Soft and Subtle Collaged Tags

Posted on March 20, 2014 by mauistamper

I have wonderful neighbors. One of them loves to bake, and she is very generous with her goodies. She knows I love – and therefore have to control – my sweets, so she regularly drops by a little parcel with just a few goodies for Mr. Maui Stamper and me. A couple of weeks ago I decided to make her a little thank you gift:

Stamps: Flower Shop, Fabulous Phrases, Mosaic Madness and the Music Notes Wheel
Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Scallop Tag Topper Punch, Pansy Punch, Corner Rounder, Stampin’ Sponges, Linen Thread, Vintage Buttons

The sponging adds softness and depth and you really can’t over-do it.

I made two of each design and then packaged them up.

There might be a couple more stamps in the background – I lost track. I cut the tags and then started layering images until I was happy. Looking at them now, I think I could add more! When I gave them to my neighbor, I cut twine to size for her to use to tie the tags to her packages.

You can’t go wrong with the Fabulous Phrases stamp set. There are so many choices that I had a hard time narrowing it down, although the width of my tag was a factor.

I wish I would have thought to take a picture of the package of them all together. I used one of our Chevron printed Tag a Bag gift bags with some ribbon and a tag of its own.

Gotta have a Happy Birthday tag to round out the set! It made a small gift with a heartfelt message of appreciation.

Did you appreciate a My Paper Pumpkin kit and wish you had the supplies to make additional projects? Stampin’ Up! announced three new refill items today, and there are also four past issues available for purchase as the full kits – click HERE for details. This offer is available only to CURRENT My Paper Pumpkin subscribers. Not subscriber? That’s easy enough to remedy – click HERE! Please select me – Anne Matasci, zip code 96753 – as your demonstrator. And thanks!

Coffee and the ColourQ

Posted on February 27, 2014 by mauistamper

Recently I’ve been cruising through a variety of challenge blogs. I’m not consistently participating in any particular challenge, but it seems that a good one really gets the creative process going. What makes a good challenge? Well, my simple definition is that when I look at it I’m inspired! Ha!

Here’s my version of this week’s ColourQ challenge:

A while ago, I ordered the Soho Subway DSP on a whim. When I opened the package I was disappointed – the papers looked pretty unattractive to an island girl. But recently I pulled them out again and took a second look, and I’ve totally changed my mind. (Memo: keep your eyes peeled mid-March after Son of Stamper’s birthday. I think you’ll really enjoy his card!)

Here’s the inspiration posted on the ColourQ blog:

I knew instantly that the card base would be Crumb Cake (aka Kraft) and the Basic Black would be an accent colour. (What the heck, let’s spell it with the u today, shall we?) I went looking for DSP with either Summer Starfruit or Cool Caribbean – well, the Cool Caribbean is long gone – I was looking for Pool Party. When I found that Summer Starfruit tone-on-tone paper I knew I’d hit the jackpot.

The Perfect Blend stamp set should have been on my very first order for this catalog, but for some odd reason it wasn’t. It’s not that I don’t like coffee – I am a total junkie, and also perhaps a teeny tiny bit of a coffee snob. I guess that was the problem: I don’t like drinking my coffee out of to-go cups. I like glass, ceramic, pottery…but not plastic, styrofoam, or cardboard.

Apparently I’ve managed to get my nose out of the air on that count and it’s a good thing, because this stamp set was a blast to play with. I stamped the image 3 times for each cup – once on Whisper White, once on Pool Party and once on Crumb Cake. Yes, I fussy cut them, and it was worth it. Please note the words “you” and “me” from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set. Again, I was inspired and those words came to mind immediately when I visualized this card, but Fabulous Phrases only had a “you” stamp. I got really crafty though (see what I did there??) and used the end of “welcome” and my Black Stampin’ Write marker. Brilliant, if I do say so myself!

You could make this card with the Perfect Blend stamp set, any DSP, and a Neutrals card stock assortment – plus a couple of colorful scraps. I’ll bet you know someone that needs this card.

