Month: June 2023

Summer Stamping Retreat 2023

This summer, I am hitting the road. I will be traveling from Maine to Western New York, and while I am going to be visiting family and friends for a couple of days, I am also holding a Summer Stamping Retreat far away from home!

I am so excited to share the details with you. And I would love to see you at the Stamping Retreat, too!

Saturday, July 29, 9:30-4:30

The Summer Stamping Retreat will be held at 4100 Stonegate Lane Clubhouse in Williamsville New York. This location is off Wherle Drive, just past the deflated Golf Dome and 2 minutes from Hobby Lobby on Transit Road.

There is plenty of parking, with places near the front of the Clubhouse and a long driveway as well. Bring your basic card making kit and plenty of adhesive. But if you run out of sticky stuff, I will have more available to purchase!

Creativity Session Like No Other

Upon arrival, pick up your adorably made Swag Bag. In it you will find a personalized keepsake name tag, a booklet with printed PDF project tutorials, a full pack of embellishments to use at retreat and beyond, your Make & Take packets for a dozen hand made items, and door prize and grand prize raffle tickets.

Pick a spot to unpack and relax, supply baskets for each project will come to you as you are ready for them. You will have samples and your booklet as guidance in creating (plus me!).

At you seat, a welcome gift awaits! There is nothing as wonderful as surprise and delight…

Stamp, Play, Win

Socialize and mingle as you go to separate stations for die cutting and embossing.

Enjoy a light lunch and snacks (included) on your time.

As your name is announced, choose from a variety of stamping door prizes.

Play along with some fun, interactive stamping games for ever more prizes.

Peruse my collection of Cash & Carry Kits and Retired DSP selections for sale.

Shop in my Online Stamping Store for Retreat Ordering Specials.

Grand Prize Raffle: Set of 11 New Ink Pads

Make a colorful impression with Stampin’ Up!’s signature ink pads in new colors! The 2023 New Core Colors Classic Stampin’ Pad Bundle has all the new colors for the refreshed color collections. Add it to your Classic Stampin’ Pads to complete your own ink collection.

Some very lucky participant will be leaving the Summer Stamping Retreat with this ink collection, valued at $89 before tax and shipping! Will these be yours???

Make Beautiful Art, Make Beautiful Memories

This Summer Stamping Retreat will be so special, and it will be even more special if I get to see you there! Plan to spend the day with me, stamping and chatting, for this very rare event.

Reply and let me know if you (and your friends!) are coming. The event price is $75 per person, and payment is due on or before July 19 by mailed check, PayPal or Venmo. If paying by PayPal, scan the QR code below to submit your payment electronically. Please contact me for Venmo payment arrangement.

If you are unable to attend the event after payment is made, your full Swag Bag along with a door prize will be mailed to you at your cost. And if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out with them at any point.

Hope to see you soon for this amazing stamping opportunity!

Little Monkey Dresser Card

Little Monkey Card Class

Little Monkey Dresser Card

The Little Monkey Dresser Card is the third and last card for your Weekly Card Class From ME. For this class, I have been using the Little Monkey Bundle, by Stampin’ Up!. Want to see my previous card? Click this link for it!

Perhaps I have saved the best for last! The sweet little monkeys popping out of this dresser (or chest of drawers) is just adorable. And the best part, is that it is so easy to make this dresser shaped card base.

Monkey Dresser Card Base

Dresser Bottom Details

The card base for this Little Monkey Dresser Card starts with a 4 x 11″ piece of White Cardstock, folded in half. This is the “hot-dog” style cut, and a “tent fold”.

What makes the bottom edge so decorative and realistic? The answer is simple…a punch! For this card, I used the Lasting Label Punch. You will be able to punch thru the closed card base in one go for an even cut-away.

Dresser Top Details

When you create the top ledge of your dresser, you will need a good pair of scissors, like the Paper Snips.

I adhered a strip of White Cardstock along the top front edge of my card base. Next, I angled my Paper Snips to cut the image you see in the picture above. This small piece of cardstock will make your card 4.25″ at the widest point, perfect for an A2 sized envelope.

Colorful Dresser Details

To make our dresser more realistic, we need some drawers and some knobs. 3 drawers fit perfectly on this dresser shaped card base. I sponged Soft Seafoam Ink along all the edges of my card, drawers and knobs. But, you could use any color you choose on all these white pieces!

There are 2 vines with leaves stamps in the Little Monkey Stamp Set. I used the stamp with 5 leaves and lined it up so the middle met, and alternated the direction of the stamp too. Want to see this in action? Check out my class video here.

Once my dresser was completed (doesn’t it look great?), it was time to get some monkeys in there.

