, great sentiments – well, what’s not to like?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers DIY Calendar July 2020

These sunflowers are really fun to color with Stampin’ Blends. I have a pretty simple formula: follow the lines, start dark in the center and end up light on the ends.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers DIY Calendar July 2020

It’s hard to see, but I added a l’il Wink of Stella to the center of the flowers. Stella makes EVERYTHING better. I’ve also used the masking technique to add a little dimension. There are die cuts for this set if you prefer that look, and they’re sold as a bundle with the stamp set so you can save when you choose both!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers DIY Calendar July 2020

These little calendars are really fun to design, and they’re gratifyingly small when you need a little project to start and finish all in one go. I have both the 2020 and the 2021 calendar pdf available, and if you’d like one please click on Contact the Maui Stamper to securely provide your email address. Each pdf is $5 and you can make all the copies you like, making it a great purchase for a crafty gift. Be sure to let me know if you want 2020, 2021, or both!

Please visit Crystal and Cheryl to see their July calendars. It’s our pleasure to share these images with you every month for your inspiration and amusement!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Bonus Days Promotion July 2020

Ready to add some sunflowers to your crafty stash? It’s a great day to do it – July marks the return of BONUS DAYS and you’ll earn a $5 reward to spend in August for every $50 in merchandise you purchase in July. You can get started right HERE.

Forever Greenery meets Lovely You

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The Forever Greenery Suite practically designs itself. These gorgeous colors lend themselves to any kind of card for anyone on your card-sending list!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Forever Greenery Suite

I am so delighted with this Forever Greenery Suite! The Old Olive/Pretty Peacock two-sided ribbon is absolutely gorgeous with this DSP, and right now I can honestly say this would be my marooned-on-a-deserted-island suite.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Forever Greenery Suite

I did a little stampin’ magic to create this sentiment. “Hello” is part of the Forever Fern stamp set, but I markered just the word “Friend” from the phrase “Cherished Friend” in the Lovely You set to finish this look. Stampin’ Up! found a winner in that font selection!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up June 2020 Bonus Host Dollars

Don’t forget that June 2020 Hosts (or regular shoppers with BIG budgets!) earn an extra $25 in Host Rewards when their workshop/order reaches $250. I’ve got the Zoom Workshop down to a science, and there’s room in my schedule for a couple before the end of the month. I’ve just done a couple of workshops with this suite, and everyone loved it!

Rather just order it for yourself? Shop HERE.

Birds with Gorgeous Branches

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When demonstrators got our first look at the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog, Birds & Branches caught my eye right away. My stampin’ bff teased me about it, saying she knew it would be at the top of my list. OK, fine, so we’ve established there are some things you can predict about me!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Birds and Branches card
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Birds and Branches card

My die cutting machine got quite the workout with this project! (SHHHH – Big News – we have an availability date for the new Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine! Demonstrators have a chance to order first – another reason you might want to sign up and take advantage of the June Bonus Bundle offer!)

I love the layered look of the new Old World Paper 3D Embossing Folder behind the Subtle 3D Embossing Folder. I allowed a little reveal around the edge as well, and added a layer of Stampin’ Dimensionals between the Very Vanilla Subtle EF and the Crumb Cake Old World Paper EF.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Birds & Branches card

Coloring those birds with the Stampin’ Blends went quickly as they’re small and are mostly stamped – just a few Daffodil Delight accents and they were good to go. And we ALL KNOW that every project is better when there’s a little bit of linen thread, right?

Are you smitten as I was? Shop HERE.

All the New In Colors

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My first full-catalog order arrived this afternoon and I WAS READY:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2020-2022 In Color Collection Painted Poppies

This card was designed, cut and ready for my 2020-2022 In Color inks and blends! It doesn’t often happen that way, but I was inspired by these gorgeous colors. I love the statement it makes when you feature a single color with black and white accents. (Note to self: Magenta Madness is VERY pink!)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2020-2022 In Color Collection Painted Poppies

Oh, Magenta Madness is glorious! I love this sentiment from the Peaceful Moments stamp set, because it sets the stage for just about any message – thank you, thinking of you, happy birthday, you name it. I’ll add an additional sentiment on the inside of these cards when it’s time to send them.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2020-2022 In Color Collection Painted Poppies

Stampin’ Up! hasn’t produced a Bumble Bee Stampin’ Blend, so I used Daffodil Delight with a little Mango Melody. You could easily use Stampin’ Write markers to color this image.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2020-2022 In Color Collection Painted Poppies

Any of the designs available with this DSP would work well for this technique, but I chose the dots because they echoed the repetition of the poppy blooms on the stems.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2020-2022 In Color Collection Painted Poppies

I wasn’t sure how Cinnamon Cider would work for this card, but I’m very happy with it! It reminds me of a vine that is quite common (actually it’s invasive) here in Hawaii called wood rose. The flower is yellow, but the seed pod looks like a soft wooden flower.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up 2020-2022 In Color Collection Painted Poppies

I don’t want to play favorites, but I *think* Just Jade is going to be my go-to In Color for this new suite of colors. It’s not as bright as Bermuda Bay and I can’t wait to explore new color combinations.

That’s today’s In Color Suite – what do you think? If you’re ready to shop, consider two specials going on for the month of June. A workshop or single order that reaches the $250 level gets an extra $25 of Host Rewards. I’m hosting events on Zoom with great success, and if you’re interested I would be delighted to talk about how we could make that work for you.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up June 2020 Bonus Host Dollars

If your shopping list is over $99, it’s a great time to sign up as a demonstrator. Your $99 kit includes your choice of $125 of Stampin’ Up! product, a selection of business supplies, and through June 30, you’ll add another stamp/die or stamp/punch bundle at no additional cost. There’s no obligation beyond purchasing the kit, but every order you place once you’ve signed up is discounted a minimum of 20%.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Recruits Get a Free Bundle 06-2020

There are so many choices! It’s a good problem to have, don’t you think?