Clayre's 70'ish Birthday Suprise

Tommy's family included me in all of the happenings surrounding the Arizona Aloha Festival, in Tempe. What a grand time!

OMG...YOU GOTTA SEE THIS MATZAH SCHTIK!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMSEFCQCKPo

15th Arizona Aloha Festival in Tempe Town Lake Beach Park

Tropical Etch Glass Block Fish Tank!

Didn't these come out great! This was the Craft/Paper Party at Ben Franklin on Paa Street. Folks of all ages made their own Tropical Etch glass block vase/fish tank. The folks at BFS even went to the pet store to grab some beta fish for the tanks! We were sure to give "Quality Care" lessons to ensure the new pet fishies would thrive and be loved! Keep your eyes on our calendar so you don't miss the next demonstrations or classes!

Polymer clay: Tribal Butterfly stamp embellished notebook by Syndee Holt

Someone recently asked how to get a good impression in polymer clay with large stamps. Syndee Holt, clay artist extraordinaire, is a master of stamped, impressed, and embossed images using rubber stamps. She achieves perfect, consistent thickness by...standing on her stamps.
Like a geisha, walking the back, her results are breathtaking.

What a blast! Stamped and embellished photo frames at Stampclub!

20 people showed up at Stampclub to help usher in the New Year. We used double matte easel frames that fit 5x7 in photos, and dolled them up with whatever we could find. I love that Stampclub just "happens" 3rd Monday of every month. We always seem to have great volunteer teachers, interesting projects, great food brought by all, and are able to keep it at $5...all materials included.
The best part for me is watching all the embellishments, ephemera, paints, inks, glues, etc be used up!!! Tho I must say the supply seems to be bottomless. Not sure if I really have that much crap (oops...stuff...), or if I just keep collecting.
February, Tammy will be leading us in "Inchies & Twinchies". Su and Lorena will be facilitating a similar swap to follow. Drop off for the one for one swap is Rubber Stamp Plantation (Honolulu) on the last Friday of the Month. Email me if you'd like the swap schedule. We already know what's on the calendar for the next 6 months. Plenty of time to join in!

Ok Mom & Dad, you wanted to see what I've done with my college degree....(rubber stamps hit the road in Hawaii)

These photos are for my folks...so they can kvel!
Just couldn't resist...Ben Franklin, Pa'a St. (in Mapunapuna area of Honolulu), rearranged everything and created an awesome display of our (Rubber Stamp Plantation) stamps, Aloha from Hawaii stickers, Auntie's Hawaiian Stickers, and a slightly sparse display of Tropical Etch glass etching stencils.
So when your friends come to Hawaii...looking for rubber stamps...this is probably on the top of the list of places to send them.

Frames, tray, skate board-Stamped by Erin!

Erin's been busy...and no surface is sacred!
Thanks so much Erin from CT! You're amazing.
The Mayan Sun Textile is one of my all time favorite stamps. Great job with the sm and md monstera block. Love the painting on the tray and remaining frame...gorgeous red! The xlg Tiare really pops!

We can't wait to send you a thank you gift...and hope this encourages others to send us your creations for our blog and gallery.

Be sure to send your snail mail addr with any photos.

Margie from Stitch & Stamp at Mission Houses Museum Craft Fair

You can find Margie at most of the Craft Fairs on Maui these days, and often she makes it to some of the best shows here on Oahu. Her latest passion is Glass Etching! She has something for every budget, and for every occasion...She also is great at custom orders, including all those party favors you're not sure how to etch yourself. Margie can cusomize your favorite glass platters, champagne flutes, and jelly jars that you want to fill with your Auntie's famous mango chutney recipe. Glass etching is a great way to reuse pieces that need just a little "bling" to make them sing. Oh, and of course Margie uses Tropical Etch Glass Etching Stencils! You go girl!

HIbiscus Stencil File Folders-filming "Joy of Crafting"

Wow...sorry it's taken so long to post. Decided to take a break for the Holiday Season and focus on friends and family.
Joy, from "Joy of Crafting" invited several of us to film her bi monthly craft show with a LIVE AUDIENCE! It was so much fun, and the guests were treated like royalty!
Stay tuned for the next taping. This one was so successful, Joy will be hosting anther live event sometime in March.
I did a series of "Fancy File Folders" for National Crafting Month which will air in March on OC16. The show debuts on Sunday eves at 6p, and runs for 2 weeks. You can find more information at http://joyofcrafting.com/.

