A Simple Hello

Posted on July 10, 2011 by mauistamper

Sometimes the message is pretty simple:

My Friend stamp set
Whisper White, Poppy Parade and Blushing Bride card stock
Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper
Paper Piercing tool, template and mat
Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch
Early Espresso 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Rhinestone Jewels

This is a simple card with a simple sentiment – you need a few cards like this in your stash! Admit it, you have a card stash. I do…as a matter of fact, my stash is currently exploding all over my craft studio. As soon as I get a few other things organized (HA HA HA HA HA HA HA) I will be going through that stash and cleaning it out. Convention is this week, and I expect to come home with loads of fabulous new samples, so it’s out with the old and in with the new! I’ll send some, sell some, donate some, and use some for target practice (OK, maybe not, but it’s kind of a fun idea, don’t you think?)

I love those dangling drops…they’re evocative of a chandelier but they could be many things. They make me think of raindrops, and tear drops, and jewels…of course jewels!

Are you wondering where the Blushing Bride card stock is? The card is built on a Blushing Bride cardstock base. It’s quite complementary to Poppy Parade, and that color combination is on my “stuff to try soon” list. Not to be confused with yesterday’s List, no, not at all, two entirely separate lists. But you should know that I am a confirmed list maker.

New colors, new looks

Posted on July 9, 2011 by mauistamper

Who doesn’t love color? It’s amazing to me to think about the infinite variety in color, and I’ve always wondered if everyone sees color the same way. Do you see the same shade as I do when I see a sheet of Cherry Cobbler card stock? Or have we just learned to call it Cherry Cobbler, but we each see something different? That’s one of the questions on My List.

When my kids were small and asked questions I couldn’t begin to imagine an answer for, I would tell them to put the question on their List. I would explain that I kept a list of questions for God, and when I finally got to heaven I planned on asking for the answers. My List has questions ranging from “Why do bad things happen to good people?” all the way to “Why is it so hard to get the mango fruit off the pit?” When it’s my turn, I hope it will be a slow day in heaven, because my list is kind of long.

Well! That said, how about a card?

Fabulous Florets and Oval All stamp sets
Pink Pirouette textured card stock
Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder and Cherry Cobbler card stock
Pink Pirouette, Wisteria Wonder and Cherry Cobbler Classic ink pads
Pink Pirouette Stampin’ Write marker
Oval and Scallop oval punches; Scallop trim border punch
White 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Rhinestone jewels
Stampin’ Dimensionals

Don’t you love this color combination? It’s straight from the Color Coach – you can add the cards for the new 2011-2013 colors (Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Pool Party and Calypso Coral) for only $2.50. Choose 124886 for the English option, 124887 for the multiple language option.

You’ll see this masking technique again – I’m hooked on this look. I can create my own Designer Series Paper in any color combination I want with a little ink, paper and Post-It® notes. You can do it too – stamp an image on the note making sure the image is over the sticky portion of the note as much as possible. Trim out your image and place it over your stamped image on your project. Now you can stamp over that image with another color, creating the impression that one image is forward of the other. Try it – it’s easy!

Imagine the Possibilites

Posted on July 3, 2011 by mauistamper

It’s a new Stampin’ Up! year, and I LOVE a fresh beginning. What could make a better start than this?

My Friend, Fabulous Florets and Word Play stamp sets
Island Indigo and Whisper White card stock; White Vellum paper
Island Indigo and Basic Black Classic ink pads
Black 1/8 inch Taffeta ribbon
Rhinestone jewels

I’m warning you, I’m on a vellum kick for some reason. There are things stamped on vellum all over my desk! I’m a little over-stimulated right now with all the new goodies, and as a result I’m big on starting but not so very big on finishing projects. I’ll get there, though.

I’m looking forward to sharing the new catalog with you, and to dreaming new dreams together. I CAN imagine the possibilities!!

Just some birds and bees

Posted on June 30, 2011 by mauistamper

It’s been another busy day. As much as I love to travel, and as much as I love to come home, the first week back always seems so frantic. It feels like a combination of herding cats and trying to stick Jello to the wall.

The new Stampin’ Up! catalog is just a few hours away from its public debut, and that’s part of the reason my week has been so intense. There’s a lot of tension between the things I NEED to do and the things I WANT to do! I already have my Sneak Peak order in house – matter of fact, I had my Sneak Peak copy of the new Idea Book and Catalog shipped to the log cabin we stayed at in South Dakota. I’ve been through it cover to cover, left, right and forward, but I’m still struggling with what to order when the whole catalog is available. I’m sure I’ll make good choices when the time comes 🙂

In the meantime, I have a few cards to share with you. These are all retiring sets, so I’m not going to give you the itemized supply list. If you desperately need to know something, leave a comment and I promise I’ll respond.

This is the Always stamp set in Pear Pizazz and Marina Mist.

