a RemARKably SECRET Garden Tour

Posted on April 13, 2013 by mauistamper

Welcome to another edition of our RemARKable Stamp of the Month tour – this month we’re featuring Secret Garden and the coordinating Secret Garden Framelits. RemARKables are a very creative group and I am certain you’re finding loads of great ideas. Let’s see if I can’t share one or two more.

I snooped through Pinterest for ideas and saw a lot of cards that included round or oval shapes with the Secret Garden flowers. I thought about making a round card, but ultimately came up with an oval card that I am very pleased with. Tell me what you think!

This is the largest oval framelit, cut from So Saffron and embossed with the Lattice TIEF. It’s layered over a card cut from Whisper White – Stampin’ Up! Whisper White is just a little lighter weight, and you can cut two layers with a framelit. The various flowers from the Secret Garden stamp set are inked in either Perfect Plum or So Saffron and stamped on either Whisper White or Perfect Plum card stock. A little ribbon, a few pearls, and a banner finish it off! The message on the banner is from the new Cuddles and Kisses stamp set – great fonts and great messages!

I cut a LOT of flowers to play with, and when I was finished with the card there were still a LOT of flowers left over! After a few false starts, I came up with a fun gift to go with this card:

This frame has moved around my studio a half dozen times begging to be embellished. It took a major expedition to find the dog-gone thing once I realized I needed it. Isn’t that how it goes? Of course, I’m not showing you what my studio looks like, because you would see the problem immediately.

The framelits do such a quick, clean job of cutting things out. Fussy cutting looks great, but it’s a bother to do! This takes the trouble out of the process.

Time to take a peek over the fence at Robin’s Secret Garden! She always has gorgeous projects to share – I know you’ll love it!

Link not working? Try this: Robin Merriman

Nancy Amato http://stampinallnight.blogspot.com
Linda Bartolucci http://www.inkstampandscrap.com/
Ingrid Blackburn http://www.createwithingrid.wordpress.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
Connie Deibler http://www.conniestamps.com
Becky Evans http://www.alwayshappystampin.com
Crystal Kondo http://www.card-ed.com
Deb Lehigh http://thestampinhut.typepad.com/
Debbie Lever http://www.debbiescreativespot.blogspot.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
Jeannette Swain http://www.stampsnwhatnot.com/
Janet Wakeland http://wp.me/pHIQD-4P4

Miracles happen.

Posted on April 9, 2013 by mauistamper

Talking with a friend this morning, I realized that I have become much more accepting of things I cannot change. We were discussing some pretty significant challenges in our lives and the lives of people we love, and I said I was at peace with how I had responded to a particular situation. I guess I’m more grown up than I thought I was.

Funny thing is, I have no tolerance for the little piddley things that I can’t change, like being stuck in traffic. I hate traffic. I shout at the other drivers (inside my car with the windows rolled up of course) to Get Off MY Road. This is completely irrational behavior. My children joke about it but I think they see it as the beginning of the end for their loony tunes mother. Little do they know I have been loony tunes all of my life.

All of this leads up to the fact that I also believe in miracles. I believe in little miracles, the sort that make you giggle – like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. I also believe in big miracles, the kind of miracles that make you drop to your knees in thanksgiving. I made a card to celebrate a miracle:

Bloomin’ Marvelous stamp set (Sale-a-bration 2013)
Very Vanilla and Soft Suede card stock
Prints Pack Designer Series paper
First Edition Specialty Designer Series paper
Calypso Coral and Crumb Cake FFIP
2 3/8 inch scallop circle punch
1 3/4 inch circle punch
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Linen Thread
Piercing tool (aka pokey doodle)
Big Shot and Honeycomb TIEF

This won’t take you long at all to do, and you can substitute practically any stamp set you have on hand – don’t fret that this Sale-a-bration set is already retired.

Yes, I poked a pair of little holes in the card stock and ran my linen thread through them so that I could tie it directly onto the card. I know a lot of people use Glue Dots. I’m not one of them. I LOVE Glue Dots for a lot of things, but not for sticking embellishments on the front of cards.

I hope you have your own little miracle today…or maybe even a big one.

And stop by the OnlineStore to see the new Bombs Away Birthday Photopolymer stamps!

