Category Archives: Calendars

Farewell to Tropical Chic: May DIY Calendar

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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 Chunky Lamb for April

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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

Sparkly Ladybugs for March

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Little Ladybugs is a charming collection of images suitable for young and old alike. I think that makes it perfect for my March DIY Easel calendar!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Little Ladybug March 2020 DIY Easel Calendar
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Little Ladybug March 2020 DIY Easel Calendar

I used my Snips to fussy cut all the Ladybugs (Officially Lady Bird Beetle, from the family Coccinellidae. (There are dies, I just didn’t have them at hand!) If you are using anything other than Stampin’ Up! paper snips, do yourself a ginormous favor and spend the $10. You won’t believe how they will Change Your Life.

I’ve seen a lot of them colored with red wings, but I just couldn’t do it. This girl clearly has her hands full with those four roly-polys, and she needs a little sparkle to get through the day. I certainly would.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Little Ladybug March 2020 DIY Easel Calendar

I’ ve said it before, and I’ll say it again (and again, and again). That field of poppies image from Peaceful Poppies might just be the best image in the entire January – June spring catalog.

If you’d like your own 2020 template, click on “Contact the Maui Stamper” and I’ll send you an invoice. For $5, you can print all the calendar pages you’d like! And for those of you EARLY BIRDS who are looking for 2021, hold on! We’ll get there, I promise, and you’ll be the first to know.

Stop by to see what Cheryl and Crystal are doing for March. If you’re ready to do a little shopping to start the month of right, head over to the Online Store.

February DIY: Lovely Lilypad

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WHOOSH!

February is upon us and January is in the rear view. I’m glad there will be an extra day in February this year, because I need it! (See previous post, lol.) Here’s to the turn of the calendar:

I wanted to use the embossed image technique for the Lilypad, but I wasn’t happy with what I was coming up with using the Blender pens, the Aqua painter, or the Stampin’ Blends, so I pulled out the actual, bona fide, genuine article – the paintbrush.

I’m not trained by any stretch of the imagination, so this was absolutely trial and error, but I had a great time and I’m happy with the results so I count it for a win! A little Wink of Stella gives it a little shine.

Do you make your own DIY Calendar? It’s quick and easy, and so gratifying to see on your craft desk every month. Click on “Contact the Maui Stamper” above if you’d like to purchase your own calendar – I sell the pdf for just $5 so you can make as many as you like.

Stop by to see what Crystal and Cheryl are doing for February. And if you’re ready to shop, visit the Online Store!

The Gang’s All Meer for 2020!

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Happy New Year! January First is the original fresh start, new leaf turned over, time to renew…you’ve heard them all. It’s also 2 days before Sale-a-bration 2020, and I think it’s safe to say that The Gang’s All Meer will be a huge favorite.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Mere SAB 2020
Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Meer SAB 2020

I used our Watercolor Pencils to color the image and softened the lines with the Blender Pen. I took the liberty of adding hair-bows to a couple of the ‘cats and even added a little color on lips and eyes.

I was able to add those fine details because I found a LIFE CHANGING pencil sharpener. Really. This tool has a little dial on the front, and you can have it make your pencil super-dee-duper sharp or wider and softer for coloring. Life changing, I tell you!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Meer SAB 2020

It comes in turquoise or pink or black (ho hum) and you can even get a two-pack. I got mine on Amazon.

Maui Stamper 2020 DIY Calendar

The 2020 DIY Calendar PDF is still available and it’s just $5. Please click Contact the Maui Stamper above and message me your email (we’re all a lot less likely to be spammed if I do it this way).

Crystal and Cheryl are sharing their calendars again this year – stop by to see how they’re kicking off 2020.

And of course, if you need supplies, check out the Online Store. The Holiday Catalog will be finished, kaput, complete at close of business Mountain TIme on January 2nd.

The (DIY CALENDAR) Year in Review

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Tomorrow – NEWS FLASH – is January 1st and there will be a new DIY Calendar to begin the year. As I planned that project, I took some time to reflect on 2019 and I thought you might enjoy seeing all 12 months. Click on the month and it will take you to the page with all the details.

JANUARY

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! Bloom By Bloom 2019 DIY Easel Calendar January

FEBRUARY

Maui Stamper DIY Easel February 2019 Hello Love

MARCH

MauiStamper Stampin' Up! All That You Are March 2019 DIY

APRIL

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! DIY Easel Calendar April 2019 Vibrant Vases

MAY

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! May 2019 DIY Easel Calendar Best Birds

JUNE

Maui Stamper Stampin' Up! June 2019 DIY Calendar Free as a Bird

JULY

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Calendar July 2019

AUGUST

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar Lilypad Lake July 2019

SEPTEMBER

Maui Stamper Stampin Up This Little Piggy DIY Easel Calendar 2020

OCTOBER

Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2019 DIY Easel Calendar Spooktacular Bash

NOVEMBER

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel November 2019 Soft Spring

DECEMBER

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar December 2019 #Elfie

Kind of fun to look back, isn’t it? I have such a great time with these little pages, precisely because they’re small. I couldn’t pick a favorite if I tried, but it’s clear I like birds and flowers!

