Tag Archives: Big Boss

Pretty Perennial Petals

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The four-petal flower in Pretty Perennials makes me think of dogwood, a flower I loved when I lived in Northern California. There are others that are only four petals, but that shape isn’t typical for a flower. I wanted to explore this simple stamped image:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals
  • Stamps: Pretty Perennials, Painted Poppies
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Basic Black, Pear Pizazz, Pale Papaya, Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Perennial Petals dies, Painted Blooms dies, Sunflowers dies, Vellum card stock, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Champagne Rhinestones, Crinkled White Ribbon

I like to stamp and die cut multiple colors of the same image as a source of inspiration. I think it’s pretty funny that these three tones are so complimentary and so edible – and so is Pear Pizazz! It’s practically fruit salad.

When you look at these flowers on the card, they have a lovely, flowing color. Look a little closer and you’ll see they’re screened, and that’s what softens the intensity of the color and allows it to have so much depth.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

This version uses Daffodil Delight, Gorgeous Grape, and Highland Heathy, with a little Soft Sea Foam as an accent. I really like yellow and purple together, and this combination really pops.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

The white centers are from the last mini catalog in the All the Trimmings suite. I gave them a little swipe of Wink of Stella for some sparkle. I love that we offer more flat style embellishments so that they don’t get held up in the USPS letter sorting equipment!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

This is a bright and happy card for someone who loves color! That’s our new In Colors Fresh Freesia and Polished Pink with Melon Mambo. I used the Greenery Embossing folders on the main panel – they fit perfectly in the Baby Boss! And while they’re not as flat as other embellishments, I do love the class of our Matte Black Dots.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennial Petals

I’ve fussy cut enough of these “happy” sentiments that I’m starting to get pretty fast with the task, but it’s still a bit of a labor of love. Good thing I love the way it looks when it’s done, don’t you think?

Does the four petal flower deserve a place in your craft room? Which color combination do you like the best? I’ve got a stack of a dozen or so more petals, and I hope to turn them all into HAPPY mail this weekend. If you’re ready for a little happy of your own, please shop at my Online Store.

Pretty Perennials and True Love

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There is such fabulous inspiration in the January-June mini catalog! Pretty Perennials was the first stamp set that caught my eye, and I’m an absolute pushover for black-and-white, so pairing those stamps with the True Love Designer Series paper was inevitable.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials True Love DSP Scripty birthday card
  • Stamps: Pretty Perennials
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Perennial Petals dies, Stitched Shapes dies (retiring May 3), Scripty Embossing Folder (retiring May 3), Matte Black Dots, Stampin Dimensionals, Paper Snips

I based this card very closely on one I saw somewhere in the interwebs, but despite spending a good thirty minutes searching, I cannot find my source. If you created and shared something that looks a lot like this, please message me and I’ll gladly update the post to give you credit! (Pandemic Brain. That’s my story and I’m standing by it.)

The Stitched Shapes dies are still available in the Online store, although they are on the Retiring Products list. I recently heard them described as indispensable to a craft room the way salt and pepper are to a kitchen, and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration. If you don’t have these dies in your craft stash, I highly recommend you add them to your collection ASAP. I bought a second set for myself.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials True Love DSP Scripty birthday card

The Pretty Perennial flowers are whimsical and fresh. Stampin’ Up! has loads of realistic flowers, and flowers that are great for coloring, but these are gloriously happy What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get flowers. They stamp quickly and can be made a little more fancy with the addition of a few die cuts, but WUSIWUG with these babies.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials True Love DSP Scripty birthday card

I’ll be honest: fussy cutting the word happy is the very definition of FUSSY cutting. I love the effect, and I really love this font, but it takes some time to cut it out. Do it while you’re waiting for someone, or watching TV, or doing anything possible to avoid finishing your taxes. It works well in all of those circumstances. Or design your card around happy stamped directly onto the card! It’s your project, do it the way you want to do it. And if you don’t like the way it turned out, remember that it’s pennies worth of paper and just THROW IT OUT. Don’t hang onto it hoping to change it like you did your first boyfriend. We know how that went. Throw it out.

Oops. Guess I took a wild turn there, didn’t I?

Turn yourself to shopping and pick up Pretty Perennials. You don’t have to change them – they’re perfect, just as they are. Shop HERE. (nb: It says they’re low inventory as of right now. Don’t wait.)

