Are you ready for a little fun while you learn? Summer vacation is coming to an end, and school will soon be in session here at The Stampin’ Schach. That’s right…this teacher is heading back to the virtual classroom, with the unveiling of The Stampin’ Schach’s Stamp Set/Lesson of the Month Club.  It’s like stamping with me, right in my kitchen!

Presenting a Lesson on Bow Making to the Stampin’ Pretty Pals at Convention, 2013. Photo by Kris Kilcoyne.

Mary Fish’s Stampin’ Pretty Pals at Convention 2013.  Photo courtesy of Kris Kilcoyne

You will receive:

• the stamp set      
•  three completed cards (envelopes not included) 
• project sheets which contain step-by-step instructions and photos on how to complete each card, including measurements
• item numbers for each product used
• a private link to a video lesson for one of the projects, discussing how it was created and demonstrating how to do the techniques used
• email assistance to answer any questions you may have about the cards

Distressing doesn’t have to be stressful…it can be fun! The Stampin’ Pretty Pals at Convention 2013. Photo courtesy of Kris Kilcoyne.

• You will be able to see the cards before you decide to order. They will be posted by the 5^th of each month
• You will have until 12:00 Noon (CST) on the 10th of each month to email me that you will be participating and to pay your PayPal invoice, which will be emailed to you.
• There is no commitment.  You can subscribe one month, and opt out the next.  However, if you subscribe for three consecutive months, you will receive a surprise valued between $4.95 – $5.95 with your next Stamp Set/Lesson of the Month shipment.

Here is a re-cap of what you will receive each month:

• A Clear Mount stamp set selected by me, valued between $14.95 – $18.95.  You may substitute a set of equal or lesser value, if I am contacted before the ordering deadline OR you may pay the difference for wood mount if you prefer.
• Three complete cards featuring the “Set of the Month”
• Complete step-by-step instructions for each card, including pictures and measurements
• A link to a video tutorial for one of the cards

When she was a puppy, Lexi learned the importance of sharing.  The importance of sharing cuddle time with her big sister…

  and snuggle time with her brother.

She learned the importance of sharing playtime…

and the importance of sharing her toys.

But most of all, she learned the importance of sharing Stampin’ Up!

So to keep Lexi happy, it’s once again time for my annual Holiday Catalog shares! Participating in shares allows you to sample a little bit of everything while not breaking the bank! I do the ordering, the measuring, the cutting, the packaging and the mailing, while you sit back and relax, and dream about your soon-to-be-delivered goodies!

Why should you participate in The Stampin’ Schach Shares?  Here are four great reasons:

• Quick delivery! I expedite my share orders to Stampin’ Up! The sooner I receive them, the sooner you can start playing with your goodies!
• Packaging! Designer Papers are identified for you, so you don’t have to play “Which collection is this?”  Ribbons are neatly coiled, not just thrown in a bag.
• Amounts! You receive 6″ x 12″ rectangles of paper, not 6″ x  6″ squares.  That’s a plus for those of you who scrapbook!  Plus, the 10 yard rolls of ribbon are divided into fourths, while the 5 yard rolls of ribbon are cut in half.  This way you receive approximately 2-1/2 yards of ribbon…1/2 yard more than many others are offering.
• A chance to win!  Everyone who purchases a Holiday Catalog share will have their names entered into a drawing for a FREE “I Want It All Bundle” from the 2014 Spring Catalog.

Here is what others have said about my shares:

Here are The Holiday Catalog Stampin’ Schach share options:

Option #1:  Designer Series Paper and Foil Shares
Note:  These are 6″ x 12″ sheets, suitable for both card making and scrapbooking!

• 24 – 6″ x 12″ sheets of Designer Series Paper (6 from each of the 4 collections in the catalog)
• 4 – 6″ x 12″ sheets of the new Foil Paper (2 gold, 2 silver)

Total of 28 sheets
Cost:  $15.00 + $4.95 shipping = $19.95

Option #2: Textured Card Stock Share
Note:  These are 6″ x 12″ sheets, suitable for both card making and scrapbooking!

• 48 – 6″ x 12″ sheets of textured card stock (12 of each of the 4 colors offered in the Holiday Catalog)

Cost: $11.95 + $4.95 shipping = $16.90

Option #3: Ribbon Share

• Approximately 2-1/2 yards of each of the three new ribbons featured in the Holiday Catalog
• Total of 7-1/2 yards

Cost:  $7.50  + $2.95 shipping = $10.45

Option #4:  I Want It All

• This includes EVERYTHING in Options 1, 2, 3 (Designer Paper, Foil, Textured Card Stock, Ribbons)
• Total of 76 – 6″ x 12″ sheets of paper, 7-1/2 yards of ribbon

Cost:  $43.00 (shipping included)

Purchase any of the above options, and add the following for only $5.00:

Add-On “A”

• 4 clips with bows
• 6 beautiful, sparkly frosted embellishments

Cost:  $5.00 (no additional shipping)

So don’t hesitate, the deadline for signing up for the first round of shares is July 31st.   Email me today with your choices and method of payment (PayPal or check)!  As per Stampin’ Up! rules, shares can only be shipped to US addresses.

Big Announcement: During the 2013 – 2014 Catalog share period, I announced that anyone who participated in those shares would be entered into a drawing to win an “I Want It All” bundle from the Holiday Catalog.  The Winner is: Angie J. from Wichita, KS. Congrats, Angie! Please email me to claim your bundle.  Until next time…

It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players. This week, the lovely Jaydee has a sweet and simple sketch for us.  I wanted to play with a few of my Holiday Catalog preorder items, so out came Wonderful Wreath, Truly Grateful, and the Expressions Thinlits Dies.  The resulting card is a wee bit country and fun to make!  I hope you enjoy it!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:  A Country Christmas Card
This finished card measures 5-1/2″ wide by 4-1/4″ long.

• Woodsy chevrons! Don’t you love the look of the Chevron image from Truly Grateful?  Inked in Baked Brown Sugar, the result reminds me of wood planking. I used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line up the images perfectly.

• Snippity snip! Although you can use the Circles Collection Framelits Dies to quickly punch out the Wonderful Wreath image, I opted to snip it out. A little Soft Suede ink applied with a Sponge Dauber softens the edges, while Pearls add a little pizzazz.

• Very merry! A Cherry Cobbler “Merry” Thinlit is the perfect sentiment to nestle upon the wreath.  In order to remove the thinlit easily, I placed a piece of wax paper between the card stock and the die.  It works like magic.  My adhesive of choice for adhering Thinlits is Stampin’ Up!’s 2-Way Glue Pen. I simply “paint” the back of the Thinlit, and it’s ready to go!

So what do you think? A little bit country? Won’t you let me know in today’s comment?  Your comments are important to me. Of course, if you ever have any questions about the cards I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

Stamp Sets:  Truly Grateful (Available August 1, 2013 W 131730,  C 131733), Wonderful Wreath (Available August 1, 2013 W 132748); Ink: Baked Brown Sugar (131174), Always Artichoke (126972), Soft Suede (126978); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Naturals Ivory (101849), Cherry Cobbler (119685); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Expressions Thinlits Dies (Available August 1, 2013—132171), Paper Snips (103579), Sponge Daubers (102892), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425); Glitz and Glam: Basic Pearls (119247)