Tag Archives: My Friend

Truly Smitten with Tags

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You might have noticed that I make a lot of tags…

Maui Stamper Valentine Collage Tag

Why tags?  They’re small and forgiving.  You can make a Clean and Simple tag and it looks great, or you can pile on the images and embellishments and…it looks great!  Why not tags?

I used 7 or 8 stamp sets on this…it was all about the collage.  The tag is Whisper White, although if I were to do it again (and I will!) I would have used one of the Naturals or Very Vanilla.  The inks are all neutrals, primarily Crumb Cake and Soft Suede.  That one heart is Real Red card stock stamped with Early Espresso…and I think I should have sponged it.  There’s lots of sponging on the tag.

Maui Stamper Valentine Collage TagHonestly?  I can’t wait to make another…how about you?

A new year, a new calendar

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There’s something refreshing about turning the calendar page, and the most exciting turn of all is from December to January.  Good morning, 2014!

Maui Stamper 2014 Easel Calendar January How better to start the year than with one of my favorite Stampin’ Up! color combinations – Pool Party and Island Indigo?  We’ve actually had a bit of rain here on the dry side of the island, and it’s always a sign of blessing and a cause for celebration. These beautiful drops from the My Friend stamp set are just right to start the year, especially with some sparkle.   I’m big on dreams and goals, and appreciate a little reminder to keep it positive sitting on my desktop.

This year my first-of-the-month Calendar post will be a Triple Treat – Crystal and Cheryl are posting calendars too!  Take a look at their projects for a little more inspiration.  If you’d like to create your own calendar, I have DIY calendar kits available.  They’re $8 with the easel, $5 without (plus shipping) and you can find more details HERE.

Maui Stamper DIY Calendar Kit $8I’ve been doing a lot of reflection as January first has approached, looking ahead to a new year.  In my quest for inspiration I came across the Vivid and Brave website – and a list of journaling prompts for 2014.  What a find!!!  One of the prompts is Clearing the Clutter – and as a self-confessed pack-rat, I had already identified this as one of my highest priorities for 2014.  However, the one that really started me thinking was What word or phrase will you eliminate from your vocabulary this year? So many directions to take that…my mind is spinning with the possibilities.

Thank you for reading The Maui Stamper – it humbles me to think that you’re taking time out of your day to see what I’m up to.  Whatever your plans for 2014 might be, I wish you comfort and contentment.

Clean and Simple Thanks

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Clean and simple isn’t a regular part of my repertoire.  It’s a style I admire, but one I find difficult to execute.  I just can’t seem to stop adding things, and before you know it my cards are covered with layers, embellishments, and road signs.  However, my son needed thank you notes.  Clean and simple fit the bill:

My Friend Thank You

 

  • My Friend and Perfectly Penned stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla card stock
  • Crumb Cake and Riding Hood Red Classic ink pads
  • Riding Hood Red 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • Rhinestone jewels

My apologies;  the Riding Hood Red ribbon is retired, but Real Red is available and would be a perfect substitute.

Why don’t I make more Clean and Simple cards?  I really like them – it’s a mystery, I guess.  I don’t mind not knowing the answer.

{flashback:  Catholic Elementary school.  Classroom full of 11 year olds playing  “stump the priest” asking ridiculous questions.  His response?  A placid smile and “It’s a mystery, my child”.}

Note that this card was made before my FFIP arrived.  I could spend the next 6 months remaking cards with the FFIP to see how much better they looked.  Or I could just make new cards.  Yeah.  I think that’s what I’ll do.

 

 

 

And now for something completely different…

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How about a little Vintage Style?

Creative Elements Cherry Cobbler

  • Creative Elements and My Friend stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake card stock
  • First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper
  • Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler Classic ink pads
  • Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

Love this First Edition paper!  Fun and easy to work with – it’s very smooth and light-weight and takes to tearing and crumpling quite well.  It’s become something of a “go-to” paper in my stash because it blends in with everything…sort of the Little Black Dress of papercrafting.  I just have to remember to pair it with Very Vanilla instead of Whisper White.  You would think that would be obvious.

I tweaked this card a little bit and am taking a few to Salt Lake City for convention to swap.  Convention will be a fresh experience for me this year as I’m sharing it with some of the Maui Stampers team.  The first time I attended, I roomed with a wonderful Canadian demonstrator (Hi Wendy!) that I met through another Canadian demonstrator who came to one of my classes when she was on Maui (Hi Jane!)  I felt like an honorary Canadian that week, and they showed a rookie the ropes of Convention.  Last year Robbie and I took our 60’s gig on the road and had a blast, and we came back and did our best to motivate (is jealousy a motivator??) our teammates to join us.  I’m looking forward to sharing this experience, and to meeting new friends and re-connecting with others.

