Category Archives: cards

Enjoying color

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I’m helping a friend with baby announcements and a few days ago I put together a few designs as a basis for brainstorming.   She chose something different, but I took this concept and completed it because I loved the colors:

Small Wonder

  • I {Heart} Hearts and a retired SAB sentiment stamp
  • Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry and Marina Mist card stock
  • Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Marina Mist Classic ink pads
  • Heart to Heart punch
  • Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Embossing folder

I’m going to end up on the Naughty list for using another retired product, but sometimes they call my name!  I love the font and the sentiments from this retired Sale-a-bration set, and since it’s a clear mount set it doesn’t take up any room to speak of on my shelves.  The truth is that I have very few “baby” oriented products on my shelves, and it looks like it’s time to treat myself to some new stamps.  Oh, darn.

I like the intensity of these colors.  They’re not so strong that you have a neon feeling, but they balance each other well.  I’m sure there’s a more sophisticated color analysis, but you’re not going to get that from me.  I just know I like the combination.

A most important birthday

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My favorite person in the world celebrated his birthday last weekend.

Morning Cup

  • Morning Cup and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Riding Hood Red and Early Espresso card stock
  • Chocolate Prints Designer Series Paper (retired)
  • Riding Hood Red and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
  • Riding Hood Red Stampin’ Write marker
  • Stampin’ Sponge and Hemp Twine
  • Latte Buttons and Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain (both retired)

This might seem like an odd birthday card, but it makes sense to us.  My husband makes our coffee every morning.  Actually, it’s more than that – we have an espresso machine, and he makes my cappucino every morning.  He’s a morning person and I am always very grateful for that steaming hot cup.

He is also the Fix-It man in our house and that made him the Christmas Tree Hero this year.  He fixed the Charlie Brown Christmas tree!  You can imagine how happy I was to be able to straighten out my neck.    Every day he provides another reason for me to love him more and more.  Happy Birthday to my very best friend.

Button Parade

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I’ve had the new Button, Button stamp set from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog for a couple of weeks, but Christmas projects kept it off my work table.  Last weekend I had some new members of the Maui Stampers team come by and we made this Clean and Simple (CAS) card:

Happy Birthday Buttons

  • Button Button and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
  • Certainly Celery and Baja Breeze Classic ink pads
  • Whisper White card stock

Ta da!  That’s it!!  It doesn’t get much simpler than that.  We had a great time lining up those clear mount button stamps on the blocks and playing with the patterns.  I considered adding a little bit of ribbon to this card but finally decided to leave it simple.  This is not to say I won’t try it again with more embellishment!

It was my husband’s birthday this weekend.  I used to tell my beloved Mother-in-Law that she did EVERYTHING right with him…except for the day she gave birth.  With three children, many of my husband’s birthdays have involved Christmas programs, holiday parties, or watching one of the kids at a sporting event.  This was no different – our son had a soccer game on Saturday afternoon – and it POURED rain on Friday.

We have a lot of micro-climates in Hawaii, and some areas get a lot of rain, but we live on the dry side.  South Maui typically gets about 11 inches of rain a year, so when a big wet storm comes through we notice it!  It was nice to hear the rain coming down and to have all the dust washed off the plans in the garden, but the Captain said he’d had enough   after a couple of hours and went to sleep on my desk.

Neither the weather or the game dampened our spirits (oh, I do crack myself up sometimes!!) and we had a lovely weekend together.  Ray was in Guam all last week so I was just happy to have him home.  His birthday gives us a little family oasis in the midst of all the holiday preparations.  Hmmm… Berna, maybe you did it just right.

The amazing Jackie Topa

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If you’re a Stampin’ blog reader, chances are you’ve encountered Jackie Topa.  She has an unmistakeable style and is extraordinarily creative, envisioning things that no one else seems capable of seeing.  I can’t tell you how many cards I’ve admired that have either turned out to be hers, or are inspired by her work.  There are designs named after her – the Jackie Topa fireplace, the Jackie Topa Stationary Box – and she specializes in punch art.  If you’ve never visited her blog, set aside a little time to be inspired and stop by.  Be sure you leave her a comment or two — hard-working bloggers really appreciate your comments!

Today’s card is taken directly from one of her designs:

Medallion Wreath

  • Medallion and Peaceful Season stamp sets
  • Naturals Ivory and Old Olive card stock
  • Old Olive and Real Red Classic ink pads
  • Real Red Stampin’ Write marker
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint with 70% isopropyl in a spray bottle
  • Big Shot and Circles #2 Originals die
  • Real Red 5/8″ Satin Ribbon

I’d like to blame the issues I have with this photograph on the camera, but I think it’s classic Operator Error. There’s a lovely shimmer around the outside of the wreath on the Naturals Ivory cardstock.  The circle that I used to create the effect of the wreath is the largest circle from the Circles #2 Originals die, but it is the same size as the new 2 1/2″ circle punch from Stampin’ Up! – and said punch is currently in a brown box with my name on it somewhere between Utah and my front door!

