Pals Halloween Hop

Welcome to the September PALS HOP! This month, we’re featuring Fall/Halloween themed projects for your inspiration! I am stop Number 1 on the HOP, and I have prepared two Halloween cards for you. I’ll help you “hop along” from blog to blog, where you’ll find great ideas for paper crafted creations from the Stampin’ Pretty Pals! Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the PALS HOP LINE-UP below and you’ll be back on track!


HOP LINE-UP

1. Ann Schach
2. Diana Caho
3. Joanna Munster
4. Melanie Collins
5. Stephanie Uzee
6. Linda Callahan
7. Carla Bazhenow
8. Pam Giudici
9. Kris Kilcoyne
10. Mary Fish
11. Barbara Furlong
12. Angela Richwine
13. Gina Shaw
14. LeAnn Slater
15. Jason Casper
16. Tracy Cowee
17. Kylie Nicolosi
18. Margaret Moody

And stop by to see Mike Funke. He has prepared a wonderful treat cup card!

Card #1: Quick and Easy “Spooky” Card

Quick and classy, this black and white card can be created in minutes using Stampin’ Up!’s Nite Owl paper. Heat embossing and a metal label holder add the perfect touches!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Let the Designer Paper do the work! Use the “Tree” corner designs on Stampin’ Up’s Nite Owl Designer Series Paper to serve as the focal point of your card.
  • Make your sentiment “pop”! Stamping your sentiment with VersaMark ink and then heat embossing with Black Stampin’ Emboss Powder will make your sentiment stand out in a crowd!
  • VersaMarker Magic! Selected branches and the fence were outlined using a VersaMarker and then heat embossed with Black Stampin’ Emboss Powder. How awesome is this! And…it’s easy, too!
  • “I was framed!” A Styled Silver Raised Dot Label Holder from the Hodgepodge Hardware collection makes the perfect frame for the sentiment while adding interest and texture!
  • Envelope Envy! The “Spooky Tree” image from House of Haunts was heat embossed in black to create an envelope that foreshadows its contents!

Spooky Tree…Zindorf Style

After attending Michelle Zindorf’s workshop at the end of the August, I have revisited several of the sets in Stampin’ Up!’s vast arsenal of stamps, all with a new eye toward brayering. The set, House of Haunts, has long been a favorite of my son’s. I finally purchased it, knowing that it could be used to create beautiful brayered Halloween cards!

The Stampin’ Up! Design Tips:

  • Brayered cards look great with simple layouts. Old Olive card stock was zipped through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and then punched using the Photo Corners Punch. Pacific Point card stock was embossed using the new Spider Web folder.
  • Finish with a flourish! The “Small Swirl” from Priceless becomes the perfect corner accent! Stamped in black, a White Signo Gel Pen is used to highlight the image.
  • Bring on the bling! This owl is a hoot with Basic Pearls for eyes, while Basic Rhinestones accent the flourish. Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz adds a frosty shine. The Rich Razzleberry 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon is adorned with an Old Olive Glimmer Brad and even more Basic Rhinestones!
  • For more information about brayering and for the location of a class near you, please visit Michelle’s blog.
I hope that you enjoyed today’s Halloween cards. I have several more planned for you in the near future, including a Haunted House….creepy!
And on another note, my great friend, Mike Funke, missed the Hop deadline, and his name was not added to the official list…so I am adding him onto my list. He is an amazing artist, and a great friend. And in fact, Mike and I have a little surprise headed your way in a few weeks…so stop by and say “Hi” to Mike at Stampin’ Style.

For more inspiring ideas, hop over to Diana Caho, B4UStamp, stop Number 2 on the Fall/Halloween PALS HOP! But before you go, won’t you please leave me a comment? And remember, I am always more than willing to answer any questions that you may have about the cards that I create and the techniques that I use. Just email me! Until next time…


Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

Stamp Sets: Wicked Cool (W 118738; C 120600), House of Haunts (111574) ; Inks: VersaMark (102283), VersaMark Pen (100901); Designer Series Paper: Nite Owl (123012—Holiday Mini); Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Basic Black (121045); Tools: Designer Label Punch (119862), Black Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109133), Heat Tool (100005); Glitz and Glam: Raven 1/2″ Lace Trim (120988—Holiday Mini)

Stamp Sets: House of Haunts (111574), Lovely As a Tree (115026), Priceless (115052); Inks: Basic Black (101179), So Saffron (105213), Tempting Turquoise (100814), Not Quite Navy (103008), Old Olive (102277), Always Artichoke (105219); Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Old Olive (100702), Pacific Point (111350), Basic Black (121045); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (120889), Photo Corners Punch (119878), Brayer (102395), 1-3/8 ” Circle Punch (119860), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049), White Signo Gel Pen (105021), Sponge Daubers (102892), Stampin’ Sponges (101610); Glitz and Glam: Glimmer Brights Brads (121006—Holiday Mini), Basic Pearls (119247), Basic Rhinestones (119247), Rich Razzleberry 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon (119957), Rich Razzleberry 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (119752), Old Olive 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (119256), Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (118772)

