This cold and rainy day was tailor-made for staying inside and stamping.  So with three contented Boxers by my side, I decided to design a quick and easy card.  With its sprig of mistletoe,  I think today’s card would be perfect for a significant other.  I hope you enjoy “Christmas Love”!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips: Easy and Elegant
This finished card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long.

• Hot Shot! Heat embossing is easy with Stampin’ Up!’s new Heat Tool.  It is quiet enough that it allows sleeping Boxers to remain that way.  For today’s card, I inked up the Mistletoe image from Christmas Blessings with VersaMark, and heat embossed with Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder.  The leaves were quickly tinted with Always Artichoke ink and a Blender Pen.  Of course, every sprig of mistletoe needs Basic Pearl berries!

• Designer Sentiment! I used a VersaMarker to selectively ink the words “Christmas” and “love” on the two sentiment stamps from the Christmas Blessings set.  These were heat embossed with Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder.  The result…a custom sentiment perfect for a mistletoe card! No VersaMarker?  Don’t despair.  You can simply ink the words with Stampin’ Write Markers. If your heart is set on embossing, however,  you can “paint” the words using VersaMark ink from the re-inker.

• Oops! Pearls to the rescue!  When I discovered that my mat was a smidge too short for my card base, I did not panic! What else would I use to cover my blooper?  Why Pearls, of course! And do I have a Pearl Tree in my back yard?  I’ll never tell.  You will just have to come and visit me to see!

Twins Update

Muffy and Brody thank you for the well wishes.  Brody’s appetite has returned, and Muffy continues to grow stronger everyday.  It appears from some of the emails I have received, that others have had similar episodes with their furbabies…including being placed on IV’s.  Whatever the cause of it…let’s hope it does not come knocking at your door!  Little Lexi is still healthy.  It seems that she is a fashion maven who doesn’t approve of tassels on shoes.  At least, I assume that is why she chewed them off mine.  How can anything so cute be so naughty?

“I did not chew Mom’s shoes…Muffy did it!”

Would You Like a Free Spring Mini Catalog

If you would like to be added to my mailing list for a copy of the Spring Catalog, please email me.  I would be more than happy to see that you receive a copy when they become available later in December.

I hope you enjoyed today’s card.  I tried to design something that could be created in a relatively short time.  Although I used the retired Snowburst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, you could substitute a different folder…or even a coordinating pattern from one of your favorite Designer Series Paper collections.  So what do you think?  Won’t you let me know in today’s comment?  Your comments are important to me, and I do read each and every one! Until next time… 

Stamp Set:  Christmas Blessings; Inks:  VersaMark, Always Artichoke; Card Stock:  Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple, Brushed Gold; Tools:  Big Shot, Heat Tool, Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder, Blender Pen, Snowburst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (retired), VersaMarker (retired);  Glitz and Glam:  Basic Pearls

It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players.  This week, the oh-so-talented Anne Marie is treating us to a gorgeous color challenge:  Old Olive, More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy.  The Quint-Essential Flower stamp seemed like the perfect choice for the bold, clean card I wished to create.  Enjoy!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips: Clean and Bold
This finished card measures 5-1/2″ wide by 4-1/4″ long.

• Pretty in Pearls! The Quint-Essential image is tailor-made for adding pearls.  If you are feeling frugal, a single gem in the middle will do the trick.  But if you are feeling like going on a pearl-splurge, what could be better than adding Basic Pearls around the perimeter!

• Contrast! The smooth texture of the Friend sentiment, from the Affection Collection set,  is offset by the fabulous texture provided by the Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

• Playing with Patterns!  The simplicity of Bravo Burgundy Stripes and Old Olive Dots plays perfectly against the complexity of the More Mustard Gingham.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am thankful the Twins continue on their road to improvement.  As several of you know, both suffered from a severe bacterial infection, which started nearly two weeks ago, after Muffy’s return from the Sioux Falls show.  I won’t go into details, but Muffy was placed on an IV.  The poor baby did get to return home the same morning.  She lost weight so quickly that her backbone is showing.  My thoughts certainly were not on stamping or my blog.  After getting shots, taking meds, and eating boiled rice with special bland canned food, she and Brody are slowly being returned to their normal diet.  And in case you are wondering about little Lexi...she is fine.  She is too naughty to get sick!

What do you think of my attempt at being clean and bold?  I like these colors together.  How about you?  As always, your comments are important to me, and I do read each and every one.  And remember, 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:  Quint-Essential Flower, Affection Collection; Inks:  Bravo Burgundy, Old Olive, More Mustard;  Designer Series Paper:  Regals Designer Series Paper Stack, Orchard Harvest; Card Stock: Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy; Tools:  Big Shot, Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch, 1″ Punch, 3/4″ Punch, 1/2″ Punch, Large Oval Punch; Glitz and Glam:  Basic Pearls

It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players!  Our challenge this week is a simple Theme Challenge.  All you need to do is create a project where you “Give Thanks”.   From Thank You cards to Thanksgiving cards and anything in-between…the choice is yours! Since I had not created a distressed card in a long time, I pulled out the sponge daubers and the French Foliage stamp set, and distressed to my heart’s content.  Enjoy “Gratitude for The Paper Players”!

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

• Score!  After stamping the background with Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, and More Mustard leaves, the card stock was scored using the Diagonal Plate on my Simply Scored Tool.

• Pearly sentiment! The Gratitude sentiment from Days of Gratitude was inked in Early Espresso and stamped onto Naturals Ivory card stock.  It was popped out using an Apothecary Accents Framelit.  The ends were snipped off, and Basic Pearls were added for pizzazz!

• Double bow! An Always Artichoke Seam Binding Bow adds a touch of elegance, in contrast to the distressing.

 

Today’s card, with its extreme distressing, won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.  But after several “clean” cards in a row, it felt good to get those daubers, color spritzer tool and Watermark stamp out.  What do you think?  Won’t you let me know in today’s comment?  Your comments are important to me, and I do read each and every one.  And remember…if you ever have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away!  Until next time…

Stamp Sets:  French Foliage, Days of Gratitude; Inks:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker; Card Stock:  Naturals Ivory, Cajun Craze;  Tools:  Big Shot, Houndstooth Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Simply Scored, Diagonal Plate, Sponge Daubers, Color Spritzer Tool, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch; Glitz and Glam:  Always Artichoke Seam Binding, Basic Pearls