Two Pineapples

Posted on August 22, 2013 by mauistamper

I inked up my Undefined Pineapple:

Undefined hand carved Pineapple
The Good Life stamps, May 2013 My Paper Pumpkin
Gorgeous Grunge and Yippee Skippee stamp sets
Old Olive, Baked Brown Sugar, Crushed Curry and Whisper White card stock
Old Olive, Crushed Curry and Baked Brown Sugar FFIP
Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Crushed Curry and Baked Brown Sugar Stampin’ Write markers
Natural Trim ribbon
2 1/2 inch circle punch
Big Shot and Thinlets Circle Flip card die
Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die
Honeycomb TIEF
Stamp-a-ma-jig
Sticky Strip
Stampin’ Sponge

Yeah, I kinda pulled out everything in the stamp studio for this one 🙂

The pineapples are inked with markers and masked. I carved just one pineapple, and I carved it in a hurry! It has a folksy, rustic look to it.

Didja break down and get the Thinlets Flip Card die yet? I confess that if I hadn’t seen them in person at convention I might not have been so anxious, but I did and I was so I ordered them on August 1st – the first day I could. The 5 chevron pieces are one of the accent dies that accompany the Circle Flip die.

I stamped this sentiment from Yippee Skippee three times in three colors of ink and cut them up. There’s a strip of Crushed Curry card stock stamped with the diagonal lines from Gorgeous Grunge behind the words to serve as an anchor. Lining that up was definitely a job for the Stamp-a-ma-jig.

If you stretch the entire card out, this is what the first side looks like. You’re seeing the front of the card, the back of the flip, and the inside of the card. The Baked Brown Sugar panel was run through the Honeycomb TIEF before I adhered it to the Old Olive card base. I added a strip of white card stock (more details HERE) to the inside for additional writing space, and I put a Crushed Curry 2 1/2″ circle behind the flip to give it a finished look. I might write an additional note here, or I might add a photo. And yes, this is an extended card. Patty Bennett has made an excellent tutorial – see it HERE.

Turn the card over to see the second side. If you look closely at the Natural Trim ribbon you’ll see that I butted the edges on the diagonal to create a finished edge – I didn’t want a knot or a bow. It also creates a more finished look over the scallop trim from the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die. I used a full-height piece of Sticky Strip to secure the trim.

This card looks a lot more complicated than it is – you could surely make one yourself.

Undefined

Posted on July 22, 2013 by mauistamper

Ever wanted a totally unique stamp? Meet Undefined.

You can make any image you want. You carve it yourself.

NOW STOP. I know what you are saying. “I’m not artistic”, you say. “I can’t draw”, you say. “It looks hard”, you say.

It’s just like when you began stamping and you weren’t sure if you were holding the stamp right, or if you had enough ink, or whether you had stamped with enough pressure. You do it. You learn. Crystal and I did!

See! I’m smiling! I’m calm! This was taken BEFORE I ~~threw~~ firmly placed the cutting tool on the counter and said “THIS SUCKS.” The wonderful SU staff member behind the counter did for me what I have done for countless customers. She immediately came over and reassured me that I could do it and showed me how to hold the cutting tool. Turns out I was holding it sideways. Cutting with the cutting tool held sideways does suck. Cutting with the cutting tool held correctly is awesome! Here’s how it works:

Step One: Sketch your design true to size in pencil, and go over the design so that there is plenty of graphite on your paper.

Step Two: Transfer your image from the paper to the rubber by placing one against the other and rubbing firmly with your finger.

Step Three: Cut out your design with the cutting tool. It’s kinda hard to do this AND take a photo 🙂

Step Four: Apply the self-adhesive foam to the back of the rubber and cut out the your shape.

Step Five: When it’s all trimmed out, and before you adhere the rubber to the back of the wood block, ink up your image with Staz-On and stamp it on the front of the block.

Step Six: Adhere the rubber to the back of the wood block.

Step Seven: Stamp and ADMIRE!!

Don’t think you can come up with an original idea? Each kit comes with multiple templates for you to begin with – just trace and carve. Or you can use one of these ideas from The Home Office:

Notice that the letters are carved out, but the stamp doesn’t have to be too closely trimmed out around the outside.

I am SO going to make my own word bubble. The kit is already ordered.

This is a BIG @ sign! There are a variety of block sizes in the kit for you to play with.

Included in the Stamp Carving Kit #133402:

2 carving tools
3″ x 4″ rubber
3″ x 4″ foam
4 wood blocks (various sizes)
1 Island Indigo Stampin’ Write Marker
3 postcards
Instruction sheet
Stamp image templates

You can do this! And you will be thrilled, I promise, with your very own custom-made stamp. Visit my Online Store today!

Convention 2013 Day 2

Posted on July 19, 2013 by mauistamper

It’s late, the hotel wifi is really slow, and we have been going 110 mph with our hair on fire!! So much to tell – check back and I will try to update more over the weekend when I have more time.

First off is a very very cool new product available NOW. Undefined is a carve-your-own stamp kit. I made one – a pineapple – and once I got past my initial fear of starting it was fun and very rewarding! Check out the video! You can order NOW – the kit is #133402 for $19.95 and the rubber/block refill is #134808 for $9.95.

Draw your design, transfer it to the rubber (pencil transfer), and cut it out!

Don’t you love my pineapple?? I do!!

Shelli also demonstrated two new thinlets for creating swing cards. I don’t have a picture of a card right now but I do have one of a booklet she made. Look for the circles that seem to flip in mid-card. VERY exciting!!

Lots more swapping today, more free product, more opportunities to learn. Stampin’ Up! does an awesome job of providing resources for the demonstrators and Convention is where they shine.

This is one of the Dress Framelits cards – cover and inside – that Shelli demonstrated online. Please forgive the extraneous hands, cameras, etc – EVERYONE wanted photos!

Don’t have the cover of this one but love this moose card!! Haven’t seen a moose on Maui for, well, EVER, but the card is fun.

I participated in 4 organized swaps and some general floor swaps – be prepared for some INCREDIBLE projects in the next few weeks! Swappers are busy people!

The evening ended with a 80’s cover band, lots of entertainment, and dessert: mousse, brownies, cupcakes, you name it!! There was also a Washi Tape giveaway (almost as sweet as the dessert!!) and the opportunity to view more creative projects. So much to tell!! So much to show!! So ready for bed!!!