DIY June 2020: Birds & Branches

I’ve got a little preview for your today. On Wednesday the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog will be live and available for your shopping pleasure, but I have a peek at a charming new stamp and die bundle that’s all about feathered friends.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar June 2020 Birds and Branches
Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar June 2020 Birds & Branches

Look at their little birdie feet!!!

I sponged the leaves on the branches for a little depth – it’s amazing the impact you get from a small step like sponging.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar June 2020 Birds & Branches

And there’s NEWS!!!

I am AMAZED by how many of you are chomping at the bit for your 2021 DIY Easel Calendar pdf. As of today, the pdf fairy is granting your wishes! Please use the contact me button at the top of the blog to send me your email, and I’ll invoice you for just $5. When your invoice is paid, I’ll email you the pdf with the 2021 monthly calendar pages (4 to a sheet), a page of covers should you choose to give the calendar as a gift, and a sheet of cutting instructions.

Ready for more inspiration? Stop by to see what Crystal and Cheryl have created for June. You can still shop the Last Chance list at the Online Store through 11:50pm MDT/6:50pm HST on June 2, 2020. The 2020-2021 Annual Catalog will be available by noon MDT/8:00am HST on June 3, 2020.

Farewell to Tropical Chic: May DIY Calendar

Tropical Chic is one of my favorite, go-to suites, and it’s retiring on June 2, 2020. It will have a permanent place in my archives, for both practical and sentimental reasons. This set is the one I am most sorry to see retire this year.

Maui Stamper Tropical Chic May 2020 DIY Easel Calendar

The Tropical Dies are on sale for $18.90, and I can highly recommend them even as a standalone product without the stamps (although why you would do that is beyond me, but a lot of things are beyond me, especially lately). There are beautiful tropical leaves and a versatile “leaf window”.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Tropical Dies 146831

I used these dies to create the Save the Date cards for my daughter and son-in-law’s wedding this past January, and I cut a LOT of Tropical Leaves!!! It’s amazing that my dies are still working so well, because I really put them to the test.

Maui Stamper Tropical Chic May 2020 DIY Easel Calendar

I used the last few Grapefruit Grove Enamel Dots from my stash of Happiness Blooms embellishments for the center of these hibiscus. A true hibiscus has a gorgeous, feathery style, but that’s a very difficult thing to create out of paper, much less embellishments. I’m happy with this look even if it’s not perfectly botanically correct.

As always, Cheryl and Crystal have creations to share in our little monthly Blog Tour. I hope you’ll stop by and see what they’ve come up with for May. If you’d like to add a set of Tropical dies or any other Stampin’ Up! product to your craft archive, please shop HERE.

A Cute Chick to Welcome Easter

If you’re lucky enough to have a Kit Kat bar (…break me off a piece!) in your Stay Home Stash, I’ve got a cute idea for you. I found these bars weeks ago, back in the olden days when you walked through a store browsing. I wanted to use this idea for a group, but even then there must have been some panic buying because there were just a few in stock:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Welcome Easter Kit Kat Bar

The Stitched So Sweetly dies have an awesome assortment of shapes that are really versatile. They’re currently available as a bundle with the So Sentimental stamp set, and I’m crossing my fingers that they’ll carry over to the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog because I have more ideas than time right now!

To create a box for any candy bar, just measure the bar and add a SMIDGE – maybe 1/8″ – to those dimensions for the dimensions of your box. Use the Simply Scored tool to quickly create that box, being sure to leave a 1/4″ tab to adhere the sides, and enough extra in the height of the box to create overlap when you close the flaps. Choose a die that fits inside your largest side and cut out one section. You may have to be a little creative to fit things through your die cutting machine!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Welcome Easter Kit Kat Bar

It didn’t take long to cut the chick out, but fussy-cutting Happy Easter took a couple of tries. I always want to get it reaaaaaallllly close, and that doesn’t always work!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Welcome Easter Kit Kat Bar

I hope you have something yummy to enjoy on Easter morning! Mr. Maui Stamper and I will have a delicious home-cooked brunch (who am I kidding, EVERYTHING WE EAT is home cooked these days. SHEESH.) We’re looking forward to an exuberant visit with our family via the wonders of Zoom. We are spread over MANY time zones so coordinating these calls is quite complex. (what is it with me and ALL CAPS today? Apparently I am tired of being alone and feel the need to shout. Sorry.)

We’re still shipping, and Stampin’ Up! is being extremely conscientious about staffing and environment in the warehouse in order to protect the SU team as well as each of you receiving your box o’ happiness. If you need a little something crafty to brighten up your day, you can shop HERE – and mahalo.

A Chunky Lamb for April

Happy First of April!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar April 2020
Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar April 2020

I’m smitten with this little sheep, with her posture and her fluffiness. I can’t decide if she’s doing a seated wide angle yoga pose (Upavista Konasana) or if she’s a cheerleader doing the splits, but I know this: she’s pretty flexible!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar April 2020

Crystal and Cheryl have calendars to share as well on this April morning. Please stop by and say hello! And if you need a little Wink of Stella or your own Chunky Lamb, please shop HERE. There’s also a brand new early release suite from the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog called Ornate Garden – be sure you check it out! That big bold THANK YOU is going to be amazing.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Ornate Garden

A little punkin banner

I don’t do a lot of fall decorating since fall in Hawaii doesn’t match up well with traditional decor, but I couldn’t resist this little pumpkin banner from the Dollar Spot at Target.

I know. It looks a little funny with that orchid there. I think that just serves to emphasize my point!

These little wooden pumpkins are perfect for embellishing with paper flowers. I pulled out a variety of retired and even not-Stampin’-Up! dies to do the job.

