Great combinations with the Color Coach

Posted on August 24, 2011 by mauistamper

The new Stampin’ Up! Color Coach is a great way to jump start a project when you’re stuck for something new. I’ve used this combination before, and liked it so well I tried it again:

Flight of the Butterfly, 5th Avenue Floral, and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Cherry Cobbler and Wisteria Wonder card stock
Pink Pirouette, Cherry Cobbler and Wisteria Wonder Classic ink pads
Butterfly and Scallop trim border punches
Big Shot, Petal Cone Bigz L and Scallop Square Bigz dies
In Color Designer Printed brads
Stamp-a-ma-jig
Rhinestone jewels
Stampin’ Dimensionals

There are loads of tutorials for easel cards out there, so I’m not going to re-invent the wheel – just Google it (Easel card tutorial, not the wheel). Trust me, this is another case of “much easier than it looks”!

We did pull out the Stamp-a-ma-jig for this project. If you’re picky – and I am the first to admit that I am – some things just can’t be done by the eye-ball method. I need those little dots around that butterfly to line up Just Right. Even if Flight of the Butterfly were available as a clear mount stamp set, I would still use the SAMJ.

When we did this in class, I was demonstrating the SAMJ to a newer stamper. I cracked up when she pulled her stamp away from the positioner, looked at the results, and happily exclaimed, “It worked!” I have to confess that I have that same feeling every time I use that tool to get perfect alignment – I’m just so happy it works.

There’s another Getting to Know the In Colors class featuring Pool Party on September 18th. If you head on over to the calendar at my Online Store, you can see the details. Did you know that you can RSVP on that calendar? If you do, I’ll even give you a reminder. Oooh la la!

Sunny, happy yellow

Posted on June 7, 2011 by mauistamper

All this yellow is guaranteed to bring a smile:

5th Avenue Floral and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
Whisper White, Wild Wasabi and Daffodil Delight card stock
Ice Cream Parlor (SAB) Designer Series Paper
Early Espresso Classic ink pad; Versamark ink pad
Daffodil Delight and Peach Parfait Classic ink refills
Early Espresso Stampin’ Write marker
Wild Wasabi Embossing powder, Embossing Buddy (A MUST), heat tool, powder pal
Aquapainter; Piercing tool, template and mat
Subtles and Filigree brads
Early Espresso 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Big Shot and Petal Cone Bigz L die
Large oval punch

I love this flower from the 5th Avenue set. It’s one of my favorite to watercolor because of all the sections there are to play with. I don’t have any training in watercoloring and I think it shows, but that doesn’t keep me from doing it!

Thank you in any language

Posted on April 13, 2011 by mauistamper

It takes a very special person to make a girl feel at home when she’s 8,000 miles across the world – give or take a few. Every time I talk to Sara, she has a story about Isabel, her host mom. I would love to meet this woman, but since a trip to Spain isn’t possible right now, I made her a card:

Gracias, Four Frames and 5th Avenue Floral stamp sets
Wild Wasabi, Rose Red and Whisper White card stock
Black Stazon ink pad
Wild Wasabi and Rose Red Classic ink pads
Black wide stripe grosgrain ribbon
Decorative label punch
Champagne Shimmer paint mixed with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle
Aquapainter

How can you not love a woman who insists your daughter MUST eat breakfast so that she won’t faint on the walk to school? Who cooks hamburgers (made with ground chicken, a better choice) for the first time in her life for her American student? Who treats my daughter as her own…of course I am going to love this woman, even if I never meet her.

My daughters tease me, telling me it’s my own fault they’ve traveled so far. I raised them to be confident, strong young women. I live on Maui, for goodness sake, you would think they might like to spend time here! But they are both where they belong, and they both call to check in regularly. They don’t fool me, though – it’s not always the first question, but it’s never long before they ask “How’s Pookie?” (That’s Captain Stupidhead in Girl-Speak.)

I’m writing my message to Isabel in English, and Sara will have to translate. I want to get it right, and I’m sure Sara will make sure she understands. Isabel is a mother, too, and I think the language is the same.