An Inspiration Challenge for Pals Paper Arts


It’s Thursday and time to play with the Pals! This week, Pals Paper Arts is having an inspiration challenge based on this photograph:

When I first saw this opulent spread of elegant deserts, one thing really stood out…the gorgeous tablecloth. In addition, this buffet screamed “Holiday Open House” to me. So I recreated the tablecloth, in a slightly different color combination, added Basic Pearls for a touch of class, and mimicked the gold mirror by embossing a trio of festive trees. I hope you like my “Holiday Open House Invitation”! Enjoy!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Damask, you ask? The background of this card was made by brayering a layer of Bravo Burgundy ink onto the Damask Texturz Plate from the Backgrounds I collection. I then zipped it through the Big Shot with a piece of Bashful Blue card stock. This was the technique that I had seen others use, but I had never tried it myself. You know why? Because I thought it looked hard! I could not have been any more wrong. It was so easy! And to make it even easier, I used a freshly inked pad and dampened the card stock with a misting of water.
  • Tree easy pieces! The “Tree Sections” from the Playful Pieces Hostess Level 3 set were actually cut from the “Swirl Rectangle”, which had been heat embossed with Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder. Don’t forget to use your Embossing Buddy to avoid the dreaded “Embossing Spotted Fever”. I then assembled the trees by adhering the pieces onto Very Vanilla card stock, after which I cut out the silhouettes.

  • Texture! The trio of trees were then popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and adhered to a mat of Perfect Polka Dots.

  • A touch of opulence! Basic Pearl triads accent three corners of the image and sentiment, while the smallest Basic Pearls adorn the damask!

There is a moral to this card: Never be afraid to attempt something because you think it is “too hard”. When I was teaching, I would never have allowed my students to use this excuse, for we need to stretch ourselves in order to continue to grow. The same applies to our craft. And you never know…it may be easier than you think!

I wish that all of you lived closer to me! Couldn’t we have a fun Holiday Open House? We could do a little stamping, you could let me teach you a technique (because old teachers never die, they just lose their class), and then we could eat! Of course, you could play with the Boxer Twins, too. How fun would that be! However, since nobody lives close to me, how about you leave a comment and let me know a technique which you would like to learn more about. Maybe we could at least do that part! Sound like fun? So, leave me a comment before you head out. 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…


Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

Stamp Sets: Playful Pieces Hostess Level 3 (W 119993, C 120145), Wedding Sweet (115466); Inks: Bravo Burgundy (105214), VersaMark (102283); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Brushed Gold (102935), Bravo Burgundy (105123), Bashful Blue (105120); Tools: Brayer (102395), Heat Tool (100005), Embossing Buddy
(103083), Big Shot (113439), Background Collection 1 Texturz Plates (114512); Glitz and Glam: Basic Pearls (119247), Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109129)

Monochromatic Vintage Collage and Sneak Peek for Pals Paper Arts


I had fully planned on having a holiday card to share with you today, but more puppy drama, which I will share after the card, got in the way. So instead of a new card, I would like to share one that I created earlier this year during my tenure as a member of the Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen Design Team. And I am excited to share a peek at my Pals Paper Arts card for this week’s challenge. Enjoy!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Distress! The Seven-Sided Tool from the Cutter Kit is one of my favorite tools for roughing up the edges of card stock! So easy! Follow this up with a little Early Espresso ink applied with a Sponge Dauber. And lest I forget…never forget the Color Spritzer Tool! Coupled with an Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker and Log Cabin Smooch Spritz, we have instant speckles. (For an updated version of this card, I would definitely use the “Watermark” stamp from the French Foliage set.)
  • Emboss! Heat embossing is an easy way to add texture! The “Eiffel Tower” image and the “Medallion” image from Artistic Etchings were stamped in VersaMark and then heat embossed with a bronze embossing powder. (Remember, this was created for the Dirty Dozen. For a Stampin’ Up! only card, I would simply use Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder.)
  • Layer your ribbons! What a nice vintage touch Chantilly Crochet Trim adds to Early Espresso 5/8″ Satin Ribbon. Of course, Basic Pearls are always in vogue for the vintage look!
At the time that this card was made, French Foliage had not been released. If I were to refurbish this card, I would definitely replace the Tim Holtz Shabby French “Post Mark” and “Script” with those from French Foliage. If I had to select my favorite set from the Holiday Mini, French Foliage is it!

Pals Paper Arts Sneak Peek

And here is your peek for this week! I will let you know that I did a technique that others have used before, but I have not! Any ideas as to what it is? Tune in Thursday to find out!
Puppy Drama…Poor Muffy

Just as I was getting ready to create a new card, Muffy the Boxer fell ill. Within a matter of minutes, her breathing became labored and she broke out with small hives ALL over her body. She was literally covered from snubby nose to stubby tail. Having experienced this once before with Missy the Boxer, I knew that she was having an anaphylactic reaction. So I quickly placed Brody in his crate, grabbed Muffy, jumped in the car, and rushed to the vet, calling the office on the cell phone as we drove off.