File Folders with inner and outer pockets: manilla folders
strips of leftover patterned/scrapbooking paper, Md and sm Hibiscus craft stencils http://www.rubberstampplantation.com/store/CraftStencils.htm
brilliance ink pads, stencil brush, double stick tape

Stamped Clip Board

This is one of my favorite all time gifts/projects that I've received from artists using Rubber Stamp Plantation stamps.
. hanging heliconia (3-D)
. new aloha
. xlg deb's sun
. xlg bamboo
. paradise is where I am...
. xlg postcard (postmarked early 20th century, mailed to a friend in S. Dakota, reading "...wouldn't you like to be where you can wear white dresses year round...")

It's too nice to use...so it's hanging in my kitchen.
Hope this inspires you!

I have a little dreidle. I made it out of clay...and rubber stamped it!

Tonite at 6pm the biweekly cable TV show, Joy of Crafting, on channel 16 (Oceanic Cable channel 16) will feature Debra Zeleznik (me) from Rubber Stamp Planation (us), making dreidles out of clay! I used the Laua'e fern and islamic border stamps to decorate dreidles I made with self hardening clay. They were surprisingly simple, and not that difficult to get them balanced so they can spin like a top.

Do check out Joy of Crafting...It runs quite a few times during the 2 week period. I'll be featured on the following program in 2 weeks as well.

Tropical Etch Glass Etching Class...Wed 12/10 6-8:30p

Hope you can join us for a (click for details) glass etching workshop Wed. 12/10 at Rubber Stamp Plantation.
David will be facilitating this adventure in one of the easiest and dramatic, up and coming crafts.
All the supplies are included...All the Tropical Etch stencils you can possibly use, in whatever designs you want; picks; etching cream; painter's masking tape, etc.
You bring the glass pieces you want to etch.
For beginners, you can probably get 3-6 pieces completed...for more advanced pieces using multiple stencils..at least 2 or 3. David suggests you bring at least 5 pieces with you (including recycled glass!!!!).
This cobalt glass uses one stencil...and it's super quick and easy. Its a "tile" pattern that we created for use on bathroom tiles. As you can see...all the stencils are versitile. This one also looks great on a square glass platter. BFS is carrying some really nice ones in various sizes these days. When I get one done, I'll post a photo.
Meanwhile, you can catch more samples of glass we've etched on our new Tropical Etch gallery.

"Happy Thanksgiving" from Bucky and Nani in Pa'auilo, Big Island

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING" says Bucky the llama! His sister Nani also wishes you a wonderful Holiday! They are so grateful to be living up on the mountain on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii...in Pa'auilo. They live where wild turkey flocks high tail it thru their pasture, baiting Copper to come for a chase. Bucky's a little shy, tho loves his carrots. Nani is just pure love!
Be sure to see their humans' amazing artwork at the Annual Thanksgiving Studio Sale in Volcano this weekend. It really is not to be missed. All of the galleries, and artist studios open their spaces for you to perouse and purchase all your hand made holiday gifts. Be sure to save some cash to treat your self to a trinket or two, to adornmen yourself and home!
Tell Zeke and Randy...and all the other artists I send my Aloha! Wish I could join you...tho cooking a bird and lamb for a gaggle here in Pacific Heights. Much aloha to all! Deb

Car decals are so much more! Decorate garden pots...

Again...my motto seems to come back to "no surface shall be left unadorned!" It exists...therefore it must be altered, or be made into an alter.

Here you find a simple...tho quite hideous planter, made fresh and anew with monstera and tribal gecko decals.



Keep thinking green...what can I make special? and who can I give it to?

I'm definitely into my "alter and purge" stage.

