Driftwood for next project?

Emily & Andy joined us on a driftwood expedition. Needless to say, they had a blast, and we got some great wood for displays. Prepping for Made in Hawaii festival coming up in Aug.

Sitting mermaid with twinkling H2Os

Sharon Diskin created this amazingly detailed underwater scene with Rubber Stamp Plantation stamps using Twinkling H2Os. She used the maile lei stamp as a sea plant, lehua blossom as a sea sponge, swirl sun for a spider star fish. Starring as themselves...shell honu, coral, sand dollar, etc. She created a similar scene on a cigar box purse.

OMG! More bottle caps. Feeling the pressure to make earrings!

OMG...the bottle caps keep coming. I'm feeling the pressure to keep up with supply! I can flatten at least one cap per red light. I carry my baggie and pliers almost everywhere. Several weeks ago, it was meditation...now it's becoming obsession. Can't quite get the stale beer smell out of them, tho Diamond Glaze works wonders. Seals the smell in! Just another use for DG!

Torn paper technique at Stampclub

Rubber stamped tea towel/kitchen towel with Laua'e stamp!

OK...it's so friggin' simple! I know it may seem like bragging...I do have to say that making Rubber Stamp Plantation stamps for 20+ years has to count for something. they're deeply etched, clean, clear designs that work great in countless media. Bella made a set of tea towels using our Lauae stamp, an image that I originally carved over 10 years ago. It's still one of our best selling stamps. So universal on paper, embossed, in clay...and here on fabric with acrylic paint! We make an XLG Lauae as well...
Nancy, of Vamp Stamp News, has also used this stamp in several of her rubber stamping tutorials. Be sure to check out her magazine and website.
Keep sending us samples of your projects using Rubber StampPlantation products...we'll add the photos to our "Artist's Gallery"...and we'll be sure to send you a gift to show our appreciation!

Bottle cap jewelry...with Aloha from Hawaii Vintage Stickers

Thank you to everyone who sends me bottle caps. What kind of beer or soda do you drink? Don't throw them away...send them this way! Filming tomorrow for a Joy of Crafting segment that will air mid August, just in time for the Made in Hawaii Festival. Be sure to save the date and stop by. As usual, something fun and festive will be happening at our booth. August 21-23, 2009. We'll be in Booth #219/220 at Neil Blaisdell Center.

The "how to...":
smash bottle cap on both sides with a hammer
pluck out the plastic seal from what used to be the inside. this is perhaps the toughest part.
use a nail, awl, ice pick to hammer a hole as close to the top as you can.
use a 1 inch hole punch to punch out the vintage sticker of your choice.
stick it on the bottle cap.
fill with diamond glaze. let dry overnite. attach beads or just an earing wire!

Artwork above my desk: Adorable Microscope slide by Min

Min...where are you...miss you!!!! I adore this trinket Min made me. If you look closely, the "pouch" is made from double sided scapbook paper. die cut or trimmed with fancy scissors, embellished with flowers, 2 square brads, key chain with charm, ribbon, and of course...microscope slide pendant/ornament.

Microscope slide pendants and magnets

Mike led Stampclub one eve when we were able to create collages between microscope slides. In this one, I used the Fish Stamp, and Vintage Hula girl stickers from our "Aloha from Hawaii" sticker line. On the back I used a few of our postage/cancellation stamps for a "black and white" look.

It's a little fuzzy, tho at least you can get the idea...

Another Bodacious Bangle Bracelet...

I'm soooo addicted! I ordered more blank bangles and went crazy. I painted over 100 with Luminarte's radiant rain daubers...sponging the paints on. A bit of Lumiere paints for a little texture and more bling. This batch o bracelets are chunkier and super yummy! I went all out...sizes sm-xl. Flat, domed, thin to super thick. LOVE them...
I used the Islamic Border stamp, one of my favorites, and finally clear coated the bracelet with Tripple Thick by DecoArt.
Had a hard time giving this one up. Sent 60 to The General Store Gallery & Gift Shop in Kilohana, Lihue Kauai.

Woven Chevron Paper Bookmarks...

Reminder Stampclub this Mon nite...May 18
5:30-8p@ Rubber Stamp Plantation.

