Thanks, Friends

Posted on August 5, 2010 by mauistamper

Here’s the final card in my “Friends Never Fade/Greenhouse Garden” suite:

Friends Never Fade and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
Whisper White, Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip and Pear Pizazz card stock
Greenhouse Garden Designer Series Paper
Pear Pizazz and Chocolate Chip Classic ink pads
Pear Pizazz, Chocolate Chip, Marina Mist and Pumpkin Pie Stampin’ Write markers
1 3/4″ circle, 2 3/8″ scallop circle, and scallop trim border punches
Pumpkin Pie 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon

I love that artichokey-pineappley-image and I especially love seeing it repeated in the paper and the stamp. What a perfect example of Stampin’ Up! coordination: paper, stamps, colors…everything works together. Back in my BSU (Before-Stampin’-Up!) days I would have gone crazy trying to put something like this together. Oh, and I really love the font used for Fabulous Phrases.

A friend and I were talking about Thanksgiving the other day. She reflected on how wonderful it is to set aside a day to be grateful for your blessings. Although I’ve always thought of Thanksgiving in that way, something about our conversation put me in a different frame of mind about that concept of gratitude. Our family focuses on our blessings at Thanksgiving, but I can’t really say I’ve made an effort to personally express my gratitude. That seems like a very appropriate way to celebrate Thanksgiving. I need more “thanks” cards.

Blue and green…my favorite combination

Posted on August 4, 2010 by mauistamper

You didn’t think I’d show you all the cards I made in one post, did you?

Friends Never Fade, Inspired by Nature and Wonderfully Worn stamp sets
Whisper White, Chocolate Chip and Marina Mist cardstock
Greenhouse Garden Designer Series Paper
Marina Mist, Pear Pizazz, Daffodil Delight and Chocolate Chip classic ink pads
Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon (retired, substitute Early Espresso)
Stampin’ Dimensionals; brayer

I think I love the monochromatic designs in the Greenhouse Gardens Designer Series Papers as much as if not more than the beautiful multi-colored pages. And in case you haven’t figured it out, blue and green is my all-time favorite color combination ever. It doesn’t matter which blue or which green – but don’t go trying to find some hideous combination and make me look ridiculous, ok? You know what I mean.

This is my debut of the Wonderfully Worn background stamp. You know I’m a tone-on-tone kinda girl, and this stamp is perfect for adding just a little depth to a layer without being distracting. Just to be thorough, let me remind you that the best way to cover a background stamp is to brayer it – it’s the easiest method for getting an even coat of ink.

You could so cut that yellow center out with the 3/4″ circle punch, but it wasn’t doing it for me so I trimmed it with my paper snips.

Friends Never Fade, Baggy

Posted on August 3, 2010 by mauistamper

Yesterday I had a short window of time to make some cards. It seems like it’s been ages since I’ve had the opportunity to sit and let the mojo have its way. I didn’t want to do a challenge or make a card for a specific purpose, I just wanted to stamp. It felt really luxurious to begin that way.

I decided to play with the Friends Never Fade stamp set and Greenhouse Garden Designer Series papers. Using the papers gave me a general color palette to work with but it wasn’t as restrictive as a challenge. My time was limited but my results were very satisfying:

Friends Never Fade and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, and Early Espresso cardstock
Early Espresso and Pumpkin Pie Classic ink pads
Early Espresso and Pear Pizazz Stampin’ Write markers; Blender Pen
Pear Pizazz 1/2″ ribbon, Linen thread and Crop-a-dile
Big Shot and Elegant Lines Embossing Folder

I love the look that hand-coloring a stamp gives, but it does get a little tedious. This time I inked the flower image in Pumpkin Pie and then used the blender pen to remove the ink from the stem bits so that I could add Pear Pizazz with a Stampin’ Write marker. I added the Espresso accent in the middle of the flower right over the top of the Pumpkin Pie because I’m lazy like that. There are little bits and edges of Pumpkin Pie ink on the stem and I like the feeling that creates…a little edgy.

