Convention Swaps: WOW Cards

Posted on July 29, 2013 by mauistamper

I wanted to do another oval card for one of my swaps. It’s fun, it’s easy, it fits in a standard envelope, and you don’t see too much of it.

The technique is simple. You fold a 4 1/4 x 11 inch piece of cardstock in half at the 5 1/2 mark and place the folded side slightly inside of your oval framelit. This works best with our lighter weight cardstocks, Very Vanilla and Whisper White. The framelit will cut cleanly through two layers of these papers, giving you the card base. Once that’s ready, I like to cut another complete oval out of my featured color of cardstock and adhere that to the Very Vanilla card – I use Tombo, the Wonder Adhesive.

Flower Shop and Express Yourself (hostess) stamp sets
Very Vanilla, Pool Party, and Crumb Cake card stock
Epic Day This n That DSP
Bermuda Bay and Daffodil Delight FFIP
Daffodil Delight Seam Binding
Bermuda Bay 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Big Shot
Oval Framelits
Honeycomb TIEF
Lattice TIEF
Pansy Punch
Vanilla Smooch Spritz
Dazzling Details
Tombo, the Wonder Adhesive
Stampin’ Sponges
Stampin’ Dimensionals

On August 24th, I’m holding a class to make two of my swaps. We are definitely going to make the Very Vintage card, but I haven’t decided if I should include this card or the Too Kind swap I’ll be posting in a few days. I’d love to hear what you think!

Convention Swaps: Vintage Card

Posted on July 27, 2013 by mauistamper

I really love swapping at Convention each year. I participate in organized swaps for the challenge and quality of swaps received, and I participate in general floor swapping because it’s such fun and it’s a great way to meet new people.

Today’s card is a swap I made for the Very Vintage Swap run by Barbara Welch. I received GORGEOUS swaps in return – everyone did an outstanding job. Hope they liked my card!

Apothecary Art, Loving Thoughts and Affection Collection stamp sets
Naturals Ivory, Pool Party and Crumb Cake card stock
Crumb Cake FFIP
Pool Party Stampin’ Write Marker
Uniball Signo White Gel Pen
Big Shot
Apothecary Accents and Labels Collection Framelits
Beautifully Baroque TIEF
Finishing Touches Edgelits
Tea Lace paper doilies
Pool Party Seam Binding
Linen Thread
Very Vintage Designer Buttons (how could I not?)
Vanilla Smooch Spritz
7/8″ scallop circle punch
silver brads
Stampin’ Sponges
Stampin’ Dimensionals

This card was a labor of love, and I enjoyed every minute of it. One thing I’ve learned over time is that swaps with small group sizes (this one was only 12) are more enjoyable to create and seem to produce better results. It’s just no fun to make 120 of the same card, at least in my opinion!

I’ll be featuring this card in class on Saturday, August 24th if you’d like to make one for yourself. All products are Stampin’ Up!, of course 🙂

Stampin’ Up! Convention 2013 Day 3

Posted on July 21, 2013 by mauistamper

Crystal and I were very privileged this morning to participate in a “You Crew” event. Demonstrators are selected at random for exclusive, up close and personal convention experiences and we were invited to meet with a Stampin’ Up! illustrator early this morning.

Kathy Pitt has been a Stampin’ Up! illustrator for 23 years! She shared such interesting and insightful information about how stamps are designed and selected for the catalog, and a little bit of history too. She also shared some scrumptious cupcakes!

As an extra bonus, after our You Crew experience we were escorted into the General Session and given fabulous seats in the second row! With almost 6000 demonstrators in attendance, that was a real treat.

The morning sessions were filled with lots of product demonstrations. Stampin’ Up! does not disappoint when it comes to projects! I have loads of photos but it is going to take a little time to organize them, and then I will share. I did find pictures of Shelli’s cards made with the newly announced Flip Card thinlets:

There are two sets of thinlets – one makes a circle flip, the other a label shape. They will be available August 1 (I think – there were so many announcements and dates that my head is spinning more than usual.)

We had really informative classes this afternoon, and then the final general session of the day. I’m heading home with loads of loot!

