Category Archives: cards

Call Me Maybe

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And who wouldn’t want to make a call from one of these? Maui Stamper Sentimental Feeling

  • Feeling Sentimental and Pretty Petites SAB stamp sets
  • Crumb Cake and Early Espresso FFIP
  • Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso card stock
  • First Edition Specialty DSP
  • Stampin’ Distress Tool
  • Linen Thread and Natural 7/16″ Trim
  • Petite Curly Label Punch (SAB)
  • Stampin’ Sponge

Feeling Sentimental was the Sale-a-bration set at the TOP of my list and I knew this was what I wanted to do with it.  It has a great vintage look and that monochromatic scheme was shouting in my head.  (yes, it had to shout in my head because there are a LOT of voices going on there…)

I sponged the dickens out of the Very Vanilla pieces to give them some age, and even hit that fabulous new Natural 7/16″ trim with a little Crumb Cake ink.  The new Stampin’ Distress tool from the Spring Catalog is an AWESOME addition to your toolbox – saves your fingernails (and your fingers – anyone else hit skin using Paper Snips to distress, or am I the only klutz?)

Sale-a-bration is coming January 22…have you made your wish-list?

Maui Stamper Feeling Sentimental SAB

RemARKable Hearts A-Flutter Blog Tour

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Are you lovin’ what you’re seein’???  The RemARKables come up with some fabulous designs and it’s an honor to be included in this tour.  The hearts are a-flutterin’ in my house with not just Valentines’ Day but a wedding coming up in February:

Maui Stamper Hearts a Flutter Project SuiteYep, it’s my favorite blue-and-green color combo again!  This time I chose Wild Wasabi and Tempting Turquoise, a well matched pair in hue and intensity.  Let’s start with the favor jar:

Maui Stamper Hearts a flutter favor jarPretty simple – a 4 ounce quilted glass jar with a couple of embellishments and some seam binding ribbon.  You can tell by the shimmer on the green strips that I used Wild
Wasabi embossing powder to make that color pop.  The coordinating framelits are key to getting all of these elements cut out in no time flat!  (and if you’re an M&M fan, those are Dark Chocolate Mint M&Ms, and yes they are all shades of green!!)

Maui Stamper Hearts a Flutter LuminariaNext up is a luminaria made from the Bigz XL Fancy Favor bag in vellum.  It’s hard to see, but there’s a little flameless tea light inside with Tempting Turquoise shreddies.  Hang a group of these in the trees for a sunset reception, or use them to line a pathway or even the edge of a table!

Maui Stamper Hearts a Flutter cardThis simple geometric design was created with a man in mind… not too fluffy or fussy.  I’ll confess I was seriously tempted to try my hand at the ruffled, romantic look with this set but all of those linear designs pulled me towards a cleaner style instead.  I used my Simply Scored (most awesome scoring tool evah!) to create a simple linear border on this card.  By the way, no fussy measuring for the placement on these – your eyeball can do the job.  And did you spot that bit of Bakers’ twine?  I used a ittle Tempting Turquoise ink refill to dye the twine, but my initial effort was way too dark.  On an impulse I stuck it under the faucet for a second and that did the trick!

Thanks for stopping by, and click on the link below to see what the uber-talented (and might I add uber-busy!!) Robin Merriman has in store!

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See you next time!

Maui Stamper Hearts a Flutter detail

On Maui this Saturday? Let’s make some cards

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I’m reviving my famous – or infamous – 2-5-10 card class this weekend.  2 hours, 5 cards, $10.  I’m previewing some of the Sale-a-bration products that will be available later this month, so you can be among the first of your friends to get your hands on these goodies!

Maui Stamper 2013 January 2-5-10 Class

These are much prettier in person, I guarantee it 🙂  All you need to bring is yourself and an all-purpose adhesive like Tombo or SNAIL.  I’ll provide everything else including specialty adhesives and envelopes.

RSVP by email to AnneMatasci (at) gmail (dot) com or by commenting on this post.  Be sure and let me know how to reach you if you’re new to my classes.

