2020 DIY Calendar Review

Let’s not have a review of 2020 The Year, okay? I don’t know about you, but much beyond early March the story is all the same. But there was a DIY Easel Calendar every month in 2020, and we can take a look through those! Click on the link for the details on each project.

First up, January and The Gang’s All Meer from Sale-a-bration:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up The Gang's All Meer SAB 2020
RETIRED!!!!

Those happy faces put a smile on my face every time I see them! In February it was Lovely Lilypad for Leap Year 2020:

RETIRED!!!!

This was one of my favorites – another beautiful Sale-a-bration selection for 2020. I loved the soft colors with that crazy pop of Lovely Lipstick.

In March, I went back to critters and featured the Little Ladybug Host Set:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Little Ladybug March 2020 DIY Easel Calendar
RETIRED!!!!

Not my usual style, but really fun in this format. These petite easel calendars are really satisfying in that way – there’s just a little space to design, but plenty of room for creativity.

Next up is April with the Chunky Lamb from Welcome Easter:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar April 2020
RETIRED!!!!

She’s so fluffy! And she’s sparkly, too.

In May I chose a retiring favorite – Tropical Chic:

Maui Stamper Tropical Chic May 2020 DIY Easel Calendar
RETIRED!!!!

Oh, I was sad to see this stamp set and the beautiful accompanying dies hit the retiring list! It’s in my archive of favorites and I know I’ll use it again and again.

In June I previewed Birds and Branches. If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’ll know I have a soft spot for birds:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar June 2020 Birds & Branches

These aren’t colored after any particular species, they’re just happy, pudgy little brown-and-yellow birds!

For July I decided to Celebrate Sunflowers:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Celebrate Sunflowers DIY Calendar July 2020

This is the smaller flower, and the way it fit made me think of sunflower fields. I colored the images with Stampin’ Blends, which are one of the most forgiving coloring tools I’ve ever used.

In August I featured Timeless Tropical, our new tropical set. While it doesn’t replace Tropical Chic, I am thrilled to have these palms in my creative stash:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar August 2020 Timeless Tropical

A simple design for a simple setting – there’s an ocean out there somewhere! Check the original post if you’d like to see my first, more detailed version.

September was created with Love of Leaves:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar September 2020 Love of Leaves

Stampin’ Up! has gifted us with a wonderful assortment of stitched dies, and these leaves really take it to the limit (one more tiiiiime….🎶) They’re gorgeous left plain, but they were a lot of fun to spritz and watch the color move where it wanted.

October featured the Stitched Triangles and my favorite DSP ever:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up October 2020 DIY Easel Calendar Stitched Triangles

I didn’t buy pumpkins or make a jack-o-lantern this year since there wouldn’t be trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood. I just wasn’t feeling Halloween, so it was a forest instead.

For November I previewed Dragonfly Garden, a gorgeous stamp set with a coordinating punch:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up DIY Easel Calendar November 2020 Dragonfly Garden

This stamp set will be available on January 5, 2021 as part of an entire garden suite and I predict you will LOVE it!

Finally, the beginning of this month I featured my out-of-this-word Poinsettias:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Poinsettia Petals December 2020 DIY Easel Calendar

I’ve loved looking at these all month and I’m going to really have to work at it to top this one! (Who am I kidding? It’s done already and you’ll see it tomorrow 🤓)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little stroll through my 2020 DIY year. If you’d like to make your own DIY for 2021, there’s still plenty of time! Contact me and give me your email address and I’ll send you an invoice via Square. For just $5 you’ll have a pdf of the calendars plus a set of covers so you can gift them to the people you love best.

And if you need supplies for any of the above, SHOP HERE. I appreciate it!

The Gorgeous Lilypad Suite

I’ve been playing with coloring techniques using an embossed image from Lovely Lilypad. I went back to the Aqua painter and found more success this time by remembering to wet the entire image before I start. Those of you with any training likely do this automatically!

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely Lilypad
Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely Lilypad

The Lily Impressions DSP is bold, and creates a great background pop on this otherwise neutral card. The card base is from DEEP in the archives, something I discovered recently during a mad “what the HECK is in here anyway?” clean up. It’s 6 1/2″ wide by 3 1/4″ tall, and was sold with matching envelopes. Speaking of…

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely Lilypad

I get busy and forget to do this, but I love the sense of anticipation that comes with a stamped envelope! I’m also completely smitten with the new Coastal Weave embossing folder – the additional textures are gorgeous! I spritzed it with a few drops of Coastal Cabana ink mixed with rubbing alcohol in a Stampin’ Spritzer.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely Lilypad

I liked the first one so well, I made a second in an alternate color palette. The lily is colored with Purple Posy (the ink has been retired for quality issues, but there are Stampin’ Blends available) and the accent color is Highland Heather. I used the Stitched Nested Labels for the ground shape.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Lovely Lilypad

Which do you prefer – I can’t choose! But I’ll tell you this – these cards are headed out in the mail quite soon, so if you placed an order in the last month, watch your mailbox. Two of you will get a Lovely Lilypad!

If you’d like to create your own, shop HERE.

February DIY: Lovely Lilypad

WHOOSH!

February is upon us and January is in the rear view. I’m glad there will be an extra day in February this year, because I need it! (See previous post, lol.) Here’s to the turn of the calendar:

I wanted to use the embossed image technique for the Lilypad, but I wasn’t happy with what I was coming up with using the Blender pens, the Aqua painter, or the Stampin’ Blends, so I pulled out the actual, bona fide, genuine article – the paintbrush.

I’m not trained by any stretch of the imagination, so this was absolutely trial and error, but I had a great time and I’m happy with the results so I count it for a win! A little Wink of Stella gives it a little shine.

Do you make your own DIY Calendar? It’s quick and easy, and so gratifying to see on your craft desk every month. Click on “Contact the Maui Stamper” above if you’d like to purchase your own calendar – I sell the pdf for just $5 so you can make as many as you like.

Stop by to see what Crystal and Cheryl are doing for February. And if you’re ready to shop, visit the Online Store!