Caffeine + List = Inspiration

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Do you keep a “To Do” list?  I can’t function without one – or two!  My lists serve two functions.  First and most obvious is that lists help me keep track of what has to be done and when it has to be completed.  The second function is even more important; lists allow me to clear my mind.  If a task is written down, I can let my ideas simmer on the back burner without worrying I’ll forget them.  I even keep a pad of paper and a pen on my bedside table for those invasive dropping-off-to-sleep thoughts.

Being an organizer, I need a place for my lists.  I’ve mentioned the  Levenger Circa notebooks here, and here.  I’m a big fan of this system, and I love the fact that I can easily customize my covers.  It was time for something new:

Perk Up Circa cover

  • Perk Up, Baroque Motifs and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Old Olive and Whisper White card stock
  • Play Date and Springtime Vintage Designer Series papers
  • Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Old Olive and Pear Pizazz Classic ink pads
  • Marina Mist taffeta ribbon; Scallop trim border punch; Aquapainter
  • Piercing tool, template and mat

This is the Junior notebook, and the cover is 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches.  That’s BIG when you’re used to a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inch card front!  A little caffeine for inspiration and voila!  I had my cover.   If it were only this easy to finish the tasks on my list.

A clipboard can make you smile

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When you are looking for a quick and easy project that lifts your spirits, try a clipboard:

Greenhouse Gala Clipboard

  • Convention Special “Share What You Love” Stamp; Vintage Vogue stamp set
  • Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper
  • Real Red, Marina Mist and Whisper White card stock
  • Real Red, Marina Mist and Pear Pizazz Stampin’ Write markers; Versamark stamp pad
  • 1 3/4 inch and 2 3/8 inch scallop circle punches
  • Big Shot and  Tasteful Trim Bigz die
  • Real Red, Marina Mist and Pear Pizazz ribbons
  • Royal Decoupage Medium and a clipboard

These clipboards are super easy because I am careful to get this style of clip.  The measuring around the top is pretty simple, and you don’t have to try to hold the clip part open because it doesn’t close onto the paper but rather onto itself.  Clear as mud??

My other hint is to use your Decoupage medium on a quarter of the clipboard at a time.  Maybe some of you Mainland crafters can get the whole thing painted up without parts drying, but here on Maui that doesn’t happen.  Doing one section at a time allows me to get complete adhesion and to work my paper down the front of the clipboard slowly and carefully so that everything lines up.  I use my bone folder to make sure it’s all smooth and bubble-free, too.

Want to see the back?

Greenhouse Gala Clipboard back

Clipboards are diabolically dimensioned at 12 1/2 inches tall, so that 12 inch Designer Series paper is just a smidgen too short.  My solution is to cut two pieces of paper, one at 9 1/2 inches and one at 3 inches, and butt the seam closely.  (You can see I split it up for the back.)  I like to add a little trim to cover the seam and create extra visual interest, but it’s really not necessary.  Most clipboards are right about 9 inches wide, so the 3 inch piece you cut off to create that width can often be used to fill in the space on the bottom.

The renovations are coming along, but I will confess that I am growing weary of the chaos.  I’m one of those  “a place for every thing, and every thing in its place” kinds of girl, so having all surfaces covered with STUFF from all over the house is getting tiresome.  Builder Dan and his crew have been doing a fabulous job though, and my stamp studio has walls of a glorious hue.  All 3 days this weekend I kept stopping in the doorway, imagining myself putting all my things away In Their Places!!!  Soon, soon…but in the meantime, here is a little clue as to why I am so fond of Builder Dan:

Builder Dan's tool box

Honestly, what more could you ask for?  I’m hoping he’ll leave it behind when he’s finished.

Just a little bling

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If you’ve been a Maui Stamper reader for a while, you’ll know that glitter is a challenge in my household.  Mr. Maui Stamper is Not A Fan.  Glitter itself isn’t such a problem for him – it’s glitter that doesn’t stay where it belongs that he dislikes.  We think it goes back about 10 years to the time my oldest daughter bought a cute tee shirt with glittered accents, and that tee shirt ended up in the same load of laundry as some cycling shorts.  The glitter behaved badly and since then, all glitter has been suspect.

Fortunately, the glitter in the Stampin’ Up! Glimmer Paper (#121790) is VERY well behaved:

Punch Bunch with Glimmer Paper

  • Punch Bunch, I {Heart} Hearts and A to Z stamp sets
  • Real Red, Blushing Bride, Concord Crush and Whisper White card stock
  • Glimmer Paper
  • Concord Crush and Blushing Bride Classic ink pads
  • Heart to Heart, Scallop Circle and 1 3/8 inch circle punches
  • Big Shot and Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Embossing folder
  • Rhinestone Jewels
  • Whisper White 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon

I’m pretty crazy about this glimmer paper.  It has such a deep, rich color, and the sparkles stay put.  It doesn’t take much to make a statement on a project, and I have my fingers crossed that this will stick around for Christmas next year.  I think I’ll send Stampin’ Up! a little note and suggest a permanent place in the catalog for Glimmer Paper – will you send one too?