Three by three

Posted on September 11, 2013 by mauistamper

Love making gift cards – 3 x 3 is fun size!

I can’t take the credit for this – Peggy designed it for our Maui Stampers gathering last week, and I cockaroached it for my Hostess Club this week. (Cockaroach is a local expression and in stamping terms it would translate to CASE. And yes, it has that “extra” letter a in the middle.)

Fabulous Phrases stamp set
Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso card stock
Season of Style DSP
Early Espresso FFIP
Circle punches: 3/4, 1 and 1 1/4 inch

There’s Old Olive and Whisper White card stock on the inside in addition to the above colors, and the circle punches are 1/2 inch and bitty.

We made the envelopes with the new Envelope Punch Board – oh, yeah! Can you make envelopes with Simply Scored? Well, of course you can. Can you make them more quickly, easily and professionally with the Envelope Punch Board? YOU BETCHA!!!

And if you’re gonna order it, go ahead and order in the Online Store and be sure to enter X369CEC2 in the Hostess Code box. All September Online Orders will share in the Hostess Benefits at the end of the month – but you MUST enter the Hostess Code to be included. It’s product # 133774 and $19.95

While you’re at it, the Magnetic Platform is available to order on September 12 – HOORAY!! Product # 130658 priced at $39.95 and it is WORTH EVERY PENNY. Don’t delay – who knows what will happen with this hot product!!

Ooops – almost forgot to show you the last photo…

Enjoy!!

Froggy thoughts

Posted on February 19, 2012 by mauistamper

Trends are fun to watch and follow, but I have to confess I am not much a trend-setter. I’m not exactly late to the party, but I’m not at the head of the parade, either. I’ve played with flags and pennants a little, but it wasn’t until today’s card that I felt I came up with something a little bit different:

Fabulous Phrases and Gnome Sweet Gnome stamp sets
Whisper White, Pool Party, Pear Pizazz and Wisteria Wonder card stock
Pool Party, Pear Pizazz and Wisteria Wonder Classic ink pads
Pear Pizazz Stampin’ Write marker
Cupcake Builder punch
Heart to Heart punch
Pool Party, Lucky Limeade and Wisteria Wonder Bakers Twine
Piercing Tool and mat
Big Shot and Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing folder

We made this card at my Last Minute Valentines class a couple of weeks ago. No one believed me when I said I sewed the Baker’s Twine to the card – but it was easy and secure. I used the piercing tool (aka the Pokey Doodle) to make a hole under the spot for the pot (made from the Cupcake punch – and trimmed). I threaded all 3 strands of twine through the hole and scotch taped them to the back of the panel. Then I made two holes above the place I wanted each of the 3 flags to be and threaded one color down and back up each set of holes – clear as mud? The two holes created an anchor for the single color of thread that coordinated with the flag, and with a simple knot at the top my twine was secure. I LOVE Glue dots, but they don’t hold ribbons and twine securely enough for my satisfaction. Call me picky.

Change up the words and you could have any sort of card. This card seems to span gender and generation as well – a neat trick if I do say so myself. And who can resist the little frog from the Gnome set? I do hope we’ll see that set in the new catalog – coming JUNE 1st!!

Grateful for Spice Cake

Posted on September 21, 2011 by mauistamper

I need more Spice Cake Designer Series paper already – my package is just about used up:

Fabulous Phrases and Gently Falling stamp sets
Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Pool Party and Early Espresso card stock
Spice Cake Designer Series paper
More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
Big Shot and a retired Sizzlet – you could use Floral Fusion
In Color Designer Printed brads
Stampin’ Sponges
Stamp-a-ma-jig

This paper and these colors are my absolute fall favorites! I’ve never been a big fan of More Mustard but I am now reformed, and even though Cajun Craze doesn’t appear (officially anyway) in the paper, I think it’s a great addition. I’ve been really inspired by these colors and I love the patterns in the paper.