Little Dresser Monkeys

For the little dresser monkeys, I relied on my Little Monkey Builder Punch. I punched 2 of them in Pecan Pie Cardstock. To accent the plain paper, I added a little Pecan Pie Ink with a sponge dauber.

Next, I stamped my monkey on a scrap of Petal Pink Cardstock in Pecan Pie Ink. After I punched the heart shaped face out, I added ink to the edges too. Lastly, I punched ears for my monkeys in Petal Pink Cardstock. With the builder style punches, adding elements together to complete a specific look is easy!

Get Your Little Monkey Card Class From ME

This Little Monkey Dresser Card is the last one in my featured class this week. If you would like to see the video from my online class, click this link. For more details on what is in this week’s class from Maine and how to get yours, click here.

I hope you have enjoyed the cards from the Little Monkey Card Class, as well as my bonus cards, over the week. Be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook, for more cardmaking inspiration and ideas.

Color Swap: Little Monkey Dresser Card

Every Wednesday, on my FaceBook Page, Positive PaperCrafters, I like to do a “Color Swap”. I re-create one of my class cards in new colors. This week, my Little Monkey Dresser Card got a make-over…into Bubble Bath Pink! Which one is your favorite?

Little Monkey Swinging By Card

Little Monkey Card Class

Little Monkey Swinging By Card

As we “swing” into the second card from my Weekly Card Class From Maine, we are continuing our “monkey play”. I am using the Little Monkey Bundle by Stampin’ Up! and having so much fun.

Did you miss the first card from this week’s class? Click here to check it out, you will go bananas over it!

Green With Envy Monkey

For my Little Monkey Swinging By Card, I wanted some more natural or neutral colors. I started with a Mossy Meadow card base.

One of my favorite things to do is use a stamp from my set for background imagery. I chose the tree branch with leaves from the Little Monkey Stamp Set for this card.

As you can see from my picture, I did a lot of stamping with Mossy Meadow Ink. I made sure the outer edges looked lovely, because the middle mess would be covered up!

Color-Less Monkey

In keeping with the theme for this Little Monkey Swinging By Card, I wanted to keep the coloring to a minimum. I started with a square of Very Vanilla Cardstock and stamped my monkey in Pecan Pie Ink.

Next, I simply added color to the outer edges of the square with a sponge dauber. This added color to my piece without me actually coloring it in. I also added sponged color to the rest of my pieces for this card, which all happen to be from the Stylish Shapes Dies!

Little Monkey & the Swinging Sign

This Little Monkey Swinging By Card has some built in action…the sign actually swings!

To make this happen, I poked holes in both the sign and the bottom of my monkey’s hands. Next, I strung some Linen Thread thru the holes so that the sign could be connected to the card without being adhered down.

You can see the action “in action” during my live card class. Watch the replay here!

Get Your Little Monkey Card Class From ME

This Little Monkey Swinging By Card is just one card in my featured class this week. For more details on what is in this week’s class from Maine and how to get yours, click here.

I will be sharing more cards from the Little Monkey Card Class, as well as my bonus cards, as this week goes on. Be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook, for more cardmaking inspiration and ideas.

Little Monkey Bananas For You Card

Finished card, Little Monkey Bananas For You

Little Monkeys Card Class

Little Monkeys Bananas For You Card

The Little Monkeys Bananas For You Card is first up for your Weekly Card Class From ME. This class is a more fun than a barrel of monkeys, featuring the Little Monkey Bundle by Stampin’ Up!.

Want to know more about this adorable bundle, which includes the Little Monkey Stamp Set and the Little Monkey Builder Punch? I shared some great details, and you will find them by clicking here.

Little Monkey Coloring

Coloring the Little Monkey with Stampin' Blends

I shared my favorite way to add color to stamped images while I made this Little Monkey Bananas For You Card…Stampin’ Blends! First, I started off inking up my images from the Little Monkey Stamp Set with Memento Black Ink. This ink is water based, and works perfectly with the oil based blends. Remember…opposites attract.

For my sweet little monkey’s face, I used SU800. Stampin’ Up! has a great collection of skin tone colors that range from pale pink to deep brown. I love using these blends on so many stamped images!

Coloring the banana images with Stampin' Blends

The monkey was not the only thing that I needed to color on this card. I filled it full of bananas too!

I chose Daffodil Delight for my yellow tones. If you would like to see my coloring process, watch the video replay here.

Monkey Crumb Cake

I love the simple act of adding texture to a card. For my Little Monkey Bananas For You Card, I chose a mini embossing folder. The Geometric Patterns measure just over 3″ wide, by 6-1/4″ long.