You can make your own DIY Calendar for 2020! The PDF is just $5 and if you click on Contact the Maui Stamper above and send me your email, we’ll get you set up in a jiffy.

Be safe tonight! I’ll be back tomorrow with – you guessed it – the first 2020 DIY Easel Calendar!

December 2019 DIY

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I’m smitten with #Elfie! He’s just the guy I want hangin’ out on my craft desk this month!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar December 2019 #Elfie
Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar December 2019 #Elfie

I went a little over-the-top with the Snowfall Accents Puff Paint. Well, actually, I went over-the-top with the Paper Snips, too. In the stamped image, #Elfie is leaning against the bottom of the signpost, but that makes the image too tall for a little calendar! I REALLY wanted to use this image, so out came the snips and I disassembled the whole business.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar December 2019 #Elfie

When I figured out how to settle him into a snowbank with the post popping out I was pretty pleased with myself. But…it looked a little empty. Maybe it was just lop-sided, but it needed something. That’s when I dug into my retired stash for the set from last year. It’s just the packages, and I could have probably hand-drawn them…HA. Imagine how successful that would have been!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar December 2019 #Elfie

This turned out just the way I imagined it, which is quite a feat. If you’re imagining your own set of DIY Easel Calendars for 2020, there’s still time to purchase the PDF! It’s just $5 and you can print your own set of months to play with all year long. Click Contact the Maui Stamper above and give me your email, and I’ll send you an invoice.

Be sure and stop by to see what Cheryl and Crystal have crafted for your inspiration this month! Happy December!

Gratitude 2019

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My thoughts are increasingly focused on being grateful, and this time of year the focus intensifies. It’s not just the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, but the approaching holiday season that causes me to dive into thankfulness. My November 2019 calendar is born out of this focus and will maintain it as well:

  • Stamps: Soft Spring (HOST)
  • Color Palette: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Pineapple Punch, Grapefruit Grover, Terracotta Tile, Cajun Craze

I like to play with words, and using the Soft Spring Host set for an Autumn themed calendar page makes me smile. First of all, I think it works quite well! It doesn’t represent any particular flower (at least not one I know) but it represents the feeling of Fall because of the colors I chose. Secondly, it’s Spring now in the Southern Hemisphere, and since my daughter lives there I’m more aware of that juxtaposition.

My technique was super simple. I inked the outline image in Crumb Cake and stamped it on the calendar. I inked the floral fill image completely in Pineapple Punch, then about 75% in Grapefruit Grove, about 50% in Terracotta Tile, and finally added Cajun Craze to the top 25%. I didn’t wipe off previous colors – they’re all piled on top of each other!

Maui Stamper 2020 DIY Calendar

If you’d like to make your own 2020 DIY Easel calendar, I’m selling the PDF for $5. Just click on Contact the Maui Stamper above and message me your email address. I’ll get an invoice out to you, and as soon as it’s paid, I’ll email the file including the cover page and a set of cutting instructions. You’ll be on your way!

I also have a Pinterest Board with literally years of these pages for your inspirational enjoyment. Crystal and Cheryl have created their own version of the November 2019 calendar, so be sure to visit them too.

Host stamp sets are a bit of an under-appreciated category in the catalog. They’re a great value, because they’re priced below market. The catch is that you have to use Host Rewards to purchase them, but those begin to accrue when your order or workshop reaches $150. You can start shopping the Online Store, or contact me about hosting an event of your own, either in person or online. Crafting is a lot more fun with a friend!

October 2019: Spooktacular Bash DIY Easel Calendar

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Happy October First! It’s the month of ghosties, ghoulies and mummies as well as yummy treats – I’m not sure I’m as excited about these treats as the mummy is, but to each their own, right?

Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2019 DIY Easel Calendar Spooktacular Bash
Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2019 DIY Easel Calendar Spooktacular Bash

I’m kinda in love with the Mummy. I think it’s the eyes. I mean, really, look at them all side-eye! Perfect for the jars o’ bits, and perfect for coloring with Stampin’ Blends.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2019 DIY Easel Calendar Spooktacular Bash

Enjoy your October! It’s a fun month as autumn starts to feel real (OK, who am I kidding – I live on Maui – all we’re asking is that the insane heat we have had all summer Goes Away!!) Halloween is a fun time here in the islands, because trick-or-treating doesn’t require boots or parkas.

Please stop by to see what Crystal and Cheryl have created for October. If you are interested in creating your own DIY Easel calendar, I have the 2020 pdf for sale. It’s only $5 – let me know if you’re interested.

September 2019: This Little Piggy Can Fly

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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.