Thanks so much, Medallion

It’s been such a long time since I’ve inked up my Medallion stamp.  I still love it just as much as I did the first time I laid eyes on it, but it seems there has been a lot of competition for my time in the stamp room.  The other day I decided to give that Medallion a little inky love:

Thanks So Much Medallion

  • Medallion and Thanks So Much stamps
  • Vintage Vogue Jumbo Stampin’ Around Wheel
  • Whisper White and Pear Pizazz card stock
  • Marina Mist and Pear Pizazz Classic ink pads
  • Marina Mist and Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Write markers
  • Basic Rhinestone Jewels
  • 1/8 inch Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon
  • 1 3/8 and Scallop Circle punches

I just can’t help cutting out that Medallion.  I’ve done it before and I love the look.  It’s really not that much work and I think it’s well worth the effort.  Matter of fact, when things slow down a little bit (ha ha ha, I crack myself up) I want to make this card in a bunch of different color combinations.  I think it would make a great set.

Frosty the Snow Globe Snow Man

RemARKable Holiday 2010 Madness

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:

Maui Stamper 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!

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Christmas with a retro feeling

RemARKable Holiday 2010 Madness

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!

Dec 25 tag

  • 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:

Peace on Earth blog tour

  • 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 Saint Nick blog tour

  • 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.

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Letterpress for Christmas

RemARKable Holiday 2010 Madness

Even though it’s still September, it’s time to have a little Christmas Speak Peek.  After all, there are some pretty fabulous Christmas goodies in that Holiday Mini Catalog – wouldn’t you agree??  There are so many choices  but there was no question in my mind regarding where to start for Christmas.  Have you seen the Letterpress plates??

Joyful Season Letterpress card

  • Big Shot and Joyful Season Letterpress Plate
  • Watercolor paper; Real Red and Old Olive cardstock
  • Real Red and Old Olive Craft Ink Spots
  • Frost White Shimmer Paint and the Aquapainter
  • Paper Piercing Tool, Template and Mat
  • Scallop Trim Border punch
  • Real Red 1/8 inch taffeta ribbon

Can I get an Ooooo and an Aaahhh??  The heart-breaker here is that my photography doesn’t begin to do this technique justice.  The images aren’t just inked into the paper, they are truly pressed.  If you flip the paper over you can clearly see the reverse image, and that deep impression gives this card a very luxe look when you hold it in your hand.  The Frost White Shimmer paint was applied directly onto the image full strength with the Aquapainter for a little extra bling on the stockings – you can just see it at the tops of the two outside stockings, but it’s also on the stripes of the middle one.  (Dang.  I am going to have to spend good stamp money on a camera.  Double Dang.)

By the way, the dimensions for this card are 3 1/4 by 6 1/2 inches as you see it, and yes we do have envelopes for that size (#107286, $7.50 for 20, page 171 in the IBC).  This is a Christmas card that will truly turn heads!

And now for something a little different:

Letterpress Gift Box

  • Northern Hearts Level I Hostess Set (Holiday Mini)
  • Big Shot and Northern Trim Letterpress Plate
  • Watercolor Paper; Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise Classic ink pads
  • Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise Craft ink spots
  • Scallop Border Trim and Ornament punches
  • 1 and 1 1/4 inch circle punches
  • Basic rhinestone jewels and Linen Thread

I’ll be mailing Christmas gifts to my oldest daughter in Australia this year.  It’s gonna be tough – this is the first time one of my keiki will not be home on Christmas morning.  In case you haven’t checked, postage overseas is kind of expensive, so our gifts to her will be of the “Good Things Come In Small Packages” sort.  This flat little box will ship very nicely, and I have a pretty good idea of what I’m putting inside.  Can’t say, of course – she does check the blog, although I suspect both she and her sister check in just to see if I’ve said anything about them 🙂

I love all the bling on this package.  Those Basic Rhinestone Jewels and Pearls are such fun to use, and I swear that for every two I pull off the sheet, one grows back in their place.  These aren’t exactly your traditional Christmas colors, but I was inspired to go really bright with this project.  Hmmm…since this will be an Aussie package, I guess they are non-traditional Christmas Colours.

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Tags for your memories

Paisley Leaves tag

Welcome to Day Four of the RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog tour!  I hope you’re enjoying all the fabulous creations that the RemARKables have posted for you, and I want to encourage you to leave a COMMENT.   It’s quite easy, and really quite fun.  Those of us who labor to bring you such fabulous and fascinating content LOVE-LOVE-LOVE to get your comments!

Sizzix leaves tag

Do you like today’s projects?  I’ve had this idea in mind for a while but as is often the case, it had to simmer away on the back burner for a bit.  I’ve used the Paisley Prints stamp set as well as the Big Shot and the Originals Leaves #2 die to create the leaves, and I started by just stamping and cutting a heap of them.  The tags are cut from Crumb Cake card stock and embellished with the leaves, Always Artichoke 1/2″ Seam Binding and the Big Designer Deck the Halls Buttons from the Holiday Mini catalog.  One tag is stamped with a “thanks” sentiment from the Thank You Kindly stamp set and the other is rolled with the Bright Blessings Jumbo Stampin’ Around Wheel. The buttons are sewn on with our Linen Thread, one of my favorite “little touches”.

Autumn Napkin Rings

I used the same leaves and embellishments to create some autumn napkin rings.  It was fun to mix and match the different leaves – they’re attached to a 1″ punched circle of cardstock with Tombo-the-wonder-adhesive.

