Category Archives: Birthdays

Slimline Cards and Dies

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Have you made a slimline card? It’s an entirely different format and the possibilities are endless. Stampin’ Up! makes it easy with dies and stamps designed to work with this elongated card, and even offers beautiful envelopes to go along!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Slim Dies Slim Sayings Slim Envelopes #handmadecard #diy #slimlinecard
  • Stamps: Peaceful Moments
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Basic Grey, Smokey Slate, So Saffron, Crushed Curry
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Slim Card dies, Stitched Rectangle dies, In Good Taste DSP, Stampin’ Write Markers, Linen Thread, Multipurpose Glue, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I put the chevron die from the Slim Card dies through the Big Boss with an assortment of colors, then chose what I liked best together. I really love yellow and grey together, and my objective was to create a masculine card. As a result there are no bows, sparkly bits, or other distractions – just the die and the sentiments. Well. And a teeny weeny bit of linen thread, because it’s basically rope, and rope is manly!

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Slim Dies Slim Sayings Slim Envelopes #handmadecard #diy #slimlinecard

I made a second version so that I could go landscape, and I REALLY like the way this turned out! I turned the template upside down so that the chevrons were going the other way (although since I also turned the entire card on its side there’s less of an impact). I used a variety of simple circles and embossed a few of them with the Brick and Mortar and Tasteful Textile 3D Embossing folders.

I also pulled out the Slim Sayings stamp set that is bundled with the Slim Card dies for the Happy Birthday sentiment. If you look very closely, you’ll see that it’s matted with a Stitched Rectangle. We don’t have one that fits exactly, but there’s a solution to that.

Choose a rectangle that’s the correct length and cut it out. Take it out of the Big Boss and mark the spot where you need to cut it in order to make it the right length. Now line up your rectangle die on the sides with the top of the die aligned with your mark. When you run it through the Big Boss, it will only cut that one line, and you’ll have a perfect, custom rectangle!

Have you seen the latest release at Stampin’ Up!?

The All Together Suite includes Here Together stamps, Here for You dies, All Together Designer Series Paper, and our brand new Natural Tones Stampin’ Blends combos! They’re available as a suite, bundle or individually – but only the Blends will be available after May 2, 2022.

Sale-a-bration is still going strong. Everybody loves FREE!! Choose FREE goodies from January 4 to February 28, 2022!! Shop HERE.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sale-a-bration Join FREE STAMPS

Before you place that order, consider the Very Best Deal – joining Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator! If you join by February 28, 2022, there’s a super opportunity. Choose 2 FREE stamp sets PLUS:

  • $125 additional product of your choice for $99
  • Free shipping on your kit
  • 20% savings on your own purchases
  • 6 months to try us out without risk – continue with just a $300 quarterly minimum
  • Earn Sale-a-bration and host rewards on RETAIL price not your discounted price
  • An incredible community of crafters
  • Early access AND sneak peeks (you know you want to know!)

Join by February 28th for those two free stamp sets! Message me if you have questions or want to chat.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Paper Pumpkin February 2022 Safari Celebration kit

Be sure to subscribe by February 10th for your Craft Escape in a box! Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱if you decide it’s not for you. The February kit will make 9 playful cards with envelopes that you can tailor to your card-sending needs. Don’t wait!

Beauty of the Earth in a Fun Fold

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Cheryl, one of my Stampin’ BFFs, shared this fold with me. At the moment she did, I had Beauty of the Earth DSP on my craft desk and knew immediately what I wanted to do. I absolutely love the way these two designs work together, and I’m quite pleased with the end result:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beauty of the Earth DSP Fun Fold handmade card
  • Stamps: Peaceful Moments (my absolute fave sentiment set!), Forever Fern
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Crushed Curry, Mossy Meadow
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Painted Labels dies, Stitched So Sweetly dies, Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper, Champagne Jewels, Stampin’ Dimensionals

This is a design called Double Dutch Door. It’s very simple, but the cutting takes a little time and precision. When you remove the belly band, the top panel opens upward, and there are 2 mini panels at the bottom that open out to the sides.

You can customize this one to your heart’s delight! I used both Mossy Meadow and Crushed Curry ink on the Forever Fern images – I just dunked the bottom half in one color and the top half in the other. You could call that a specific technique, or you could just call it lazy 😁

I’ve been making more of an effort to embellish my envelopes. Most often I add a layer of Designer Series paper to the flap, which would have been a great choice with this one, but I chose to use my “dunking” technique with the leaves instead. Do you embellish your envelopes? It doesn’t take much time at all – you just need to remember to do it.

