An old favorite and some new Clearance Rack goodies

Posted on December 10, 2013 by mauistamper

This project is an old favorite of mine, and it’s always popular at craft fairs:

This simple design folds out to reveal space for photos, journaling, and (or) gift cards for the perfect quick gift.

When you slide off the belly band, it flips open to reveal three panels. (Please IGNORE the Designer Series Paper – it’s retired – we’re dealing in concepts here!) The stamps are from the Hostess Set Warmth and Wonder from the Holiday catalog.

Open the side panels and reveal more photos, gift cards, or personal messages. Fun to give and fun to receive!!

Be sure you stop by the Online Store to see the new Clearance Rack goodies – they won’t last!

One more craft fair…

Posted on December 6, 2013 by mauistamper

Crystal and I will be at the Nisei Sons and Daughters Craft Fair on Sunday – lots of gifties!

This is the (sadly) retired Fancy Favor box, but with your Simply Scored you could create one like it in a jiffy! Since we now have both the Curly Label and Petite Curly Label punches, Santa’s belt buckle is a snap. And if you haven’t picked up Tags 4 You from the Holiday catalog, take another look – it’s a perfect match with the Label Bracket punch.

The Burlap ribbon – very trendy this season! – offsets the color of the Tag a Box perfectly. A little Lion Coffee and some Ghiradelli make this gift most welcome.These tags are for that perfect ~~bottle of wine~~ gift for that very special friend 🙂 And yes, the Bigz Two Tags die is retired also. I guess if you want these you’ll just have to come down to the gym at Maui High this Sunday (December 8, 2013) from 9am until 2pm.

See you there!

Believe

Posted on December 1, 2013 by mauistamper

Isn’t this the perfect message for December?

Snowflake Soiree and Snow Swirled (retired) stamp sets
Whisper White and Marina Mist card stock
Marina Mist and Night of Navy FFIP
Pool Party Shimmer Spray*
Rhinestone Jewels

December is about Believing…believing the spring will come, believing in Santa and all the goodness he represents, believing in the Christ Child born in Bethlehem, born to redeem us all.

*Shimmer spray is made with a few drops of Stampin’ Up! ink refill mixed with 70% rubbing alcohol and Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint. To my deep dismay, Champagne Mist is now retired. However, as I’ve noted before, these calendar cards were made in a class last January when Champagne Mist was still part of our product line – as was the Snow Swirled stamp set. You’re welcome to improvise!!

And…it’s time to look ahead to 2014! We’ll be making the new Easel calendar this Saturday, December 7 at 9am. It’s $13 for the calendar plus easel or $10 if you have your own easel. Contact me ASAP if you’d like to join us.

Finally, stop by this morning and visit me at the St. Theresa Church Cookie Walk and Craft Fair. It’s in Stawasz Hall at 25 West Lipoa Street, Kihei from 8am until noon. Cookies PLUS Crafts? I don’t see how you could resist 🙂

This Turkey is a Ding Dong!

Posted on November 15, 2013 by mauistamper

Robbie made turkeys for Hostess Club this month:

Hilarious, isn’t it? We always have a great time at club – honestly, there’s so much laughing and teasing that I’m always amazed we get the projects done. If we’d done this one we would still be sitting at my dining table on Thanksgiving morning!

Robbie made these quite generously sized, because this turkey had a special cargo:

I know you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but that Ding Dong is still stuffed in my turkey, all wrapped up.

I can’t say the same for the Hershey Nuggets Robbie slipped me 🙂

I have a fun story to share. A couple of years ago, I read a comment on one of my posts from someone living near the University of Notre Dame where my son had just started college. Mary and I started a correspondence, and this year when Mr. Maui Stamper and I made plans to go to the ND – Navy game, Mary and I made plans to meet face to face.

We worked out a schedule and she picked me up on Saturday morning for coffee. Honestly, we had planned a quick 30 minute “hello” and after 2 hours we were still talking as fast as we could! What a warm, wonderful person Mary is, and if you are lucky enough to live in Mishawaka, you might know that too. I’m just thrilled that I remembered to snap a quick photo:

Have you ever seen such adorable football fans? We could have talked all day – except of course that I had a date with my boys for the game. Mary Travis, I loved meeting you in person, and I hope you’ll come to Maui so we can continue the conversation.

It’s RemARKably Festive!

Posted on November 9, 2013 by mauistamper

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

This is more snow(flake) than we will see here on Maui, and after a couple of weeks on the chilly Mainland, I’m perfectly happy with that! Festive Flurries is one of our featured stamp sets this month on the RemARKable Stamp of the Month tour.

Festive Flurry Wood #131778 $39.95 Clear #131781 $29.95

Festive Flurry Framelits #132193 $24.95

OR BUY THE BUNDLE AND SAVE 15%!! Wood #133284 $54.95 Clear #133285 $46.95

I wrapped a Styrofoam tubal wreath with some organza (can I get a cheer for the inventor of the hot glue gun?). The snowflakes are built using the stamps and framelits, and the layers are assembled with Stampin’ Dimensionals to provide, well, DIMENSION.