I’ll be using this concept again but I can’t show you that one yet…I need to get them in the mail first.  Ah, December…

A Jolly Holiday tree

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Crystal sent me an email the other day that started out “Look at this!”  I knew it would be good:

Jolly Holidat folded tree

  • Word Play stamp set
  • Whisper White, Soft Suede, Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler card stock
  • Jolly Holiday Designer Series paper
  • Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler Classic ink pads
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint; Aquapainter
  • Big Designer Series buttons; Linen Thread
  • Big Shot and Petals-a-Plenty Textured Embossing folder

The concept comes from Connie Babbert who was generous enough to include a template for folding the tree.  I made a few changes although I really LOVED the card she did – but it wouldn’t do for me to copy it exactly and then post it for you now, would it?

I wish I could say that the tree in my house looked this pretty.  Well, it is a pretty tree…pretty crooked!  And it’s ARTIFICIAL!!  I thought when you bought a sustainable (fake) Christmas tree you were making an ecologically friendly statement and would at least avoid the Charlie Brown Tree syndrome.  Apparently I managed to select the box (and by box, I mean coffin – these trees come in ginormous boxes) that had a tree with a bent top.  When I called Costco to ask them what they suggested, they told me they were out of those trees, but I could return it and get my money back or keep it til next year and exchange it for a new one at that time.  (And by the way, that is pretty fine customer service!)   Since my husband is currently off-island and I have no intention of wrasslin’ a coffin-sized box by myself, we are opting for Plan B.  I just hope Ray can bend the top portion enough that I don’t get a permanent crick in my neck from looking at my beautifully lit, 7 1/2 foot tall Kirkland Charlie Brown tree.

 

A very dear, very kind, very wonderful friend

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I had lunch with a very dear friend today.  It’s her birthday, and she’s one of those people that prefers a quiet celebration, so the two of us went to a little bistro in town.  We talked about our families and our Thanksgiving celebrations and the special dishes that make that holiday unique to each family.  As we walked back to her office, I gave her this card:

Happy Birthday Iris

  • Fast and Fabulous and All Holidays Stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Blush Blossom and Concord Crush card stock
  • Concord Crush Classic ink pad
  • Frost White Shimmer paint; Aquapainter
  • Concord Crush Stitched poly and Whisper White taffeta ribbon
  • Flower Designer brads
  • Big Shot and Vintage Wallpaper Textured Embossing folder

I gathered the Whisper White ribbon with a running stitch along one edge and tied it together to make…hmmm…to make it that round ruffly thing for the brad.  I didn’t expect the Concord Crush ink’s reaction with the Aquapainter.  As the Aquapainter diluted the ink I could see the blue tones more than than red tones in the purple.

That isn’t really making any sense so you are just going to have to get out your own Aquapainter and try it for yourself.   If you can explain it any better than I can, please leave a comment.  And if you don’t have an Aquapainter you’d better tell Santa to leave a couple in your stocking.  I know you’ve been good this year.

 

Care for a little Espresso with that?

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What could be more delicious than Cherry Cobbler combined with a little Espresso?

Fast and Fabulous with Aviary

  • Fast and Fabulous, Aviary, Vintage Vogue and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler card stock
  • Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler Classic ink pads
  • Cherry Cobbler ink refill and the Aqua Painter
  • Whisper White Taffeta and Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint

The photo doesn’t pick up the shimmer paint, but it’s applied over the little red bird in the cage.  You just can’t beat shimmer paint for quick and easy sparkle that doesn’t violate the No Glitter Here Treaty.  I’m big on quick and easy, although I’ve been known to do some kind of ridiculous detailing from time to time.   This time of year the focus is on completion!

Speaking of completion, today is The Last Day of the Stampin’ Up! Online Spectacular.  If you haven’t placed your order yet – and saved up to 50% on some very cool products – head on over to my Online Store and check out the savings!  Everything goes back to regular prices on December First – and Hawaii folks, pay attention – that’s December First Mountain Standard Time!  Get your orders in by 8pm locally to be safe.

Online Spectacular

 

 

Two-Steppin’

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If you don’t mind, I’m taking a little break from holiday cards.  The holidays are a wonderful time to make and send cards, but enough is enough already – too much of the same thing makes the Maui Stamper a dull girl.