Here is the truth about the banner: it took me multiple attempts to get those words lined up JUST the way I wanted them. The first couple of attempts I made without the Stamp-a-ma-jig, and clearly I was operating under some sort of fantasy there. Once I pulled out the SAMJ my words lined up just the way I wanted them. Duh.

Gratitude is an attribute I am constantly seeking. It seems that no matter how well things are going, I can find something to complain about (and yes, it often involves people who have the nerve to be driving at the same time I want to be driving on MY ROAD – and this would refer to any road on which I am currently traveling.) The sentiment to “Celebrate Gratitude” could be my theme song.

Time for a little bit of singing.

Making it simple

Posted on September 5, 2011 by mauistamper

I’ve been playing around with my new Simply Scored tool and I’m very pleased with it:

Simply Soft (Hostess) and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
Naturals Ivory, Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Old Olive card stock
Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Old Olive Classic ink pads
More Mustard 1/2 inch scallop dots ribbon
Simply Scored

These specialty folds cards with all of the little score marks are enormously simplified with the Simply Scored tool. It’s so much easier to leave the paper in once place, and I really appreciate having the scoring lines every 1/8 inch. Those little pegs for marking your spot are really helpful, too! I think I’m going to have to break down and take some photos in the next couple of days, but that will require an archeological expedition. Things are a tad messy in the ol’ stamp studio right now. Creative process and all that.

The beautiful Monk Seal that was on Keawakapu Beach last week decided to find another spot to sunbathe. I’ve kept my eye out as I walk on the beach each morning, but I haven’t seen any sign of her. As much as I enjoyed watching her, I’m glad she’s a wild thing.

It’s Raining Flowers

Posted on August 7, 2011 by mauistamper

What a perfect name for a stamp set!

Raining Flowers and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
Whisper White, Melon Mambo and Early Espresso card stock
Pocketful of Posies Designer Series Paper
Baha Breeze, Melon Mambo and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
Medium Jewelry Tag punch
Big Shot; Two Tags Bigz and Fun Flowers Bigz L dies
Early Espresso 1/8 inch taffeta and Rose Red Seam Binding ribbons
Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Sponges
Crystal Effects

Don’t forget – Designer Series Papers are on sale this month – buy 3 packages and get one free!

Speaking of free, Raining Flowers was one of the many free stamp sets I brought home from convention (talk about excess baggage – next year I’m bringing an extra suitcase!). It’s a Two-Step Stampin’ set, but even better, the various pieces coordinate and layer really well together. It’s almost like Stampin’ Up! MEANT TO DO THAT!! (I know. What a concept.)

Speaking of things I’ve been meaning to do, I finally got my two bites (ok, three) of pancakes. My son has been on the mainland for a month and he flew home yesterday. To celebrate his return home, the two of us had breakfast at Longhi’s this morning. A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Maui Stamper and I had breakfast there, and he rejected my suggestion that he order Longhi’s famous and perhaps even more fabulous Ricotta and Mango Stuffed Pancakes. Mr. Maui Stamper cares about his health, and I care about my waistline, and neither one of us could justify an entire plate full of such decadence. But I wanted some of those pancakes, so I convinced my son that we should go out to breakfast this morning since his dad is now away. Of course, I would be happy to order for him.

I have been anticipating those pancakes for two weeks, and when our server told us we had JUST (by 3 minutes) missed breakfast I was in shock. I told him how much I’d been looking forward to those TWO BITES of pancakes, and he returned in a couple of minutes to say the chef wouldn’t mind making us an order of Ricotta and Mango Stuffed Pancakes. WOW! Did that ever make my day!

Would you like to see the pancakes?

Look carefully…there are two forks.

I had exactly 3 bites and my son polished off the rest no problem. They were DIVINE.

The Maui Stamper

papercrafts, my stories, and the occasional insight

Tag Archives: Fabulous Phrases

Soft and Subtle Collaged Tags

Coffee and the ColourQ

Three by three

Froggy thoughts

Grateful for Spice Cake

Making it simple

It’s Raining Flowers

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