Once a Maui Stamper, always a Maui Stamper

Posted on June 10, 2011 by mauistamper

We shared a bittersweet evening a couple of weeks ago. Kellie and her family are moving to the Mainland. Their reasons are good and of course we all support them in this move, but the truth is we don’t like it. Kellie’s loving, gentle presence and her inspired projects bring such light to our demonstrator meetings! We couldn’t let her leave without getting together for some laughter and lovin’.

Being SU demos, we had to have a project:

I know. Can you stand it? This isn’t an original idea – it’s an absolute CASE (Copy And Share with Everyone). I saw them on Jill Hilliard‘s blog and she in turn credited Card a la Carte, where you can find details on construction.

My plan was for all of us to make these at Kellie’s Aloha party, but I hadn’t even made a sample – I just had the link. You should have seen us sitting around my dining table:

Well, now you can see us! Everyone scrolling through their smart phones, looking at the pictures and instructions. (And Kellie in the background trying to sort out a mini-crisis!)

Peggy and Crystal got busy with the punches.

Robbie got a little punchy herself! And we were all so happy to see Cheryl feeling back to normal.

Lisa and Kellie – and Lisa, you’d better watch out for that dino behind you!! Kellie has been packing for weeks, if not months. Every time I’d see her she’d tell me how she was improvising because this item was packed, or they’d sold that item (little things, you know, BEDS). When she came in she laughed and told us she’d brought her adhesive with her:

Kellie, we’re sorry you’re leaving Maui but we know we’ll be seeing you soon in Salt Lake! And remember…once a Maui Stamper, always a Maui Stamper.

And don’t forget that these are for the CRAFT ROOM, not the garage or the garden or any of that secondary stuff! Love you.

Holding my place with Pretty Postage

Posted on June 3, 2011 by mauistamper

It’s June, and the tantalizing Last Chance lists of stamps and accessories have been announced. Stamps are available through June 30, but accessories are available only as supplies last. There are still lots of juicy bargains in the Clearance Rack, and some of the Last Chance accessories are discounted too!

To see the stamp sets that will retire June 30 at 11:50pm MST (that’s 7:50pm HST!) click HERE

To shop the Last Chance accessories, click HERE

Anyone who places a minimum $50 order through my Online Store will receive an invitation to an exclusive event the beginning of July where you’ll be treated to as much new product from the brand new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog as I can put my hands on. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this event!

I have just a little something to show you:

Pretty Postage stamp set
Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, and So Saffron card stock
Play Date Designer Series paper (Last Chance!)
Old Olive Classic ink pad
Rich Razzleberry Stampin’ Write marker and a Blender pen
Big Shot and Circles #2 Originals die
Postage Stamp and 1 3/4 inch Scallop Circle punches
A Ginormous paper clip and my hot glue gun

I made a bunch of these clips for my hostesses. I adhered DSP to some chipboard and cut out circles with the #2 originals so that the top of the clips would have some substance. Everything else was pretty simple and my project went together very quickly. I did drag out the glue gun to put the circles together – there are two sets of So Saffron Scallop Circles for each clip, and I used a BIG ol’ blob of hot glue to make sure everything stayed stuck together. Including my fingers, of course.

Now go shop the Last Chance!

A special gift for mom

Posted on May 20, 2011 by mauistamper

I made a special Mother’s Day gift for my mom this year:

This is the 1 1/2 inch Simply Adorned charm with an insert made with the Charming stamp set. I love that the charms are deep enough to allow a small embellishment like a jewel to fit inside the case, and that the back of the charm is clear so that another image can be viewed from the other side. My plan was to make a set of inserts for my mom to enjoy, and then I stumbled upon this:

This is the front of the project by the incomparable Jackie Topa, and here’s what you find inside:

Turn the page for more…

and still more…

…and there are more pages with Designer Series paper inserts, but I’ll spare you all those details!

Check Jackie’s post for construction details. Working in this tiny format is absolutely addicting, and loads of fun. And to think it all starts with just a little bit of paper and ink!

A Triple Punch

Posted on May 6, 2011 by mauistamper

Do you have the new Summer Mini catalog? It’s full of gorgeous new stamps, and I think it has a nice focus on masculine and travel themed images. We get a little carried away creating things for our feminine selves, don’t you think?

