Category Archives: cards

Would you help me win a contest?

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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!

Maui Stamper Watercolor Winter Contest CardThere 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…

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

Maui Stamper Nuts About You

  • 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

Maui Stamper Nuts About YouI 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!

Maui Stamper RemARKable Pinworthy Blog tour

 

A Day to Celebrate

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Happy Independence Day!  Today I’m sharing my version of the Work of Art Flag:

Maui Stamper Work of Art American Flag

 

  • Stamps:  Work of Art, Lots of Thanks
  • Color Palette:  Real Red, Whisper White, Night of Navy, Encore Silver
  • Accessories:  Itty Bitty Accents Star punch, Silver 1/8″ taffeta

I “bent” the sentiment a little bit to give it a curve – that’s one of the benefits of our clear mount stamps.  And who could resist some sparkling stars?

Maui Stamper Work of Art American Flag

Enjoy your day – and if you have the chance, thank a soldier or a sailor today.

A new look…and more Blackberry Bliss

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Well…how do you like it?  I’ve been contemplating a blog update for quite a while, but when I saw what Cheryl did with hers I decided it was time to get busy.  Both Cheryl and Crystal served as graphic arts consultants (My Digital Studio, of course!!) and I couldn’t have done it without them.  Let me know what you think!

Brace yourselves, you’re going to be seeing a lot of Blackberry Bliss!  I love the color, and so I signed up to represent it for an In Color swap at Convention 2014 (coming soon!).  I’ll share the card I’m swapping next month – here’s one of the trials:

Maui Stamper An Open Heart

  • Stamps:  An Open Heart
  • Color Palette:  Blackberry Bliss, Baked Brown Sugar, Naturals Ivory
  • Accessories:  Gold Bakers Twine, 2013-2015 In Color Sequins, 2 1/2″ Circle Punch, Pokey Doodle, Essentials Paper Piercing pack, Piercing Mat, Neutrals Candy Dots, Petite Petals punch

Maui Stamper An Open HeartI love these new sequins!  I think Stampin’ Up! should make them in ALL the color families!! (Let’s all email them and tell them so, OK?)  And while I’m asking, I’d like some little gold brads too.  Love the silver ones, Stampin’ Up!, but need the gold ones.

Maui Stamper An Open Heart I really love the gorgeous images in An Open Heart, but it was the sentiments that sealed the deal for me.  When someone is hurting, it’s really not about the words.  I consider my cards to be paper hugs, something to send when I can’t be there.

Happy to be here!!!

 

Blendabilities: Part II

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I’m experimenting more with Blendabilities, the awesome new alcohol markers soon to be available to customers (and available NOW to demonstrators!)  I wanted to explore how they function purely as coloring tools.  I put them to the test with one of my favorite line art stamp sets:

Maui Stamper Blendabilities for the Birds

  • Stamps:  For the Birds, Work of Art
  • Color Palette:  Daffodil Delight, Costal Cabana, Basic Black, Whisper White
  • Accessories:  Basic Black 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon, Coastal Cabana Thick Twine, Stampin’ Dimensionals, and Blendabilities in Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Coastal Cabana, Rich Razzleberry and Cherry Cobbler.

Just as I did with my flower from a few days ago, I stamped my image a few times and then played with the Blendabilities.  I love to color!  I just wanted to see what would happen with different colors and approaches.

Maui Stamper For The BIrds with BlendabilitiesMaui Stamper For The BIrds with Rich Razzleberry BlendabilitiesMaui Stamper For The BIrds with Daffodil Delight BlendabilitiesMaui Stamper For The BIrds with Costal Cabana Blendabilities

The short answer is that these markers are a coloring delight.  I didn’t attempt to shade “within the lines” but used a single color for each defined space.  I did use the light, middle and dark tones of the markers to create contrast, in this case between wing and body.  No streaking, beautiful, even coverage, and gorgeous color.  I’m hooked.

Making Manly Cards

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There are a lot of wonderful men in my life, and I like to send cards to them.  But oh, do I struggle to come up with Manly Ideas!  This one is very loosely based on page 109 of the new catalog:

Maui Stamper Hip Hip Hooray

  • Stamps:  Just Sayin’, Hip Notes and Dictionary
  • Color Palette:  Real Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla and Bermuda Bay
  • Accessories:  Word Bubble Framelits, Mini Silver Brads, Corner Rounder punch

Maui Stamper Hip Hip Hooray

This is for my dad for Father’s Day:  a no-nonsense kind of card for a no-nonsense man.  He doesn’t say a lot, but he ends every phone call with “Love ya, kid” and I know he means it.  I’m looking forward to seeing him and my Mom for a few days before convention.  That’s coming soon!

 

 

Blackberry Silhouette

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I’m pretty sure Blackberry Bliss is going to be my favorite 2014-2016 In Color, although when I first saw the colors I would have bet on Lost Lagoon (blue, you know.)  I’m working on ideas for an In Color swap at convention, and this was my first take:

Maui Stamper Blackberry Bliss Silhouette

  • Stamps:  Summer Silhouette, Petite Pairs
  • Color Palette:  Baked Brown Sugar, Blackberry Bliss and Naturals White
  • Accessories:  Gold Bakers Twine, Dazzling Details, Honeycomb TIEF, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You know, I should have used this design with Very Vanilla – it would have been good enough to eat!

