I was informed today that Muffy Lin is currently ranked as the #1 United Kennel Club (UKC) Boxer in the country!   Now the show season is early, and I know that this ranking will change after this weekend, but I wanted to share the news with you!  This will probably be the only time I will be able to post that she is “top dog”…since we do not have any UKC shows coming up in the near future.  Other dogs will post wins and garner points while she is away from the UKC ring.  Fame is fleeting, but it is fun while it lasts!

 Wasn’t she just adorable in the ring as a 6 month old puppy strutting her stuff?

American Kennel Club (AKC) shows are another story, and Muffy continues her quest for her AKC championship title as she competes this weekend and next in two major AKC shows.  Win or lose, she and her brother are still #1 in our hearts here at The Stampin’ Schach!


Thanks for taking the time to read this non-stamping post.  I know that so many of you follow the Twins, and that you would love hearing the news.  Until next time…

Have you ever needed just a little something for a friend’s birthday?  How about a decorated matchbox with coordinating card?  Stampin’ Up!’s Matchbox Bigz XL Die, which is the perfect size for a few pieces of yummy chocolate or a piece of jewelry, takes on even more pizzazz when paired with a small gift card and matching envelope.  This easy to make gift card was inspired from one featured during a Main Stage presentation by Donna Griffith at the Milwaukee Regional.  I made a few little changes, and added Basic Pearls.  The emphasis was on keeping this little ensemble quick and easy! I hope you enjoy it!

The gift card measures 3″ x 3″.

• Go with the Faux! Faux Sueded Peach Parfait flowers are the perfect embellishment for a Peach Parfait Matchbox! Three flowers were punched using the 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch.  A hole was then punched in the middle of each. The fibers in the card stock were broken down by repeatedly folding and unfolding. In addition, they were curled over the edge of  a bone folder.  Once the paper was softened, each scallop circle was separated into two layers. The layers were then stacked and held in position with a small brad. After spritzing with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch, the flower was shaped.

• Easy Peasy Three-by-Threesy!  The “Frame” from the Sale-A-Bration set Elementary Elegance was inked in VersaMark and stamped onto Peach Parfait card stock.  It was then heat embossed using White Stampin’ Emboss Powder! Basic Pearls enhance the Calypso Coral Happy Birthday sentiment, also from the Elementary Elegance set.

• Envelope Envy! A 5″ by 5″ square of Sale-A-Bration’s Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper was transformed into a custom made envelope in seconds with the new Simply Scored Diagonal Plate. 

• A Video View! For more information on making custom envelopes with the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, watch this video from Stampin’ Up!

• The Ol’ Switcheroo!  In case you are wondering, I did switch out the Poppy Parade Bow for a Pear Pizzazz Bow.  Which do you like best? Any guesses as to which one I prefer?

I hope you enjoyed today’s project.  The Milwaukee Regional was certainly inspiring and I have much more to share.  But, what could be more inspiring that talking with Shelli herself! Boy, do I feel short! 

As always, your comments are important to me, and I enjoy our chats! Remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

 

The talented Nance Leedy is our hostess for The Paper Players this week, and she is challenging us to design a Clean and Simple card Using Buttons.  To be truthful, this was not my first design.  I started with Stampin’ Up!’s Brights color palette and tons of buttons.  But it just was not me.  So I started over and truly tried to stay faithful to a clean and elegant design using the new catalog preview set, Everything Eleanor.  Enjoy today’s quick and easy card!

The card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long.

• Buttons! Buttons take on a different twist when topped with a Basic Pearl.  The resulting look adds a touch of elegance! In addition, the Pearls coordinate with the centers of the Rose Red Boho Blossoms, thus pulling the design together.

• Bows!  Add a touch of class instantly with a beautiful bow.  Seam Binding is a perfect choice for enhancing a softly feminine look.

• Butterflies! A Pretty in Pink Beautiful Wings Embosslit Butterfly accentuates the Pretty in Pink buttons, adding just the right amount of a lighter pink hue to balance the card.

Since many of you may not have the Everything Eleanor Flourish which I used, why not try either of these sets, both of which have gorgeous flourishes:  Baroque Motifs, Wedding Sweet.

Hopefully The Stampin’ Schach is loading for you again! After several days of troubleshooting, Heather Wright-Porto of  Blogs by Heather, was able to solve my redirecting problem. Heather does an excellent job with blog design and blog maintenance, and I would not hesitate to recommend her in a heartbeat.  What caused the problem will remain a mystery…but let’s hope it does not occur again! Heather, I can’t thank you enough!  And I also need to thank those of you who kept me posted as to whether the site was coming up and the specific error messages you were receiving!  I LOVE my blogging friends! So clear your cache and cookies, and keep on coming back!

As always, your comments are important to me! I would love to hear what you think about today’s card.  So won’t you leave a comment today?  And as always, if you ever have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

Stamp Set:  Everything Eleanor (Not Available Yet);  Ink:  Jet Black StazOn (101406); Card Stock:  Rose Red (102544), Whisper White (100730);  Tools:  Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Beautiful Wings Embosslits (118138);  Glitz and Glam:  Rose Red Seam Binding (121884), Basic Pearls (119247)