A little Brusho experiment

Posted on September 9, 2018 by mauistamper

WEEKS ago, Crystal and I got out some watercolor paper and the Brusho and experimented. We were both a little unsure and apprehensive, and you’ll see we started pretty small. We stamped a bunch of small flower branches from Petal Palette (still one of the best stamp sets in the entire catalog) and started playing with the concept of watercolor. I’ve had the results sitting on my desk ever since, waiting to become something greater.

Stamps: Petal Palette, Marbled
Color Palette: Whisper White, Island Indigo (retired), Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Pear Pizazz
Accessories: Brusho, Big Shot, Subtle Dynamic TIEF, Petals and More Thinlits, Watercolor Paper, Pearlized Doilies, Aqua painter, Ink refills, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I know I’ve mentioned the Subtle Dynamic TIEF before, but friends, YOU NEED THIS.

We used Ink Refills to watercolor the images, and then used Brusho to create a background. We were really experimenting more with the concept of a watercolored background than with Brusho as a product, but it ended up working extremely well and we were pleased with the control we achieved.

Adding the doily and the leaf embellishments takes this card up a notch while still making it absolutely mailable. I love ribbon, but I’m frustrated when any embellishment makes a card hard to mail. I don’t hand deliver many cards and they really need to go in an envelope and go out in the world!

Don’t miss that Marbled background stamp. It’s another sleeper. Shop HERE.

Soft Sea Foam – don’t let the name throw you

Posted on September 6, 2018 by mauistamper

Soft Sea Foam isn’t really an ocean color to me. I guess I should say I don’t generally see it in “my” ocean. I see Pool Party and Coastal Cabana and Island Indigo (sob) and way out there towards the horizon, I see a color that is somewhere between Pacific Point and Blueberry Bushel and maybe the long-retired Midnight Muse. But none of that is really relevant to this card – it’s about the “Soft” in Soft Sea Foam:

Stamps: Blended Seasons (retired, sorry!)
Color Palette: Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Sea Foam, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Stamparatus, Big Shot, Stitched Seasons Framelits (retired), Wink of Stella, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Blends, Paper Snips

The shimmer from the Wink of Stella is subtle in the photograph, but much more obvious in person. It’s the little things – like a Wink – that make a card special.

The Stamparatus makes this card really simple to assemble. I stamped the floral image 3 times – once on the background of Soft Sea Foam, once on the Whisper White front panel, and one more time on Whisper White to fussy cut with my Paper Snips. I didn’t cut everything, just the flowers, and I think it helps the image to stand out.

Hope you’re having a fabulous day – enjoy this little bit of inspiration. Shop HERE.

Happy Birthday, Little Elephant

Posted on September 3, 2018 by mauistamper

This Little Elephant was at the top of my shopping list for the 2018-2019 catalog. (I know, I know, I’ve already told you that. But TRUTH.)

Stampin’ Up! has cataloged this stamp under babies and kids, but I know a lot of adults who think it’s pretty dang cute and would be happy to see it in their mailbox on their birthday.

So I made a bunch of them.

Stamps: Little Elephant, Sunshine Sayings
Color Palette: Whisper White, Highland Heather, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Big Shot, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Pearlized Doilies, Glitter Enamel Dots, Subtle Dynamic TIEF, Paper Snips, Sponge Daubers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I hand cut the balloons. Little Elephant is available as a bundle with a punch, but it doesn’t include the balloons. Had to be done. Love my Paper Snips!

You didn’t think I would make them exactly alike, did you? Of course not. I had a lot of fun playing with color – this is Bermuda Bay, Gorgeous Grape, and So Saffron.

Please don’t ask me about that little black rhinestone for the eye. It’s retired, I have no idea how long ago, and I’m pretty sure it was on the Clearance Rack. It’s not there now, but when it was, I bought an “adequate” supply. (Don’t ask, don’t tell.)

The Pearlized Doilies are really easy to color with Sponge Daubers, and you get great coverage. Sponge Daubers are much firmer than Stampin’ Sponges and add a more dense layer of ink. I only colored around the edge, because that’s what shows (sort of like just ironing the front of your shirt if you’re gonna wear a jacket anyway.)

The Subtle Dynamic TIEF is working really hard for me these days – do you need one? Shop HERE.

A Very Chic – Tropical Chic – September

Posted on September 1, 2018 by mauistamper

Are you in love with Tropical Chic? I certainly am! These gorgeous leaves and that beautiful hibiscus are growing all around me, and I have them at my fingertips to ink in any color I like. I’ve chosen two of my favorite flower combinations to grace my September desk:

Stamps: Tropical Chic
Color Palette: Whisper White, Old Olive, Pear Pizazz, Daffodil Delight, Lovely Lipstick
Accessories: Big Shot, Tropical Thinlits, Blender Pens, Aqua Painter, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I inked up each flower and dragged the Blender pen across the center of each one. Then I dripped a little ink from an ink refill into the lid of my ink pad and used an Aquapainter to pick up the intense color and add it to the space I cleared on the stamp. I tried using daubers to add the color, but I couldn’t avoid a really round shape, and this time I was looking for something more linear.

The Tropical Chic stamps and thinlits are available in a discounted bundle. If you’ve been studying your catalogs, you’ll know that the first year stamps and dies are introduced, they’re generally sold individually as well as in the bundle. If they continue beyond that first catalog, the money-saving bundle is discontinued. Conclusion: Buy the bundle when it comes out. (I know, such rocket science.)