Hope to see you on Saturday, and don’t forget the RemARKable Blog Tour on Sunday!

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Sycamore Street, c/o USPS

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Thanks for stopping by this Sunday morning – or any other day or time you’re checking out this post!  Just want to remind you that next weekend the RemARKables will host another blog tour – the featured stamp set is Hearts A-Flutter!  Yep, Valentines’ Day is on the way…time to start thinking hearts and flowers!

Maui Stamper RemARKable Blog Tour 2013

I’ve got another Sale-a-bration peek for you.  The Sycamore Street Designer Series paper is awesome!  Stampin’ Up! has again come up with a fabulous suite of products for SAB and the DSP is no exception:

Maui Stamper Sycamore Street SAB 2013

 

  • Trust God stamp set
  • Island Indigo FFIP
  • Sycamore Street Designer Series paper
  • Whisper White, Pool Party and Island Indigo card stock
  • Pool Party Seam binding
  • 1 3/4 inch circle punch
  • Big Shot and the Circles Originals Die

Sale-a-bration starts January 22, so get working on your wish list.  Even better, gather a few friends and let’s plan a little crafting fun!  Everyone gets free products with SAB, and of course hostesses get SAB goodies PLUS free product from Stampin’ Up!

One of my New Year’s goals is to focus on cards that can be mailed.  Cards that can be mailed get sent to people; cards that can’t be mailed or are expensive to mail sit in my drawer!  I’ll still have fun from time to time with “More is More” cards, but I’m really going to make an effort to create cards that will meet USPS standards.  Stay tuned!

 

Need a few Christmas cards – yesterday??

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A quick card for the last week before Christmas:

Maui Stamper Merry and Bright

  • Merry and Type stamp set
  • Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla card stock
  • Be of Good Cheer Designer Series paper
  • Champagne Glimmer paper
  • Cherry Cobbler FFIP
  • Decorative Label punch
  • Big Shot and Petals-a-plenty TIEF
  • Gold Brads
  • Stampin’ Sponges
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

MerryandBrightwm

Funny, I wasn’t a big fan of Merry and Type when it came out, but it has decidedly grown on me.  Love the font and the different messages.  Peace on Earth fits nicely on this card too.

PeaceonEarthwm

My son (the college freshman!) arrived home on Saturday night.  We picked up a couple of his friends on the way home from the airport (literally) and my house has been full of teenagers ever since.  Love it!!

RemARKable Stampers Affection Collection Blog Tour

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Hello there friends!  Thanks for taking time from your busy day to share a little Affection with us.  Welcome to the Valley Isle, where the weather outside is…delightful!

Maui Stamper Affection Collection

I’m taking you forward today to springtime holidays.  Affection Collection is well suited to Valentines Day, but I chose to focus on how well it works for bridal showers and weddings, and specifically how it works for small cards.  These are 3″ squares, and  I used my favorite color combo – Marina Mist and Lucky Limeade:

Maui Stamper Affection Collection

This image is easy to align with the ever-faithful Stamp-a-ma-jig.  Punch the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with the Modern Label punch, add a couple of pearls, and tie on some Lucky Limeade Bakers twine for a finishing touch.

Maui Stamper Affection Collection

For a little love note, how about a heart on wings?

Maui Stamper Affection Collection Heart on Wings

We’ve gotten awfully spoiled with Framelits, but the truth is I actually pulled out my snips and cut this winged heart out BY HAND.  Yes.  Believe it.  And didn’t I do a lovely job?

Maui Stamper Affection Collection Heart on Wings

There’s some Vanilla Smooch Spritz , Crystal Effects, and yes, even Dazzling Diamonds to add some sparkle.  I had the ceiling fan running (yes, it’s that warm) when I took the Dazzling Diamonds out of the secure vault and opened the jar — oopsie, that was exciting!  Off with the fan and then a very careful drizzling of those Diamonds to keep the peace. Mr. Maui Stamper does not like glitter, and those Dazzling Diamonds have a mind of their own.