Maui Stamper Blackberry Bliss Silhouette

The Gold Bakers Twine has a stinky little habit:  the metallic threads untwist rapidly from the twine when it’s cut.  I’ve solved the problem for the most part by tying a pair of quick overhand knots and cutting between them.  It takes just a moment and it saves a lot of frustration.

Do you add a little extra on the inside?  It’s one of the things that sets a hand-made card apart:

Maui Stamper Blackberry Bliss Silhouette

You’re likely to see more Blackberry Bliss before we get to convention.  I have more ideas to work out.  It’s just a month away!!!

Whisper White vs. Very Vanilla

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Do you select between Whisper White and Very Vanilla intentionally or randomly?  Sometimes I really think about it, and other times I just grab the one that’s closest at hand.  I started this card with Very Vanilla, but as soon as I stamped the first tone I wanted to see what it would look like on Whisper White.  At that point it was just as easy to make both cards, and so I did:

Maui Stamper Too Kind Work of Art Whisper White

  • Stamps:  Work of Art, Too Kind, Memorable Moments or Regarding Dahlias
  • Color Palette:  Basic Gray, Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Whisper White or Very Vanilla
  • Accessories:  Honeycomb TIEF, Pool Party Seam Binding (retired)

Here’s the Vanilla Version:

Maui Stamper Too Kind Work of Art Very VanillaI see a substantial difference between the two.  In my eyes, the colors are much crisper and cleaner on Whisper White.  I guess I should know that, but it was something I hadn’t really thought about.  Very Vanilla changes the color of the ink.

Maui Stamper Too Kind Work of Art Very VanillaHave some fun experimenting on your own.  I don’t think you would see the same dramatic result if you were working with warm colors – Tangerine Tango, Tangelo Twist and Pumpkin Pie, for example.  I’ll think more purposefully about my neutrals now.

Blendabilities, blendabilities, wherefore art thou, blendabilities?

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One of the most exciting products in the new Stampin’ Up! catalog is only available to demonstrators at this time.  The Blendabilities product line has been delayed for release to customers for production reasons, and should be available in late June or early July – stay tuned!  In the meantime, I’ve been dutifully playing with mine so that you will have the opportunity to enjoy them vicariously 🙂 Maui Stamper Razzleberry Blendabilities

  • Color Palette:  Rich Razzleberry, Hello Honey, Basic Black and Very Vanilla
  • Stamps:  Fabulous Florets (retired), Dictionary and Teeny Tiny Wishes
  • Accessories:  Decorative Dots TIEF, Crushed Curry 3/4″ Chevron Ribbon, Large and XL oval punches, Neutrals Decorative Buttons, Rhinestone Jewels, Blendabilities in Rich Razzleberry and Daffodil Delight, and Stampin’ Dimensionals

Maui Stamper Razzleberry BlendabilitiesI stamped the same image multiple times and colored it with each color family of Blendabilities markers.  I’m sorry it’s a retired image, but my options were limited and I liked this flower because it only had a few petals 🙂

Maui Stamper Rich Razzleberry Blendabilities

Maui Stamper Pumpkin Pie BlendabilitiesMaui Stamper Daffodil Delight BlendabilitiesMaui Stamper Cherry Cobbler BlendabilitiesMaui Stamper Coastal Cabana BlendabilitiesI learned that I prefer to work with dark first and move into the lighter colors.  I also learned that I favor an overall darker tone than most people. And unsurprisingly, I learned that I don’t really understand lighting and shadows.

I also learned that I LOVE to color with Blendabilities!!  No streaking, no uneven color, just rich, beautiful, saturated tones.  The process of going back and forth over your image does create some bleed through on the back of the image, and I recommend that you plan on layering your image to disguise that.

Maui Stamper Blendabilities from the backIf you’re really anxious to try these out, you can take advantage of the June Sign-and-Save promotion: for $50 you can become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and select Blendabilities in your initial order.  It’s a no risk, no obligation decision and right now it’s the only way to get your hands on these markers.  Let me know how I can help you get started!

Maui Stamper Sign and Save June 2014

 

Love ya, Blackberry Bliss!

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Oooh, have you gotten your hands on the new 2014-2016 In Colors yet?  I mean for reals, not just looking at them on a printed page or a computer screen.  Up close and personal.  Oh yeah… Maui Stamper Tape It Hip Notes

Every year when the new crop of In Colors are released, my first impression is “meh”.  I don’t mean to be cynical, but I just can’t seem to drum up a lot of enthusiasm for colors on a screen.  I faithfully place my order and wait to see what comes, and when I get my hands on them I ALWAYS fall in love.  This batch is no different; they are rich, saturated colors that combine beautifully with our existing colors.

  • Stamps:  Tape It, Just Sayin’ and Happy Hour
  • Color Palette:  Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Rich Razzleberry and Lost Lagoon
  • Accessories:  Apothecary Accents Framelits, circle punches, Candy Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals and Hello Honey Stitched Satin Ribbon

Maui Stamper Tape It Hip NotesThis simple concept can be re-interpreted so many ways – a geometric base, a label, and a few accents.  Break out something new or maybe dig out something neglected and give it a shot!