Certainly Celery and Regal Rose Ink Refills: Sold Out!!

Posted on April 7, 2013 by mauistamper

Don’t wait to order your ink refills for the retiring colors – they are selling out already! Paper, ink pads, and embellishments could be next!

Free shipping through Monday evening – use Hostess Code T7NDFYJY with your ONLINE ORDER of $25 or more for a chance be the hostess of my weekend order and get all the benefits!

FREE SHIPPING ALL WEEKEND!

Posted on April 6, 2013 by mauistamper

What a deal! Free shipping all weekend – that’s an extra 10% in your pocket!

Place an order this weekend and for every $25 you spend I’ll add your name to a drawing for the Hostess Benefits on the order! You MUST use Hostess Code T7NDFYJY when you place the order online – or you can call or email me to place your order for you.

Be sure you stock up on the retiring colors:

Regal Rose
Pretty In Pink
Bashful Blue
Certainly Celery
Baja Breeze
Riding Hood Red
Bravo Burgundy
Not Quite Navy
More Mustard
River Rock

In my experience, if you have the ink pads for any of these colors be CERTAIN to order ink refills, and don’t wait until the last minute to do so! Stock up on paper, and if you’ve got a little spending money left over, pick up a ribbon, some buttons or some brads. Stampin’ Up! has also announced that all Watercolor Wonder Crayons will be retired, so give those a look-see too.

We have lots of promotions, too:

Best of 25 Years (Jan – April: Birthdays, Love, Flowers and Butterflies)
Sent with Love bundle (20% discount PLUS free shipping!)
Dude, You’re Welcome Kit for men (and women too!)
MDS 2 $19.95
Photopolymer stamps Designer Typeset
10 different single stamps $5.95 to $7.95
Spring Surprise bundle (15% discount PLUS free shipping)
This ‘n That Journal and bundle (15% discount PLUS free shipping)

There will be a FREE This ‘n That Girls Night Out in May for anyone who purchases the journal in April!

Finally, I have a very limited number of Sycamore Street Clothespin Wreath kits available for $25. Check my OnlineStore for photos.

WHEW!!

Hot Off the Press: STAMPIN’ UP! 2013 COLOR REFRESH!

Posted on April 3, 2013 by mauistamper

Yes, my friends, it’s true: with the new 2013-2014 catalog, Stampin’ Up! will refresh the four color families! Never fear, there are familiar names here, and Stampin’ Up! will continue to provide outstanding coordination between ink, paper and embellishment.

But you want details, I know!

With one exception, the “new” colors are familiar – they are In Colors from years past. The exception is what promises to be a delicious new shade of grey called Smoky Slate!

I’m personally thrilled with these changes – the colors that are retiring are colors I have seldom used – with the notable exception of Baja Breeze. The In Colors from years past that are becoming permanent include some of my absolute favorites – Pear Pizazz, Soft Sky, and the recent 2011-2013 colors of Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder (yay!), Pool Party (double yay!) and Island Indigo.

Some remaining colors have changed color families – see if you can spot them!

Don’t delay in stocking up on your discontinuing favorites! There’s an added bonus – Stampin’ Up! is offering FREE SHIPPING April 6 through 8!! Free shipping on stamps, paper, ink, embellishments, This ‘n That, My Digital Studio orders – there’s free shipping on it all!!

April Farewells

Posted on April 1, 2013 by mauistamper

In April, we usually bid farewell to the humpback whales that spend the winter off our islands. I say usually because their arrival and departures are guided by their own internal clocks rather than the calendar.

It’s hard for me to describe the thrill I feel watching whales in our waters. They’re huge – the size of a school bus – and yet they can launch almost their entire bodies out of the water to create a spectacular crashing splash. Naturalists believe that there are a lot of reasons for that behavior, including the simple desire for fun. It’s always a joy when the first sighting is reported, and as the sightings become fewer and farther apart there’s a sense of sad farewell.

Oh Whale stamp set
Bashful Blue and Wild Wasabi FFIP
Happy Whale Clearlits die
Rhinestone jewels

I suppose I could have hand-trimmed the whale image, but why would I do that when there’s a Clearlit that will save me the trouble?

