Flores Suaves for the Pals

It’s a Clean and Simple Elements of Style—Bows challenge at Pals Paper Arts this week! How easy is that! Just make your card, keep it simple, and add a bow! For my inspiration card I used the Flores Suaves stamp set from the 2010 – 2011 Celebrando Creatividad catalog, accented with a shimmery Night of Navy satin bow. I hope you enjoy the first card I have made with this set. Hopefully there will be many more!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Unexpected! I love the look of Cajun Craze with Baja Breeze…and if not for the Color Coach I would not have even thought about pairing the two together. According to “The Coach”, Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy are a Dynamic Duo, too. So I thought, “Why not use it as my card base!” Well, duh! I don’t know what I was thinking. Happy as a clam, I pulled out Night of Navy and completed the card. Sorry, Coach…my intentions were in the right place!
  • Texture! One way to add interest to a clean layout is through texture. And what could be quicker or easier than zipping an embossing folder through the Big Shot. Framed Tulips and Perfect Polka Dots do the trick here!
  • Glitz and Glam! Night of Navy Satin Ribbon makes into a yummy bow, especially when smooched with a spritz of Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz! Basic Pearls are the perfect accent for a butterfly! (If you need a refresher on how to make a quick and easy bow, please check out my video tutorial HERE.)

What a wonderful set! I would encourage you to check out Celebrando Creatividad if you have not already done so. Tomorrow I will showcase another card from this catalog.

Ribbon Winner

We have a winner of the Real Red Ribbon! The random number generator came up with #9…AMY FINK! Amy, will you please send me an email with your address, and I will send your ribbon out right away! Next Wednesday, I will have another little give-away!

As always, I appreciate your comments, so please let me know what you think about today’s card. And remember…if you have any questions about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…


Stamp Set: Flores Suaves (112913); Ink: Early Espresso (119670), Soft Suede (115657), Cajun Craze (119671), Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker (120973); Card Stock: Night of Navy (100867), Baja Breeze (111352), Cajun Craze (119684), Very Vanilla (101650); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Sponge Dauber (102982), Paper Snips (103579), Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (117335), Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (121809); Glitz and Glam: Basic Pearls (119247), Night of Navy Satin Ribbon (120932), Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (118772)

A Peek and Free Ribbon


Here’s a little close-up of my Pals Paper Arts inspiration card, which will be revealed Thursday when the challenge goes live! As you can tell, I have smooched the ribbon. Hopefully, there will be a few surprises when you see it in its entirety!
I am starting my spring cleaning a little early! I have found several retired and unused Stampin’ Up! items which I be using as mini-Blog Candy over the next few Wednesdays. This week I am offering a spool of Real Red 1″ Wide Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, just perfect for embellishing Valentines. I will randomly select a winner from all comments left today through 10:00 PM CST, and announce the winner at the end of tomorrow’s post. As a comment starter, how about sharing your favorite color combination for Valentines. I will start out…I like Red and Gray, or Red and Black.

Twin’s Update

The Boxer Twins are official “Obedience School” graduates! Brody could not attend the graduation ceremonies because his “Dad” had to work. Kim usually has Mondays off, and since I could only handle one puppy, I picked the one who weighs the least! However, Muffy represented the duo quite well. In fact, their instructor said that I could report that Muffy was first in her class! Woo hoo! She did an excellent job…so well that I wondered if I really had my own dog. She is quite the little performer, and seems to know just when to “show-off” and do her best! We still have to keep the two separated so she does not get re-injured. So once again, the house looks like a war zone with barriers set up through the middle. Maybe one of these days, I can get my home decor back to normal!

Sale-A-Bration

Need help placing your order? Don’t hesitate to email me! I will help. Remember, you will receive one free SAB item for each $50 of product you order.
If your Wish List is big, I would love to talk with you about becoming a demonstrator. Email me, and we will set up a time to talk. I will gladly answer any of your questions.

Coming Up:


Thursday…PPA Reveal and Ribbon Winner Named
Sunday…FIRST Paper Players Blog Hop


Until next time…

Distressed Bird

Do you have a favorite card from the past that is in need of an update? I did. It’s amazing how much products change in one year’s time! Basic Pearls, Seam Binding, Antique Brads! A year ago these were not part of the Stampin’ Up! product line. And vintage wasn’t vogue, either! So what I wanted to do was to make a vintage version of this clean and classy card:

Clean and classy! Vintage and distressed! Two looks with the same basic layout!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Texture! The Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder was zipped through the Big Shot with Very Vanilla card stock.
  • Distress! The Seven-Sided Tool from the Cutter Kit is the perfect way to roughen up an edge. Follow this up with Soft Suede ink and a Sponge Dauber!
  • Age it! The Color Spritzer Tool and a Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker adds instant speckles! Faux burn and roll down a corner for even more character!
  • Glitz and Glam! What could coordinate better with Cherry Cobbler card stock than Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, accented with Basic Pearls? And for a whimsical touch, add a pearl eye to the bird!
  • Eye candy! A Scallop Punch Flower with an Antique Brad center balances the look!

It just so happened that I gave the original clean and classy card to my husband for Valentine’s Day last year, so I am able to provide you with a side-by-side comparison of the two cards. How cool to see them next to each other!

As always, your comments mean so much to me. So please, won’t you leave me a comment and let me know what you think about today’s card? And remember, if you have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away!

And don’t forget…Sale-A-Bration starts today! For every $50 in product that you purchase, you will receive a free Sale-A-Bration product! Place your order with me today and earn your “Shop with Schach” Rewards! Until next time…

Stamp Set: Be My Valentine (122045—Occasions Mini); Ink: Jet Black StazOn (101406), Soft Suede (115657), Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker (120973); Designer Series Paper: Love Letters (117162); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Cherry Cobbler (119685), Basic Black (121045); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (115963), Sponge Dauber (102892), Two Step Bird Punch (117191), 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch (119854), Cutter Kit (106958), Color Spritzer Tool (107066); Glitz and Glam: Basic Pearls (119247), Antique Brads (117273), Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding (120992)