Halloween Hop Peek and a Muffy the Boxer Video


What could be more fun on a Monday than a peek at one of the projects I created for the Pals’ Halloween Hop, which starts tomorrow, AND a “Muffy the Boxer” video! I actually created two cards for the hop…one which can be created in literally minutes and a second which features a Zindorf-style brayered card. For your reference, I have included a list of hoppers at the end of this post. I hope that you will join us tomorrow!

Happy Fifth Week Birthday, “Muffy the Boxer”!

“Muffy the Boxer” turns five weeks old today! Needless to say, we are anxiously awaiting the day we can bring her home. As you can see from the video, she is starting to show that lovable Boxer personality. While her littermates behaved wonderfully during their videos, Muffy wanted to get off the chair, as well as “mouth” her breeder. It looks as if she is developing a “diva” attitude, even at this tender age!

If everything goes as planned, Muffy will someday be a Canine Good Citizen and possibly a therapy dog. Time will tell! In the meantime, our first hurdle to jump when she arrives at her forever home will be…potty training!


Tuesday’s HALLOWEEN HOP LINE-UP:

1. Ann Schach
2. Diana Caho
3. Joanna Munster
4. Melanie Collins
5. Stephanie Uzee
6. Linda Callahan
7. Carla Bazhenow
8. Pam Giudici
9. Kris Kilcoyne
10. Mary Fish
11. Barbara Furlong
12. Angela Richwine
13. Gina Shaw
14. LeAnn Slater
15. Jason Casper
16. Tracy Cowee
17. Kylie Nicolosi
18. Margaret Moody

Remember, if you have any questions about cards, techniques, becoming a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator or Stampin’ Up! products, don’t hesitate to email me. See you on Tuesday! Until then…


Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

A Fall Wreath


It’s Sunday and time to reveal my Paper Players inspiration card. This week we are hosting a color challenge highlighting the beautiful, rich colors of fall: Old Olive, More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Early Espresso. If you do not have these colors, feel free to substitute with colors of similar hue. What is important is that you join us and have fun! I can’t wait to see what you create!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Coordination is key! When working with multiple patterns, look for colors and textures that coordinate. Stampin’ Up!’s Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper is a perfect example with its fall designs and colors!

  • Stamp on pattern paper for a delightful change! Here the sentiment from Day of Gratitude is stamped directly onto a piece of More Mustard paper from the Autumn Spice Collection.

  • Layer upon layers for dimension! The sentiment is punched using the Decorative Label Punch, and then layered upon Cajun Craze and Early Espresso. Leaves are layered upon leaves! Ribbon is layered upon ribbon! Each layer adds depth and visual interest.

  • Distress and spritz! The Color Spritzer Tool and Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker instantly ages and warms the design, as does the sponging around the edges of the layers and leaves.

  • Crazy about Cajun Craze? Create Cajun Craze grosgrain ribbon by tinting Very Vanilla ribbon with Cajun Craze Ink and a Sponge Dauber…or a Cajun Craze Stampin’ Write Marker.

  • A touch of the unexpected! Instead of buttons and twine, try Basic Pearls!
The leaves used on this card were watercolored using Blender Pens and ink. I have been asked many times how I create my watercolored images. I hope that this tutorial helps. I will apologize for the fact that it is in two parts. You will learn why as you watch. And don’t expect any fancy bells and whistles…I haven’t learned how to edit yet! So enjoy these tutorials in all of their unedited glory!

Remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! And please, won’t you leave me a comment before you go? Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7
Stamp Sets: Autumn Splendor (116503), Day of Gratitude (W 120835; C 121148); Inks: Old Olive (102277), More Mustard (103162), Cajun Craze (119671), Early Espresso (119670), Soft Suede (115657), Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker (119680), Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write Marker (120967), Old Olive Stampin’ Write Marker (100079), Cajun Craze Stampin’ Write Marker (119678); Designer Series Paper: Autumn Spice (120808—Holiday Mini); Card Stock: Early Espresso (119686), Cajun Craze(119684); Tools: Decorative Label Punch (120907—Holiday Mini), Paper Snips (103579), Sponge Dauber (102892), Blender Pens (102845), Color Spritzer Tool (107066); Glitz and Glam: Old Olive 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (119256), Very Vanilla 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon (109055), Basic Pearls (119247)