New Gallery Postings...More dimensional projects with tropical rubber stamps

http://www.rubberstampplantation.com/Gallery/StampsMisc/index.htm
This is part of the new gallery Eric uploaded last week. He went around the workshop and photographed some of the projects that are on display. Stephanie Freeman, Sharon Diskin, Roberta Wax, Syndee Holt, Marie Segal, Erin Arguenta, Debbie West, Ira Ono, Zeke Israel, Mike Todd, Lilla Levine, Tammi Hitchcock, Margie Yasui, Suze Weinberg, Michele Ota, and other amazing creatives have contributed to our revolving "Gallery" located at 746 Ilaniwai Street, in the Kaka'ako neighborhood of Honolulu.
We're nestled amongst car repair places and small ware houses...lunch trucks, Korean "spas", and ever blooming plumeria trees! Blocks away from the beach, most people know the street, not it's name.
We have barely scratched the surface, archiving and uploading inspiring projects. Keep checking back...and PLEASE send us your Rubber Stamp Plantation Artwork & Projects!
You can either email them to us...or send us the real thing!

U da best!
debz

Food to the right, fresh lava straight ahead...

On the Big Island for 5 days, I headed south to Kalapana with Zeke. We were on our way to buy goodies for our stores from a woman who imports from Indonesia. This is where we turned left. To the right of the sign was the lava flow that you can hike out to. After sunset you can see the red glow falling into the ocean.

New Chanukah and Jewish stamps!

So our Synagogue, Temple Emanu-El, had their first Chanukah & Chaliday Craft Fair yesterday. The day was gorgeous with light trades...a perfect day for a Hawaiian craft Fair.
Hoping to get some Chanukah Cards made with the Menorah photo shoot collection (menorah on the beach...as seen in previous blog posts), I decided to pump out some Chanukah and "Jewish" stamps...This is a first for us...and we're taking requests for additional designs!
So here they are...http://www.rubberstampplantation.com/store/newstamps.htm
Enjoy, and be sure to get them in time for all your holiday needs!

Zeke takes off with Rubber Stamp Plantation stamps and raku!

I'm escaping to Zeke and Randy's place in Pauilo on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island. It'll be my retreat for 5 days following the election.
Zeke is a talented potter who participates in the Volcano Open House Studio Sale...
All of the Galleries and Art Studios in Volcano open their doors Thanksgiving weekend for the most amazing progressive art sale. Artisans and crafters work all year readying for this event.
Zeke brought these prototypes as gifts when he stayed with us for a trade show in September.
I hope these will inspire you to play with stamps in your clay!
Palms waving aloha!
Debz

Kula Lavender Farm...Kula, Maui

Trekking around Maui...and Kula Lavender Farm!

I arrived on Maui, Monday for a wholesale trade show. While waiting for check-in...2 of us hopped into my very full truck (we came over on the Superferry), and headed up the Mountain (Haleakela...which has a crater the size of Manhattan at the top) to visit the Kula Lavender Farm. It was exquisite! I'll post photos and put in links when I return this weekend. I bought huge bouquets of Protea flowers for only $10...Lavender flower season is over, tho the protea are in full bloom. I returned today, after the show to buy as many as is could to bring back for friends!
I also drove through the pastures past Kula and Keokea to meet with Diane and Mike at Ulapalakua Ranch Store, which dates back to the 1880's. They had invited me to lunch, tho arrived a bit late because I was so distracted along the way.

Hope you'll take time for Upcountry Maui when on island next!
Palms waving aloha,
debz

How to display your tropical ATC's!

Tammi brought us these really well done ATC's that she made with our Aloha From Hawaii vintage stickers. The Pineapple ATC has instructions on how to cut up a pineapple. And yes...even my wrist rest for my keyboard is a beach scene!

Paper Nite Sideways...a virtual tour! Click to watch the video clips.

Ok...so I'm not so great with the camera...tho you get the idea! You wouldn't believe the mess...
Thanks to the Menehune, the gang barely knew we were even here last nite. We even had most of the glitter wiped up before the morning stamp elves showed up at work!

Paper Mania!

OMG! what a mess...and great fun! 20 Stampclub participants made close to 300 sheets of parchment paper!
will post the how to...and a video when I get it together!
wish you were here...

Waves up on the North Shore

Guess we're leaving Summer. In Hawaii, this means the waves move from the South Shore to the North Shore...and the lines at Aoki's and Matsumoto's get long. I think Kathy Aoki once told me that she makes 5-10 gallons of home made Shave Ice syrup 3-5 days a week. Often making more than one flavor batch per day! Amazing! I'll have to ask her again when I'm up in Haleiwa. Still haven't tried all the flavors. Great excuse to duck out and go for a drive!