There’s an entire suite called Beauty of the Earth. I chose to use just the paper for this project, but there’s a lot of inspiration in the Suite!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sale-a-bration FREE STAMPS January-February-2022

Everybody loves FREE!! Choose FREE goodies from January 4 to February 28, 2022!! Shop HERE.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sale-a-bration Join FREE STAMPS

Before you place that order, consider the Very Best Deal – joining Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator! If you join by February 28, 2022, there’s a super opportunity. Choose 2 FREE stamp sets PLUS:

  • $125 additional product of your choice for $99
  • Free shipping on your kit
  • 20% savings on your own purchases
  • 6 months to try us out without risk – continue with just a $300 quarterly minimum
  • Earn Sale-a-bration and host rewards on RETAIL price not your discounted price
  • An incredible community of crafters
  • Early access AND sneak peeks (you know you want to know!)

Join by February 28th for those two free stamp sets! Message me if you have questions or want to chat.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Paper Pumpkin February 2022 Safari Celebration kit

Be sure to subscribe by February 10th for your Craft Escape in a box! Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱if you decide it’s not for you. The February kit will make 9 playful cards with envelopes that you can tailor to your card-sending needs. Don’t wait!

Blessings of Home: New Stamp SNEAK PEEK

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I’ve spent the past few days with a few thousand of my favorite people in the world – Stampin’ Up! demonstrators! Our convention this year is virtual, and we’ve heard presentations from the Home Office as well as other demonstrators to inspire, delight and surprise us all. One of our events was a Stamp and Share event of a brand new bundle from the 2022 January June mini catalog called Blessings of Home:

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Blessings of Home ONSTAGE@HOME

I can’t wait to spend more time with this suite! There were 3 projects, but I couldn’t watch and create quickly enough – this is the only one I finished.

  • Stamps: Blessings of Home*
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Garden Green, Misty Moonlight, Cinnamon Cider
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Flowers of Home dies*, Heart & Home DSP*, Blender pens, 3/8″Denim Ribbon*, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Glue

* All available on January 4, 2022 in the 2022 January – June Mini catalog – or sooner if you are a demonstrator. And it just so happens that there’s a fabulous opportunity to join the Stampin’ Up! family right now!! (Just sayin’)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Start With Savings Demonstrator Promotion November 2021

How would you spend $75? Through November 30, you can sign up to save on every order you place – and join a community of friendship, inspiration and fantastic support. Your $75 turns into $125 of Stampin’ Up! product that YOU choose – free of shipping – and is your ticket to the Maui Stampers and the inside world of Stampin’ Up! Contact me with your questions or join now!

In the News You Can Use department, our seasonal sale is coming up! Mark your calendar and order early, as I predict these essentials will fly out the door. Save on

When you order your ink pads, be sure to add the coordinating ink refill to your order. It’s just a few extra dollars, and trust me, you’ll be so glad to have it on hand! Plan your orders in the Online Store so you’re ready to go on November 16th.

  • Card stock 10%
  • Stampin’ Up! ink (exclusive of bundles) 15%
  • Dies – yes, dies – 20%
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Edens Garden

Don’t forget the gorgeous Eden’s Garden Suite, available now as a sneak peek from the January – June 2022 Mini Catalog.

Beauty of the Earth Designer Series Paper

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We don’t see many traditional fall colors on Maui, but nevertheless I’ve fallen in love with Beauty of the Earth Designer Series paper. It conveys a feeling of autumn without having a strong regional sense, and the colors are so warm and inviting.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beauty of the Earth DSP Forever Flourishing Dies handmade card
  • Stamps: Forever Fern, Art Gallery
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Garden Green, Merry Merlot, Pumpkin Pie
  • Accessories: Copper Foil sheets, Big Boss, Forever Flourishing dies, Scalloped Contour dies, Stitched Rectangle dies, Blending Brush, Linen Thread, Stampin Dimensionals

Beauty of the Earth is a stunning pack of autumn colored Designer Series papers. While it’s designed to coordinate with the Beauty of Friendship bundle, I’ve found it works wonderfully with many different stamps and dies. I had a hunch that the Copper Foil sheets would really shine (lol) as a focal point with this design.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beauty of the Earth DSP Forever Flourishing Dies handmade card

I did a second version with a different paper from the same Designer Series paper assortment. I kept it simpler with fewer layers and a little spritz created by flicking my markers. I love the dash of Night of Navy in this paper – it’s not 100% realism, but sometimes I need a break from reality.

