A little Core’dination

Posted on October 17, 2012 by mauistamper

I realize I’m a Stampin’ Up! dork. Someone asked me today to imagine how I would respond to something if I weren’t a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and I couldn’t do it. Couldn’t imagine NOT being a demo. Couldn’t imagine NOT having access to the SU website, NOT going to convention and all the other great events, not being part of the “demonstrator club”. So it should come as no surprise What So Ever that I am doing the Happy Dance about yet another new Holiday catalog product!

Gently Falling and Kindness Matters stamp sets
Very Vanilla, More Mustard and Cajun Craze card stock
Early Espresso Core’dination card stock
Early Espresso, Canjun Craze and More Mustard Classic ink pads
Big Shot
Woodgrain TIEF
Window Frames Framelits
Regals Designer Buttons
Linen Thread
Stampin’ Sandin’ System

Oh my goodness. LOVE this Core’dinations paper!! LOVE that Woodgrain TIEF!! Love the Stampin’ Sandin’ System!! (OK, maybe I don’t love the name, but the product – yeah, baby!) And if Stampin’ Up! ever retires the Linen Thread, I will buy up every last package in the warehouse.

The Core’dinations paper does amazing things with a TIEF. It’s thicker than regular cardstock and has a tone-on-tone interior. Run it through the Big Shot and you’ll see the core peep through, but hit it with that new sanding block and fabulous things take place. This is not your grandmother’s sanding block, crafters; this is a sanding block on steroids! And the sandy goodness attaches with velcro so you can switch out the yucky old paper for fresh, growly, chew-up-that-core’dinations paper!

Are you a Stampin’ Up! dork? Isn’t it time you gave yourself the gift of becoming a demonstrator? $99 for $125 worth of product PLUS a heap of business supplies…you’re worth it! Visit www.AnneMatasci.StampinUp.net to learn all about it.

Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder

Posted on September 28, 2011 by mauistamper

Have you used our colored embossing powder?

Gently Falling and Warmest of Wishes (Hostess) stamp set
Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red and Pumpkin Pie card stock
More Mustard Textured card stock
More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Riding Hoot Red and Rich Razzleberry Classic ink pads
Versamark ink pad
More Mustard polka dot scallop ribbon
Cherry Cobbler Embossing powder
Embossing Buddy and Heat Tool
Aquapainter
Stampin’ Dimensionals

The Aquapainter got dragged across the leaves to blur the lines and add just a hint of color. And if you saw the Versamark pad I use to do my embossing you would be horrified – it’s almost a charcoal grey color, it’s so dirty. I only use it for colored embossing – I have a pretty, clean, “virgin” Versamark pad for Versamarkin’. Don’t you?

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.

Imagining fall color

Posted on September 18, 2011 by mauistamper

Fall color in Hawaii…wellll, let’s just say it looks a lot like summer color, spring color, even winter color. I’ve said it before – we do have seasons. There’s mango season, whale season…we used to have tourist season but it seems that runs 365 days a year! There’s a lot to see as our islands have so many micro-climates. If you were to drive around any of the islands, you would see a great deal of change – rainforest, lava flow, broad agricultural fields, and of course beautiful sandy beaches. Here on Maui, it doesn’t take that long to drive anywhere to see this variety (although I’ve been known – often – to complain about a 35 or 40 minute drive. Call me spoiled.)

However, I’ve lived other places in my life, and I’ve certainly experienced seasons. Each fall, when Stampin’ Up! introduces beautiful autumn-based stamp sets, I take a little trip down memory lane. This year’s Spice Cake Designer Series Paper and fabrics are beautiful and brought back a lot of really fond memories. This suite is just my kind of design, and I couldn’t resist the stamps, paper and fabric.

For club this week, I chose the leaf image from Gently Falling that most closely resembled leaves we see here. It looks like the jatropha in my yard or the wili wili trees that line so many roadsides. We had to stretch our imaginations a little, but no one seemed to mind:

Gently Falling and Pretty Postage stamp sets
Whisper White, More Mustard, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze and Pool Party card stock
Early Espresso, Cajun Craze and More Mustard Classic ink pads
Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
Early Espresso 1/8″ taffeta ribbon
2 1/2 inch circle, Postage stamp, and 1 inch square stamps
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Dazzling Details

It’s a simple card with a simple layout. The unexpected brightness of Pool Party in the Spice Cake suite is reminds me of a clear sky on a perfect fall afternoon. It makes you happy to be outside and grateful for the sunshine. Little things…I try to be grateful for little things.

Speaking of little things…let me show you a little bit of sparkly detail:

Thank you, Stampin’ Up!, for Dazzling Details!!! Yet another form of sparkle on the Approved List for Mr. Maui Stamper. I love bling, but it’s not allowed to run free in my house. I’m okay with a little compromise – I get my sparkle, he gets sparkle-free laundry.

The orange cat hair I can’t do anything about.