Maui Stamper Affection Collection Flags

I think this is my favorite of these three little gift cards.  The little flags are hand cut (but hint, hint, not for long!! The Spring Catalog is coming soon!) and attached with dimensionals.  That little bit of Marina Mist 1/8″ taffeta is threaded through tiny 1/16″ holes and knotted, and I promise you it was much easier than it sounds.  A little bit of bling finishes off this love note:

Maui Stamper Affection Collection Flags

  • Affection Collection in wood #127946  $29.95
  • Affection Collection in clear #127949   $21.95
  • Whisper White Mini Square Envelopes #107309  $7.50

This is a Holiday Catalog stamp set that will NOT carry forward, so you have until January 2, 2013 to make it yours.

Click on the RemARKable Badge below to see what the ever talented Robin Merriman has in store for you.

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Thinking ahead

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As much as I believe in each holiday having its own time, I make a lot of Christmas cards well in advance of December 25.  It takes me a while to settle on a favorite, and crafting and the creative process don’t respond well to last-minute pressure.  The honest truth is that I haven’t decided on one for this year, but here are a couple of candidates:

  • Ornament Keepsakes stamp set
  • Whisper White, Naturals Ivory and Gumball Green card stock
  • Silver Glimmer paper
  • Gumball Green FFIP
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer paint
  • Gumball Green stitched ribbon
  • Big Shot and Holiday Ornament Framelits
  • Holiday Frame TIEF
  • Rhinestone jewels

The Holiday Frame TIEF is embossed onto the Naturals Ivory cardstock for this card.  My experience with Whisper White cardstock is that it is smooth and little bit lighter weight than our other cardstock, and as a result may crease with these larger, more elaborate TIEFs.  The Naturals White paper holds up better to the pressure of the TIEF and adds some textural interest as well.  For stamping, I prefer the Whisper White card stock as it is so very smooth and takes the ink so well.

  • Snowflake Soiree stamp set
  • Very Vanilla, Elegant Eggplant and Brushed Silver card stock
  • Elegant Eggplant FFIP
  • Illuminate Glimmer watermark pad
  • Very Vanilla taffeta 3/8 inch ribbon
  • Rhinestone jewels

This card would be VERY easy to produce in multiples.  I’m not thinking about that right now as I just completed a very special project that took HOURS.  It was well worth every moment, but I’m running from the idea of production right now.  Give me a week, I’ll be fine 🙂

 

Winter Memories: RemARKable Stamp of the Month

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Aloha!  This stamp set is a bit out of character for the Valley Isle, but I couldn’t resist the chance to share a blog tour with my favorite RemARKable stampers!  We do have cardinals here – both North American and South American – and if you put on your ruby red slippers, close your eyes and click your heels, you can imagine a little sledding party down Sliding Sands Trail into Haleakala Crater…

  • Winter Memories stamp set
  • Regals Prints Pack Designer Series paper
  • Whisper White, Soft Suede and River Rock card stock
  • Cherry Cobbler Core’dinations paper
  • Basic Black FFIP (Firm Foam Ink Pad)
  • Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Basic Grey and Soft Suede Classic ink refills
  • Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Write marker
  • Aquapainter
  • Big shot and Lacy Brocade TIEF (Textured Impressions Embossing Folder)
  • Stampin’ Sanding Block
  • Always Artichoke Seam Binding
  • Crystal Effects
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

You can’t see the Crystal Effects?  Here, I’ll show you:

There’s a light wash of Basic Grey on the boards behind the sled, and those fat little birds are just waiting for you to look away so that they can swoop down and stuff their beaks with those juicy red berries!!

