The Holiday Catalog Is LIVE

Holiday Catalog 2016

Click to View the 2016 Holiday Catalog

You have seen sneak peeks from all over the “blog universe” during the month of August while you have been waiting for the day you can order from Stampin’ Up!’s 2016 Holiday Catalog.  Well wait no more…today is the day you can begin ordering. Just click on the link above to view the holiday catalog on-line.  Don’t wait to place those orders! Order today while your favorites items are in stock.   The 2016 Holiday Catalog sales period runs through January 3, 2017.  If you need a paper copy, don’t hesitate to email me (ann@thestampinschach.com), and I will drop one in the mail to you!
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In addition to the Holiday Catalog going live,  Stampin’ Up! is offering 25% discounts on selected annual catalog products. I know I’ll be stocking up on a few of the discounted products—they’re such a great deal! Here are the items you can save on.

Sept 1 - 7Don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions!
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Christmas Pines for Pals Paper Arts

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It’s Thursday…time to play with the Sketch Team at Pals Paper Arts! This week’s sketch is courtesy of the adorable Amy Lazzell.   For today’s sketch, I let the pine boughs represent the vertical band, and the sentiment represent the horizontal layer.  The new Pretty Pine Thinlits, available from the Holiday Catalog on September 1st, are quick and easy to use.  I hope you enjoy my first holiday card for 2016!

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The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips
This card measures 5-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ when folded.

Today’s card is easy-peasy to create.  I ran the three pine bough thinlits from the Pretty Pines collection through the Big Shot several times, using Emerald Envy and Mint Macaron card stock. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of sizes and colors of boughs from which to select when creating my swag.

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Two Gold Foil pine cones, decorated with pearls, are topped with a Cherry Cobbler card stock bow.  A Natural Trim ribbon was added for a little more texture.  In hindsight, I wished I would have added a third pine cone.  Before I send this card out this December, I might add that extra pine cone just to see how it looks!

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The Cherry Cobbler “Noel” and the banner on which it sits, both from the Christmas Pines stamp set, were fussy cut using paper snips.  The sentiments truly sold me on this set!!!

IMG_3253-002I had a ton of fun creating this card.  I will confess I had placed pearls on every one of those red berries, only to remove them.  Maybe next time (wink)!  As always, if you have any questions about the cards I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away.

I’ll leave you with a picture of Jackie and his dad, Kaden.  Jackie was Winners Dog and Kaden was Best of Breed in Macomb, IL recently.  To mark the occasion, we had a father-son win picture taken.  At 81 pounds, Jackie is 10 pounds heavier than his sire.  He’s a BIG boy! Until next time…

Jackie and Kaden in Macomb
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Price: $110.00

Butterfly Basics for Pals Paper Arts

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It’s Thursday, and time for another Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge! This week, one of my idols of the stamping world, Linda Callahan, has a versatile sketch for us.  This sketch works for clean and simple cards, as well as more “fussied up” ones like mine…as you can see from the fabulous inspiration cards created by the Design Team.  In another “return to my roots” effort, I turned to one of my favorite stamps sets, Butterfly Basics.  I hope you enjoy today’s card.

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The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips
This finished card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long when folded.

When I was first faced with this sketch, my immediate thought was to keep the background clean.  I toyed with the idea of creating a textured background or using one of Stampin’ Up!’s gorgeous designer series papers.  Yep…I thought a lot about this background.  And in the end, I opted to create a collage.

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I used Blender Pens with Blushing Bride and Always Artichoke inks to color the flowers and leaves.  Of course, the beautiful Gold Wink of Stella accents on the flowers appear a little muddy in the photo, but in person they are shimmery.  I added pearls for the center of the open blossom.  The stamping off technique was used with the Always Artichoke ferns and the Soft Suede netting.  The Speckles, from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set, were stamped off several times.

Close up of sentiment for PPA Butterfly Basics card

Two little Papillon Potpourri butterflies call attention to the sentiment, which is from the Floral Phrases set.  The edges of the circle, which had been randomly stamped with the netting image, were distressed with Soft Suede ink.

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Tons of texture were added with burlap, lace, satin and natural trim ribbons.  For a different look, I used a simple rolled bow.  The end result is a card which is softly feminine and a touch shabby.

Home Sweet Home

It’s great to be home again! During the month of July, Jackie the Boxer, Kim and I were away more than we were home.  Luckily, Jackie loves to travel and meet people.  We did have time for a quick photo shoot in the area behind one of the hotels…and he shared a bratwurst with one of the guests.  Although I doubt it was the best menu choice for him, being a polite dog he did not refuse the gracious gesture!

Jackie and Mom at Candlewood Suites, Waukesha Weekend

Over the next few weeks, I will have more win photos to share with you.  I LOVE how he looks with this blue background.

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Yep…our baby boy is growing up, and so is his sister, Kia.  In a scene reminiscent of another set of Boxer Twins from a few years back, they are watching the neighborhood kids.

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As always, thank you so much for stopping by for a visit today.  If you have any questions about the cards I create, or the techniques I use, I am only an email away.  Until next time…

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Price: $110.00