I used Silver Glimmer paper, Brushed Silver card stock, Island Indigo card stock and ink, Pool Party card stock and ink, Whisper White card stock, and the Winter Frost Designer Series paper stack to create the snowflakes. I accessorized with the Frosted Finishes Embellishment, Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, and the Silver Basics Designer buttons that are still available on the Clearance Rack. The wreath is finished with a handful of ribbon that will flutter nicely in the trade winds 🙂

This project is absolutely NOT rocket science! YOU can do this – really! Even the wrapping part was super easy because the organza is so forgiving. The hardest part is keeping your fingers out of the hot glue when it’s still hot. (Ask me how I know.)

Your next stop on the tour is Maria Pane. I usually link to the talented Robin Merriman, but she has a family situation that is occupying every moment of her time. If you believe in the power of prayer, please say one for her and her family.

Here’s the rest of the tour should you choose to view it to the beat of your own drummer!

Nancy Amato           http://stampinallnight.blogspot.com
Melissa Bolinger      http://www.stampinup.net/blog/2089191
Jackie Bottomley     http://www.jackiebottomley.blogspot.com
Tamra Davis            http://www.thecardladies.com
Connie Deibler         http://www.conniestamps.com
Sherri Eddleblute      http://www.sweetestdesigns.blogspot.com
Crystal Kondo           http://www.card-ed.com
Deb Lehigh               http://thestampinhut.typepad.com
Anne Matasci            http://www.MauiStamper.wordpress.com
Maria Pane               http://www.stampinandscrappinwithriri.blogspot.com
Andi Potler                http://www.absolutekreations.com
Michele Reynolds     http://www.inspirationink.typepad.com
Pam Staples             http://www.sunnygirlscraps.com
Janet Wakeland        http://www.remarkablycreated.com

Stillness in the trees

Posted on November 1, 2013 by mauistamper

Lovely as a Tree stamp set
Whisper White and Always Artichoke card stock
Always Artichoke and Marina Mist FFIP
Soft Suede, Always Artichoke and Garden Green Stampin’ Write markers
Blender pen
Stampin’ Sponge

It’s difficult to see in this photo, but the “sky” is very lightly and randomly sponged with Marina Mist. It was too white left as is.

Does this stamp make you think of a quiet, still wood? I can imagine myself walking here. Just the thing for a winter day. (Someplace else, of course. Not on Maui.)

Oh, the fun you will have!

Posted on October 31, 2013 by mauistamper

The latest class I offered was something different – we tried to re-create the Halloween cat:

There was a lot of concentration…

Everyone really focused on their project when it was time to cut…and there was cutting…

“Someone” (names have been omitted to protect the innocent) did an awful lot of fussy cutting and protested a great deal.

However, she opted to cut out something special of her own without anyone saying it had to be done! Just sayinin…

Sue, Robbie and Peggy with their creations – Nancy had to head out early and we missed her. Fun project – thanks for joining us stamper!

Time for Trick or Treat!

Posted on October 29, 2013 by mauistamper

I needed a BUNCH of Halloween treats for some very special people:

They didn’t take long, they were fun to put together, and I learned that one package of Smarties has a Weight Watcher’s Points Plus value of 1. (That’s a very good thing!)

The Smarties fit perfectly into the 1″ x 8″ cello bags, and the Framelits Labels are just the right size to create a topper. A simple pumpkin, a couple strands of ribbon, and too could be ready for a heap of trick or treaters. (Or grown up trick or treaters…just saying.

Seriously, you still have time to put some of these together for the ghosties and goblins on your route!

Santa loves a little bling

Posted on October 23, 2013 by mauistamper

You just have to listen to him say “Ho ho ho” to know he’s the kind of guy who would wear a big shiny belt buckle:

We sparkled up the Bag-in-a-box with some silver Glimmer paper at ACCE. That stuff is seriously awesome, although when you cut it sometimes little bits of blingy-ness come loose and fly around the craft room. So far we haven’t had any Glitter Issues, because I have been vigilant with the stick-vac. One of these days I know I’m gonna push it too far and there will be a meeting of the minds 🙂

We had a few crafters who were unable to attend at the last minute, and hopefully they’ll be able to assemble their packets based on our photos. There’s a tutorial HERE that will help too. You could adapt the dimensions to create different size packages. The key is the glimmer paper!

I made a couple of these in different papers from the Season of Style 12 x 12 Designer Series Paper pack. This one totally cracked me up when I finished it because it looks just like pajamas to me. Santa must have a velvet dressing gown to go with these!

Packages here, packages there…

Posted on October 21, 2013 by mauistamper

Nothing says “I love you” like a gift in a CUTE PACKAGE:

Seriously…a box this cute practically guarantees an awesome gift. And the belly-band slides on and off so easily that it can be used again and again! Share the love!

The trick to creating the Mosaic Punch embellishment is to build it on a 1 3/4 inch circle base. The addition of a ginormous pearl embellishment and the elevating properties of Stampin’ Dimensionals add the finishing touches.

Santa is getting his Washi Tape groove going on this grungaliscious card. Crystal adapted an earlier design and we all loved this look. Washi is even better than post-its! It peels off the wall very nicely too – you’ll se it at Christmas time in my house holding up just about everything.

Today is the last day to take advantage of the best joining opportunity Stampin’ Up! has ever offered. A couple of clicks plus $25 and you can be a card-carrying, stamp-slinging Official Demonstrator! You’ve got until 11:50pm Mountain standard time (that’s 7:50pm Hawaii standard time) to satisfy your curiosity. Start HERE.

And if that’s not enough, today is the last day for these DEALS – there will be fresh ones tomorrow!