Now put on your Imagination Caps and let’s picture an ice rink:

 

  • Winter Memories stamp set
  • Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso card stock
  • Early Espresso Core’dinations card stock
  • Be of Good Cheer Designer Series paper
  • Silver Glimmer Paper
  • Basic Black and Crumb Cake FFIP
  • Always Artichoke Classic Ink Refill
  • Aquapainter
  • Clear and Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details
  • Big Shot and Lattice and Wood Grain TIEFs
  • Stampin’ Sanding Block
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Stampin’ Sponge
  • Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding

There’s lots of texture here with the Core’dinations paper, embossing and sponging.  I’ll warn you that tearing the Core’dinations paper especially once it’s gone through the TIEF is kinda like plucking your eyebrows (sorry guys):  it’s really easy to get carried away and then all of the sudden you’ve got nothing left!

Love this set?  It has beautiful, detailed wintery images perfect for watercolor.

  • clear 127937  $19.95
  • wood 127934  $27.95

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure you continue on to see what all the other RemARKables have to share.   A hui hou!

Next Blog in the RemARKable Stamp of the Month Blog Tour

Casing Jill Hilliard

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Do you know Jill?  She’s a fabulous Stampin’ Up! demonstrator with an amazing talent for doing loads of things and doing them well.   This includes creating fabulous cards.  I cased two of them for a card class that Crystal and I did a couple of weeks ago.  Just in case you missed them on Jill’s Card Creations I’ll share them with you today!

  • Owl Occasions stamp set
  • Whisper White and Gumball Green card stock
  • Gumball Green, Early Espresso and Raspberry Ripple FFIP
  • Gumball Green Stitched ribbon

So easy and so cute!!  That is “Jill Style” in a nutshell.  I’m smittin with this owl – don’t miss the Owl Occasions stamp set in the Holiday catalog, as it works for both Christmas and birthdays!

One little round guy deserves another:

  • Scentsational Seasons and More Merry Messages stamp sets
  • Soft Suede and Cherry Cobbler FFIP
  • Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, and Crumb Cake card stock
  • Champagne Mist Glimmer paper
  • Be of Good Cheer Designer Series paper
  • Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots TIEF
  • Cherry Cobbler bakers twine
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

Couldn’t you just Eat Him Up??  Poor little Gingerbread Man, it’s hard to “Run, run, as fast as you can” when you are stuck to a card with a Stampin’ Dimensional.  Look at his little face:

He seems pretty happy despite that predicament.  It must be due to that gorgeous Champagne Glimmer paper next to him.  I would smile too.

Don’t forget to stop by on the 11th for the RemARKable Stamp of the Month Blog tour!  We’re featuring Winter Memories in November and you will LOVE what we have in store for you!!

 

More Core’dinations

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Shabby chic is just a little worn, a little feminine, and a look all its own.  It’s not a style I play with often, but our Core’dinations paper just begs to be shabby:

That little bit of sparkle from the Champagne Glimmer paper and the gleam from the Brushed Bronze designer buttons are such a contrast to the distressed look of the embossed Core’dinations paper.  And look at this button and tell me you aren’t ready to hum a little Jingle Bells…

All of these shades of brown – the Early Espresso paper, the Crumb Cake tulle, the Suede taffeta ribbon, and the Champagne Glimmer paper – work together to create a deep, rich card with a lot of texture and depth despite being monochromatic.  This is an “out of the box” holiday card – but hand-made Christmas cards don’t come in boxes at all, do they?

Don’t forget our fabulous Ink-redible offer!  Build a business or buy your crafting supplies at a discount, but give this serious thought as Stampin’ Up! doesn’t extend this opportunity very often!

  • Who:      Stampin’ Up!
  • What:     Free Subtles, Regals or Brights Collection FFIP (Firm Foam Ink Pads)
  • When:    Now until December 16
  • Where:   My Online Store
  • Why:       DUH!!!   It’s free!

How?  There are two ways to get 10 free ink pads.  Hostess a Stampin’ Up! event with at least $450 in sales and they’re yours for free…OR take the leap and become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator for $99!  The demonstrator kit includes plenty of business supplies PLUS $125 of whatever Stampin’ Up! product you would like from either catalog or My Digital Studio downloads – and 10 free ink pads.  Either way you win – contact me or stop by the Online Store for more information.