Up on the rooftop

Posted on November 1, 2010 by mauistamper

At convention this summer one of the bonus goodies I brought home was a full package of the Deck the Halls Designer Series paper. I’ve hoarded it a bit, waiting for just the right project. Then a few weeks ago I broke down and ordered a Decor Elements Design a House to play with:

Decor Elements Design a House
Jolly Old St Nick stamp set
Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper
Vellum; Chocolate Chip, Whisper White and Always Artichoke card stock
Real Red and Basic Black Classic ink pad
Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray and Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write Markers
Modern Label and assorted Circle punches
XL Two Step Bird punch; Scallop trim punch
Big Shot and Lattice Textured Embossing Folder
Silver Glass Glitter
LOADS of Tombo, the wonder adhesive; Sticky Strip; and a few mini glue dots

Do you like it? I’m really excited because I broke out the glitter – and it’s not like Dazzling Diamonds at all! It’s VERY easy to clean up and so far I haven’t heard any complaints from Mr. Maui Stamper, also known as He Who Does NOT Like Glitter, Not One Little Bit. The Glass Glitter stays put with Tombo.

Here’s a side view:

This was fun, but I’ll repeat what I heard from others – don’t rush the Design-a-House. I took my time tracing the templates onto my Designer Series papers and adhering them to the walls, and I used a LOT of Tombo because I didn’t want any air bubbles. I used the flat applicator side on the Tombo bottle and covered the wall before I put the paper on, and I was pleased with the results. I did go a little over-the-top with the windows, because instead of cutting them out, I cut an “X” through the DSP and folded it back in around the opening to create a finished edge.

The chimney is Chocolate Chip cardstock that went through the Big Shot with the Lattice embossing folder. The scallop trim under the eaves was cut as one long strip, but it wouldn’t sit flat when I attached it underneath the roof, so I trimmed and mitred the peaks. The wreath on the front door is a circle – I think the 1 inch – with another circle – I think it was 1/2 inch – punched out of the center. I layered the Tombo on and covered it with Glass Glitter and just let it dry.

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a collection of these over the years to showcase Stampin’ Up! Christmas papers?

Adding Texture with Embossing Folders

Posted on October 26, 2010 by mauistamper

I was a little late jumping on the Big Shot Textured Impressions Embossing Folders bandwagon. My “gonna be hot” intuition isn’t especially well-tuned and I actually get it wrong quite often. I’ll see something – of course, it’s going to be something that I absolutely love – and I’ll be convinced that the rest of the world (read here “My Customers”) will be crazy about it. Case in point: there was a hostess set a couple of years ago with a gorgeous rooster. The less said about that stamp set, the better.

So where was I? Ah yes…Embossing Folders. I wasn’t quite sure if I would use them. (Sorry, did you just snort your morning coffee all over your monitor? Yeah, me too.) I should hasten to add that once I got my hands on those folders I quickly realized the error of my ways. But last fall when the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder came out in the Holiday Mini I didn’t buy it. I did borrow it from my upline, and I ran a bunch of quarter sheets through my Big Shot in holiday colors. Let’s define “a bunch” as WAY more than I needed, ok? So when I saw a project this fall that would use multiple quarter sheets, you can bet I paid attention:

Jolly Old St Nick and Peaceful Season stamp sets
Real Red and Whisper White card stock
Basic Black, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive and Always Artichoke Classic ink pads
Real Red Stampin’ Write marker; Stampin’ Sponges
Blushing Bride ink refill and an Aquapainter; Gold ink
Real Red satin ribbon; Linen thread; Deck the Halls Buttons
Stampin’ Dimensionals and Sticky Strip

There’s a great tutorial for this project at Splitcoaststampers and it was very easy to follow. I want to point out that when I say Kleenex box, that is what I mean: this is the genuine article, not Brand X. The tutorial dimensions are for a Kleenex brand box, so if you use another brand be sure to check your dimensions. And pay attention when the instructions tell you to sponge the edges of the box and across the embossing – it matters.