Stampin’ Up! didn’t forget about the Girly stuff though. One of my favorite new products – and there are a few – are the two new Triple Layer Punches. I snapped up the Blossom Boquet in my demonstrator pre-order last month, and now I’m struggling with whether or not I NEED the Doily. Ha! Silly Maui Stamper. Who doesn’t need another punch? Go ahead, raise your hand.

I’m not going to go into detail on these – but they’re all done with the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch. The stems are from the XL Two Step Bird – and no doubt about it, you NEED that one!! I just did like the name said and layered everything together, then added some Crystal Effects in the little windows – you can see it best in the one on the far right.

One thing I do have to add – that Soft Suede Polka Dot ribbon is in the Clearance Rack right now for $3.99. Need I say more?

Here’s what I put inside – and don’t laugh, ok?

This is one of those sad, sad stories about projects that aren’t completed on a timely basis. This is Avon hand cream – and luxurious cream it is – yes, I confess – in Christmas packaging. Just didn’t get to it! Very embarassing, I know. Better late than never, and I certainly didn’t want to wait until Christmas 2011!

Bloomin’ Madness

Posted on April 21, 2011 by mauistamper

The Blossom Petals punch from the Summer Mini catalog inspired me to think about a flowers class…one that would show lots of ways of embellishing with flowers. The Bloomin’ Madness class last Saturday was the result, and one of our projects was a bookmark:

Charming and All Holidays Stamp sets
Shimmer White and Baja Breeze card stock
Baja Breeze and Rose Red Classic ink pads
Big Shot and Two Tags Bigz die
Blossom Petals and 1 inch circle punches
Vintage Flower Adornments
Crop-a-dile
White 5/8 inch satin ribbon
Tombo the Wonder Adhesive

Peggy’s idea was to use this as a bottle tag when you give a gift of wine. I like the way that woman thinks.

When I construct a flower like this, I invariably start with a small circle of cardstock. I get enough Tombo (the Wonder Adhesive) all over my fingers as it is without having to keep track of all the pieces. The punched circle provides a platform to build on so that I can concentrate on getting Tombo on just the ends of my fingers instead of halfway up my arms. (Don’t laugh. It’s been done.)

Those little Adornments have really grown on me – I only have a couple left from the package of 24. They’re not being carried over into the Summer Mini catalog (which I have in my hot little hands) and we can only hope that they’ll make an appearance in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. Honestly, I would love to be in on one of those meetings when they decide what stays and what goes. Is it based on sales? Trends? Shelli’s favorites? A dartboard? Seriously, you’ve got to wonder sometimes. (Don’t get me started on Branch Out.) Make a note of June 1 on your calendar, though, because that’s the traditional release date for the Retirement list for the current year catalog.

Re-use, reduce, recycle

Posted on April 11, 2011 by mauistamper

I was in search of a bigger basket, one that would be sturdy enough to hold more than a couple of pieces of chocolate. I found a beautiful example on Mary Jo Albright’s blog, complete with a tutorial:

Elements of Style stamp set
Marina Mist and Rose Red card stock
Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper
the stiff white 12 x 12 sheets that come in the back of the Stampin’ Up! DSP package
Marina Mist Classic ink pad
Victoria Crochet Trim; Tombo the Wonder Adhesive
Vintage Flowers Adornments; brads
Big Shot and Scallop Envelope and Fun Flowers Bigz dies

You read that right – this basket is made from the Scallop Envelope cut out of the stiff white sheets from the back of the package of the DSP. I stamped on them to disguise them , and I was pleased with how strong they made the project. And it’s so green!

I really need to go back and give this basket a little step-up treatment. It was a club project, and I knew we would be challenged to finish in the amount of time we have, so I left the handle pretty plain. We did make a layered flower to put on the top, but it looks a little lonesome sitting there by itself.

I wanted the bottom to be finished, and I also wanted to stabilize the base to make the basket sturdy. I cut a hexagon from Marina Mist to put inside, and a second one to finish the bottom. Wow. It looks so simple, written like that. Have you tried to cut a hexagon lately? A nice, symmetrical one? Let’s just say it’s been a long time since geometry! I tried a number of techniques, but in the end I do what I generally end up doing: I winged it. And for being winged, I thought it came out pretty well:

Ha – oops, you can see my stitches. I get teased all the time because I like to sew things on. I hate it when things fall off!! Just don’t look too closely at my hexagon, ok?

