Cheery little birds

Posted on February 1, 2010 by mauistamper

We’re staying positive here…working with cheery colors and cheery subjects! I spent the afternoon with my oldest daughter on Saturday culling through heaps of papers, books, photos, and other accumulated mementos. I also ended up with the challenge of reuniting a huge box of cd cases with the discs that belong inside. It’s amazing how many cd’s have nothing more than a photo on the front – no band, no songs, no disc title. I did very well, all things considered.

OK – now on to a card! These chubby little birds really sing in bright colors. I don’t think either one of them has met a shocking hue they didn’t love.

Cheep Talk stamp set
Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Whisper White card stock
Garden Green Prints Pack 6×6 Designer Series Paper
Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Garden Green Classic ink pads
Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry markers and a Blender Pen
Crushed Curry Polka Dot ribbon

I was feeling oh-so-confident and I stamped this WITHOUT the Stamp-a-ma-jig. I know. Can you believe it??? That Crushed Curry bird is floating a little, but if it was any closer to the branch those leaves would be tickling its tail feathers. And we wouldn’t want that now, would we??

Following your heart

Posted on January 29, 2010 by mauistamper

There’s a big transition looming on my horizon. My oldest daughter is moving. To Australia. In about one week.

We’ve known about this for a long time. She spent a semester abroad in Perth her junior year at Notre Dame, and met someone. These two have maintained a long distance relationship for two years, seeing each other a couple of times a year and making do with Skype, instant messaging, email and the occasional card. Our daughter graduated in May and came home to work for a few months. Her goal was to earn enough money to convince the Australian government to grant her a visa, and a couple of months ago, she got the good word that she could enter the country. Her Someone has just finished law school and needs to get work experience in his field before he can apply to work in the U.S. They assure me that living in the U.S., specifically in Hawaii, is their long term goal.

As her departure grows closer, the distance seems to grow greater. It’s not all that much farther than she was when she was at Notre Dame, but it’s another country. Not so easy (or so cheap!) to pick up the cell phone and push her speed-dial. And it’s West of us instead of East, which makes the time zone coordination a little more complicated.

Her dad and I support her decision, but it’s still hard. When I saw this sentiment in the Sale-a-bration catalog, I knew it was meant for her.

Whimsical Words SAB Clear Mount stamps and Baroque Motifs stamp set
Whisper White, Bordering Blue, So Saffron, and Pale Plum card stock
Certainly Celery and Bordering Blue Classic ink pads
Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Embosslit
Ticket corner punch, Gold brads, and Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint

The butterflies seem appropriate too, though butterflies aren’t really her favorites. They represent change and taking flight and letting go. I’m working on accepting all three.

Layers are a girl’s best friend

Posted on January 28, 2010 by mauistamper

Well, maybe layers aren’t my BFF, but I know they’re a big part of my style. The more the merrier, and I really have to hold myself back sometimes. I could have easily added two or three more layers to this card, but I held the urge in check. I’m very proud that I could be so self-disciplined.

Happy Moments (Sale-a-bration) stamp set
Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery and Barely Banana card stock
Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Melon Mambo and Barely Banana Classic ink pads
Scallop trim border punch, piercing tool and template, and Stampin’ Dimensionals
Elementary Ribbon originals, hand-held rectangle punch (retired) and Aquapainter
Big Shot with Perfect Details texture plate and Perfect Polka Dots impressions folder

I stamped the little focal image for this card the same time I stamped the image for yesterday’s card. I wanted to use that open Scallop Trim punch to complement the feminine aspect of the flowers, so a straight color block wouldn’t work. These mats are larger and more of a design element than an accent.

Take a closer look at the long white accent panel. I stamped the same little floral image in Barely Banana since I wanted some subtle color and texture, but the Banana color didn’t stand out enough. I stamped right over the Banana images with Certainly Celery ink – and it was easy with the Clear Mount stamps on their beautiful crystal-clear blocks – and then used the Aquapainter to smudge a little more Barely Banana color around the images. It looks tied together without being too same-same, if you know what I mean. Sometimes you get the best results when you don’t have the “perfect” solution for a problem and are forced to improvise and innovate.

Sharing Happy Moments

Posted on January 27, 2010 by mauistamper

When I first saw the Sale-a-bration mini catalog, I looked at the Happy Moments set and thought “Cute, but not me”. After getting my hands on it, I’ve changed my mind.