This is a Sizzix did but it wasn’t in our catalog. It’s actually kind of oversized for this project, but shoot, go big or go home, right? I did use the flower from the Magnolia die and was very happy with that result.

Sometimes it’s just fun to work outside the box, and that’s what I did with this project. I hope you enjoy!

Mini Curvy Spooktacular Keepsakes

The Curvy Keepsake die in its first form (slightly larger than this one) was one of my favorites, but I confess that it was expensive to fill a big batch of them with treats (I like expensive chocolate, lol.) This Mini Curvy Keepsake die is perfectly sized for exactly ONE Ferrero Rocher. Did I say it was perfect?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Spooktacular Mini Curvy Keepsakes
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Spooktacular Mini Curvy Keepsakes

We have Googly Eyes!! And not just white ones, but green ones and orange ones and purple ones!!! Be still my heart.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Spooktacular Mini Curvy Keepsakes

This guy is really fun, too. But trust me, really, when I say you NEED the Stamparatus for him. Solid images, especially solid black images, almost require being stamped more than once. Now I don’t know about you, but my eyes aren’t sharp enough and my hands aren’t steady enough to pull this off. But I can do it with the Stamparatus!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Spooktacular Mini Curvy Keepsakes

I think it’s hilarious that the mummy is giving the side-eye to the left and Vampy is doing it to the right. What a pair.

If you’re ready to invite these two spooky guys into your home (say it like the old wild and crazy guys skit from SNL), shop HERE.

2019 Holiday is LIVE!

It’s always exciting when a new catalog goes live, but this Holiday catalog is really something special! There are great new products, fantastic kits, and truly something for every crafter.

I love that this video features all of the markets Stampin’ Up! is in, although truthfully, I’m just not quite ready for Christmas music! Planning, yes – the music, well, check with me in another 6 weeks. But let me show you some of my favorites – you can click on your favorites for the details:

Spooktacular Bash Suite #153485
Gather Together Bundle #153036
Peaceful Boughs Bundle #153033
Tiny Keepsakes Bundle #152390
Toile Tidings Suite #153329
Come to Gather Suite #153484
Joy of Giving Tag Kit #150700
Still Scenes Bundle #153023

Oh, I could go on and on!! Click each image to go straight to the details! And make a note of the Joy of Giving Tag Kit, because I’ll be offering events locally to get together and assemble these gorgeous tags!

Do you have room for a little more excitement? Buy 3, Get 1 Free is back! A select group of Designer Series Papers are part of this great deal – and they’re gorgeous, easy-to-use designs you’ll reach for over and over again:

Shop HERE to get started with your papers – and make note that the Pressed Petals Specialty DSP is included in this offer!

Happy shopping – and happy crafting!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Holiday 2019

September 2019: This Little Piggy Can Fly

If a pig can fly, she can certainly be purple – Purple Posy, that is! My September 2019 DIY Easel Calendar will keep me smiling all month.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up This Little Piggy DIY Easel Calendar 2020

All of the piggies in This Little Piggy are charming, but I think this one is my favorite. Since this set was released last year, it’s languished a bit as I’ve focused on new things. It was time to change that!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up This Little Piggy DIY Easel Calendar 2020

Wink of Stella is one of those non-negotiable, indispensable products on my craft table. It’s controlled sparkle, and if you know anything about Mr. Maui Stamper, you’ll know he believes that sparkle needs to be under control.

*There are a couple of sneak peeks in my September calendar. The Holiday catalog will be available to everyone on September 4, but demonstrators have had a month to play. There are new metallic inks – Silver, Gold and Copper – and of course plenty of new stamps!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up This Little Piggy DIY Easel Calendar 2020

Be sure you hop on over to see what Cheryl and Crystal have done for September. If you need more STELLAAAAAAA, shop here.

One Final 2019 Sale-a-bration post

Pootles (if you don’t know her, you should!) recently shared this charming little tent box, and I was immediately inspired to try it with the Botanical Butterfly DSP available for just a few more hours during the final moments of Sale-a-bration 2019.

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Gift Bag Tent Box Botanical Butterfly DSP SAB 2019
Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Gift Bag Tent Box Botanical Butterfly DSP SAB 2019

These little bags go together in a heartbeat and would make great Easter, graduation, or birthday favors. Don’t waste your time as you’ve only got until 7:50 pm HST or 11:50 pm MT to make one last Sale-a-bration purchase!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Gift Bag Tent Box Botanical Butterfly DSP SAB 2019

February 2019 DIY: Hey Love

Welcome to February at the Maui Stamper! I’m celebrating with these crazy long-legged birds from Hey Love in the Occasions 2019 catalog. You don’t see them there? Well, I do have a little trick…

Maui Stamper DIY Easel February 2019 Hello Love

Maui Stamper DIY Easel February 2019 Hello Love

I masked off the little short legs that this birdie was given by the (awesome) artists at Stampin’ Up! using a sticky note.  I inked them in Memento Black and stamped them up and down across the calendar – and as you can see, one of them is on the way out. Using a Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker, I drew legs on each bird. I was inspired by Sharni Haines in THIS POST.

Maui Stamper DIY Easel February 2019 Hello Love

It’s not too late to create your own 2019 DIY Easel Calendar. I’ve made the pdf available for your personal use at a cost of $5. It includes 12 months plus a cover should you choose to gift your own version of a DIY calendar. Just message me your email and I’ll be glad to send you an invoice.

My favorite crafty buddies in the whole wide world have February calendars to share with you too. Visit Crystal and Cheryl for more 2019 goodness.

If you’d like to draw legs on your own set of birds, shop HERE.