If you don’t have a Big Shot, please don’t pay any attention to the Elegant Lines folder because it will just make you flat-out crazy. If you do have a Big Shot, I hope you’ve already ordered this folder – if you haven’t, what are you waiting for???

That funny little not-knot on the ribbon has been popping up on samples all over the place and I decided it was time I got with the program. Do you remember Baloo telling Bagheera “Get with the beat, Baggy!” in the Disney version of Jungle Book? That’s the phrase that always comes to mind when I’m trying to update myself. (Can you tell how old my children are by the Disney movies I have watched so often they are committed to memory? I can sing all of the songs, too.)

Enough silliness. Time to get with the beat.

Stamping with Markers

Posted on July 4, 2010 by mauistamper

Stampin’ Write markers are absolutely fabulous. I love that they have a fine, journaling tip and a broad paintbrush tip. I love the quality of the ink that gives such great saturation whether you’re applying ink to a stamp or coloring on paper. And I really love that they coordinate with every single one of the Stampin’ Up! exclusive colors!

The beautiful images in the Friends Never Fade stamp set were made for working with markers. These bold flowers have just enough detail to create the perfect canvas for selectively applying ink with markers without being so detailed that a person could lose her mind in the process. It might happen if her mind was already wandering, but that’s a story no one wants to hear!

Friends Never Fade and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
Vintage Vogue wheel
Very Vanilla, So Saffron and Chery Cobbler card stock
Old Olive and Tangerine Tango Classic ink pads
Chery Cobbler, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango and So Saffron Stampin’ Write markers
Kiwi Kiss patterns Designer Series Paper (retired)
So Saffron grosgrain ribbon (Daffodil Delight is now available!)
Round tab punch
Blender Pen
So Saffron brads (Daffodil Delight is now available!)
Piercing tool, template and mat; straight edge (ruler)

Here are a couple of tips to make your Marker-to-Stamp technique pop:

Ink the stamp with your primary color, then use a Blender pen to selectively remove ink you want to replace
Begin with light colors, then add progressively dark colors. This helps to avoid discoloring your markers if a light colored marker comes in contact with darker ink.
Use the side of the brush end of your Stampin’ Write marker to add the ink, and use a gentle hand to avoid crushing the brush tip.
Add a little texture by loading extra ink on a few points – notice the Old Olive leaves
“Huff” on your stamp before applying it to paper to re-moisten all ink

As long as we’re in the helpful hint department, take a good look at those brads. Nice and straight and evenly spaced, aren’t they? The secret is the Piercing tool, template and mat. I couldn’t begin to make a straight line of brads without them.

Have some fun with your markers!

Brand New Stamps: Friends Never Fade

Posted on June 5, 2010 by mauistamper

My Sneak Peak order of new 2010-2011 Stampin’ Up! products arrived on Thursday afternoon! That box was sitting in my craft room taunting me almost 24 hours – it was a relief to squeeze in about an hour on Friday afternoon. I am thrilled with my preview items, and they aren’t even the things I thought I couldn’t live without in that big beautiful new catalog. This is going to be an exciting year.

Here’s my first creation:

Friends Never Fade Sneak Peak 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog
Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White card stock
Marina Mist and Daffodil Delight Classic ink pads; Versamark ink pad
Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Write Marker
Embossing Buddy, Clear Detail Embossing powder, Powder Pal and Heat tool
Whisper White 3/8″ taffeta ribbon; Scallop Trim border punch
Big Shot and Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Having so many new colors to work with is almost over-stimulation…I ordered assortments of the new In Colors as well as all the new core colors introduced in the Color Renovation. It came down to my favorites – blues and greens – but when I pulled out that stamp with that beautiful flower, I knew it needed a yellow center. The photograph isn’t quite true to the Daffodil Delight color – it’s softer but still a clear yellow, like a butter color. And what can I say about that embossing folder except you’d better put it on the top of your wish list?

I have a full day tomorrow but I WILL find a way to squeeze in a little more stamping time. I have more new stamp sets to put together and try out!