The Merry Month of December

Posted on December 1, 2016 by mauistamper

December is here, and it will surely be merry!

Stamps: Happy Scenes (Holiday 2015, retired), Be the Star
Color Palette: Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Daffodil Delight, Dazzling Details
Accessories: Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Red Foil paper, Fine Tip Glue pen

The Red Foil is luxurious! I find the Fine Tip Glue pen to be indispensable when it’s time to adhere these words.

A word about retired products: Yes, I realize it’s frustrating when you want to re-create a project and you don’t have access to the exact product that was used. At the same time, I’m not presenting these calendars as a class. They are for your enjoyment and inspiration, and I encourage you to look around your craft space for options. Explore! Improvise! Be creative – it’s such a glorious process.

Now make your merry way over to Cheryl and Crystal to see their December calendars!

Sparkly Congratulations

Posted on April 26, 2016 by mauistamper

I designed this card to be a multi-application “Congratulations” that I can keep in my stash for that last-minute card occasion. The colors are neutral but sparkly, making it celebratory for either gender.

Stamps: Bravo (retiring 5/31/16), Balloon Builders, Be the Star (retiring 5/31/16)
Color Palette: Whisper White, Basic Black, Smoky Slate
Accessories: Balloon Builder punch, Confetti Stars Border punch, Silver Foil paper, Gold Glimmer paper, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You might be noticing a trend. I’ve been working towards making cards that are flat enough to mail without extra postage. I want to SEND them, not admire them! I’ve found that elements raised with Stampin’ Dimensionals fare best when an extra piece of card stock is placed over the front of the card in the envelope.

So make a card – and send it!

Shop HERE.

A Manly Convention Swap

Posted on July 30, 2015 by mauistamper

I only signed up for one organized swap this year at Convention. If you’re only going to do one, you think it through pretty carefully – and when I thought it through, I made the decision to go Manly. Manly cards are a challenge, especially with a catalog full of flowers and butterflies. Don’t get me wrong – I love flowers and butterflies – but sometimes a girl needs a Manly card, and I was looking for inspiration.

Stamps: World Map, Happy Birthday Everyone, Be the Star
Color Palette: Whisper White, Basic Black, Cucumber Crush
Accessories: Star framelits, Black Baker’s Twine, Stampin’ Dimensionals, White Craft Ink, White Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool, Rhinestone Jewels

I wanted to incorporate one of our 2015-2017 In Colors, and was pleased to find that Cucumber Crush would work. I’ll be honest: that’s the In Color I am having the greatest challenge using. When Christmas comes, it will get better, I’m sure.

I used the embossing buddy like mad, yet some of the cards still had some tiny white flecks. I think my embossing powder is suffering from life in the tropics – humidity is not a friend to embossing powder! If you’re having “stray bit” problems, try a new batch of EP and see if that helps. You can get some HERE!