Crystal and Cheryl have created September calendars for your inspiration – check them out, and leave a comment if you do!

Ready to treat yourself to the Tropical Chic Bundle? Shop HERE.

One Last Chance for Blended Seasons

Posted on August 31, 2018 by mauistamper

Today is your last chance to add Blended Seasons to your crafting stash! These gorgeous flowers officially retire at 7:50 pm HST tonight, and Stampin’ Up! demonstrators who decide to part with their stamps are required to wait a full year before they are sold. Don’t pay ridiculous prices at third party sites when you can order from your friendly SU! demo.

Stamps: Blended Seasons, Hardwood
Color Palette: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive
Accessories: Big Shot, Layered Ovals Framelits, Stitched Seasons Framelits, Braided Linen Trim (2018 Holiday Sneak Peek), Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Skit skat skoodle doot flip flop flee! Click on the link to shop with me!

(apologies to fans of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom)

Shop HERE today!

If you’re shopping after 7:50pm HST on August 31, 2018, you can’t get this set but you can shop HERE, okay?

Blended Seasons in Poppy Parade

Posted on August 26, 2018 by mauistamper

I know there are other stamps in this set, but I just can’t get enough of these gorgeous flowers. They lend themselves so well to coloring with Stampin’ Blends, guiding you along with well-placed lines to help you shade the images. I’ve done the flowers in lots of different colors, but I keep returning to Old Olive for the leaves. We’ve got a lot of fabulous new greens in our palette with the revamp this year, but Old Olive is still my favorite.

Stamps: Blended Seasons, Hardwood, Sunshine Sayings
Color Palette: Whisper White, Memento Black, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Big Shot, Layering Circles Framelits, Subtle Dynamic TIEF, Paper Snips, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Old Olive 1/8″ Sheer Ribbon, Braided Linen Trim (sneak peek)

The Subtles Dynamic TIEF was a leap of faith for me. The catalog images don’t begin to do it justice! It provides just what the name says – a beautiful subtle texture that sits quietly in the background making everything else look great. If you’ve wondered about it, stop. Trust me, you need it! As for the Braided Linen Trim coming in the Holiday 2018 catalog, well, you know how I feel about Linen Thread – and this is Linen Thread in triplicate. I can’t wait til you can get it too.

I’ve used the words from Sunshine Sayings much more often than I imagined I would. They’re a little bigger than many of our sentiments, the font is a perfect Goldilocks font (not too serious, not too fussy, but just right), and they cover just about anything you’d like to say. I din’t expect to use them as much as I have, and I’m really glad I bought them.Blended Seasons, the Stitched Seasons Framelits, and the Watercolor Pencil 2 assortment (Balmy Blue, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Flirty Flamingo, Garden Green, Gorgeous Grape, Granny Apple Green, Night of Navy) are only available until the end of August. Shop HERE.

Colour INKspiration #CI40: Gorgeous Grape, Old Olive and Early Espresso

Posted on August 24, 2018 by mauistamper

I’ve missed a couple of the Colour INKspiration challenges and I was determined to submit at least one card to this fortnight’s challenge. The colours for #CI40 are Gorgeous Grape, Old Olive, Early Espresso, with neutrals or metallics. We had this gorgeous image to inspire our creativity:

I’ve been fussy cutting this image from Blended Seasons all month, so that was where I began:

A special shout out to Vicki Boucher, who frayed her Copper Trim and inspired me to do the same. It’s addicting to pull those threads this way and that and play with the shapes that result.

I used Old Olive Stampin’ Blends on the leaves, but there’s no Gorgeous Grape Blend (at least not yet!) I ordered a set of the Watercolor Pencils available this month, and sure enough, there was Gorgeous Grape! Problem solved.

Stamps: Blended Seasons, Waterfront
Colour Palette: Whisper White, Shimmer White, Gorgeous Grape, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Copper, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Paper Snips, Copper Trim, Stampin’ Blends, Watercolor Pencils 2, Versamark Ink, Copper Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Wood Textures DSP, Petals and More Thinlits, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Blender pen, Corner Rounder (retired)

I was a little challenged to add Early Espresso to the card, but when I added the Wood Textures DSP and the copper ribbon, foil and embossing powder, the tones of the card changed. I used an Early Espresso card base and tucked in a few little die cut embellishments from Petals and more. The Shimmer White card stock added to the overall gleam of the card.

To keep the intensity of the Gorgeous Grape Watercolor Pencil, I used a Blender Pen to smooth the strokes out. The Blender Pen does a beautiful job but doesn’t dilute the color in the way an Aquapainter might.

Colour INKspiration challenges are open to anyone – visit the Facebook group to see the quality images that are submitted.

Looking for supplies to create your own card? Blended Seasons and Watercolor Pencils 2 are only available until the end of August, so time’s a wasting! If you’re in the United States, shop HERE.

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

A little Brusho experiment

Soft Sea Foam – don’t let the name throw you

Happy Birthday, Little Elephant

A Very Chic – Tropical Chic – September

One Last Chance for Blended Seasons

Blended Seasons in Poppy Parade

Colour INKspiration #CI40: Gorgeous Grape, Old Olive and Early Espresso

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