Single Napkin ring

I had a long string of wooden beads that I was given years ago when I was a scout leader, and they have been waiting for just the right project to come along.  I strung them on heavy elastic cord and knotted it, then used Linen Thread to tie the leaves onto the beads.  It was simple and fun and I’m thinking I’ll make a few more leaves and add them to what I have leftover to make a banner of sorts that I can hang in my dining room.

I know that somebody out there is wondering what colors I used for the ink and the card stock.  There are lots of colors!  I used Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, More Mustard and of course Whisper White card stock.  I stamped with Classic ink pads in Peach Parfait, Wild Wasabi, River Rock, Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Always Artichoke and Old Olive.  In other words, I worked with whatever was in arm’s reach!  It’s liberating to be random – I’m usually so focused on matching and detail, and I enjoyed stretching myself outside of my comfort zone with this.

Next Stop on the Holiday Madness Blog Tour

Unraveling the twine

RemARKable Holiday 2010 Madness

It’s Day Three of the RemARKable Holiday Madness blog tour and I think it’s about time I started moving through the holidays, don’t you?  I’m still living large with my Attitude of Gratitude, so it makes sense for me to share a couple of thankful-type cards with you.

This card makes me feel really, really happy.  I’m happy with the colors, I’m happy with the fuzzy ends of the hemp twine, I’m happy with that gorgeous brad, and I’m just flat out happy with the way it looks:

Paisley Prints So Many Thanks

  • Paisley Prints and So Many Thanks stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, Peach Parfait and So Saffron card stock
  • Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, Peach Parfait and So Saffron Classic ink pads
  • Cajun Craze and Peach Parfait Stampin’ Write markers
  • Big Shot and Lattice Impressions Folder
  • Hemp Twine and Antique brad

I love all these textures!  Of all the different elements in a card I think it’s texture that gives the most interest.  There are so many ways to add dimension and I think I’ve hit a mother lode of them here:  the twine, the multiple colors, the Big Shot texture, the torn edges, and the brad.

Oh, that brad!!  I put a hole in the Very Vanilla panel and tied the twine through the hole and around the card.  Then I had the brilliant idea (if I do say so myself) of putting that brad through the hole, but the ends of the twine looked funny…kind of stiff…and, well, moustachey.  I started to fiddle with them and they began to unravel, and the rest, as they say, is history.

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The secret to my mojo

RemARKable Holiday 2010 Madness

Welcome to Day Two of the RemARKables Holiday Madness Blog Hop.  Are you ready for some more RemARKable fun?

I’ve said it before…Autumn doesn’t happen in the islands the way it does in other places.  Our seasons are more notable for who is around.  We watch the kolea, humpback whales, or that special species know as homo sapiens touristus.  At different times of the year we enjoy mango, lychee, guava or lilikoi from a neighbor’s bush or tree.  But I don’t have a mango or a guava or a humpback stamp, I have pumpkins and autumn leaves:

Paisley Pumpkin 3x3

  • Paisley Prints and Pocket Silhouettes  stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Peach Parfait and Cajun Craze card stock
  • Peach Parfait and Cajun Craze Classic ink pads; Old Oliev and Cajun Craze Stampin’ Write markers
  • Bitty Buttons and Bitty punches; Linen thread

I am a big fan of these 3×3 cards.  They’re just the right size for a quickie note and I like designing in miniature too.  This time of year, you just can’t have enough thank you notes around and I like to stock up a few for good measure.  The Bitty Buttons and punches are the perfect accent at this scale and of course no project is complete without a little of that fabulous Linen Thread.  I always have an extra package of that as a backup – if I ran out I might lose my mojo!

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And the spiders just laughed

Welcome to Day One of the RemARKable Stampers Holiday Madness Blog Tour!  Buckle your seat belts and get ready for a wonderful Sleigh Ride through the Holidays…although as you all know, there’s not a whole lotta sleigh riding’ here in the islands!  I’m thrilled to be a part of this blog hop for the next week, and I hope you’ll have a wonderful time riding along with me.

To get started, we’re going to visit the holiday closest at hand.  Halloween in Hawaii is huge.  When our kids were small, we lived in a neighborhood full of families.  Everyone would set their beach chairs out in the driveway and watch the enormous parade of keiki (children) as they walked, skated, scootered or got strollered through the streets.  The really organized people had their grills going, and there were a few houses with really elaborate and impressive decorations.  I was always too busy getting three small children into costumes and fed something, anything, that wasn’t full of sugar before we headed out – carving the pumpkins was just about my limit.  Fortunately, our yard was full of contented spiders willing to do a little decorating for me.,

You know that frantic, arms-flailing, twisting and turning little dance you do when you accidentally walk through a cobweb?   You’re trying to get all the webby bits out of your hair and at the same time you are just PRAYING that the spider was out at Walmart getting supplies for the Webber grill…that’s what I was thinking about:

Sparkling Big Shot Web

  • Teeny Tiny Wishes and Season of Friendship Stamp sets
  • More Mustard, Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry,  and Very Vanilla card stock
  • Basic Black and Rich Razzleberry Classic ink pads
  • Big Shot and Spider Web Textured Impressions folder
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint; Rich Razzleberry Taffeta Ribbon
  • Stampin’ Sponges; Modern Label Punch and Crop-a-dile
  • Googly Eyes (non-SU)

Actually, my spider was sitting in the tree just watching me do the Tarantella and laughing with his little spidery friend.  This new Textured Impressions folder from the Holiday Mini is so vivid you could use it all by itself for a card and it would work beautifully.  I used it with the raised side down because I liked the distance it created, but it is equally awesome when you use it right side up.  You’ll have to try it yourself to find out, but don’t wait too long because these Textured Impressions folders are very popular and you don’t want to be disappointed just before Halloween!  That would be a mean trick and no treat.

Next Stop on the Holiday Madness Blog Tour