Why you shouldn’t roast Peeps

Posted on April 7, 2011 by mauistamper

I have permission to share this with you:

That’s what a Peep looks like when it’s been roasted at Girl Scout camp! And if that isn’t the perfect sweatshirt for a Girl Scout Leader, I don’t know what is. The best part was when Cheryl started to eat it…but I think I was doubled over laughing so hard I didn’t get that photo.

Moving on…

Well Scripted (Retired) stamp set
Pear Pizazz, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White and Pretty in Pink card stock
Pear Pizazz Classic ink pad
Scallop oval, large oval and oval punches
Pear Pizazz 1/2 inch stitched poly ribbon and white crochet thread
Ice Cream Parlor (retired) buttons
Big Shot, Scallop Circle Bigz, Petals a Plenty Embossing folder and Beautiful Wings embosslit
Tombo, the wonder adhesive

I would love to tell you that I came up with this idea myself but I cannot tell a lie; I did not. Brenda, aka QBee, designed this deceivingly simple basket and even made a video tutorial that is clear and very easy to follow. Please check out QBee’s Quest, and tell her I sent you. She put the little handle across the narrow portion of the basket, but I switched it to the wide end. It’s cute either way.

Here’s another view:

You could make a bunch of these very quickly, because once you’ve done one you can do oodles. These would be very cute little Easter place card holders, filled with chocolates (aaack! no!!) or an Easter egg on a bed of grass.

A Paper Carrot for Peter

Posted on April 6, 2011 by mauistamper

I’ve been on a basket theme lately. There was the basket class, and the basket club, and a few other baskets that I did just for fun. Here’s one from the class:

Teeny Tiny Wishes, Woodgrain and Forest Friends stamp sets
Pumpkin Pie, Peach Parfait, Early Espresso and Whisper White card stock
Play Date and Ice Cream Parlor (SAB) Designer Series Papers
Pumpkin Pie and Early Espresso Classic ink pads; Versamark ink pad
1 1/4, 1 3/8, 1 3/4 inch circle punches; 2 1/2 inch scallop circle punch
Crop-a-dile and Pear Pizazz Seam Binding
Embossing powder and heat tool; Pearl Jewels; Stampin’ Sponge
Big Shot and Petal Cone Bigz die

I’m still on my “carrot” kick, and I’ll confess I had a lot of fun with this project. I thought the Woodgrain background stamp was perfect for carrot texture.

Looks like I need to find some tangerine Jelly Bellies to put in a cello bag and tuck into the cone. Actually, I need to bring Jelly Bellies into my house about as much as I need the proverbial hole in my head. I’m a nibbler, and little candies like Jelly Bellies or Dove Chocolate eggs (Dark Chocolate, please) or little snack size ANYTHINGS are my downfall. I’ve actually purchased some Easter candy, but it’s well hidden. I purchased it because when you live on a small island if you see something you want you’d better buy it Now. Heaven forbid we arrive at Easter and the only things left on Mr. Safeway’s shelves are the yucky kind of jelly beans and Peeps.

Speaking of Peeps…I don’t eat them, my kids don’t eat them, but I generally buy a package for each kid and put them in their baskets just to be silly. About 5 years ago, I took a group of high-school aged Girl Scouts to camp and at the last minute threw in a couple of boxes of Peeps with the marshmellows for our campfire. Honestly, you have never seen anything so strange as a roasted Peep – except perhaps for the look on Cheryl’s face when she decided to eat one. (I have no idea what posessed her to attempt such a thing.) According to Cheryl, not only are roasted Peeps vile, but they do this kind of foaming thing. I wouldn’t know.

Honestly…I’d better quit now. Such a ridiculous story, and I haven’t even gotten to the part about the Roasted-Peep contest at my son’s birthday party.

A tisket, a tasket

Posted on April 4, 2011 by mauistamper

Try to get away for a little anniversary weekend and what happens? Captain Stupidhead thinks he’s been abandoned (he wasn’t, my son was here) and hasn’t left me alone for a second today. He’s like a two-year-old, and if you could see me this very minute you would see his big orange cat-self leaning on the keyboard. In case I miss that, he gets up every few minutes and sticks his head in my face. This has the effect of showering me with cat hair, which is oh-so-pleasant. (It’s better than him yawning, because his cat-breath is indescribable.)