In the News You Can Use department, our seasonal sale is coming up! Mark your calendar and order early, as I predict these essentials will fly out the door. Save on

  • Card stock 10%
  • Stampin’ Up! ink (exclusive of bundles) 15%
  • Dies – yes, dies – 20%

When you order your ink pads, be sure to add the coordinating ink refill to your order. It’s just a few extra dollars, and trust me, you’ll be so glad to have it on hand! Plan your orders in the Online Store so you’re ready to go on November 16th.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Start With Savings Demonstrator Promotion November 2021

How would you spend $75? Through November 30, you can sign up to save on every order you place – and join a community of friendship, inspiration and fantastic support. Your $75 turns into $125 of Stampin’ Up! product that YOU choose – free of shipping – and is your ticket to the Maui Stampers and the inside world of Stampin’ Up! Contact me with your questions or join now!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Edens Garden

Don’t forget the gorgeous Eden’s Garden Suite, available now as a sneak peek from the January – June 2022 Mini Catalog.

Stampin’ Blends and the Alcohol Technique

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I spent a marvelous afternoon a couple of weeks ago playing with Stampin’ Blends and the alcohol technique in Crystal’s Stampin’ Garage. It took a few tries to get the hang of it, but once we got over that bump we couldn’t stop. All you really need are Stampin’ Blends, vellum, a small paintbrush, and 91% rubbing alcohol.

(Who knew 91% Rubbing Alcohol was so hard to find? Thanks, Covid.)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Stampin Blends Alcohol Technique Happy Birthday card
  • Stamps: Art Gallery
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Misty Moonlight, Garden Green, Balmy Blue
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Stitched Rectangle dies, Forever Flourishing dies, Poinsettia dies, vellum card stock, 91% rubbing alcohol, small paint brush, small dropper, Stampin’ Spritzer, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You need a non-porous paper like vellum for this technique to work. It’s pretty simple: add color with Stampin’ Blends in any pattern you like. Use 91% rubbing alcohol to reactivate the ink and gently move it around, color by color. Finally, add interest by dripping the alcohol with a small dropper, the Stampin’ Spritzer, or the flick of your paintbrush.

I chose to add these leafy elements, but some of my results needed nothing more than a sentiment. I learned that I like more monochromatic combinations, especially blues and greens. (HUGE surprise there, eh?)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up SALE-a-bration 2021 8-3 to 9-30

Shop early, shop often – your supplies for this project or your holiday crafting can earn free stamps, paper and accessories! SALE-a-bration runs through 30 September 2021, but supplies are limited! Shop HERE.

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.

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 Birthday

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Sometimes you see a card that begs to be made! I saw THIS card by the Alaska Stamper and knew I could put it together with the Sweet Strawberry stamp set (carrying over to 2021-2022!). It’s a great feeling to be able to sit down and create something happy in a hot minute!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sweet Strawberry birthday card
  • Stamps: Sweet Strawberry, The Right Triangle (retiring May 3)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Poppy Parade, Soft Succulent (21-23 In Color)
  • Accessories: Strawberry punch, Stampin’ Blends, Big Boss, Subtle Embossing Folder (retiring May 3), Stampin’ Dimensionals, Glue Dots, sequins from the craft archive

Teri made her card with leftovers from the So Cool Paper Pumpkin kit, but I was able to use what I had on hand to CASE her project. I loved the parallel lines she created down the side of the card, but I’m not as precise as she is, so I guesstimated the spacing and used a thin ruler and the light Soft Succulent Stampin’ Blend.

PRO TIP: If you plan on dry embossing your panel, be certain to doing all the stamping BEFORE you run it through the Big Boss. If you try to stamp once it’s embossed, it’s difficult, perhaps impossible, to get a clean image.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sweet Strawberry birthday card

I used the Stamping Off technique with the strawberry stems and leaves when I added the “fill” stamps. I kept the outline stamped images strong, but wanted a lighter touch for the foliage. I stamped the strawberries full strength. I had an extra leaf – but not really extra at all- it was perfect for inside the card.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sweet Strawberry birthday card

Find a card you love and make it your own! Just be sure to give credit to the original artist. It’s the right thing to do.

Need supplies? Shop HERE. Just a few more days to shop from the Retiring List and then that beautiful Subtle Embossing Folder will be gone.