Busy bees

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Sweet Summer is my favorite Sale-a-bration set  – well, maybe it’s tied for that honor with BLISS.  Last week I saw a fabulous card made by a friend on the RemARKables team and had to make one for myself:

Sweet Summer

  • Sweet Summer Sale-a-bration stamp set
  • Whisper White, Pear Pizazz and Concord Crush card stock
  • Pear Pizazz, Concord Crush, Melon Mambo and Real Red classic ink pads
  • Aquapainter and So Saffron Stampin’ Write marker
  • Real Red 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • Love Impressions rub ons

Regina Cornelius designed this card, and though I made a few changes you can see I was true to her concept.  I’ve just realized that I forgot to give the bees their little vapor trails, and I’ll have to go back and fix that oversight.  Regina and I participate in a forum that Janet Wakeland, my 5th level upline, offers for support and training.

If’ you’re not a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, all this talk about teams and groups may be a little confusing.  Stampin’ Up! is a direct sales company, which means each person who “signs up” to sell/distribute Stampin’ Up! products is, in the company’s language, “An Independent Demonstrator”.  That means we own our business instead of working for Stampin’ Up!, and part of our business plan includes sharing the Stampin’ Up! business opportunity with other people.  When someone decides to become an Independent Demonstrator, they sign up through an existing demonstrator and become part of her team or group, or “downline” as the Stampin’ Up! terminology goes.  It gets a little confusing, but the end result is that this type of organization creates a lot of opportunity for friendship, collaboration, and education.  If you’d like to learn more,  send me a message and I’ll be glad to tell you about the Maui Stampers – you don’t have to live on Maui to be one!

Inspiration in unlikely places

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I was standing in line in the post office, of all places, when I saw a card that inspired this:

Bliss Birthday Wishes

  • Bliss (Sale-a-bration) and Sincere Salutations stamp sets
  • Naturals White, Always Artichoke and River Rock card stock
  • Always Artichoke and Rich Razzleberry Classic ink pads
  • Always Artichoke seam binding; Sponge Daubers
  • Sticky Strip and Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Pearl Jewels and large Oval punch

That fluorish from the Bliss set is GORGEOUS.  It lines up well with itself to create a repeating pattern, but it’s also strong enough to stand alone.  The seam binding has been gathered with needle and thread and pressed onto some Sticky Strip, but you could skip that step – I prefer the evenness of hand-gathering.

I surprised myself when I added Rich Razzleberry.  I didn’t think I would like it, but there it sat on my messy table, looking hopefully at me, so I gave it a chance.  It pays to take a risk when colors beg to be used like that!

Be My Valentine

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Stampin’ Up! has begun tempting us with the prospects of Convention 2011.  These are three very short but very full days, andthe thing that every demonstrator look forward to is swapping.  It’s crazy, it’s frantic, and you never know what you’ll come home with – but you always come home with loads of great ideas.

Today’s card is cased from a card I received last year, and I have regretably lost the original stamper’s name.  I’ve cased this cards so many times, in so many different ways, and every time I see something new.

I {Heart} Hearts

  • I {Heart} Hearts and Filled with Love (retired) stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake card stock
  • Cherry Cobbler, Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso and Regal Rose classic ink pads
  • Piercing tool, mat and template
  • Cherry Cobbler seam binding; Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Full Heart and Heart to Heart punches

Happy Valentines’ Day!

Some Super Fun

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Last weekend we went to a Super Bowl party at Cheryl’s.  She’s finished with her renovations (lucky girl), and her big ol’ Big Screen TV is already installed, so it made sense to drive out to Haiku for the game.

We all watched until about half time, and then the ladies started migrating into Cheryl’s stamp studio.  She has a great space set up, with lots of gorgeous light and room for both crafting and working from home.  She even had a project all set up for us:

Cheryl's cupcake bookmark

  • Create a Cupcake stamp set
  • Pretty in Pink, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White card stock
  • Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake, and Early Espresso classic ink pads
  • Early Espresso Stampin’ Write marker
  • Build a Cupcake punch; Stampin’ Dimensionals
  • Retired 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon – I’m not even sure what color it is!  Maybe Close to Cocoa?
  • Big Shot and Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing folder

These cupcakes are charming and just the right sized, and I love how easy it is to use the punch.  Why stress about lining up the stamps when you can just punch them out and put ’em where you want ’em?  That’s my idea of brilliant.

We didn’t quite make it back for the 3rd quarter, but we all gathered around to see the end of the game.   Great party, Pat and Cheryl – let’s do it again next year!

 

Ah, Saturday

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Saturday is always a welcome sight on the calendar.  With a little bit of luck, there’s nothing pressing to do first thing in the morning and we can sleep in a little.  It means a more leisurely breakfast sharing the newspaper and coffee, and talking about what the day holds.  Lately, it also means the absence of hammers, saws and power tools.  Captain Stupidhead likes Saturday too, because he can lounge around in the few spots downstairs that aren’t either torn up or covered with the stuff that used to be in the room that is now torn up.  We love Builder Dan and all of his crew, but after 5 days it’s nice to have a little respite.