Snailed It: Magical Mushrooms

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The Stampin’ Up! January – June mini catalog is filled with delights, and these sweet mushrooms are Exhibit A. They remind me of the Alice in Wonderland sort of mushroom, and I find coloring them to be endlessly appealing. Because they’re magical, they lend themselves to whimsical colors.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Snailed It Magical Mushrooms birthday card
  • Stamps: Snailed It, A Wish for Everything
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petal Pink, So Saffron, Mango Melody, Mint Macaron, Basic Black
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Snail dies, Subtle Embossing Folder (retiring May 3), Stitched So Sweetly dies, Polka Dotted Tulle Ribbon (retiring May 3), Blending Brush, Stampin Dimensionals

The Subtle Embossing folder is such a go-to texture on my craft desk that I’ve actually ordered a second one in the dire event that something happens to mine. It creates a dobby, fabric-like impression on our card stock that doesn’t distract from anything else: it’s SUBTLE.

Speaking of subtle, be still my heart but I do love our Blending Brushes! No more blobs or streaks, just lovely subtle washes of color. You can build color, you can blend colors, you can spend all day playing with your Blending Brushes! (Not that I would do that, of course.)

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Snailed It Magical Mushrooms birthday card

I have a my own technique for adding the ribbon to the back of a focal point. I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos where crafters just seem to wave their fingers in the air and viola! they have a beautiful, casual ribbon bundle for their project. When I wave my fingers in the air, well, it’s just messy, let’s leave it at that.

My technique is to put some Stampin’ Seal on the back of the panel and then place the ribbon, layer by layer, on that adhesive. I flip it back and forth to see how it looks, and if I’m not happy with it, it’s simple to pull it off the adhesive and reposition it. Once I have the look I want, I add a small piece of tape (the ordinary desktop kind) to secure everything in place.

The Clearance Rack has been updated – snap up Designer Series Papers, ribbons, embellishments, punches and more at great prices – while supplies last. Or if you prefer, snap up the Snailed It bundle and go color some mushrooms of your own. I promise it will be magical.

An afternoon with Forever Fern

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I’m a keeper. I keep stuff – bits and bobs, odds and ends – because I just know I’ll need it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. But I’ve had an assortment of die cut Forever Fern pieces in multiple shades of greens in my collection for months, and Today Was Their Day.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Forever Fern Monochromatic card
  • Stamps: Forever Fern, Itty Bitty Greetings (retiring May 3)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Garden Green
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Forever Flourishing Dies, Layering Squares dies, Stampin Dimensionals

This card layout is a CASE (Copy And Share with Everyone) of a card I spotted in the new 2021-2022 Annual Catalog. Yes, I’m sure you’ve heard – demonstrators get an advanced copy of the catalog, and this one is going to rock your world!

The retiring Layering Squares dies aren’t absolutely essential, since it’s pretty easy to cut a square. That said, how easy is it to cut 4 squares EXACTLY the same size?? I’ll be keeping this set of dies for certain.

I made a BUNCH of these in a relatively short period of time because I had all of these bits!! Each card turned out a little differently because I was having such a good time orienting the branches. Tell me what you think:

Big Boss, Forever Flourishing Dies, Layering Squares dies

This one is in Old Olive. I think this one was the first one I did.

Big Boss, Forever Flourishing Dies, Layering Squares dies

Next I used the retiring Pretty Peacock In Color from 2019-2021. I’m really going to miss this shade, as it’s one of my favorites, not just for crafting but in Real Life.

This is Pear Pizazz. I had some fun with these branches as I worked them into a bit of a wreath arrangement. I thought about putting something in the center, but I wanted these cards to lean a bit masculine.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Forever Fern Monochromatic birthday card

With this Shaded Spruce version I did the opposite – I worked from the center outward. I’m still a little undecided about this one!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Forever Fern Monochromaticbirthday card

This is Soft Seafoam, one of my favorite greens. It’s really a versatile tone and definitely lends a more feminine touch to this card layout.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Forever Fern Monochromaticbirthday card

Forever Fern has a great variety of botanical images, but as my friend Heather pointed out, none of them actually appears to be a fern. Go figure.

If you suddenly need the Layering Squares dies, or anything else for that matter, pop on over to the Online Store lickety split! And thanks for stopping by today.