When I use the mini folders, I cut my cardstock to 3″ wide. This gives me a nice selection to work with, and it doesn’t take up the whole card front. I added Crumb Cake Ink to my embossed piece to give the cardstock some depth. It really helps draw the eye to the design!

Monkeying Around With Linen Thread

For this Little Monkey Bananas For You Card, I chose to wrap Linen Thread around the embossed and sponged Crumb Cake layer 3 times. I completed the look with a simple tied knot. Lastly, I added this piece to a mat of White Cardstock before adding it to my card front with dimensionals.

Get Your Little Monkey Card Class From ME

Little Monkey Bananas For You card kit

This Little Monkey Bananas For You Card is just one card in my featured class this week. If you would like to see the video from my online class, click this link. For more details on what is in this week’s class from Maine and how to get yours, click here.

I will be sharing more cards from the Little Monkey Card Class, as well as my bonus cards, as this week goes on. Be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook, for more cardmaking inspiration and ideas.

Little Monkey Card Class

Little Monkey Card Class

Little Monkey Bundle By Stampin’ Up!

Welcome to your Little Monkey Card Class! This week, I am using the Little Monkey Bundle by Stampin’ Up!. This bundle is a brand new release in the 2023-2024 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog. I will be sharing these adorable cards and giving you how-to assemble tips during my live cardmaking class on Monday, June 19, at 8pm EST on The Maine Stamper FaceBook page.

Did you know that when you purchase a bundle, you automatically save 10%? When in doubt, buy the bundle. Nothing is more irritating than buying just the stamps or just the punch (or dies) and going back later to purchase the other half of the bundle.

Want to see another card class featuring some crazy critters and a brand new bundle in the 2023-2024 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog? Click here.

The Little Monkey Bundle

The Little Monkey Bundle by Stampin’ Up! features the Little Monkey Stamp Set and the Little Monkey Builder Punch. As mentioned earlier, by ordering the bundle (both stamp and punch together, item #161379) you will save 10%.

Now, you don’t have to buy both items. You could buy just the stamp set (item #161372) or just the punch (item #161378). But, they go together like bananas and monkeys. You will probably want the set!

Little Monkey Stamp Set

There are 3 little monkey photopolymer stamps in the Little Monkey Stamp Set. And each is adorable in unique monkey gymnastic ways. During my live class, I am going to show you 3 different ways that you can create cute monkeys, too!

While it is easy to spot the different positions they are displayed in, take a look at those little monkey faces. Each is unique in eyes, nose and smile.

Rounding out this stamp set is a branch with leaves (monkey needs to monkey around!), as well as additional stylish leaves. A banana and a heart are the last of the images, followed by 3 sweet sentiments that are perfect to match up with our monkeys.

Little Monkey Builder Punch

What exactly is a “builder punch”? It is a punch that has several images to it, so that when you punch a bunch of them, you are able to “build” something with all the pieces.

For the Little Monkey Builder Punch, you are able to build a monkey, of course! The main body of the monkey comes out in one piece, whether you are punching plain cardstock or punching the coordinating stamped monkey image.

You are also able to punch out a heart shaped feature for the monkey’s face, and 2 ears. Another fun thing about this punch is just bananas….

Or the ability to punch bananas, I should say. Again, you might punch a banana out of yellow cardstock, or punch the coordinating stamped image from the Little Monkey Stamp Set.

Live Card Making Class On Monday

Every Monday at 8pm EST, I am live with your weekly card making class on my FaceBook page, The Maine Stamper. I create 3 beautiful cards and share tips and techniques along the way. This class serves as your tutorial when you receive your FREE card kits in the mail and need to put them together.

Yes, FREE. You will receive 2 each of 3 card designs (for a total of 6 card kits!) when you place an order of $35+ (before tax and shipping) in my online stamping store using Host Code K667UXNS thru June 23, 2023. I will mail the card kits on the Monday following the live class.

Want more details about what is in these kits? Check my blog post here for more info.

Get A Bonus Gift For FREE Too!

When you bump your order to $50 (before tax and shipping), I will send you the card kits AND a FREE Embellishment, the Linen Thread, just like I used on my cards. You will have plenty left over to use on your projects for days to come.

Your Card Class From ME Awaits

I hope you enjoy the Little Monkey Card Class with my FaceBook Live Event on Monday, June 19 at 8pm EST. Please join me to see how easy it is to put your card kits together. If you miss the live, catch the replay on FaceBook or my YouTube Channel, The Maine Stamper.

I look forward to getting your weekly card kits from Maine in the mail to you. And I know you will be looking forward to receiving them and creating gorgeous works of paper crafted art!