PETAL ARRANGEMENTS IN WATERCOLOR PENCIL

I had forgotten how much I love our watercolor pencils until I put them to use with these beautiful tropical images. The coloring does not need to be precise, which makes it so relaxing. I used the blender pen to smooth the colors together.

I stamped the images in Memento Black ink, more out of habit than necessity. I colored the leaves with Garden Green and added Granny Apple Green accents, then colored the flowers with Daffodil Delight and added Crushed Curry accents. When the coloring was done, I gave each flower a soft brush with the Blender Pen. It smooths and brightens the color, but it leaves a more translucent look than the Stampin’ Blends.

Petal Arrangements has three unique plumeria designs and 3 unique protea designs. They’re red rubber stamps, which means that they’re not going to last forever. As supplies of red rubber dwindle, our red rubber stamps will retire. Needless to say, if you like this one, get it now! You’ll find it in the Online Store.

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ADD LAYERS FOR A CONEFLOWER BIRTHDAY

I’ve had the Coneflower Celebrations bundle for a while, but as sometimes happens, I was busy with other things and left it languishing on the shelf. I decided it was time to see if I could play with the 3D aspect of the dies.

  • Stamps: Coneflower Celebrations
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Crushed Curry, Pecan Pie, Garden Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Coneflower Celebrations Dies, Linen Thread, Blender Pen, Blending Brush, Dauber, Wink of Stella

I used three different dies for the flowers. One layered the top set of petals and needed nothing more than a bit of ink – I brushed on Crushed Curry and daubed a little Pecan Pie on the edges.

The second layer went underneath. You can stamp one side and run it through the Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine with the double sided die, but then you need to align that image for the second side. These stamps are photopolymer, so it’s pretty easy. These petals had color added as well – you can see the difference in the top part of the two-sided flower.

The final die is the “cap” done in Pecan Pie with a very generous application of Wink of Stella. When all those pieces were assembled, I stamped the leaves and stem and colored them with the Blender Pen, then put it all together.

The final touch was ink splatters – I used a different splat die, then realized that Coneflower Celebrations has a gorgeous splatter! In my house, we call that delayed intelligence. Hope you enjoy! All products are available in the Online Store.

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SNAPPING UP LAST CHANCE DEALS

The LAST CHANCE list updated this week and holy smokes! For the first time, past Sale-a-bration products are available. One of my favorites is the Toadstool Gardens DSP, and I made a quick card to highlight some of the great designs in the pack.

  • Stamps: Terrific Toadstools
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Timid Tiger, Gray Granite, Melon Mambo, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Toadstool Gardens DSP, Toadstool Builder Punch, Simply Scoring Tool, Blender Pen, Stampin’ Write Markers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

One of the things I love about this pack is that it has bold, bright designs paired with softer, tone-on-tone patterns. I’ve used 4 different papers for this simple card, and there are plenty of other options to choose from.

I inked the toadstool cap with Timid Tiger and removed the ink from the frilly underside bits (no idea what they’re called, too lazy to search.) I used a Stampin’ Write Marker to replace that color with Gray Granite, which mirrors the coloring in the DSP. Super easy, but one of those little touches that make a card special.

Have a little fun with this paper even if you don’t have the Terrific Toadstools bundle – it would be almost as easy to fussy cut a toadstool from the paper to replicate this card. But don’t wait too long to do your Last Chance shopping: it’s called Last Chance for a reason!

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USE UP THAT DESIGNER SERIES PAPER STASH!

If you’ve been crafting for a minute or two, you probably have a stash of Designer Series Paper (DSP). Maybe you bought the pack for one design that you loved and the rest has been untouched. Maybe you’ve used most of the pack but there are just a *few* sheets left. Or maybe you just bought too much and need to use it before you buy more. (Ugh, the truth can hurt.)

  • Stamps: Perfect Pears
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Mossy Meadow
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Textured Note dies, Painterly Pears DSP, Daubers, Blender Pen, Low Profile Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I am obsessed with coloring the pears with Daubers, and love that every time it’s just a bit different. I pulled the color palette from the DSP and added a bit of Mossy Meadow to the edge for a little drama. The sweet row of blossoms under the writing panel is stamped in Daffodil Delight and has a little center added with a Blender Pen.

If I may be so bold as to say it, if you don’t have the Textured Notes dies, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200, just click on ADD TO CART. (There. I feel better.)

My dear crafty buddy Sharon showed me this great fun fold. Score a standard 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ in the center (4 1/4″) and also 1 1/4″ from either end (that’s 1 1/4″ and 7 1/4″ if you need the exact numbers). It creates a perfect canvas for DSP.

Everything else is just cut-and-mat DSP! This is another quick and easy card to assemble, and it features my favorite “just enough room for I-Love-You” writing panel. Those Low Profile Dots are a great product for cards you intend to mail, too. I usually put a piece of card stock over the front of a card when I mail it, but it’s almost not necessary with these Dots.

The Perfectly Pears bundle is a great option to add color and variety to your crafty stash. There are flowers, sure, but they’re quite understated. It’s all about the pears – and of course, that gorgeous Painterly Pears DSP. Try it, you’ll like it.