It was a great day. We finished up with the Pioneer Day concert at the LDS Conference Center, a truly lovely and revitalizing experience. Late night dinner at the La Jolla Grove and then a couple of hours of organizing and packing! We are two pooped pineapples but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

RemARKable Best of Greetings

Posted on July 20, 2013 by mauistamper

Aloha and welcome to another RemARKable “Best of” blog tour! This month’s Best of Greetings set is a keeper! My hope is to show you how truly versatile a set like this can be especially when combined with other stamps you already own.

Ah, the sympathy card…the one we want to get right, the one we want to speak louder than words. I like the classic, elegant font of this greeting. I’ve paired it with a little DSP from the Quatrefancy Specialty assortment and used the image from the elegant Simply Sketched Hostess set as an accent. How many images do you have that would work here?

And yes, I did cut it out by hand. With such a simple, uncomplicated card that extra step didn’t take too much extra time.

Using the same color scheme and same greeting, I created an entirely different look:

By masking a rectangle in the center of your panel, you can create a clean, simple image that keeps the focus on your message.

Fortunately, we don’t always need a sympathy card. Bright colors and sincere messages let our friends know we love them!

Yep – same layout as the first card, but a completely different feeling when you change out the colors! These warm bright shades say “Love you girlfriend!” And if you’re wondering when we started offering Baker’s twine in that shade, take another look at the fabulous Tag a Bag Accessory kit! PLENTY of twine for your projects and some leftovers too.

And last but not least, those same colors make a very quick and cheery card to tell someone they’ve made a difference in your life. (Shout out to fellow RemARKable Beata Fiebelkorn for the inspiration!) I embossed the greeting to make it really pop, but it would be quicker and ALMOST as wonderful without the embossing 🙂

What you can’t do without are the new Candy Dots in the center of the flowers. These are brads without the bulk, the poking, or the manicure-destroying prong-wrassling!! You know what I’m talking about. Love these!

That’s it for Best of Greetings Maui Stamper Style…I’m sure you’re as eager as I am to see what Robin is sharing with you! You know what to do!

Nancy Amato   http://stampinallnight.blogspot.com
Melissa Bolinger   http://www.stampinup.net/blog/2089191
Jackie Bottomley   http://www.jackiebottomley.blogspot.com
Susan Carlson    http://stampinmomoffour.blogspot.com
Tamra Davis   http://www.thecardladies.com
Sherri Eddleblute    http://www.sweetestdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lynn Embrey http://www.possibilitiestamperstudio.com/
Kathy Hamrick http://www.countryroads.typepad.com/
Crystal Kondo http://www.card-ed.com
Deb Lehigh   http://thestampinhut.typepad.com/
Anne Matasci http://www.MauiStamper.wordpress.com      YOU ARE HERE!!!
Robin Merriman http://www.trinitydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Maria Pane   http://www.stampinandscrappinwithriri.blogspot.com
Andi Potler http://www.absolutekreations.com
Michele Reynolds    http://www.inspirationink.typepad.com
Sharon Tisdale    http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/coveredbridgesstamper/blog
Janet Wakeland    http://www.remarkablycreated.com

June Paper Pumpkin: Hello to You

Posted on July 9, 2013 by mauistamper

Did you get your Paper Pumpkin for June? If you haven’t signed up, tomorrow (July 10) is the last day for the July Pumpkin – go HERE and say Yes to the Red Box!!

I confess that I added a smidge of ribbon, but otherwise this is the card as designed. Oh. Well, not quite. The example showed it as a landscape card, but I turned it on the side to make it portrait.

The stamps included the Hello to You sentiment (nice masculine font – we don’t see too many of those!) plus the little heart and a big square zig zag (I guess the trendy term is chevron) background stamp used to create the Soft Suede hexagons. (Once a nerd, always a nerd. You can call them honeycomb.)

Initially I thought I would make all the cards the same, but then I started looking at those pukas (that’s Hawaiian for holes) and I realized how much fun it would be to put different things in the openings. Flowers seemed like a natural.

Then I started to get silly. Yeah, goes without saying – it was late:

Don’t look too closely at the lion, I smudged his face and had to give him a makeover.

This last one is my favorite:

OH YEAH!!! Now that’s a card I would love to get in the mail!

Dear Maui Stamper,

Please come for cocktails. Now would be nice.

Sincerely,

Your Friend.

I mean, SERIOUSLY.

Songbirds and Smooch Spritz

Posted on July 7, 2013 by mauistamper

I have to admit – this card doesn’t look like the card in my head. Unfortunately, the one in my head refuses to present itself on paper right now. Perhaps you’ll have an idea that will help me put that right!