 

 

Blues and greens – my favorite combination

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If I had to choose only one color combination to work with it forever would be blue with green:

Pool Party Vellum Florets

  • Fabulous Florets, Creative Elements, My Friend and Curly Cute stamp sets
  • Whisper White and Pool Party card stock
  • Vellum card stock
  • Pool Party, Island Indigo and Lucky Limeade Classic ink pads
  • Rhinestone Jewels

Love these stamps, love this technique, love this look!  More masking – yep, you’ll see this again – and some vellum too.  My cards were starting to have a “same-same” feeling to them and I’ve been looking for ways to switch them up.  New colors certainly help, and of course new stamps always make a big difference, but I wanted a different feeling.

Finding a new layout always makes a difference.  There are loads of sources for new sketches and many of them have challenges – Mojo Monday is one of my favorites.  Sometimes a sketch seems to fall into place, and other times it becomes a battle, but new sketches are a great way to bring some freshness to your projects.

I like the trimmed edge on this card, making the floral collage into one giant focal point.  Don’t be intimidated because it’s just not that hard!  It’s a quick way to give your card new perspective.

Button, button…

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How about another piece of Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper?

  • My Friend and Delightful Dozen stamp sets
  • Whisper White, So Saffron, Poppy Parade and Marina Mist card stock
  • Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper
  • Poppy Parade and Marina Mist Classic Ink pads
  • Marina Mist 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • 1 1/4, 1 3/8 and 1 3/4 inch circle punches; 2 3/8 inch scallop circle punch; 1 3/8 inch square punch
  • Big Shot, Sweet Buttons Embosslit and Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions folder
  • Crystal Effects
  • Stampin’ Dimensionals

Do you like my “Button”?  If you’ve got the Big Shot and the Sweet Buttons Embosslit, you can create a faux button in multiple sizes and just about any color you desire.

This may come as an enormous shock, but I am not very good at planning ahead.  I have the BEST of intentions, but when it comes down to it I am generally scrambling like a mad woman at the last minute.  Time is just so slippery!  As a result, I neeed flexible resources, and this Button Embosslit suits my needs perfectly.

This is a pretty bright and bold card for my usual style.  I like to step outside of my comfort zone from time to time, and I think this card should cover me for quite a while!  Not sure I’ll be jumping into these colors again anytime real soon, but it’s fun to stretch.

 

A Simple Hello

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Sometimes the message is pretty simple:

Poppy Hello My Friend

  • My Friend stamp set
  • Whisper White, Poppy Parade and Blushing Bride card stock
  • Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper
  • Paper Piercing tool, template and mat
  • Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch
  • Early Espresso 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon
  • Rhinestone Jewels

This is a simple card with a simple sentiment – you need a few cards like this in your stash!  Admit it, you have a card stash.  I do…as a matter of fact, my stash is currently exploding all over my craft studio.  As soon as I get a few other things organized (HA HA HA HA HA HA HA) I will be going through that stash and cleaning it out.  Convention is this week, and I expect to come home with loads of fabulous new samples, so it’s out with the old and in with the new!  I’ll send some, sell some, donate some, and use some for target practice (OK, maybe not, but it’s kind of a fun idea, don’t you think?)

I love those dangling drops…they’re evocative of a chandelier but they could be many things.  They make me think of raindrops, and tear drops, and jewels…of course jewels!

Are you wondering where the Blushing Bride card stock is?  The card is built on a Blushing Bride cardstock base.  It’s quite complementary to Poppy Parade, and that color combination is on my “stuff to try soon” list.  Not to be confused with yesterday’s List, no, not at all, two entirely separate lists.  But you should know that I am a confirmed list maker.

 

Imagine the Possibilites

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It’s a new Stampin’ Up! year, and I LOVE a fresh beginning.  What could make a better start than this?

Imagine the Possibilities Island Indigo

  • My Friend, Fabulous Florets and Word Play stamp sets
  • Island Indigo and Whisper White card stock; White Vellum paper
  • Island Indigo and Basic Black Classic ink pads
  • Black 1/8 inch Taffeta ribbon
  • Rhinestone jewels

 

I’m warning you, I’m on a vellum kick for some reason.  There are things stamped on vellum all over my desk!  I’m a little over-stimulated right now with all the new goodies, and as a result I’m big on starting but not so very big on finishing projects.  I’ll get there, though.

I’m looking forward to sharing the new catalog with you, and to dreaming new dreams together.  I CAN imagine the possibilities!!