Give thanks – RemARKably

Posted on November 13, 2014 by mauistamper

I hope you’re enjoying this month’s RemARKable Pinworthy Blog tour. I have a SUPER-EASY project that you can put together as quick gifts for your loved ones for this holiday season. The star of this project is the Gratitude for Days Simply Created Kit:

I’ve added a few products to this project but it is primarily the Gratitude for Days Kit. I couldn’t resist the new Note Tag punch to make the sentiment from the Perfect Pennants stamp set:

I am grateful for many, many things – but my husband (Number One) and my children – including my dear son-in-law – are my greatest treasures. I created this mini-album to keep a few photos from a recent family trip.

I chose a few special photos and put one in each pocket with one of the journaling cards that comes with the kit:

My kids live all over the world, and a photo of the three of them – even in big puffy coats – is a treasure!

I love how the pockets allow you a little peek at the photo inside!

The cards can be used however you like – in this case, since the photos are from a trip together, I’ll use them to record thoughts and emotions about our time together.

The Gratitude for Days kit has beautiful colors that are easy to coordinate. I used stamps from Remember This (PLxSU), Holiday Cheer (PLxSU) and Hip Notes.

I treasure these memories, and the photos are a tangible reminder of the time we spent together. What would you like to remember? You could make 10 of these with one Gratitude for Days Simply Sent kit!

Enjoy the rest of the Give Thanks tour. I’m thankful for each one of you, too!

Typeset Thanks

Posted on November 6, 2014 by mauistamper

We made cards specifically for men a while back:

Stamps: Hip Notes, What’s Your Type
Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Old Olive
Accessories: Typeset Specialty Designer Series Paper

Making Manly Cards requires a complete shift in my brain. I focus more on images and color, and less on embellishment. This card uses a very simple layout and relies on the contrast between the graphic circles and the detail in the map-themed DSP.

Here are the WEEKLY DEALS for this week:

You know you’re gonna need some silver glitter very, very soon. Shop HERE.

Making Manly Cards

Posted on June 16, 2014 by mauistamper

There are a lot of wonderful men in my life, and I like to send cards to them. But oh, do I struggle to come up with Manly Ideas! This one is very loosely based on page 109 of the new catalog:

Stamps: Just Sayin’, Hip Notes and Dictionary
Color Palette: Real Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla and Bermuda Bay
Accessories: Word Bubble Framelits, Mini Silver Brads, Corner Rounder punch

This is for my dad for Father’s Day: a no-nonsense kind of card for a no-nonsense man. He doesn’t say a lot, but he ends every phone call with “Love ya, kid” and I know he means it. I’m looking forward to seeing him and my Mom for a few days before convention. That’s coming soon!

Just a few more Sweet Sayings cards…

Posted on January 24, 2014 by mauistamper

I may or may not have become addicted to these pre-printed card bases:

I shared a few of these on Monday but they kept on calling me…so I made a few more!

The sentiment for this card is from Hip Notes, certainly one of my absolute favorites from the Occasions Catalog. If you look at that twine, you’ll realize it’s a little heavier than our Baker’s Twine. It’s a Sale-a-bration choice and includes 3 colors – Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party and Summer Starfruit. It also includes die-cut cork embellishments, so stay tuned for those! And look twice – the dots on that TIEF are a new, exclusive pattern called Decorative Dots – another SAB Freebie!

Change up the sentiment and you could have a Valentine, but I needed thank you notes! The heart image is from Language of Love in the Occasions catalog, and though it’s hard to read it features a whole bunch of translations of the word love.

The Sweet Sayings card and envelope kits are available through Monday, January 27 although supplies are limited. You can order HERE #134609 $5.95 for 12 cards and coordinating envelopes (4 each Real Red, Crisp Cantaloupe and Coastal Cabana).

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, January 25) I’m having a 2-5-10 class (2 hours, 5 cards, $10). You’re welcome to join on a space available basis. I’ve featured a couple of our projects this month:

Hope to see you!

Love These Fresh Prints!

Posted on January 16, 2014 by mauistamper

My Crystal Ball says there’s going to be a lot of Coastal Cabana, Real Red and Crumb Cake in my future:

It’s not often that I find a Designer Series paper pack that I love so thoroughly, but Fresh Prints is that pack. The colors are – wait for it – so FRESH! (Had to be said. I’m not sorry.) The designs are really easy to use, and there’s a good balance of white-based patterns versus color based patterns, so they mix well.

And do you love that brad? I love the candy dots, but I was looking for something else. This little bitty button-brad is a Vintage Trinket and I think it has a low enough profile to slide past the USPS Fat Envelope Fighters. (I know, they have a job to do – but I’m still gonna try!)