Oh, the sweet bees from Just Buzzin’ By! I am going to miss these sassy little buzz-bombs.

And my silly Cheep Talk birdies are retiring too! I’ve done so many things with this stamp set. I know it’s time to move on, and there just isn’t room in my studio for heaps of retired stamp sets, but I’ll be sorry to see Cheep Talk go.

Eastern Blooms is yet another set I’ll miss, but there are so many gorgeous new floral sets that I’ll surely find a new favorite. All Holidays may be another story. Stampin’ Up! hasn’t created a sentiment anything like “My Dear Kind & Wonderful Friend” at least not one that I’ve seen. Correct me if I’m wrong! I may hang onto All Holidays for a while.

It’s a bittersweet time of year, but the longer I’m a demonstrator the more I come to look forward to the change. I do keep a few retired sets, but I find after a year or so I’m ready to let go of most of them. Some people enjoy going back to old favorites, but I guess I just have a short attention span. I love seeing new, fresh ideas! Check back early in the morning for a link to the new catalog, and sweet dreams.

A Last Chance for Simply Said

Posted on June 28, 2011 by mauistamper

I’m home!

When we travel and people discover we’re from Maui, we often get a quizzical look. People seem to think that living on Maui means you never want to go anywhere. While it’s a wonderful place to live, there are good reasons to travel! I’ll share some details and photos later, but for now here’s what I did today:

Simply Said stamp said (Last Chance)
Whisper White, Pirouette Pink, Regal Rose and Certainly Celery card stock
Certainly Celery, Pirouette Pink and Regal Rose Classic ink pads
Pretty in Pink Stampin’ Write markers
Certainly Celery 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon (Last Chance)
Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Embosslit
Stampin’ Dimensionals

This is my favorite image of all the stamps in Simply Said. Can’t quite tell you why, but it is. I really love it stamped on colored card stock in Craft White ink, but it was fun to color in those little blossoms for a change. I spent a lovely few hours in my studio this afternoon, enjoying some of the Last Chance stamp sets one final time.

Time has almost run out for these Last Chance stamps! Many of the Last Chance accessories are discounted, and some have sold out, so visit my Online Store to put in that Last Chance order just under the wire! If you’re on Maui, a $50 online order will earn you an invitation to an exclusive New Product class on July 9th.

What are you waiting for?

Three little monkeys

Posted on June 22, 2011 by mauistamper

Three little monkeys, all lined up so nicely…how long can this last?

Sock Monkey stamp set
Whisper White, Basic Black, Pear Pizazz, Poppy Parade and Tempting Turquoise card stock
Chocolate Chip and Tempting Turquoise Classic ink pads
Pear Pizazz, Poppy Parade and Tempting Turquoise Stampin’ Write markers
Aquapainter
Small and medium oval punches; Spiral border punch
1 1/4 inch and 1 3/8 inch square punches
Certainly Celery 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Big Shot and Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing folder

Well, it’s not going to last much longer because Sock Monkey is on the Last Chance List. Poor Sock Monkey…and I think Sock Monkey is a he, he just has that look about him. But being Sock Monkey means always having that goofy grin on his face, and so he puts on a brave front and waves that sock arm and lines up to have his photo taken.

Back to the Last Chance List: I can’t imagine the process it takes to determine which stamp sets stay and which ones go. How long does it take? Is it agonizing? Do personal opinions count, or is it strictly by the numbers? For example, Lovely as a Tree has been in the catalog since the first catalog I saw (that would be 7 or 8 years). It’s a nice enough stamp set, but that’s a long time in Stampin’ Up! years. There are a lot of trends in stamping, and stamp sets that I knew I would always love suddenly start looking dated – I get that. I would just like to sit in on that process and watch it unfold.

Then again, I would probably start shouting and get thrown out. It’s best the way it is.

Happy Birthday, Sara

Posted on June 19, 2011 by mauistamper

My Sara turned 21 last month…in Spain. I’m sure it was wonderful, although not quite the thrill it is to turn 21 in the U.S. It was a little challenging for her dad and me since we didn’t feel confident sending her birthday gift through the mail – a 21st birthday present should be something to remember, and entrusting such a gift to the Spanish postal system made me nervous. So Sara has to wait until she’s back in the U.S. before she gets her gift, and we sent this card to let her know we were thinking of her:

Bliss (SAB 2011), Charming and Well Scripted (retired mini) stamp sets
Whisper White, Pear Pizazz and Baja Breeze card stock
Pear Pizazz, Marina Mist and Night of Navy Classic ink pads
Vanilla Smooch Spritz; Stampin’ Sponges
Pear Pizazz Seam Binding
Pearl jewels

My little point-and-push doesn’t pick up the Smooch Spritz but trust me when I say it’s there. I’ve discovered that if you want a nice, even Spritz you need to press the plunger with complete authority. No hesitation here, my friends. If you hesitate, you get blobs. This isn’t such a big problem with Vanilla but it doesn’t work for me with Gold and Log Cabin. Bloppy. Blech.