True Love for Snailed It

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Our catalog calendar this year is a little different than in the past. While the Annual Catalog ends on May 3, the January-June catalog is available through June 30. That means that the True Love Designer Series paper and my favorite Snailed It images will be around for a while, and I intend to make use of them as much as I can!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up True Love with Snailed It
  • Stamps: Snailed It, Many Messages
  • Color Palette: Basic Black, Basic White, Magenta Madness, Seaside Spray (retiring 5/3)
  • Accessories: True Love Designer Series Paper, Big Boss, Stitched Shapes Dies (retiring 5/3), Messages Die, Snail dies, Old World Paper Embossing Folder (retiring 5/3), Stampin’ Blends, Fine Tip Glue Pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals

This is a great example of a simple layout stepped up with the use of dies, DSP and embossing folders to add interest and texture. It’s just a few rectangles and a snail, right? That little “Oh happy day” sentiment from the Many Messages bundle is a great multi-purpose message. I can add Congratulations or Happy Birthday on the inside when I’m ready to send.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up True Love with Snailed It

It’s hard to see, but trust me, those snaily eyebubs have some shine. I keep a long bamboo skewer on my craft desk (indispensable in so many ways). I’ve used it here to add some Fine Tip Glue to emphasize my snail’s eyes. The skewer gives me more control over how much and where the glue ends up.

Ready to shop? Sliiiide on over to the Online Store.

Beautiful Friendship: versatile and romantic

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It happens every catalog…something is retired that catches me by surprise. I didn’t expect Beautiful Friendship to be on the list, though it’s been in the catalog since 2019 (oh, that seems a lifetime ago.) I’ve pulled it out to spend a little extra time enjoying these watercolor style images.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Beautiful Friendship
  • Stamps: Beautiful Friendship (RETIRING)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Flirty Flamingo, Soft Sea Foam, So Saffron
  • Accessories: Big Boss (Stampin Cut & Emboss), Subtle Embossing Folder (RETIRING), Stitched Shapes dies (RETIRING), Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon (RETIRING), random bit of retired DSP (sorry!), Stampin’ Dimensionals, Paper Snips

This card includes almost my entire list of sad-to-see-you-retire goodies. I am heartbroken to see the Subtle Embossing Folder retire. It’s my absolute favorite embossing folder and I’ve already ordered an extra to keep as a backup. It’s perfect in every situation. Perfect.

The Stitched Shapes dies are another go-to product that are constantly at my fingertips. (Yup. Ordered a backup set of those, too.) Squares, circles, and ovals – with stitching – how can you go wrong? SIGH.

I fussy cut that middle bud – so easy – and popped it up on a dimensional. It’s my favorite hack: I keep a stash of “wordless” cards and ink in the sentiment when I choose to send it.

Gotta have that Subtle Embossing Folder? Just realized you cannot live without Beautiful Friendship? No worries. They’re still available in the Online Store. But don’t wait too long, because when they’re gone, they’re GONE.

Sand and Sea Suite: Unconstructed

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When you combine the Seashells Embossing Folder from the Sand and Sea suite with the all-in-one die, you get a stunning panel that works all by itself. But when you cut apart all the elements, the combinations are endless:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sand and Sea Suite Friends Are Like Seashells
  • Stamps: Friends Are Like Seashells, Itty Bitty Greetings
  • Color Palette: Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Petal Pink
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss (Big Boss), Seashell Embossing Folder, Subtle Embossing Folder, Seaside Seashells dies, Ornate Frames dies, Shimmery White paper, Linen Thread, Opal Rounds, Stampin Dimensionals, Blending Brush, Paper Snips

You really need Paper Snips for this task, because they are super sharp and their pointy little tips get right into the littlest spots! The other indispensable tool I used is the Blending Brush, which layers color consistently and smoothly. I KNOW they’re not available to order right now 😟 but they are due in the warehouse the week of April 5!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sand and Sea Suite Friends Are Like Seashells handmade card

Did you notice the Opal Rounds in the January-June Mini Catalog? I completely missed them until just a few weeks ago, but I’m doing my best to make up for that now! They’re perfect with the Shimmery White card stock (or any other project you might be working on.) And I think it is a universal truth that there is no substitute for Linen Thread.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sand and Sea Suite Friends Are Like Seashells handmade card

The Friends Are Like Seashells stamps include the images on the Embossing Folder, but also include a great assortment of other images that really round out the suite. I used a little bit of ocean flora on the inside of my card – because it’s there, just waiting for some ink!


156205 Friends Are Like Seashells Bundle

The Retiring List for the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog comes out today (March 24) at 1pm MST. Every year, there’s a lot of excitement swirling around what will stay and what will go, and I confess that I get a little nervous when I think about some of my favorites! This year the calendar is a little different, so pay close attention: The 2020-2021 Annual Catalog is available (while supplies last once the list has been published) until May 3, 2020. The new 2021-2022 Annual Catalog will debut on May 4th!

The January-June Mini Catalog remains current until June 30 (again, there’s that pesky “while supplies last” clause). If you’re making a plan, be sure to make note of those two dates!