Simply Sketched (hostess) and Woodgrain stamp sets
Soft Suede FFIP
Baked Brown Sugar, Pear Pizazz and So Saffron Stampin’ Write markers
Very Vanilla, Pear Pizazz, Baked Brown Sugar and Crumb Cake card stock
Vanilla Smooch Spritz
Natural Ribbon trim
Vintage Trinkets
Linen thread (I panic if I don’t have at least 2 extra packages of this at all times!)
Daffodil Delight Seam Binding
Big Shot, Ovals Framelits and Lattice TIEF
Designer Naturals Buttons
Stampin’ Dimensionals

Vanilla Smooch Spritz is my new BFF. I am having serious withdrawals from a certain sparkley spray That Shall Not Be Named. There are some products I find it difficult to let go of when they retire. Oh well. This too shall pass. Vanilla Smooch Spritz it is.

Love this texture!!! My whole purpose in making this card was to use these three products together.

Did you notice that I used a So Saffron marker but Daffodil Delight Ribbon. As much as we all pride ourselves on how perfectly Stampin’ Up! matches colors, sometimes it doesn’t have to be perfect. (SHOCKING. I KNOW.) Ribbon is a “perfectly” good example of that.

Well. That was a pathetic attempt at I-don’t-know-what. I think that’s a sign we’re done here.

Stop by my Flower Shop

Posted on July 3, 2013 by mauistamper

Finally made a card I can show you! I have been a swap-maniac getting ready for convention and those cards are under wraps for now, but after punching out 60+ pansies I wanted to punch out a few to play with!

Flower Shop and Label Love stamp sets
Melon Mambo, Basic Black and Very Vanilla card stock
Modern Medley DSP (buy 3, get one free!)
Versamark Ink pad
Basic Black and Melon Mambo Stampin’ Write markers
Black Embossing powder
Embossing buddy
Heat Tool (this baby is HOT!!)
Artisan and Pansy punches
Melon Mambo 1/8″ taffeta ribbon
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Rhinestone jewels

You NEED to get your hands on that Modern Medley DSP, especially since you can buy 3 packages and get one free this month! I’m seriously considering buying 3 Modern Medleys!! Every single design is a 110% winner (can ya tell I like it??)

Love these Punch/Stamp set bundles too…great images, great punches, great savings. The Label Love bundle is on page 32 in the Annual catalog – clear is $28.75 for punch and stamps (#132722). The Flower Shop bundle is on page 95 (same price, #132726). I’m trying to be disciplined and just get one bundle each order but I may or may not be sticking with that plan. (Tell me what YOU think!)

One thing I discovered about the Pansy punch…it is NOT symmetrical. I had issues with that punch for a while, but I’ve come up with a solution. I had to…I punched out 60 pansies for one of my swaps!

Check back on Friday and I will clue you in on my technique to make punching these awesome pansies a breeze!

I’m gonna be in trouble…

Posted on June 28, 2013 by mauistamper

…if Mr. Maui Stamper finds out what I did.

I couldn’t help it. The glitter was absolutely necessary.

And it is GLORIOUS. I used the Two-Way Glue pen to make it stick. And stick it did…to the card, to my work table, to my hands, and therefore to everything I touched. I don’t know how I was lucky enough to evade the Eagle Eye, but I did it. And now I need to get this card in an envelope and mail it pronto.

Sunflower and Really Good Greetings stamp sets
Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry and Soft Suede card stock
Crushed Curry and Soft Suede FFIP
Two Way Glue pen
Dazzling Diamonds
Crumb Cake 3/8″ taffeta ribbon
Decorative label punch
Rhinestone jewels
Stampin’ Dimensionals

It’s been crazy busy around here as I’ve been getting ready for CONVENTION. So.Much.Excitement. And I have been a crafting fool getting all of my swaps ready, because it’s not convention if you don’t sign up for just a few swaps too many. The sad news is that I can’t show you all of this fabulous craftiness yet, but stop back in after convention and you’ll get the full story.

Stop in during convention for my updates, too! Crystal and I have such plans…which may or may not involve Dazzling Diamonds.

