Mix and Match: Birds and Leaves

Posted on September 12, 2020 by mauistamper

Every now and then I get in one of those “CLEAR THE SHELVES I’M USING IT ALL” moods. Today’s card was the result of a recent episode – I used Free as a Bird stamps, Love of Leaves stamps and dies, and the Well Written dies.

Stamps: Free as a Bird, Love of Leaves
Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Bumble Bee, Shaded Spruce, Gold
Accessories: Stampin Cut and Emboss machine, Stitched Leaves dies, Well Written dies, Gold Hoops Embellishments, Gold Foil, Stampin’ Blends and Color Lifter, Paper Snips, Bumble Bee Gingham Ribbon, All Purpose Glue, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I used the Color Lifter quite a bit to shade the bird. Even when I used both the light and dark Shaded Spruce blends, the colors were too strong for my eye. The color lifter allows you to shade and adjust tones almost infinitely.

Construction note: Use multipurpose glue to adhere your Gold Hoop Embellishment to your project. The sides of the hoop are flat, and if you put tiny dabs around the entire perimeter of the hoop, it will stay good and stuck!

Don’t you love those stitched lines I used in the background? They give the paper a lot of dimension without being too distracting. And look where else they fit:

I had to make two passes through the Cut & Emboss machine to cover the back flap but I’m pretty doggone pleased with the result.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Get&Go September 2020 join the team

Wish your Stampin’ Budget went a little further? Become a demonstrator and you’ll make EVERY SINGLE purchase at a discount – clearance rack, pre-release products, all of it! This month you’ll also get an additional bonus when you join the team: two beautiful stamp sets and the supplies to make two sets of cards for yourself or as a project with your friends. I’m here to help you achieve whatever goals you set – message me with questions or click HERE to learn more.

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September 2020 DIY: Love of Leaves

Posted on September 1, 2020 by mauistamper

Are you as stunned to discover it is September as I am? My sense of time is completely disoriented, and that makes me really grateful for calendars. I have the feeling that I need a big board in my kitchen that says TODAY IS TUESDAY. IT IS SEPTEMBER 1, 2020. And then it needs a big picture of, oh, LEAVES:

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

Stamps: Love of Leaves
Color Palette: Shaded Spruce, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody
Accessories: Stampin’ Cut and Emboss (available TODAY!), Stitched Leaves dies, Watercolor paper, Ink Refills, Stampin’ Spritzer, 2020-2022 In Color Enamel dots, Linen Thread, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Yes, I’m still smitten with the Love of Leaves bundle. If you follow that link and add it to your shopping cart and wait for it to arrive on that big Brown Truck, you’ll be smitten too, I promise you!

I got my Watercolor paper pretty wet with the Stampin’ Spritzer and added color from the Ink Refills. The design was pretty random, but I enjoyed moving the Stitched Leaves dies around the paper to visualize how best to use it. (Prepare yourself, it’s pretty bold!)

When I looked at this result I was pretty skeptical. But I Kept Calm and Cut and Embossed On, and was pleased with the end result.

Maui Stamper Stampin Up Love of Leaves bundle

That long strip die is what I used to create the background on the paper. It works on the flap of an envelope, tooo. Each leaf can be cut out, leaving a stitched leaf-shaped opening behind, and the solid dies create the stitched vein pattern in the leaves. This set has covered ALL the bases!

September…wow…hard to believe we are here! I have the 2021 pdf available for just $5 if you’d like to create your own calendar. Click Contact the Maui Stamper at the top of the page and send me your email, and we’ll get you started!

Cheryl and Crystal create these fun little calendars too, and I hope you’ll stop by and see what they’ve done for September. If you’re ready to browse, SHOP HERE.

Hope Changes Everything: Love of Leaves

Posted on August 30, 2020 by mauistamper

This past week I’ve had a number of friends and family members experience changes in their relationship with the Big C: Cancer. It’s such an insidious disease, and when you add in the uncertainty of life caused by the pandemic, things can get a little uncomfortable. I’ve been leaning pretty heavily on HOPE, and made this card yesterday to send to someone dear to me:

Maui Stamper Stampin Up HOPE CHANGES EVERYTHING Love of Leaves

Stamps: Love of Leaves
Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Cinnamon Cider, Cajun Craze, Calypso Coral, So Saffron
Accessories: Stampin’ Cut & Emboss (available September 1, 2020), Stitched Leaves Dies, Stitched Shapes dies, Old World Paper Embossing Folder, Metallic Pearls, Cinnamon Cider ribbon, Gold trim (Forever Greenery Combo Pack), Stampin’ Sponges, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’ve had the Love of Leaves bundle on my desk a lot recently. We don’t really have autumn leaves here in Hawaii, but some trees do experience an autumn change of color. I love these beautiful shapes and the way they work so well together (it’s what Stampin’ Up! does best!).

I made a huge mess of my ink pads creating this project. I kept pressing stamps with dark ink into the light ink pads without cleaning them – I was really into the process! I’ve found if you use a paper towel to blot the place in an ink pad where the “stain” has appeared, you can generally pull out most of the offending ink. A quick re-ink and the pad is *almost* as good as new.

I was inspired by a card shared on Instagram by the Stampin’ Up! concept artists @stampinup. This color palette is similar to theirs, but not the same. I’d love to see it in shades of pale greens for spring, or even reds and burgundies for December. I guess it’s back to the drawing board!