Happy Moments and Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamp sets
Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy and Barely Banana card stock
Old Olive, Not Quite Navy and Summer Sun Classic ink pads
Very Vanilla Craft ink pad
Aquapainter and Old Olive Wide Striped grosgrain ribbon

I’ve seen a lot of cards lately using color block sketches. Color block is a perfect layout for a smaller image – it gives plenty of pop without distracting your eye from the image. The line art in these images is perfect for watercoloring with the aquapainter. The rough edges mean you don’t have to color perfectly inside the lines, either!

The things we do for love

Posted on January 24, 2010 by mauistamper

My dear friend and partner-in-crime has made an offer on a wonderful home almost 50 minutes away. Here on Maui, that’s the kind of trip that requires an overnight bag. She lives less than 5 minutes away right now, so this move is something of a shock to us both. I went out to see the “estate” with her last week – it’s 2 acres – and we were both inspired with all sorts of fabulous decorating ideas. There could never be enough money to satisfy our imaginations, but we did agree on a color concept.

Vintage Vogue Clear Mount Stamp set
Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay and Naturals Ivory Card stock
Soft Suede and Bermuda Bay Classic ink pads; Pretty in Pink Stampin’ Write marker
Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions folder
Pretty in Pink 1/2″ Epoxy Sending Love brads
Crop-a-dile

I’m trying REALLY hard to be supportive, so I designed this card based on her colors. She’ll have to select a carpet before she makes a final decision between a Soft Suede kind of accent or a Close to Cocoa kind of accent. (You know you’re a serious Stampin’ Up! stamper when you use those alliterative color names to describe colors you see out in the Real World.)

There’s lots of wall space in this new house and Decor Elements will help fill it up without the cost of artwork, framing, and holes pounded in freshly painted walls. I’ll have to pack my bags and leave a freezer full of meals so I can take my trusty Decor Elements Applicator out to Haiku. Change is good. Right??

A little birdie told me…

Posted on January 21, 2010 by mauistamper

I should have ordered this punch! I know, I know, I have a LOT of Stampin’ Up! goodies. And I am very happy with what I have. I run into problems when I go over to a friend’s house to play and she has toys that I don’t have. (No, I am not 7 years old.) I start to play, I get ideas, I go online and find more ideas, and before I know it, guess what’s at the top of my Wish List!

Extra Large Two-Step Bird, Scallop Trim and corner rounder punches
Real Red, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Pretty in Pink card stock
Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper
Chocolate Chip 5/8″ Satin ribbon
Tombo Adhesive and Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write marker
Very Vintage Jumbo Wheel and Pretty in Pink Jumbo Ink Cartridge

My inspiration for this pocket note is Becky Robert’s little note . I really liked her placement and proportions, and you can see I was very faithful to them. I added the simple pocket to dress up the presentation. You can make a pocket like this with just a few steps:

Cut a piece of cardstock 4 1/4″ x 11″ (here I used Pretty in Pink)
Score at 5 1/2″ and 8 1/2″
Cut off 1 1/4″ from the last score, making your last section 1 1/4″ wide
Zig Zag fold to create a pocket
Tie ribbon around the pocket to hold it in place – no adhesive is needed

Here’s the note outside of the pocket:

This little bird is just the right size for a card or page embellishment. There are so many different ways of mixing and matching patterns to create different birds, real or imagined! I’ve seen some beautiful birds that are very faithful to their feathered counterparts – this Chickadee is a great example. I wonder if I could make a sassy Mynah bird?

Hello Neighbor! SASC37

Posted on January 18, 2010 by mauistamper

What a cheery neighborhood this must be! This new set from Sale-a-bration lends itself to so many concepts. I’ve seen row houses and suburban neighborhoods, as well as country estates surrounded by orchards. I wanted to play with the Stampin’ Addicts sketch challenge, so I kept the image small.

Good Neighbors (SAB) and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive and Crushed Curry card stock
Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper Pad (SAB)
Pumpkin Pie, Bermuda Bay and Old Olive Classic stamp pads
Aquapainter, Old Olive and Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Markers and a blender pen
Stamp-a-ma-jig, Linen Twine, paper Snips and Stampin’ Dimensionals

The colors in the Welcome Neighbor stamp pad are bright and cheerful but they coordinate well. I love the 6″ square size for use in cardmaking – it keeps the proportions right. And the Stampin’ Addicts challenge was a great one, though it took a while to get the dimensions just right! If I have time I’ll post them later. I’m off to the beach with my son and my middle daughter – she leaves tonight to go back to Boston where they are reporting a “severe weather watch”. She loves the excitement of the city, the stimulation of university life, and the companionship of her friends. The weather, well, she’s not so thrilled with that, but it’s part of the deal.