And if you’re ready to shop, please visit the Online Store.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Sand and Sea Suite Friends Are Like Seashells handmade card

Pretty Perennials: March 2021 DIY

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Pretty Perennials was my favorite sneak-peek stamp set in the January-June mini catalog, but as with all things topsy turvy in 2021, it has been waiting patiently for ink. As of today, it’s got it in the DIY Calendar for March!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials DIY Easel Calendar March 2021
  • Stamps: Pretty Perennials
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight
  • Accessories: Big Boss (Stampin Cut and Emboss), Perennials Petals dies, Stampin’ Sponge, Blue Adhesive-backed gem, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I wanted a soft look behind my die cuts, especially because I was working with tone-on-tone. I attempted to get the look I wanted with the stamping off technique, but with this type of screened stamp, the resulting image was irregular (ok, truth: when I saw it I exclaimed “now that’s UGLY!”)

Instead, I sponged the ink onto the stamp. It gave me the softer impression I wanted without going all ugly on me. The largest flower is in Pool Party, but the other two are Coastal Cabana. In the photo, you can’t see any difference and might wonder why I would go to that trouble, but in person it’s different. You’ll just have to trust me on that.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Pretty Perennials DIY Easel Calendar March 2021

The little dots in the center of the 4 petal flowers are from the center of the 6 petal flowers. Perfect serendipity! I think I will go back and make them shiny with a splash from the Fine Tip Glue pen, but here in Hawaii it takes a loonnnnng time for that to dry, and I don’t want to take a chance of smudging it while I’m taking photos and such. March has 31 days, I’ll be good!

I still have the 2021 pdf available for $5. Click on Contact the Maui Stamper and send me your email address, and I’ll send an invoice via Square. These calendars are the perfect tiny canvas for inspiring new ideas – I have a dozen projects lined up now!

Hop on over to see what Cheryl and Crystal are doing for March. “Winter” is over here in the islands (unless you live above the 4000 foot level on the mountain) so it’s time to put the A/C back on! Yes, we have seasons – right now we’re in whale season, and it’s nearly lychee season! You have to learn the art of subtle observation to see the seasons change here.

If it’s Stampin’ Season (and when ever is it not??) pop on over to my Online Store for a little Shoppin’ Season!

She Sells Sea Shells…

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Well, actually she stamps them. And in this case, she embosses and die cuts them and then just sponges them, and it is so darn easy!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Friends Are Like Seashells handmade card
  • Stamps: Friends Are Like Seashells, You Are Amazing
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petal Pink, Mint Macaron, So Saffron
  • Accessories: Shimmery White paper, Big Boss (Stampin Cut and Emboss Machine), Seashells 3D embossing folder, Seaside Shells dies, Stitched Rectangle dies, White Crinkle Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Sponges

You don’t need to be super precise with the sponges, as you can see. I chose sponges over the fabulous Blending Brushes because I felt more in control, but either one will work. I layered the ink, especially using Petal Pink, to get variations in the depth of color. The Shimmery White paper takes the ink easily and really adds to the effect in person.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Friends Are Like Seashells handmade card

These soft tones create a very feminine and rather ornate looking card with a minimum of effort – The Boss does most of the work! The hardest part for me is getting the ribbon bunched up right. I do not understand crafters on videos who just wad it up in their hands and smack it down. My solution is to put a bit of Stampin’ Seal on the back of the panel and stick the ribbon down in that, adjusting each loop as I go. Must be the Recovering Perfectionist in me.

Sadly, the Seashells 3D folder is not orderable right now. More are expected the week of March 8th. The stamps and dies – in a convenient bundle – are in stock, and you get see them HERE.

Another Donkey, Another Rose

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Snails and Donkeys! Who would have thought I would be so crazy about such, hmmm, non-traditional creatures? I mean, neither one is especially snuggly. But here we are, with The Rose:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Darling Donkeys Quite Curvy
  • Stamps: Darling Donkey, Quite Curvy, Forever Fern, Ridiculously Awesome
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Crumb Cake, Real Red, Soft Suede, Petal Pink
  • Accessories: Big Boss, Curvy dies, Linen Thread, Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Red gemstone, retired corrugated heart and DSP
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Darling Donkeys Quite Curvy Forever Fern

How did I ever create a card without Stampin’ Blends? I’m sure I did it, but I find Blends indispensable now, not to mention therapeutic. It’s so relaxing to color, especially when I can blend and re-blend the tones and hues until I get exactly what I want. Seriously – what else can you do and get just what you want???

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Darling Donkeys Quite Curvy Forever Fern

The messages and hand-lettering in the Ridiculously Awesome are, in fact, ridiculously awesome. I could never write p.s. i love you and have it look like that. And why should I? There’s a stamp for that.

There’s still time to make a Valentine. Quick. Shop HERE.