RemARKable Brides and Babies

Posted on June 15, 2013 by mauistamper

Welcome to the June edition of the RemARKable 25th Anniversary “Best of” Blog Tour! I hope you’ve enjoyed the first half of this series – I know that we, your RemARKable team, have enjoyed bringing it to you.

This first image just shouted “EMBOSS ME” when I saw this set for the first time:

This is a simple favor idea, but I cut the top using the Window Frames framelit – just put a narrow strip into the framelit and stop halfway through and back it out. I love how this image looks in our gorgeous pewter embossing powder.

The smallest Rhinestone jewels add the perfect sparkle to complement the embossing powder.

A year later and we’re celebrating an anniversary!! (oh my, does the time fly!!) Two little love-birds fit perfectly on the front of a gift enclosure for our favorite couple. The birdies are colored with a blender pen and the soft tones of Pirouette Pink, Pool Party and Pear Pizazz. I folded the Pirouette Pink 3/8″ taffeta ribbon in half and creased it with my fingernail to narrow it down. (I suppose I could have ironed it…NOT!!)

We’re not going to set a timetable for our lovebirds, but like the rhyme…First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage!!

Have you had the chance to play with the new In Color stretchy ribbon? It’s a whole new world in ribbon!! The stretch gives it an affinity to curves, and once there was a bit of sticky strip on the back of the oval it was simple to attach the ribbon to create a frilly border.

I’m a big fan of Crisp Canteloupe!

Now it’s off to the Trinity Design Studio to see what Robin has created for you!

If you get lost or just prefer to skip around, here’s the whole tour:

Nancy Amato http://www.stampinallnight.blogspot.com
Melissa Bolinger http://www.stampinup.net/blog/2089191
Jackie Bottomley http://www.jackiebottomley.blogspot.com
Susan Carlson http://www.stampinmomoffour.blogspot.com
Tamra Davis http://www.thecardladies.com
Sherri Eddleblute http://www.sweetestdesigns.blogspot.com/
Lynn Embrey http://www.possibilitiestamperstudio.com/
Kathy Hamrick http://www.countryroads.typepad.com/
Crystal Kondo http://www.card-ed.com
Deb Lehigh http://www.thestampinhut.typepad.com/
Anne Matasci http://www.MauiStamper.wordpress.com
Robin Merriman http://www.trinitydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Maria Pane http://www.stampinandscrappinwithriri.blogspot.com
Andi Potler http://www.absolutekreations.com
Michele Reynolds http://www.inspirationink.typepad.com
Sharon Tisdale http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/coveredbridgesstamper/blog
Janet Wakeland http://wp.me/pHIQD-4P4

It’s Happy Hour Somewhere!

Posted on June 10, 2013 by mauistamper

It was my daughter’s birthday last month, and I wanted just the right card for her:

Happy Hour Stamp set
Whisper White and Crisp Canteloupe card stock
Print Patterns DSP (old style)
Crisp Canteloupe FFIP
Calypso Coral and Cajun Craze Stampin’ Write markers
Calypso Coral baker’s twine
Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots TIEF
Large Delicate Doilies Sizzlet
Circles #2 Originals Die
1 3/4 inch circle punch
Paper Snips
Stampin’ Dimensionals

DID YOU NOTICE THE STRAW? Please scroll back up and look at my straw because I am very proud of it. For one thing, it was a tricky bugger to cut out. (You really need the Stampin’ Up! paper snips to do the job.) Not only is the straw cut out, it has stripes, and they are amazing, wouldn’t you say? They were such fun to do.

I CASEd this design from Dawn Olchefske. She used a very bold color combination that really popped, but I wanted something different for Sara and chose this monochromatic scheme. I love the combination of Canteloupe and Coral! This year’s In Color selections really work well with the existing colors, and yes, you do need them all! Besides, you can buy the ink pads in a bundle and Stampin’ Up! throws in the paper assortment for free! (#131204, $29.95) This is offered every year and you can get this offer for both the 2013-2015 and 2012-2014 collections – what a deal!

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

Category Archives: cards

Convention Swaps: WOW Cards

Convention Swaps: Vintage Card

Stampin’ Up! Convention 2013 Day 3

RemARKable Best of Greetings

June Paper Pumpkin: Hello to You

Songbirds and Smooch Spritz

Stop by my Flower Shop

I’m gonna be in trouble…

RemARKable Brides and Babies

It’s Happy Hour Somewhere!

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