Art play nite/stress relief!
We'll be working with really cool "chevron" templates to make divine paper cut bookmarks ( or panels for cards, craft projects, scrapbooking, etc). These look like they're from a museum gift shop! This technique is easily finished...so you'll have a chance to make as many as you like. This is one of the "new" stampclub projects that coordinate with Lorena & Su's monthly "Art with Attitude" swap. However many you contribute, you will receive back!
What to bring...
yourself, perhaps a friend, $5 and a pupu.
We'll be scheduling projects for the next 6 months, so please come with ideas and techniques!
Pls call to let us know if you're coming! 591-2122

Upcoming events:
Sat. May 23 10a-12p Tropical Etch: etching glass block vase. Ben Franklin Market City.
Fri. May 29 5-10p. Wedding Expo: glass etching centerpieces, favors, wine glasses. Convention Center
Fri. June 6 2-9p. Kamehameha Alumni Luau. Full line of stamps, etc. Free temporary tattoos! Kamehameha campus.

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!

Vintage Pendant-copper & mica frame

Marilyn is one of those great women who is often cranky, and always creative...She made this way cool pendant with patina'd copper, wrapped with wire. The vintage photo is one of Rubber Stamp Plantation's Aloha from Hawaii vintage stickers. She used mica as the "glass window", giving it a slightly textured antique look. I love this idea and her execution. You can find Marilyn every month in Kapiolani Park at the Handcrafters and Artisans Alliance Craft Fairs. In her booth you'll find art dolls, sterling flatware jewelry (I wear my demitasse earrings often), Raku perfume/oil amulets....

Plumeria wall hanging with new Craft Stencils

I was playing around with our new Tropical Craft Stencils.
I used the retro plumeria stencil and pressed it into terra cotta clay. I also used the monstera border stamp...one of my favorites. This was bisque ware that I colored with Radiant Rain misters. I used a protective coating to seal the piece.

This will also work nicely with polymer clay.

No surface is safe...the mad stamper continues...

Sometimes I feel like a mad stamper! I have this black fabric ink pad on the table at all times...NOTHING is spared! I love this old monkey lamp that's been up front in the shop for eons... I pulled out timber and another brown stazon pad and sponged the background. I then added stamped images with my infamous black pad. I used my hand behind the shade for support against the rubber stamp.
I then stamped with the lg honu petro, petro panel, and gourd dancers stamps. All from Rubber Stamp Plantation Petroglyph collection.

We made the Morning News!

Wow! We ended up in a media blitz Friday and Saturday. KHON Morning News filmed at our workshop with Manolo Morales from 6a-8a. (with toothpicks holding up my eyelids...it was a Made in Hawaii Festival preview show...we zipped out of here to open the show at 8:30am!!!!!) We had 4 3-4 min spots! Manolo made his own Bodacious Bangle with paw print and bamboo stamps. He's beyond smitten with Bubba...his Yorkie Terrier, now 2 yrs old.
He then made a snack platter with the Tiki Torches Hawaiian Island Decal...black on copper plate.
He managed to squeeze in another segment, again with the paw print and tracks stamps, he made a cotton tea towel to take home to his pup and wife.
Finally, he participated in the fine, ancient art of Rubber Pressing.
Be sure to see the video link at the top of the blog!

We also made the 6p and 10 pm on KHON as well as KHNL!
Newscasters showed up with cameramen in tow to ask about the Festival, the economy, small business, etc. Hope some of you got to see it. We were headlines on Saturday websites of both stations!!

Hooked on Bangles! Bodacious Bangles

Just finished another batch-o-bangles! I'm now sooo addicted to these buggers. I'm becoming much more experimental and daring with color mixing. Also experimenting with stamps that I hadn't thought of before. Picture on the left is the Koi Vase stamp. love the way it came out.
Now off to wash up and hele on home.

Bodacious Bangles!

I left for the Big Island of Hawaii March 31, and just returned last nite. Will post more about my amazing Volcano and lava experience later...want to get the skivvy posted about the Bodacious Bangles.

Material needed:
1. Rubber Stamp Plantation Stamps (fish tapa, hibiscus, maile lei, kukui lei, lau'ae-fern, swirl sun all xlg bamboo, lg bamboo, all worked great)

2. Wood bangles from DIYbangles.com

3. Radiant Rain luminescent paint daubers from Luminarte, Inc.

4. Stewart Superior black fabric ink (permanent black)

5. Blank/uninked microcellular foam ink pad (I love the large 3 1/2 x 6 1/4 inch pad)

6. Triple Thick coating by DecoArt

7. Makeup sponges to apply the paints

8. Sponge paint brushes to apply the Triple Thick

9. Something with spokes or similar to hang bracelets on to dry

Shake your paints well to evenly distribute the pigment and mica powders (luminescence)
Use the dauber to paint the outside of the bracelets. I open the paints and use makeup sponge for the inside.
Stamp with your favorite Rubber Stamp Plantation stamps with ink

When dry, rub side of bracelet on ink pad to make the black bands

Paint the outside with Triple Thick. let dry and paint the inside....
Viola!
You're Pau! (done in Hawaiian!)