Fast and Fabulous Cherry Cobbler

  • Fast and Fabulous, Charming, Just Believe and Wonderfully Worn stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler and Not Quite Navy card stock
  • Cherry Cobbler and Not Quite Navy Classic ink pads; Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Write marker
  • XL Decorative Label punch
  • Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding

Fast and Fabulous is a Level II hostess set, and I recently added it to my stamp library.  (Doesn’t that sound glorious?  So much better than heap.)   It’s a two-step stamp, which I consider a double dip because you can use the two step technique when you want a fast card, or you can just use the outline and then watercolor when you have more time.  It’s almost December first – any question about which technique I’ll be using??

I made a 3×3 note card with this same design just because I could:

Fast and Fabulous 3x3

Remember, these photos were from my “Not Using This Again” photo set-up, so they look kinda wonky.  I don’t know how you can take a perfectly square card and make it look this distorted, but if it takes talent then I am the Distortion Queen.   Trust me when I tell you this card is perfectly square in real life.

Tomorrow is the last day of the fabulous $87.50 Demonstrator Kit Special, so if you’d like to become a card carryin’ Stampin’ Up! demonstrator skedaddle yourself to www.AnneMatasci.StampinUp.net and sign up pronto!  My card-carryin’-demonstrator password is themauistamper.

Thankful

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And a very belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all:

Happy Thanksgiving

  • Just Believe and Thankful For stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Peach Parfait and Chocolate Chip card stock
  • Early Espresso, Peach Parfait and Cajun Craze Classic ink pads
  • Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon (retired)
  • Big Shot, Top Note Bigz die and Beautiful Wings Embosslit

The problem with taking an extended blogging leave of absence is that when I return I have WAY too much to tell you in one post, plus there’s always the extraneous blather I ladle over the top.  It’s sort of like a Thanksgiving dinner plate, overloaded with food and drowned in gravy.

I feel obliged to begin by saying that I took a number of photos using a new set up and I don’t much care for the results.  I am too lazy to go back and re-take the photographs, so I ask your indulgence and hope you’ll forgive the odd tint these photos share.  I don’t want you to get the impression that my “set-up” is anything sophisticated.  It consists of a couple of sheets of foam core (which have just about reached the end of their useful lives) and my much-abused Casio point-and-push camera.  I normally take the photos in the morning downstairs in my kitchen, because the light is absolutely gorgeous.  For some unfathomable reason I decided to change something that wasn’t broken and tried taking them upstairs at night in my stamp studio with the Ott light.  Bad decision.  If it’s not broken…and all that.  I’ll go back to the kitchen.

And back to the kitchen is what I really want to talk about.  I’ve worked and sat and talked in a lot of kitchens in my life.  They’ve been places to cook, eat, talk, confess, cry, laugh and make memories.  This past Thanksgiving I shared a kitchen with two wonderful friends and can’t wait to repeat the experience.  I’ve been the Thanksgiving Executive Chef for most of the past 20 years we’ve lived in Hawaii, and it was a tremendous joy to share the responsibilities this year.  Three talented cooks joining forces yielded one fabulous meal – and we were all relaxed and able to enjoy the meal.  I know – what a concept!

Meanwhile, a quarter of the way around the world my firstborn was preparing her first solo Thanksgiving feast.  We held a number of consultations online and on the phone as we tried to compensate for her lack of resources – some due to finances and being in that “just starting out” stage of life, and some due to location.  Her 11 pound Thanksgiving turkey cost $85 – in Perth, Australia!  The one store that carried canned pumpkin (at $8 a can) was sold out, and the frozen cranberries had seeds.  A little Yankee ingenuity and shared effort throughout her international community of friends yielded marvelous results, and I’m looking forward to seeing the photos (hint, hint, Carol!)

I hope your Thanksgiving kitchen was rich in love and memories.

Autumn Birthday Garden

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I hope you aren’t weary of this set because I can’t believe I’ll ever be:

Happy Birthday, Mom

  • Just Believe stamp set
  • Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Early Espresso card stock
  • Early Espresso Classic ink pad
  • Gold Glow and Log Cabin Smooch Spritz
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint; Sponge dauber
  • Big Shot and Lattice Textured Impressions folder
  • Victoria Crochet Trim

This card was designed specifically for my Mom for her birthday.  She’s a gardener with a November birthday and this image paired with these colors seemed to fit together just right.  I left the front without a sentiment to keep it cleaner but stamped her birthday wishes inside.

The Shimmer paint is applied to the top of the Lattice texture with a sponge dauber.  I’m not sure how we made ANYTHING before Shimmer paint.  The fact that it lends sparkle without leaving traces that float throughout the house has created a truce in the Glitter Wars in my household.