Soft and sweet for Mother’s Day

A talented fellow stamper from the RemARKables Stampin’ Up! team (her name is Kim Fields – I don’t think she has a blog) made a beautiful monochromatic card that inspired this:

Maui Stamper Elegant Butterfly Mother's Day

  • Bordering on Romance, Delightful Dozen and Best of Butterflies stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Certainly Celery (so long!) and Pretty in Pink (farewell!) card stock
  • Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Bashful Blue (auf wiedersehen!) FFIP
  • Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue Stampin’ Write markers
  • Elegant Butterfly punch
  • Stampin’ Dimensional

Easy as can be, and the little bit of coloring with the Stampin’ Write markers is amazingly therapeutic.

Honestly, I’m not really going to miss these colors too terribly, but I’ve enjoyed them a great deal.  Stock up while you still can.

Moving forward into March

On Maui, our seasons change gradually.  I lived in upstate New York for a year and a half when Mr Maui Stamper was in grad school, and I have never anticipated spring so eagerly in my life!  When I spotted that first crocus popping up through the snow I felt as though I had been thrown a lifeline.  The colors I remember inspired this month’s calendar:

Maui Stamper March 2013 calendar

  • Bordering on Romance stamp set
  • Midnight Muse FFIP
  • Pink PIrouette, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue and So Saffron Stampin’ Write markers
  • Whisper White and Midnight Muse card stock

 

New Big Shot goodies

Every time there’s new Big Shot stuff, I have a little conversation with myself.  (And yes, I do talk to myself – mutter is more like it – ask Cheryl if you don’t believe me.)  We go back and forth, my selves and I, on why we need more stuff for the Big Shot.  It’s just another shape…or texture…or container…and that’s just it.  It’s why I signed up to be a demonstrator.  I love getting all the cool new toys.

The Occasions Mini catalog introduced us to the world of Edgelits that cut beautiful, unique shapes on the edges of cardstock and coordinated Embossing Folders to put on the finishing touches.  It’s enough to make a crafter light-headed.

Bordering on Romance

  • Loving Thoughts and Bordering on Romance Stamp sets
  • Whisper White Card Stock
  • Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (Sale-a-bration)
  • Soft Suede and Poppy Parade Classic Ink pad
  • Poppy Parade, Pear Pizazz, Baja Breeze and Peach Parfait Stampin’ Write markers
  • Big Shot
  • Adorning Accents Edgelits dies
  • Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
  • Baja Breeze Seam Binding

Cutting and embossing these edges goes really quickly.  The Edgelit dies are lightweight and easy to position – I’ve heard some crafters say they use a little dotto to hold them in place, but I haven’t found the need to do that…and I’m kind of picky.

I usually like to color in open images with my Aquapainter and some Classic ink, but I looked at this card and thought the saturated colors in the DSP needed equally saturated colors on the card front.  Our paper is so easy to work with – it’s smooth and the markers just glide across.  I try to cover the area with a single stroke ( no back-and-forth) to avoid distressing the paper or creating too many lines in my color.  The more I do it, the better I get – if I do say so myself!

On the road again

When I booked these two trips they didn’t seem that close together, but things change from ground level!  Wouldn’t miss either of them – loved being together with my family in Australia, and now I’m headed to San Antonio to Stampin’ Up! leadership!  I’m hoping to be able to share with you while I’m there, but I have a couple of things set up for you even if I can’t get online.  I’m a little short for time so these will be mostly pictures – I’ll catch you up on the details later.

Mambo easel card

Love this new mini!  This is the Bordering on Romance stamp set and it’s part of the Twitterpated Suite – there’s Designer Series paper and lots of other feminine things to coordinate.

I’m really excited about this trip as it’s my first Leadership conference; last year was Nashville and I couldn’t justify flying that far for 3 days!  I’m also going to see some good friends who live there – one is the first friend I made on Maui, and she is a LOT of fun!  We have lots of memories to share.  The second is my daughter’s bridesmaid and her family, and I’m looking forward to spending time with them and eating lots of good food.  Good times!