Stamps: Hip Notes, Dictionary
Color Palette: Crumb Cake, Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Real Red and Soft Sky (card base)
DSP: Fresh Prints pack
Accessories: Big Shot and Circles Framelits, Vintage Trinkets, Banner punch (Sale-a-bration)

When I first saw the little banner punch in the 2014 Sale-a-bration catalog, I though “meh”. I mean, I can cut a banner. It’s easy! Whoa man, not as easy as punching…and there’s a stamp set that coordinates with this punch too. Start planning your SAB orders, my friends, because you will find yourself with a big case of the “Gimmees” when January 28 rolls around. Need a catalog? Just let me know!

Introducing the New RemARKable Pin-Worthy Blog Tour!

Posted on January 9, 2014 by mauistamper

Pinterest is my favorite Black Hole on the internet – I have spent hours there looking at anything and everything. Our new tour features a Pin-Worthy theme every month and we are starting off with a flourish on the theme of True Love – or as our fearless leader Jan puts it, “Lovey-Dovey”.

Our Crumb Cake note-card sized envelopes have been on my desk lately – I’m SUPPOSED to be making (and sending!) thank-you notes! The new Retro Fresh DSP (that’s Designer Series Paper to the uninitiated) paper pack has Crumb Cake in its color palette, so it seemed a natural pairing:

Stamps: Yippee Skippee, Petite Petals
Color Palette: Whisper White, Real Red, Crumb Cake and Coastal Cabana
DSP: Fresh Prints
Accessories: Deco Labels Framelites, Petite Petal Punch, Dimensionals, Rhinestones

Love those Petite Petals from the new Occasions catalog – and they are bundled with the coordinating punch. I’m a sucker for deals like that 🙂

There’s something about these Crumb Cake envelopes that begs for lining. I played with all the patterns before choosing this open, floral pattern. Honestly? I just liked it the best.

On the inside I added a sentiment from Memorable Moments – I love that the words are separate (Happy and Anniversary – there’s also a Birthday stamp). No Stamp-a-ma-jig this time, just stamp-a-ma-GO!

I was inspired by this sketch – it’s this week’s Mojo Monday Sketch – so I made a second card with it using the same color palette:

Out with Real Red and in with Pool Party and Baked Brown Sugar. A minor change like that makes a major difference, don’t you think? This is still Retro Fresh DSP. Piercing seems to be out of trend right now, but I’ve always loved how it adds texture and design without adding color, so I pulled out my Piercing Tool (aka Pokie Doodle) and the guide. It also reflects the little dots on the DSP (really, I planned it that way.)

This card needed a coordinating envelope as well. Love those dots!

The smallest heart is punched with the Owl Punch, and the larger one is a single punch. And what card doesn’t NEED some Linen Thread? Perfect touch.

Finally, the inside is stamped with the brand new Hip Notes image – don’t tell Mr. Maui Stamper, but this just might be his Valentine.

Hope you like this Inaugural post for the PinWorthy Tour! Your next stop is Audra Monk at the Crafty Yogi – I’m sure you’ll enjoy her projects.

Thank yous after the gifts

Posted on December 29, 2013 by mauistamper

I was so busy making Christmas crafts this month that I completely forgot about thank you notes. Yesterday I sat down to write a few and realized I didn’t have any cards made! (Well, there were a couple – but they were boring.)

One of my orders this month included some Crumb Cake Note Card envelopes, sized for 3 1/2″ x 5″ note cards. Oh, Crumb Cake, you are such a versatile neutral! (Don’t tell on me, but I still call it Kraft. It’s the Stubborn Girl inside.)

Too Kind and Four You stamp sets
Naturals White, Primrose Petals and Crumb Cake card stock
Blushing Bride, Primrose Petals and Crumb Cake FFIP (Firm Foam Ink Pads)
Two Way Glue Pen
Dazzling Diamonds (don’t tell Mr. Maui Stamper!!)

That “grass” is just the stem image turned upside down and stamped all katty-wompus.

These flowers NEEDED the sparkle that you can only get from Dazzling Diamonds. So much Christmas sparkle is floating around our house that I’m pretty sure he won’t notice this extra bit. Christmas cards, ornaments, packages – all kinds of contraband covered in glitter has been sneaking into our house!

How about turning 180 degrees? Crumb Cake goes from flowers to grunge!

Gorgeous Grunge, Off the Grid and Hip Notes (sneak peek!) stamp sets
Very Vanilla, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake card stock
Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Early Espresso FFIP
Linen Thread
Epic Day This n That Washi tape
Watercolor Wonder Designer Washi tape (another sneak peek!)
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Stampin’ Sponges

Flags are still hot, washi is very hot, and washi flags are easy as can be. Stampin’ Up! washi tape is sold in coordinating packages of 3, saving you money and time.