The flourish stamp was inked in Marina Mist, then sponged with Night of Navy around the edges. The butterfly is cut out and attached with a glue dot for just the tiniest bit of lift. Yes, you guessed it; this is a One Stamp Card. When the stamp costs $.98 (International rate) one should be enough – and we don’t want to give the Spanish post office any excuses for delaying these birthday greetings.

Owl Multiplication

Posted on June 16, 2011 by mauistamper

I turned my back for just a little bit and look what happened:

All of a sudden there was a flock of owls! (HIJACK: I have a thing for collective nouns, and I found a website that claimed the correct term for an assembly of owls is a Parliament of Owls. Love it.)

These owls descend from THIS website, although they’ve mutated ever so slightly. They’re so much fun to do that I’ve become slightly addicted. They have the added benefit of being just the right size to stuff with a little wad of cash, which is the Gift of Choice for every graduate I know. I made a couple in school colors for some of my favorite members of the Class of 2011, but I’m not showing you those just yet because they haven’t been delivered. I’m trying to figure out how to put a mortarboard on them, but if they’re to be delivered before the Grads head off to school I’d better get moving.

These just crack me up!!!

Sweet Cherry Blossom Birthday

Posted on June 13, 2011 by mauistamper

I’ve gone through my shelves and pulled all the sets that are on the Last Chance list. There’s a decent-sized stack, and they’re sitting rather forlornly together in a basket on the floor of my stamp studio (the Room Formerly Known As Sara’s Bedroom). I’ve got plans for those stamps this month, and since I’ll be away for a bit in June I thought I’d better get cracking:

Eastern Blooms and Sincere Salutations stamp sets
Whisper White, Early Espresso and Pink Pirouette card stock
Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose Stampin’ Write markers
Early Espresso Classic ink pad
Pretty in Pink 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Pearl Jewels
Crop-a-dile
Frost White Shimmer paint and the Aquapainter

I cased this card from Alli Ohran, making a very few minor changes. I don’t use a lot of Crystal Effects because in Hawaii it seems to take an eternity to dry, and I’m not a patient person so I stick my finger in it and smudge it and get all cranky about it. Well. There’s a self-disclosure for you!! Anyway, I used Frost White instead and although you don’t see it well in the photograph I assure you it is there.

Cherry Blossoms are such romantic flowers, appearing in almost misty pink clouds that linger briefly on the trees and then begin drifting away. I think pink is a very romantic color, too, so this card really gets my “awww gee whiz” feeling going. To me, it fits to keep such a romantic image simple, although it would be easy to imagine this dressed up with lots of layers, background stamping, vintage lace and bling. Another time. Maybe.

Once a Maui Stamper, always a Maui Stamper

Posted on June 10, 2011 by mauistamper

We shared a bittersweet evening a couple of weeks ago. Kellie and her family are moving to the Mainland. Their reasons are good and of course we all support them in this move, but the truth is we don’t like it. Kellie’s loving, gentle presence and her inspired projects bring such light to our demonstrator meetings! We couldn’t let her leave without getting together for some laughter and lovin’.

Being SU demos, we had to have a project:

I know. Can you stand it? This isn’t an original idea – it’s an absolute CASE (Copy And Share with Everyone). I saw them on Jill Hilliard‘s blog and she in turn credited Card a la Carte, where you can find details on construction.

My plan was for all of us to make these at Kellie’s Aloha party, but I hadn’t even made a sample – I just had the link. You should have seen us sitting around my dining table:

Well, now you can see us! Everyone scrolling through their smart phones, looking at the pictures and instructions. (And Kellie in the background trying to sort out a mini-crisis!)

Peggy and Crystal got busy with the punches.

Robbie got a little punchy herself! And we were all so happy to see Cheryl feeling back to normal.

Lisa and Kellie – and Lisa, you’d better watch out for that dino behind you!! Kellie has been packing for weeks, if not months. Every time I’d see her she’d tell me how she was improvising because this item was packed, or they’d sold that item (little things, you know, BEDS). When she came in she laughed and told us she’d brought her adhesive with her:

Kellie, we’re sorry you’re leaving Maui but we know we’ll be seeing you soon in Salt Lake! And remember…once a Maui Stamper, always a Maui Stamper.

And don’t forget that these are for the CRAFT ROOM, not the garage or the garden or any of that secondary stuff! Love you.

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

Category Archives: Stampin' Up!

A Simple Hello

New colors, new looks

Imagine the Possibilites

Just some birds and bees

A Last Chance for Simply Said

Three little monkeys

Happy Birthday, Sara

Owl Multiplication

Sweet Cherry Blossom Birthday

Once a Maui Stamper, always a Maui Stamper

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