I’ve hardly had time to cruise through my favorite blogs this week, but I did spot this little gem at Inking Idaho a while back.  Becky saw this at Leadership and created her version, and I fell in love as soon as I saw it:

Petal Cone Bigz die

  • Thank You Kindly stamp set
  • Rose Red, Old Olive and Daffodil Delight cardstock; Sale-a-bration Designer Series Paper
  • Rose Red Classic ink pad
  • Springtime Vintage Designer Buttons; Linen thread; Scallop border punch
  • Big Shot, Petal Cone Bigz die, Fun Flowers Bigz die

I made some 3×3 gift cards to fit inside the pocket:

Same supplies as above plus:

  • Punch Bunch, Button Button and A to Z stamp sets
  • Peach Parfait, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White card stock
  • 2 Step XL Owl, Scallop Circle, and various circle punches
  • Crystal Effects and Daffodil Delight 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon

These were very simple to assemble and I made quite a few in an afternoon.  Love those Sale-a-bration products!

Here’s the renovation update – the family room is being prepped for new lighting and the electrical foundation for TV, stereo etc:

There was a day last week when they put something on the floor and it had to dry overnight.  Not such a big deal, except that I’ve had to move the computer into the laundry room and the only way into the laundry room is through the family room – or from the garage.  Psssht.

Here’s the update for upstairs:

There’s room for my file cabine on the left, and you can see Builder Dan is making sure I won’t have to crawl underneath the counter every time I want to plug something in.  The adjacent wall looks like this:

I’m excited about this!  My middle daughter is perhaps not so excited, as this used to be her bedroom.  Her older sister has known that feeling for quite a while, as I took over her room for a craft room after she left for university.  We’ve decided to switch the two rooms, so there will be a place for the girls – ALWAYS – no matter what.  But there will also be a little slice of heaven upstairs for Mama’s creative projects.   This will be worth the wait and the disruption.

Thanks, cupcake!

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Despite the chaos and the noise, I’ve found a little time to craft:

Cupcake Notes

  • Thank You Kindly and Create a Cupcake stamp sets
  • Cupcake standard wheel
  • Whisper White, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette and Early Espresso card stock
  • Rose Red and Early Espresso Classic ink pads; Early Espresso Stampin’ Write marker
  • Rose Red Seam binding
  • Build a Cupcake punch
  • Big Shot and Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing folder

These were quick and fun – I did about 20 of them in about an hour and a half.  The cupcake bases are textured with the Lattice folder and the top is cut from Pink Pirouette – I only used Create a Cupcake for the sprinkles on the frosting.   I punched the cupcake pieces from narrow strips of cardstock that I fed through the punch to minimize waste and I glued all the pieces down with Tombo the Wonder Adhesive.  The cherry is punched out of Rose Red cardstock and the stem is quickly brushed with the marker.

If I was feeling like an over-achiever I would watercolor those cupcakes along the bottom, but I’m not so I won’t.  Who’ll know?

In case you’ve been wondering…

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We’ve begun our remodel.  It began pretty simply with exterior painting.  The poor cat has been beside himself as the yard has been full of men and scaffolding and noise; the day they power-washed the exterior was a tough one for the poor Captain.  The painting process has become routine, though, and now he is adjusting to yet another change:

Day 1

This isn’t a true before picture, as the desk is completely empty.  I am VERY proud of myself, as Mr. Maui Stamper was off island on business and I moved the computer – including printer, cable, router and enough cable to tie up a rodeo – into the adjacent room and installed EVERYTHING.  I was terrified there wouldn’t be wi-fi and we would be back in the stone age, but apparently I’m more brilliant than I give myself credit for.

Poor Captain Stupidhead likes to relax here first thing in the morning after Breakfast #1.  Unfortunately, it’s not really a relaxing place to be anymore:

Day 2

This part was only moderately noisy , but the disruption factor was high.  Remember those cabinets, though, as you are going to see them again!

Day 3

Ah, now we’re down to serious business!  I wish I’d taken a photo of that poor cat sticking his nose into the doorway (out of the photo on the left) when Builder Dan and I stood here to talk about progress.  You’ve heard the expression “nose out of joint” ?  The disruption has become unbearable.

As a result, the poor Captain has a new routine.  After he eats Breakfasts #1, 2 and 3 in rapid succession, he high-tails it upstairs to Mr. Maui Stamper’s closet.  He doesn’t reappear until all the painters, hammers, noisy machines, and Builder Dan himself have exited the premises.  When he does reappear, I get an earful – apparently it is very stressful to sleep in the sock basket all day:

Leave me alone

His expression says “What??  Leave me alone!  And close the closet door while you’re at it.”  At least he’s sleeping on top of the tan socks instead of the navy and black socks.

Upstairs

Here are some of the cabinets…waiting for Builder Dan to finish downstairs.  You’ll see more of this, too!