Once we reached the vet’s office, we were rushed back to an exam room. Dr. Brooke started an IV of diphenylhydramine, plus Muffy got an injection of Dexasone in her little Boxer bum. Well…change that to her “getting-bigger-every-day-Boxer-butt”. Within a few hours, the welts started to subside. Of course, she had to sleep on Mom’s lap when we got home, and then her Dad’s lap, and then back to her Mom’s lap…you get the picture. My husband, Kim, did check the living room where Muffy had been playing before the incident, and I think he found the culprit…a dead honeybee. Dr. Brooke had stated that she felt that it could have been an insect sting or bite, or perhaps a spider bite. Arghhh! Poor Muffy! As I write this post, she is feeling better, and Dr. Brooke even called this evening to see how she was doing. Her concern was so heartfelt. I will make certain that Muffy makes her a card, with my help.

Whew! What a day Tuesday was! I do appreciate your comments, so please, let me know what you think of today’s vintage collage card and sneak peek. And as always, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away. Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7Stamp Sets: Because I Care Level 1 Hostess Set (W 118384, C 120118), Artistic Etchings (W 118517, C 120573), Notably Ornate (W 117098, C 120561), En Francais (109521), 2004 Valentine Set (available for sale on my retired sets page); Stampers Anonymous Shabby French (Tim Holtz Collection); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Crumb Cake (120953); Ink: Early Espresso (119670), Crumb Cake (121030), VersaMark (102283), Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker (119680); Tools: Cutter Kit (106958), Heat Tool (100005), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Sponge Dauber (102892), Log Cabin Smooch Spritz (119921); Creative Beginnings Copper Embossing Powder; Glitz and Glam: Basic Pearls (119247), Early Espresso 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (119753), Chantilly Crochet Trim (118480)

Snowman in a Globe for The Paper Players


It’s Sunday and time for another Paper Players challenge, and as you can see, it’s a Theme Challenge: Snowmen! Yippee skippee! I love snowmen! Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of snowmen stamps. So…I once again reached for the “Vintage Snowman” stamp from the Jolly Old Saint Nick stamp set and decided to make a snowman in a snowglobe, with the help of the Sweet Snowglobe stamp. Well, actually I had planned on making this really cute card which was going to be a parade of vintage snowmen…but a certain Boxer Boy stole most of the snowmen I had stamped, watercolored and snipped out. Right off the dining room table, he did! With a deadline looming, I switched designs! Hmmmm! I wonder what little Boxer Boy that was. Could it be…Brody?

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • “Pop” it up! Give your snowglobe depth, by popping the Snowman up on Stampin’ Dimensionals!

  • Northern Frost! Lacy Snowflakes, made with the Northern Frost Decorative Strip and the Big Shot, create a frosty scene, which is further enhanced with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. An unexpected dash of color is supplied with Real Red Glimmer Brads.

  • Pearls! Basic Pearls add interest to the Scallop Oval label and the base of the snowglobe.

  • Ribbon delight! I started with a snippet of Real Red 5/8″ Satin Ribbon, but decided that a little more pizzazz was in order. Three strips of Real Red 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon did the trick!

  • You can never “smooch” too much! “Wishing you a season of sweetness” from the Merry Crittermas set seemed like the perfect sentiment for this card. A liberal spritzing of Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz adds to the sweetness!

I hope that you will join us this week for our “Snowman Challenge”. And maybe, just maybe, Brody will let me create the card I originally planned on making sometime in the future! Here is a picture of the masked bandit trying to look innocent. With a face like this, it is hard to stay angry!
It is hard to believe that the Boxer Twins will be 13 weeks old Monday. They just grow up too quickly…not! Brody will start his show career in February, depending upon how he has matured. He is so proud that his handler, Michelle Cramblett, qualified one of the Boxers she has been showing for the Eukanuba National Dog Show.
As for little Muffy, she is having a wee problem with potty training…make that a wee-wee problem. Depending on how her head matures, she may also start her show career in February. And yes, she is sleeping on Mom’s lap with her tongue just peeking out! Of course, Mom will have to sell a lot of Stampin’ Up! in order to keep these two in the show ring. But ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted a show dog. Why not fulfill that dream in my old age…providing I can survive their puppyhood. Arghh! What was I thinking…really!

Well, the puppies are telling me that I have blogged enough. They are so demanding! Let me know what you think of today’s card. As I stated earlier, this was not the card I set out to create, but Brody had other plans! And remember, I am always available to answer any questions that you might have about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use. I am only an email away! Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

Stamp Sets: Jolly Old Saint Nick (W 121711, C 121321), Sweet Snowglobe (120868—Holiday Mini), Merry Crittermas (W 120855, C 121181—Holiday Mini); Inks: Baja Breeze (111833), Basic Black (101179), Real Red (103133), So Saffron (105213), Old Olive Stampin’ Write Marker (100079), Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker (100082); Designer Series Paper: Candy Cane Christmas (120809—Holiday Mini); Card Stock: Real Red (102482); Tools: Blender Pens (102845), Big Shot (113439), Northern Frost Decorative Strip (120901—Holiday Mini), Decorative Strip Cutting Pads (113479), Decorative Strip Spacer Platform (113477), Scallop Oval Punch (119856), 1-3/4″ x 7/8″ Oval Punch (119855), 1-3/4″ Circle Punch (119850); Glitz and Glam: Real Red 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (117286), Real Red 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (119251), Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (118772), Sweet Treat Cups (116802), Basic Pearls (119247), Glimmer Brights Glimmer Brads (121006)