It’s Thursday…and that means it’s time to play the Pals Paper Arts challenge! This week we are hosting a challenge featuring a delightful sketch, which I tweaked a little to better suit the Notably Ornate stamp set. The moment I saw this set, I knew that it would be on my “Must Have” list! It’s ornate lines appealed to my love of Victoriana! Of course, this card features a little distressing, texture, and satin ribbon, which I just adore! Have fun with this week’s challenge!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

• Texture, texture everywhere! Although I have been showcasing the new Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder lately, I selected two old friends for this card…Finial Press and Square Lattice. Why? The answer is simple. The smaller visual field warranted a smaller pattern! So I quickly zipped Marina Mist through the Big Shot with the Finial Press folder, and Early Espresso through with the Square Lattice folder. Aren’t these colors wonderful with each other?
• Fussy cut! The “Ornate Ledger” image from Notably Ornate was inked with Early Espresso ink and stamped onto Very Vanilla. It was then paper snipped. When fussy cutting, don’t worry about snipping around all of the little details…just stick with the major outline!
• More snipping! The floral edges of the Ornate Ledger stamp were inked up again with Early Espresso and stamped onto Marina Mist. I then snipped out the flowers and adhered them to the Very Vanilla image. A small Basic Pearl serves as the center. What did I do before Stampin’ Up! came out with their pearls!
• It’s all in the details! The “Just Because” sentiment was stamped in Early Espresso onto Very Vanilla, and then punched out with the Modern Label punch. The edges were distressed using Crumb Cake ink and a Sponge Dauber. For extra pizzazz, the label was layered onto a second Marina Mist Modern Label.
• Smooch a Fan Flower for fun! Log Cabin Smooch Spritz adds a bronze patina to the Marina Mist Fan Flower. And how about the gorgeous Antique Brad center? To make the Fan Flower, I punched two Scallop Circles from Marina Mist. I used my stylus to crease from indent to indent, after which I cut each circle in half. I pleated each half like a fan, and adhered the four halves together. Easy!

I hope that you enjoy this week’s challenge. It’s a classy sketch which I know I will use again! I am always amazed at the talented stampers who participate in the Pals challenges, and I look forward to seeing your work! In closing, remember that your comments are important to me. So please let me know what you think about today’s card. And if you have any questions about this card, or any of the cards that I create, just send me an email. I just love answering your questions. It’s my teacher genes! Until next time…

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Stamp Set: Notably Ornate (C 120561; W 117098); Inks: Early Espresso (119670), Crumb Cake (121030); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Marina Mist (119682), Early Espresso (119686); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (115963), Paper Snips (103579), Modern Label Punch (119849), 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch (119854); Glitz and Glam: Log Cabin Smooch Spritz (119921), Marina Mist 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (119751), Antique Brads (117273), Basic Pearls (119247), Victoria Crochet Trim (118841), Whisper White 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (114616)

As is customary, I am providing you with a wee peek at tomorrow’s Pals Paper Arts inspiration card. It is a vintage/shabby chic card which is in vogue right now. I find this style so much fun to create! If you would like to see more, tune in tomorrow!

• Elizabeth (117120 $9.95)
• Wicked Cool (C 120600 $14.95; W 118738 $19.95)
• Studio Sketches (C 122222 $13.95; W 116974 $17.95)
• Greeting Card Kids (C 120633 $15.95; W 119887 $20.95)
• Contempo Christmas (C 120594 $11.95; W 118734 $15.95)
• Morning Cup (C 120489 $16.95; W 116988 $21.95)
• Friends Fur-ever (C 120504 $25.95; W 117008 $33.95)
• Baby Bundle (C 120576 $19.95; W 118525 $27.95)
• Friends Never Fade (C 120618 $13.95; W 118750 $17.95)
• Butterfly Prints (C 120738 $12.95; W 121049 $16.95)
• Countryside (C 120495 $16.95; W 116998 $22.95)
• Uncharted Territory (C 120456 $14.95; W 116952 $19.95)
• In Wildnerness (C 120537 $16.95; W 117040 $21.95)
• Artistic Etchings (C 120573 $14.95; W 118517 $18.95)
• Notably Ornate (C 120561 $17.95; W 117098 $23.95)
• Have a Seat (C 120447 $11.95; W 116696 $15.95)
• Teahouse (W 117132 $17.95)
• A Word for You (C 120528; W 117032 $21.95)
• Word Play (C 120651 $28.95; W 120308 $41.95)

I hope that you enjoyed today’s peek, and that you will join me again tomorrow! Remember that your comments are important to me, and that I do read each and every one! If you have any questions about the cards that I create, or the techniques that I use…or even my “Favorites List”, do not hesitate to email me! I will certainly get back to you after I return from Convention. Until next time…

Cabochons, texture and shimmer…oh my! Have you ever made a card and wondered how you could “dress it up” a little? Using yesterday’s card as my inspiration, I simply stepped it up a notch by adding a little glam. None of the extra steps are difficult, and they only take a minimum amount of time. Yet, what a difference they make!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

• Random stamping! Starting with a 5-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ Old Olive card base, I inked up the “Flourish” from Elements of Style with Chocolate Chip, and randomly stamped along the edges. When random stamping, make certain to stamp off the edge in some places! Trust me…it looks better!
• Wheelies! The Very Vintage wheel was inked with Old Olive and rolled across Very Vanilla card stock. A few Soft Suede speckles were added with the Color Spritzer Tool, while Chocolate Chip ink was sponged onto the edges. A Sponge Dauber and Old Olive distressed the edges even more.
• Embossing Boss! The Wedding Sweet image was inked with VersaMark and heat embossed with Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder. Quick and easy!
• Zip, zip, zip! In a matter of seconds, a piece of Very Vanilla card stock was zipped through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. Once again, the Color Spritzer Tool and a Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker are used to add speckles, while a Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink are used to distress the edges.
• Shimmer and Glimmer! A few drops of Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, mixed with rubbing alcohol, add a fine shimmer of “gold dust” to the Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon. Although I have been doing a lot of “smooching” lately with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, the Shimmer Paint mixture is much more refined and elegant. “Smooching” can sometimes leave spots!
• Cabochons are chic! Mini Vintage Tags were embossed using VersaMark ink and Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder. Large half-back pearls from the now-retired Pretties Kit were then adhered. Out of the large half-back pearls? Don’t despair! A beautiful look can be achieved using the new large Basic Pearls and surrounding them with smaller ones! It is a look which screams “Yowza”!

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