Earlier today, when I was putting dishes away, he wrapped himself around my legs and cried like a baby. I swear he’s saying “UP! UUUUUPPPP!!” in that briefly endearing but quickly annoying way that toddler’s have. Prior to that, I was trying to take some photos for you:

This is the “before” basket, a 2-4-6-8 basket trimmed with retired Designer Series Paper bits and pieces run through the Big Shot with the Tasteful Trim die. I had a better idea and my plan was to show you the two projects, but I had “help”:

The photo is blurry because he is in motion, rapidly approaching my “photo shoot”. This is after a lot of whining and winding around under my feet. Since I failed to acknowledge him, it became necessary to move in a little closer.

I’m attempting the photo of the second basket, but it’s impossible to get a picture because A) there is a cat in the way and B) he is giving me the “head-butt” treatment so it is impossible to focus the camera.

I tossed him to the floor but he must have hit the trampoline, because before I could get a photo HE WAS BAAACK.

However, I’m experienced in the art of diversion and found some shreddies for him. They make a great rustling sound, which always gets his attention, and I can get them to wiggle just a bit which means he has to inspect.

He’s checking the shreddies to see if they’re tasty. This photo cracks me up, because he looks like a fat orange Easter bunny – sans the ears.

Flourish stamp set
So Saffron and Bashful Blue card stock; retired Designer Series Papers
So Saffron Classic ink pad
Designer Button and Pretty in Pink 1/8 taffeta ribbon
Oval Scallop Frame and Tasteful Trim XL Bigz dies and the Big Shot
Eyelet border punch
brads (to attach the handle)

THIS is the project I was trying to photograph. I apologize for the crimped handle, but as you can imagine, I was happy to get this picture as it was. The Flourish stamp set is one of the single stamps that were available as a Sale-a-bration option, and you can see it better from the side. You realize, of course, there isn’t a photo of the side.

And yes, Mr. Maui Stamper and I had a lovely weekend on Lanai celebrating our 30th anniversary, which is actually today. We stayed at the amazing Lodge at Koele, and did whatever we felt like doing. Apparently next year we will be expected to take a companion with us. Oh, as if that would ever happen.

P.S. Ha! Just as I was about to click publish, he leaned over and hit the speakerphone button with his chin. It’s very childish of me, but I always crack up when he does this as the dial tone is loud and he looks around to see who or what did this annoying thing. Serves him right. Knucklehead.

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s a…carrot??

Posted on March 31, 2011 by mauistamper

Here’s Not Quite Ready For Carrot Time candidate #2:

French Script stamp set
Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizazz and Always Artichoke card stock
Pumpkin Pie Classic ink pad
Big Shot, Petal Cone Bigz Die, Beautiful Wings Embosslit
Scallop Circle punch, gold brad, Always Artichoke Seam Binding

I tried a number of arrangements but finally had to content myself with these carrot-crazed butterflies – they looked better in my head than on paper. Don’t you hate it when that happens? It’s always fun to play with all of the butterflies you end up with using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit – each crank of the Big Shot turns out 5 from itty bitty to thunb-sized, and I confess that I love just seeing them heaped up on my desk.

Captain Stupidhead has been especially needy recently. He was really stressed out by all the noise and disruption that Builder Dan brought indoors, and now that the house is quiet he spends too much time worrying about where I am and what I am doing (and why it does not involve scratching his head). I was trying to apply some rub-ons yesterday afternoon, and he kept shoving his head against my hand. He ruined 3 rub-ons that way, pushing them out of alignment while I was trying to rub them in place. Big Baby. If he could have his way, I would hold him and brush him and feed him and open/close/open/close the door all day long. He is seriously mis-informed.

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

Category Archives: 3-D

Once a Maui Stamper, always a Maui Stamper

Holding my place with Pretty Postage

A special gift for mom

A Triple Punch

Bloomin’ Madness

Re-use, reduce, recycle

Why you shouldn’t roast Peeps

A Paper Carrot for Peter

A tisket, a tasket

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s a…carrot??

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: