An Eclectic Pocket

Posted on August 31, 2014 by mauistamper

I haven’t made a pocket card for ages – good enough reason to make one today!

The Envelope Punch board makes a much more satisfying pocket – no fussing with adhering the sides, just a nice clean envelope! Cut off one side to create an opening for the card inside and assemble the rest as though you were assembling an ordinary envelope.

I used Park Lane DSP for the belly band and the strip across the top of the card, and that’s what drove the color palette. A little stamping, a couple of punched butterflies, and this one is ready for the mailbox!

Well, almost ready – I’m hooked on these Starburst framelits – they make such a great layer! The button and the Baker’s Twine will make this a little bumpy for USPS, but a little cushion – and an extra stamp – should make it all right.

Today is the last day for the Big Shot promotion, and the new Holiday catalog is in full swing! Enjoy your holiday weekend and don’t forget to do a little craftin’.

Oh Snap

Posted on August 25, 2014 by mauistamper

One of my free stamps from convention was Snapshot:

That camera is great fun and it’s an easy fussy cut. (I know, I often say something is easy to cut out. I’m being honest, but maybe my idea of easy and your idea of easy aren’t exactly the same. You’ll have to interpret for yourself.) I played around with a lot of color combinations to color it – using Blendabilities, of course.

Adding this message inside was VERY easy. It’s those little extra steps – a stamped inside, an embellished envelope – that make a card personal.

Alphabet: Larger than Life

Posted on August 23, 2014 by mauistamper

I earned a free stamp set at Convention 2014 and chose the Larger Than Life Numbers and Letters:

Stamps: Larger Than Life Letters and Numbers, Gorgeous Grunge
Color Palette: Island Indigo, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Typeset Specialty DSP, Honeycomb TIEF, Starburst Framelits, Island Indigo Chevron Ribbon, Handheld Stapler (Holiday 2014 Sneak Peak)

The honeycomb pattern is created by inking the raised side of the TIEF and pressing the paper into it – VERY easy with a big WOW factor. I added a little sploosh of Gorgeous Grunge on this one as I didn’t press as hard on the TIEF.

I’m a big fan of monograms, although I know they’re somewhat outdated. And boy oh boy, am I a fan of the new Handheld Stapler! It dispenses short little staples – oh so cute!

This is the same concept but without the Grungification…I like it grungified better.

Don’t miss the Short and Sweet promotion – $150 in Stampin’ Up! product for $99 when you sign up to be a demonstrator (and discounted Stampin’ Up! product for-evah!) No obligation, no pressure – click HERE for more information.

And if you – like me – have boxes of photos that need taming, stop by tomorrow (Sunday August 24) from noon til 4pm to find out how you can quickly and affordably take those pictures from forgotten to FABULOUS!

RemARKable Pinworthy New Beginnings

Posted on August 14, 2014 by mauistamper

It’s the second Thursday and that means another RemARKable Pinworthy tour! We’re celebrating new beginnings this month and I found the PERFECT stamp set: Hello Love!

How is it possible to resist these cheeky little birds?? This set covers so many card occasions. Haven’t noticed it? It’s in the back of the catalog with the Host sets – more on that later.

Those little pearls are colored with Blendabilities, a card maker’s best friend. I used Versamark and my Baked Brown Sugar FFIP to emboss that little birdie.

On the inside is the companion bird – this little chub cracks me up!! I chose to use the Aquapainter to give him a softer, watercolored look.

These soft, Lullaby DSP colors are just as suited to a wedding or bridal shower – I inked the bird on the arrow but left off the ends this time.

The messages fit perfectly into the word bubble, and the Word Bubble framelits eliminate the need for fussy cutting.

The tattle-tale message is on the inside of the card this time!

This set has such versatile images – when I saw the sun I knew I had to make an all yellow – well, an all Hello Honey – card!

Lullaby DSP and the Decorative Dots TIEF add texture to this simple layout.

I used markers again to hand-color the stamped message inside the card. It takes just a minute, and it’s a big WOW punch.

The mix of patterns in the Lullaby DSP is really versatile – although it’s called Lullaby, the name really reflects the colors more than the patterns. And although many of the images in the Hello Love set are small, they work well with creative card layouts.

Doesn’t this bird look like it has a baby bump? SERIOUSLY???

The way the images in Hello Love all work together makes me really happy. Oh Happy Day!

Hello Love wood mount #133925 $18.00 HOST purchase only
Hello Love clear mount #133928 $13.00 HOST purchase only
Lullaby Designer Series paper #133695 $10.95

All the cards feature the Hello Love stamp set and the Lullaby Designer Series paper.

I used what you might consider the “Boy” palette from Lullaby – Pistachio Pudding, Hello Honey, Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana and Whisper White – sounds like dessert!

Hello Love is a Host set, meaning it can only be purchased with Host Dollars earned by (wait for it…) being a Stampin’ Up! Host! Contact your demonstrator – or me if you don’t have a demonstrator – to learn more about the many ways you can host an event.

Whew! Hope you’re in love with Hello Love! Head on over to Audra’s Crafty Yogi to visit the next stop on the Pinworthy tour. Thanks for stopping by!

Sleeper Stamps v2.0

Posted on August 9, 2014 by mauistamper

I was really disappointed when I saw Festive Flurry on the retiring stamps list last spring:

Stamps: Festive Flurry, Good Greetings (Holiday 2014 Hostess)
Color Palette: Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana
Accessories: Big Shot, Festive Flurry Framelits, Zig Zag TIEF, Silver Glimmer paper, Silver 1/8″ ribbon, Stampin’ DImensionals, Rhinestone Jewels

The GOOD NEWS is that it is still available – for just a couple of weeks – as a Carryover product – through Stampin’ Up! Yes!!

Here’s the 411:

Festive Flurry wood stamp set #131778 $39.95
Festive Flurry clear stamp set #131781 $29.95
Festive Flurry Framelits #132193 $24.95

BUT WAIT!! THERE’S MORE!!!

Festive Flurry wood stamp and framelit BUNDLE #133284 $54.95
Festive Flurry clear stamp and framelit BUNDLE #133285 $46.95

Shop HERE – but don’t delay! You have through August 27, 2014.

Sleeper Stamps

Posted on August 7, 2014 by mauistamper

Do you know we have sleepers – Christmas sleepers – still available?

Stamps: Christmas Collectible, Holiday Invitation (2014 Holiday catalog)
Color Palette: Whisper White, Old Olive, Blackberry Bliss, Rose Red
Accessories: Flower Frenzy Bigz L die, Ornament punch (retired), Park Lane Designer Series paper, 1/2″ circle punch, Rhinestone jewels, Stampin’ Dimensionals

There are a number of carryover holiday stamp sets from our previous catalog that are available until the new Holiday catalog debuts on August 28th. Christmas Collectible (131775 clear, 131772 wood) is a classic holiday set. I love how easily you can add color – just stamp twice, trim or punch out, and layer!

That gorgeous “BE MERRY” will be available with the new Holiday Catalog – once Christmas Collectible retires. And can I just confess that I don’t remember the last time I used Rose Red? I think it works really well with Blackberry Bliss…but then I haven’t found a color that doesn’t.

These little ornaments also make quick and easy gift enclosures. I think Lost Lagoon and Crushed Curry offer a refreshing change for a holiday color scheme.

If you don’t want to layer, you can add a little color with your Stampin’ Write markers – it just takes a second!

Stop by the Online Store and enter Christmas Collectible in the search feature under Shop Now. But hurry…you’ve just got a couple of weeks left.

Inspire.Create.Share.2014: Christmas in July

Posted on July 24, 2014 by mauistamper

I signed up for a Christmas Card swap at convention before I realized that there were no Christmas stamps in the 2014-2015 catalog. I had to get creative:

Stamps: Tape It, Hello Love (Hostess), And Many More, Hardwood
Color Palette: Whisper White, Real Red, Mossy Meadow, Soft Suede
Accessories: Gold Bakers Twine, Red Glimmer paper, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, Watercolor Wonder Washi tape, Banner punch, Stampin’ Sponges

I adore the fat little birds from the Hello Love Hostess set. I thought this one looked sort of Partridge-y. You know, in the Pear Tree. Use your imagination.

I had to mask off the end of that last Tape It strip, the one on the bottom – it was too long. I just used a sticky note and then drew a little line across the edge to finish it off.

Honestly, lately I don’t seem capable of making anything without Stampin’ Sponges and Dimensionals.

I’ve shared this tip before but it’s worth repeating: When you’re working with the Gold or Silver Bakers Twine, tie a pair of little knots around the spot where you’re going to cut the twine. It takes an extra moment or two but it saves the frustration of chasing those gold wrappings – they’re stiffer than the twine and they unravel instantaneously.

Inspire.Create.Share.2014 – One Last Swap

Posted on July 22, 2014 by mauistamper

This is the last swap I made for Inspire.Create.Share, our 2014 Convention:

Stamps: Life’s Adventures (Hostess), And Many More
Color Palette: Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Real Red, Basic Black
Accessories: Fringe Scissors, Glimmer paper, Stampin’ Write markers, Zig Zag TIEF, Very Vintage Designer Buttons, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, Typeset DSP, Itty Bitty Accents punch pack

I used markers to get the look I wanted for the stamped image. I hand-colored the stamp before making my impression, then went back and added the awning and the door.

This is a matchbook style card. Cut your card stock to 4 1/4″ x 11″ and score at 3/4″ and 6″. Your finished card will be 4 1/4″ by 5 1/4″ but trust me, no one is going to notice the difference 🙂

I love the shape of this little heart from the new Itty Bitty Accents Punch pack! Much more contemporary than the traditional heart.

I’m also a little bit obsessed with the new Typeset DSP. I was in serious mourning when First Editions Newsprint wasn’t continued into this catalog, but I’m relieved and delighted with this new edition! Maps. Print. Design Elements. There are loads of options, and it’s really lightweight so it is going to crumple up just beautifully.

Now to go look through all of the swaps I received in return for mine! I feel like Uncle Scrooge on his pile of money. Bwa ha ha ha!!!

Would you help me win a contest?

Posted on July 19, 2014 by mauistamper

There just hasn’t been enough time in the day to post to the Maui Stamper about convention – I’ve done most of my updates through Facebook. One thing I’d like to share is the Master Class Cheryl and I took from the amazing Shannon West using the new Watercolor Winter Simply Created card kit.

My friends, this is NOT your grandmother’s card kit!

There are a number of samples that you can follow to create your own card, but we were given some techniques to try and encouraged to create something on our own. This was my project, and I had a great time with it! There’s a contest through Sunday and the prize is a Stampin’ Up! shopping spree, and I really hope you’ll help me win! You can vote for my card by liking it on the Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Winter Simply Created Card Kit board! (Try saying that out loud!) Click HERE to see the board and vote for my card.

This is a beautiful, versatile kit and I will have more to share when we get closer to the release date for the Holiday catalog – mark your calendars for August 28th! I’ve got my advance copy and I am really excited about the quality, variety and breadth of the offerings. Let’s just say we need an “I want it all” button in our ordering system!

If you’re on Maui, mark this Saturday July 26th on your calendar – I’m holding an Open House to share my Convention swaps and sell my retired product. You don’t want to miss it!

And thanks so much for your vote.

Just a little bit nuts…

Posted on July 7, 2014 by mauistamper

Yeah, I’m a little bit nuts right now…but in a good way.

Stamps: Nuts About You, Lots of Thanks
Color Palette: Melon Mambo, Hello Honey, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Accessories: 1/8″ Taffeta ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals, the BIg Shot and Word Bubble Framelits

I love this simple layout – I almost left off the ribbon, and I’m still second-guessing that decision.

It is a little bit nuts – there’s been a lot of travel in my summer, and I have one more trip planned. I’ll spend a couple of days with my family on the West Coast and then it’s on to Salt Lake City for Convention 2014!! Getting sick in the middle of all that hasn’t helped, and of course there’s a lot to do before I leave. I’m excited about both parts of this trip and I’ll either get everything done – or I won’t! Either way I’ll be on that plane.

I keep telling Mr. Maui Stamper that we need our own jet, but he says they’re expensive.

Be sure you stop by on Thursday for the RemARKable Pinworthy Blog tour! We’re featuring Summer Fun!

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

Category Archives: cards

An Eclectic Pocket

Oh Snap

Alphabet: Larger than Life

RemARKable Pinworthy New Beginnings

Sleeper Stamps v2.0

Sleeper Stamps

Just a little bit nuts…

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