Same Card…Two Looks for Always Playing with Paper


I am thrilled to be revealing this week’s card, or cards if you please, for the Paper Players Challenge. This week we are hosting a yummy color challenge combining Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla. If you do not have these colors, don’t despair! Just substitute with something similar. For my card, I inked up the three “Chair” images from Stampin’ Up!’s Have a Seat stamp set. Because of the almost austere lines of this set, I decided to keep my card simple in terms of embellishments. However, I could not resist trying it out with a big bow, too! Isn’t it amazing how different it looks? I hope that you enjoy this little slice of Cherry Vanilla Crumb Cake with an Espresso!


The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Be a Big Shot hero! Early Espresso was zipped through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, while Very Vanilla was paired with the Perfect Polka Dots folder. A small piece of Early Espresso was punched with the Modern Label punch, then embossed using the Square Lattice folder.

  • Layer your labels! The “i miss you” sentiment from Three Little Words was inked with Early Espresso and stamped onto Crumb Cake card stock. After punching it out with the 1-3/8″ x 5/8″ Oval Punch, it was layered onto a 1″ Cherry Cobbler Circle which had been adhered to the Early Espresso Designer Label that had been previously texturized. But as you can see in Picture Two, this card looks perfectly fine sans sentiment.

  • Plain and simple! A snippet of Hemp Twine tied around 1-1/4″ Early Espresso Striped Grosgrain Ribbon is the perfect ribbon treatment for a simple look. Or if you like, dress it up with a voluptuous bow, as shown below!

  • Age instantly! The Color Spritzer Tool, paired with an Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker adds the perfect amount of speckling to the image mat, while the edges are gently distressed using a Sponge Dauber and Early Espresso ink.


So what do you think? Big Bow or Hemp Twine? Let me know in your comment! Isn’t it fun to see the difference! And if you have any questions about any of the techniques that I have used on this card, don’t hesitate to ask. I really do look forward to your emails.

I still have a few open dates in which to take advantage of Stampin’ Up!’s Hostess Promotion. Earn an extra $25 of free product for a qualifying workshop of $350 (before taxes and shipping)! Want to host a catalog party? That’s fine, too! Just email me for details! Until next time…


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Stamp Sets: Have a Seat (W 116696; C 120447), Three Little Words (113254); Ink: Early Espresso (119670), Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker (119680); Card Stock: Crumb Cake (120953), Early Espresso (119686), Cherry Cobbler (119685), Very Vanilla (101650); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Textured Impressions Embossing Folders: Vintage Wallpaper (120175), Square Lattice (119976), Perfect Polka Dots (117335); Punches: Designer Label (119862), 1″ Circle (119868), 1-3/8″ x 5/8″ Oval Punch (119863); Sponge Dauber (102892), Color Spritzer Tool (107066); Glitz and Glam: Hemp Twine (100982), Early Espresso 1 -1/4″ Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (119961)

A Masculine KISS for the PPA


Can you believe that it has been a year since Pals Paper Arts began weekly challenges? Yet, here we are at Challenge #54…create a masculine KISS card! A KISS card (Keep It Simple Sweetie) is described as having one or more of these attributes: minimal layers and embellishments, quick to create, and “white” space. Now there may be those of you who are saying that today’s card is NOT a KISS card, but as we have always said at the PPA, “If it is KISSable to you, it is KISSable to us!” And this is simpler than many of the cards I create, coming together quite quickly. So I am calling it KISSable! What makes it masculine is hopefully obvious…the colors, the nautical theme, the jumbo eyelets and twine. As they used to say in the old Irish Spring commercials, “Manly yes, but I like it, too!” I can’t take all of the credit for today’s card as I did solicit the input of my son. It was his keen eye and sense of style that pulled these colors out of my stash! Thanks, Brady!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay! I’m havin’ fun with my Big Shot today!” In a matter of minutes, I zipped More Mustard card stock through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. For a little contrast, Marina Mist card stock was paired up with the Square Lattice folder!
  • Twine is fine! Whether you are looking for a distressed, country or masculine theme, Stampin’ Up!’s Hemp Twine does the trick. I just wrapped it around the Marina Mist section of the card and adhered it to the back. No bow…no woes! How easy is that?
  • Water color in the blink of an eye with Blender Pens and inks! Marina Mist seas, Cajun Craze cliffs, and a Cherry Cobbler with Basic Gray lighthouse complete this seascape!
  • Spritz! The Color Spritzer Tool is an indispensable part of my stampin’ routine, especially when paired with a Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker.
  • But wait…there’s more! Three Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets complete the look!

What do you think? Didn’t Brady do a great job picking out the colors? Just leave me a comment, and I will be sure to let him know your thoughts. And if you have any questions about today’s card or the techniques that I used, just shoot me an email! So…get started on those masculine KISS cards and help the PPA celebrate our blogaversary! And…there are changes looming on the horizon for The Stampin’ Schach this fall, so be sure to stay tuned to the never-ending saga of “Days of My Blog”! Until next time…


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Stamp Set: Uncharted Territory (W 116952; C 120456); Inks: Basic Black (101179), Soft Suede (115657), Bashful Blue (105209), Cherry Cobbler (119669), Basic Gray (109120), Cajun Craze (119671), Marina Mist (119668), Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker (120973); Card Stock: Pacific Point (111350), More Mustard (100946), Marina Mist (119682), Cherry Cobbler (119685), Very Vanilla (101650); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (120175), Square Lattice Textured Impression Embossing Folder (119976), Blender Pens (102845), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), The Tearing Edge (102930); Glitz and Glam: Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets (108431), Hemp Twine (100982)

PPA Peek


It’s time for a quick peek at this week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge card! Of course, the complete reveal will be Thursday morning. As I have always said, challenges are a great way to help us improve our card-making skills. Sure, they may pull us out of our comfort zone, such as this Thursday’s challenge does for me, but that is a good thing! Unless we are challenged we can never grow as designers! So won’t you join us this week? And be sure to check out the winners of the Monochromatic Purple challenge. There were so many gorgeous cards!
And speaking of challenges, how about creating a vintage card over at Always Playing with Paper? I love the vintage style! And needless to say, I was so happy to be asked to be a Guest Designer for the month of August. I would love to see your vintage creation, so make certain to upload your project before Friday at 5:00 PST.

I will be busily creating my final gallery for the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen over the next week. What this means is that I may be missing in action…but I will also be able to share another gallery right here at The Stampin’ Schach beginning August 15th. So please be patient with me!
Ready to book a workshop and take advantage of Stampin’ Up!’s extra $25 in free merchandise for workshops over $350 (product total before shipping/taxes)? Email me today if you are located in southeast Iowa, western Illinois, or northeast Missouri! I still have a limited number of dates available. But hurry…this promotion ends August 31st. Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7