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A BOUQUET OF GALLERY BLOOMS

Do you ever finish a card and sit back and sigh with delight? That’s what happened when I finished this one. It’s not quite the picture I had in mind when I started, but guess what: IT’S BETTER. That doesn’t happen every time!

  • Stamps: Gallery Blooms, Beautiful Motifs
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Highland Heather, Strawberry Slush, Melon Mambo, Granny Apple Green
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Gallery Blooms dies, Dauber, Blender Pens, paint brush, Bakers Twine 3 color pack, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Gallery Blooms are perfect for coloring, and I chose to use Blender Pens. It’s been a while since I pulled them out. but I wanted more control over the shading. I was quite happy with the results, and to be honest, it was faster and easier than using Stampin’ Blends in this case!

I Inked and colored the largest flower with Highland Heather ink, but the spray was inked in Melon Mambo and then colored with Strawberry Slush. With those small, repeated blossoms, I found I liked the deeper outline.

The final touch was ink splatters with a paint brush. Smash the closed lid of your ink pad to transfer ink to the lid. Open it and add a few drops of water. Pick up that dilute solution with a paint brush and splish splash!

It’s easier than it looks. Give it a try! All products are available in the Online Store.

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The Gang’s All Meer for 2020!

Happy New Year! January First is the original fresh start, new leaf turned over, time to renew…you’ve heard them all. It’s also 2 days before Sale-a-bration 2020, and I think it’s safe to say that The Gang’s All Meer will be a huge favorite.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Mere SAB 2020
Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Meer SAB 2020

I used our Watercolor Pencils to color the image and softened the lines with the Blender Pen. I took the liberty of adding hair-bows to a couple of the ‘cats and even added a little color on lips and eyes.

I was able to add those fine details because I found a LIFE CHANGING pencil sharpener. Really. This tool has a little dial on the front, and you can have it make your pencil super-dee-duper sharp or wider and softer for coloring. Life changing, I tell you!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Meer SAB 2020

It comes in turquoise or pink or black (ho hum) and you can even get a two-pack. I got mine on Amazon.

Maui Stamper 2020 DIY Calendar

The 2020 DIY Calendar PDF is still available and it’s just $5. Please click Contact the Maui Stamper above and message me your email (we’re all a lot less likely to be spammed if I do it this way).

Crystal and Cheryl are sharing their calendars again this year – stop by to see how they’re kicking off 2020.

And of course, if you need supplies, check out the Online Store. The Holiday Catalog will be finished, kaput, complete at close of business Mountain TIme on January 2nd.

Can you catch my “mistake”?

Tasty Truck is my second favorite Sale-a-bration 2017 gift with purchase (right behind Hey Chick!). I think my favorite part is playing with all of the color combinations, and our gorgeous Watercolor Pencils make the coloring so easy:

Maui Stamper Tasty Truck Sale-a-bration 2017

This is an easy image to fussy cut as it is nearly all straight lines.  Don’t be intimidated by the fussy cut!

Since this was a congratulations card, I chose to leave the counter blank. When I’m ready to send it, I may add in some balloons or a banner. I like to leave options when I’m creating a card without a specific intention.

  • Stamps: Tasty Truck Sale-a-bration 2017
  • Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Basic Grey, Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay
  • Accessories: Watercolor Pencils, Blender pens, Urban Underground DSP, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Wink of Stella Clear, Big Shot, Layering Circles Framelits

The Blender pens are my hands-down, go-to choice for working with the watercolor pencils.  If you’re using watercolor paper, then an Aquapainter is a great tool.  But Very Vanilla and Whisper White card stock are susceptible to pilling if they get worked with too much water, and the Blender pen flows the color so smoothly that I don’t have to rework the same area.

Maui Stamper Tasty Truck Sale-a-bration 2017

When I came up with the concept for this card, I had one thing in mind. Putting it together, I inadvertently did something else.  See if you can figure it out!

See the Sale-a-bration 2017 offering HERE.  To qualify for the gift with purchase, shop HERE.

Biff! Pow!! Socko!!! Wow!!!!

Biff! Pow!! Socko!!! Wow!!!!

Doesn’t that bring back Saturday morning cartoon memories? So does Everyday Heros, an under-appreciated stamp set from the Occasions 2017 catalog.

Maui Stamper Everyday Hero

Back the in days before DVR, Netflix, DVDs, even videos, kids were programmed to get up early on Saturday  –  the same kids who were pulled kicking and screaming from their beds Monday through Friday.  The reason? Network cartoons.  I can still sing (or at least hum) way more cartoon theme songs than I care to admit. And this stamp set revives them all.

Maui Stamper Everyday Hero Biff! Pow!! Socko!!! Wow!!!!

  • Stamps:  Everyday Hero
  • Color Palette: Crushed Curry, Calypso Coral, Night of Navy, Pacific Point, Watermelon Wonder, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
  • Accessories:  Falling in Love DSP,  Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Paper Snips, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Rhinestone Jewels

Watercolor pencils are back in stock but we have been warned that the supply is limited.  This hot product is So.Much.Fun.  If you don’t have them, trust me, you need them.  An image like this heroine is detailed and small enough that traditional watercoloring, especially on Very Vanilla cardstock, would be a challenge.  The Watercolor pencils plus Blender pens are the HEROS of this card!

And don’t forget your Free Sale-a-bration Gift with Purchase!  New items arrive on February 21st.