Prints Poetry

Posted on March 26, 2013 by mauistamper

Woo hoo! More designs from the gorgeous Prints Poetry Designer Paper pack! I can’t get enough of these designs! They coordinate really well, and the colors are gorgeous together. You know how sometimes the scale of the designs is hard to work with? Not here!

Best of Birthdays stamp set
Whisper White card stock
Prints Poetry Designer Series paper
Raspberry Ripple FFIP
Primrose Petals Stitched 3/8 inch ribbon

Super simple card! These little flags are only 3/4 of an inch wide. Say it with me: Use up your DSP scraps!

Sale-a-bration ENDS TODAY!!

Posted on March 24, 2013 by mauistamper

Time flies when products are free! Today is the last day for a 2013 Sale-a-bration order – and Maui folks, that’s on Utah time so don’t get caught! Your order needs to be in by 7:50pm HST!

The Sale-a-bration exclusives have been awesome this year but I think the Sycamore Street Designer Series paper was my favorite. I have a couple of packages stashed, so I decided to make another clothespin wreath with my extra pieces.

These wreaths are not hard to make. It takes a LOT of time to prepare the pieces, and it takes a little while to put it all together too. But putting the strips on the clothes pins takes no thinking at all, and scrunching up the flower papers is just plain fun!

That brad in the middle of the Island Indigo flower is a treasure I have been hoarding – they were available for only a month about a year ago and I have been very, very stingy using them!

However, I think this wreath is a perfect class – so I’m offering it on Saturday, April 6 at 1 pm. This will be LIMITED enrollment and first-come-first served so that everyone has enough space. Cost is $25 and includes everything you’ll need except for Tombo – and I highly recommend you use Tombo for this project. I’ll have it here if you need a fresh bottle.

Don’t wait to RSVP! We’ll have a lot of fun with this one 🙂 If you can’t make Saturday mornings and would be interested in a week day or evening, please let me know and I’ll see if there is enough interest.

Wonder if there’s a lime in that pool?

Posted on March 22, 2013 by mauistamper

Color combinations shouldn’t always be safe. This one isn’t particularly adventurous but it’s not run-of-the-mill either!

Best of Birthdays Stamp set
Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and Whisper White card stock
Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade and Pool Party FFIP
Pool Party and Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Write markers
Big Shot and Argyle TIEF
Adorning Accents Folders
Dazzling Details
Bitty punch pack
Bitty Buttons
Wisteria Wonder Bakers Twine

This was another card we made in the Best of Birthdays class. I’m telling you, you NEED this set! Do I need to get out that dizzy hypnotizing oval from Oh Hello again?? Make you get sleepy…sleepy…sleepy…

And while you’re at it, put some Dazzling Details on your order. Can’t get much cheaper (#124117 for $2.50) and it’s on the Mr. Maui Stamper Approved Forms of Glitter List. What more could you ask?

No ribbon, no flowers. Less is more.

Posted on March 20, 2013 by mauistamper

It’s a challenge to make masculine cards. Ribbon? Nah. Flowers? Nope. More is more? Huh uh. Less is more.

This is Not My Way. But I have challenged myself this year to make more cards that are suitable for men. It’s taking some time, but I’m getting there:

Oh Hello and Beyond Plaid stamp sets
Naturals Ivory, RIver Rock and Always Artichoke card stock
River Rock and Always Artichoke FFIP
Metallic Brads
Essentials Paper Piercing Pack and Pokey Doodle (aka paper piercing tool)
Large oval punch
Sponge daubers

Did you see those three brads? There is no way on God’s Green Earth that I would be able to line those up so symetrically without Stampin’ Intervention in the form of the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack. Some things I can do, and some things I cannot. Eyeballing straight lines? I cannot.

That Oh Hello stamp set with the big, blocky font works really well for masculine sentiments. Stampin’ Up!, we need Happy Birthday in that font, OK? Imagine it!

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

a RemARKably SECRET Garden Tour

Miracles happen.

Certainly Celery and Regal Rose Ink Refills: Sold Out!!

FREE SHIPPING ALL WEEKEND!

Hot Off the Press: STAMPIN’ UP! 2013 COLOR REFRESH!

April Farewells

Prints Poetry

Sale-a-bration ENDS TODAY!!

Wonder if there’s a lime in that pool?

No ribbon, no flowers. Less is more.

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