NB: The Strawberry punch is currently unavailable to order. I will shout from the rooftops when it comes in!

Pretty Perennial Petals

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The four-petal flower in Pretty Perennials makes me think of dogwood, a flower I loved when I lived in Northern California. There are others that are only four petals, but that shape isn’t typical for a flower. I wanted to explore this simple stamped image:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals
  • Stamps: Pretty Perennials, Painted Poppies
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Basic Black, Pear Pizazz, Pale Papaya, Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Perennial Petals dies, Painted Blooms dies, Sunflowers dies, Vellum card stock, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Champagne Rhinestones, Crinkled White Ribbon

I like to stamp and die cut multiple colors of the same image as a source of inspiration. I think it’s pretty funny that these three tones are so complimentary and so edible – and so is Pear Pizazz! It’s practically fruit salad.

When you look at these flowers on the card, they have a lovely, flowing color. Look a little closer and you’ll see they’re screened, and that’s what softens the intensity of the color and allows it to have so much depth.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

This version uses Daffodil Delight, Gorgeous Grape, and Highland Heathy, with a little Soft Sea Foam as an accent. I really like yellow and purple together, and this combination really pops.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

The white centers are from the last mini catalog in the All the Trimmings suite. I gave them a little swipe of Wink of Stella for some sparkle. I love that we offer more flat style embellishments so that they don’t get held up in the USPS letter sorting equipment!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

This is a bright and happy card for someone who loves color! That’s our new In Colors Fresh Freesia and Polished Pink with Melon Mambo. I used the Greenery Embossing folders on the main panel – they fit perfectly in the Baby Boss! And while they’re not as flat as other embellishments, I do love the class of our Matte Black Dots.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

I’ve fussy cut enough of these “happy” sentiments that I’m starting to get pretty fast with the task, but it’s still a bit of a labor of love. Good thing I love the way it looks when it’s done, don’t you think?

Does the four petal flower deserve a place in your craft room? Which color combination do you like the best? I’ve got a stack of a dozen or so more petals, and I hope to turn them all into HAPPY mail this weekend. If you’re ready for a little happy of your own, please shop at my Online Store.

Pretty Perennials and True Love

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There is such fabulous inspiration in the January-June mini catalog! Pretty Perennials was the first stamp set that caught my eye, and I’m an absolute pushover for black-and-white, so pairing those stamps with the True Love Designer Series paper was inevitable.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials True Love DSP Scripty birthday card
  • Stamps: Pretty Perennials
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Perennial Petals dies, Stitched Shapes dies (retiring May 3), Scripty Embossing Folder (retiring May 3), Matte Black Dots, Stampin Dimensionals, Paper Snips

I based this card very closely on one I saw somewhere in the interwebs, but despite spending a good thirty minutes searching, I cannot find my source. If you created and shared something that looks a lot like this, please message me and I’ll gladly update the post to give you credit! (Pandemic Brain. That’s my story and I’m standing by it.)

The Stitched Shapes dies are still available in the Online store, although they are on the Retiring Products list. I recently heard them described as indispensable to a craft room the way salt and pepper are to a kitchen, and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration. If you don’t have these dies in your craft stash, I highly recommend you add them to your collection ASAP. I bought a second set for myself.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials True Love DSP Scripty birthday card

The Pretty Perennial flowers are whimsical and fresh. Stampin’ Up! has loads of realistic flowers, and flowers that are great for coloring, but these are gloriously happy What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get flowers. They stamp quickly and can be made a little more fancy with the addition of a few die cuts, but WUSIWUG with these babies.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials True Love DSP Scripty birthday card

I’ll be honest: fussy cutting the word happy is the very definition of FUSSY cutting. I love the effect, and I really love this font, but it takes some time to cut it out. Do it while you’re waiting for someone, or watching TV, or doing anything possible to avoid finishing your taxes. It works well in all of those circumstances. Or design your card around happy stamped directly onto the card! It’s your project, do it the way you want to do it. And if you don’t like the way it turned out, remember that it’s pennies worth of paper and just THROW IT OUT. Don’t hang onto it hoping to change it like you did your first boyfriend. We know how that went. Throw it out.

Oops. Guess I took a wild turn there, didn’t I?

Turn yourself to shopping and pick up Pretty Perennials. You don’t have to change them – they’re perfect, just as they are. Shop HERE. (nb: It says they’re low inventory as of right now. Don’t wait.)