Here’s the top:

Just imagine how dull this would be without all of that Textured Impressions Embossing. What WAS I thinking??

Frosty the Snow Globe Snow Man

Posted on October 1, 2010 by mauistamper

Are you having a good time cruising through the RemARKables Holiday Madness? I hope so, because I have something special for you today…

Last year, my upline Crystal and I made a snow globe card. We were inspired by a card we spotted on the back of last year’s Holiday Mini catalog. I’ve decided it needs to be an annual tradition, so if you will pound out a little drum-roll, I’ll present my 2010 Snow Globe:

Jolly Old St Nick Stamp Set
Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White card stock
Play Date Designer Series Paper
Staz-on Black ink pad; Whisper White Craft ink pad; Chocolate Chip Classic ink pad
Baja Breeze and Pear Pizazz Stampin’ Write markers
Blender Pen and Stampin’ Pastels
Champage Mist Shimmer Paint and an Aquapainter
Pear Pizazz 1/2 inch ribbon
Snow Globe card template

Do you like it? I think Frosty looks kind of frisky there among the trees. He’s imaging some ice skates on his little snowman feet, and thinking about how he’d like to impress Frostina with his fancy footwork

I STILL get requests for the template for that card, and I am no rocket scientist, but I did find a rather klugey way of providing it for you – just click below:

snow_globe_card_template

Shouldn’t you have an annual Snow Globe card? After all, Christmas is all about traditions. If you make one, post it on your blog or in an online gallery with a link back to the Maui Stamper – I’d love to see what you’ve done!

Christmas with a retro feeling

Posted on September 30, 2010 by mauistamper

If I have a complaint about crafting, it’s that you’re always working ahead of the season. I want to do Halloween things in October and Christmas things in December, but it just doesn’t work that way. I need to HAVE Christmas things in December, so I need to be working on them now. I don’t usually post them this early, but what would a Holiday Madness Blog Tour be without some Christmas projects? Why, it would be sheer madness!

Tags til Christmas stamp set
Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler and whisper White card stock
Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper
Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke Classic ink pads
Oval and Small oval punches; XL Designer Label punch
Whisper White 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Stampin’ Dimensionals

I love to do tags – they’re quick and easy, and you always need a bunch of them at Christmas time. This one is only 2×3 inches so it very conveniently uses up those odd scraps of DSP that you can’t bear to throw away.

I’ve done a couple of cards, too:

Peaceful Season stamp set; Wonderfully Worn background stamp
Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and Naturals Ivory card stock
Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper
Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke Classic ink pads
Gold Smooch Spritz
Antique Brads and Victoria crochet trim
Stampin Dimensionals

I’m gettin’ into that sparkly mood. It’s a little dangerous in my house, because my husband really dislikes glitter. Many years ago there was an incident with my teenage daughter’s glittery top and his cycling shorts in the washing machine, and glitter has been on his hit list ever since. It doesn’t help that Dazzling Diamonds has a positive attraction to any and every surface known to humanity, either. Fortunately, we have lots of liquid-based sparkly products so I can get my bling and shine going without driving my husband bonkers. Check out Santa’s hat:

Jolly Old St Nick and Peaceful Season stamp sets
Naturals White, Crumb Cake and Real Red card stock
Crumb Cake and Real Red Classic ink pad
Real Red Stampin’ Write marker
Blushing Bride and Real Red Classic ink refills
Aquapainter and Frost White Shimmer mist
Modern label punch and black brads
Big Shot and Petals a Plenty textured impression folder
Always Artichoke seam binding
Stampin’ Dimensionals

I had some fun with that crazy seam binding! I twisted it around and around until I ended up with a skinny little rope, then tied a knot. Those fat ends looked strange with that cool ropey ribbon, so I snipped them a few times and I thought that was just the right touch. You’lll see that again, I promise!

Be sure to check in tomorrow – I’ve got a special project for you to enjoy.