I’m missing her already.

Very Cool Envelopes

Posted on January 17, 2010 by mauistamper

So have you been through the Occasions Mini? Marked it up and made your wish list?

Hijack: You know you have Wish List Issues when your Wish List is on an Excel spreadsheet. You have BIG Issues if your Wish List is an Excel workbook with multiple sheets.

Back to our regularly scheduled topic. One (well, two) of the things I spotted in the new Mini was (OK, it should be were, I’m into subject/verb agreement)….ANYWAY….I’m talking about the glassine envelopes. I liked the little die cut Hugs and Kisses Love Notes that were pictured right below the envelopes, but it was really the envelopes that got my attention. They’re just so cool!

I mean, you can see through them! And they’re so smooth, and they’re kind of crackle-y, and yes, I admit it, I’m a bit of a dork about paper. Can you see the tiny little heart Rub-on I put onto the rectangular envelope? It’s retired, and I should have resisted it, but I couldn’t.

Hugs and Kisses Sending Love Notes; Rectangle and Square Glassine Envelopes
Vintage Vogue, Simply Said, and Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets
Whisper White and Bermuda Bay card stock
Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Sahara Sand and Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink pads
Orchid Opulence Stampin’ Write marker and a Blender Pen
Heart to Heart Punch; Soft Suede Polka-Dot grosgrain ribbon; Circle Ice Rhinestone brads
Stampin’ Dimensionals

Stampin’ Up! has commited that the Vintage Vogue stamp set will be in the 2010 -2011 Idea Book and Catalog and I’ve gotta tell you, that’s good news. The more I stamp with this set the more ideas I come up with. If it’s not on your spreadsheet, workbook, or back-of-the-envelope wish list, maybe you should think about it again.

Sweet Pea Garden

Posted on January 16, 2010 by mauistamper

There are a LOT of little pieces in the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt assortment! I started this card and the card you saw yesterday at the same time, but this one – the simpler one – was more difficult to finish, mostly because I couldn’t leave it alone. Duh. Maybe I should take a memo on this. Simple = OK.

Oval All stamp set
Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink and Very Vanilla card stock
Chocolate Chip Classic ink pad; Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink and Rose Red Stampin’ Write markers
Sweet Pea Stitched Felt and Mini glue dots; Aquapainter
Scallop Oval, Oval and Small Oval punches; Stampin’ Dimensionals; 1/2″ Library Clips

Doesn’t quite qualify as simple, does it? Ah well, I still like it.

Did you notice the stems on the flowers? I drew them. (Ta da!!) I’m rather proud of that, because I’m not confident about drawing. Somehow a straight line with a little tiny leaf didn’t seem so scary. Within that little confession lies the seed of my love of stamping. I’ve always enjoyed crafts, but drawing has always been intimidating. Stamping provides the images and allows me the creative freedom to manipulate them as I choose. It does the drawing for me!

Sweet Pea Mojo – Mojo121

Posted on January 15, 2010 by mauistamper

I’ve been looking at these Sweet Pea Stitched Felt embellishments (117266, $7.95) on my craft table for weeks. What should have been simple became really complicated in my head. About a week ago, I saw a VERY simple card that really appealed to me, and that provided the Mojo to make this card come together. Of course, my card isn’t simple, and we’ve already discussed my challenges with the Clean and Simple Style, so we don’t need to go back there again.

Simply Said and Well Scripted stamp sets
Naturals Ivory, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink and Rose Red card stock
Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack
Old Olive, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip Classic ink pads; Very Vanilla Craft ink pad
Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, piercing tool, sponge dauber
Oval Scallop punch, Oval punch, Corner rounder punch
Stampin’ Dimensionals, Mini Glue dots and Aquapainter

Check out that pink houndstooth paper. It’s printed in Pretty in Pink on white, and when I realized I’d stamped my image on Naturals Ivory I thought I was going to have to start over. I’d seen someone try this trick, though, and it works: use a sponge dauber to rub Very Vanilla craft ink across the printed paper. The combination of the smooth paper and the creamy consistency of the craft ink allows you to get nice even coverage that makes the papers blend well together.

There are a lot of layers on this card, but to my eye they’re subtle. The Mojo Monday team did a great job with this week’s sketch, creating something out of the ordinary but not unreasonable. I really enjoy playing along with this sketch challenge, and though I can’t fit it in every week, it’s a pleasure when I do.