King of the Grill

A wonderful new challenge blog made its debut this week, and I could not pass up the opportunity to play along.  Always Playing with Paper is hosting a “Father’s Day or Masculine Themed” challenge, and their talented Design Team has prepared inspiring samples for you to view.  My entry for their challenge showcases King of the Grill.  Although “cartoonish” stamps are not my forte, this one definitely possesses a “cuteness” factor.  And it does allow me to play with my inks and blender pens.  I firmly believe that challenges should do just that…challenge you! And this one certainly did!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Crazy for Cajun Craze! Don’t you just love the “pop” of color imparted by Stampin’ Up!’s new Core Color?  It’s so…spicey! And what about this color trio?  Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, and Cajun Craze are a perfect masculine combination!
  • Use those Blender Pens! To make quick work of line art stamps, like King of the Grill, I simply touch the tip of my Blender Pen to the corner of the ink pad, load up a bit of color, and ta-da! The inks that I used for this “Flying Chef” were Real Red, So Saffron, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Not Quite Navy, Going Gray, Basic Gray, and Creamy Caramel.
  • Pop it up for Pop! The letters “d-a-d”  from the Rough Type Alphabet were stamped onto Cajun Craze and punched out with the 1/2″ Punch.  They were then popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals onto 3/4″ Circles of Not Quite Navy.
    I hope that you enjoyed today’s card, and that you will visit the gals at Always Playing with Paper.  Their new challenge will be posted Sunday! In the meantime, if you have any questions about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use, do not hesitate to email me.  And if you like what you see, won’t you consider signing up for my email updates?  Have The Stampin’ Schach delivered right to your in-box simply by completing the subscription form which can be found right below the “Email Me” button on my left side-bar.  And don’t forget that the Pals will be naming the winners of their Blog Candy this Sunday! So stay tuned.  I have so many things planned for you, including a gigantic retired stamp sale featuring nearly 40 stamp sets…and more blog candy! So stay tuned! Until next time…

    My Friends at the PPA are Like Flowers, Plus New Product Peeks

    Those that follow The Stampin’ Schach know that Thursdays are special because it’s time for another Pals Paper Arts challenge! This week is a color challenge featuring two retiring In-Colors, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry plus a favorite who is being invited to stay as a new Core Color…Soft Suede! And what’s that you say?  Is that a new embossing folder?  Why of course! Have you ever known me to pass up an embossing folder? It’s Stampin’ Up!’s newest Textured Impression Embossing Folder, Vintage Wallpaper! And yes, that’s one of the new stamp sets, Friends Never Fade.  Oh, all right…you caught me.  The scallop circle was punched with the new 2-3/8″ Extra Large Scallop Circle Punch. There were just so many cool things to preorder, I splurged a wee bit!  OK…a “lot” bit, but we will continue this story later. Enjoy today’s offering!

    The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

    • Show-off! It’s OK to be a show-off, if you are showcasing your new Textured Impressions Embossing Folder! Although this is not a clean and simple layout, large blocks of card stock highlight the elements of the embossing.  Don’t you just love this “Vintage Wallpaper” design?
    • Add a dash of dots! Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry Patterns Designer Series Papers contain polka-dotted patterns. And although these papers are set to retire, as of today, they are still available!
    • Paper piece it! The image from Friends Never Fade was inked in Soft Suede and stamped twice, onto Very Vanilla and Crushed Curry.  The Crushed Curry center was then snipped out and adhered to the first image.
    • Coordinate your efforts!  Snippets of Crushed Curry, Soft Suede and Bermuda Bay 1/2″ Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon add interest and fun!  One side is dotted, the other is solid.  Don’t they look fabulous with the polka-dotted pattern paper? If only I could be this coordinated when I dress up! And although these ribbons will be leaving us soon, they are still available while supplies last until June 30th!
      So there you have it…a little of the old and a little of the new! This card will be given to my good friend, George.  George retired with me this year after 27 years of teaching art.  The “old” of this card symbolizes his former position as an art teacher, while the new symbolizes his journey into a new hobby… stamping and card making! I know that you will love his designs which I will be featuring periodically here on The Stampin’ Schach.  I am so excited!
      And speaking of excited…the next Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen Gallery will be unveiled June 15th.  It’s hard to believe, but this will be my fourth gallery. Which means…I can reveal cards from my first gallery, All Creatures Great and Small, here on my blog! Hold on to your horses…we are in for an exciting month of June!
      So as I bid you good-bye, I would like to know what you think of today’s card.  Do you like this Embossing Folder, or is it too busy for your tastes?  Do you think you will get good use out of the new Extra Large Scallop Circle Punch, and what do you think of Friends Never Fade?  (My answers:  Love vintage…yes…I love the sentiment, “Friends are flowers that never fade”.)  And remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use, I am only an EMAIL away! 
      And one more thing before I go, I would love to thank all of you for the wonderful comments on my Retirement Post.  I loved your words of encouragement, and the advice given by those of you who are retired teachers will guide me through the month of August. And the response to the Blog Hop Blog Candy was incredible.  I really do have wonderful followers and virtual friends.  And just in case you haven’t left a comment for candy, you have until 3:00PM CST Friday.  The post is HERE.  Until next time…
       
      Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7           Stamp Sets:  Friends Never Fade (available July 1);  Ink: Soft Suede (115657); Card Stock:  Bermuda Bay (115317), Crushed Curry 115319), Natural White (102316);  Designer Series Pattern Paper:  Bermuda Bay (115684), Crushed Curry (115686);  Tools:  Big Shot (113439),  Vintage Wall Paper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (available July 1), Extra Large Scallop Circle Punch (available July 1); Glitz and Glam:  Bermuda Bay Polka-Dot 1/2″ Grosgrain Ribbon (115610), Crushed Curry Polka-Dot 1/2″ Grosgrain Ribbon (115614)

      The Stampin’ Pretty Pals Farewell Blog Hop

      Welcome to the Stampin’ Pretty Pals June hop! This month, we are bidding a “Fond Farewell” to some of our old friends…the 30 retiring colors of Stampin’ Up!’s Color Renovation!  If you’ve hopped over from Debbie Pierce’s Stampin’ Sunshine blog, I’m stop number 6 on the hop and I am so glad you hopped in! I will help you “hop” from blog to blog as you search for inspirational paper-crafting ideas from the Stampin’ Pretty Pals! Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the PALS HOP LINE-UP at the end of today’s post and you’ll be back on track!
      In honor of the retiring colors, we are also offering BLOG CANDY at every stop on the hop! If you visit each of the 17 Stampin’ Pretty Pals and leave a comment to their specific posted question, you will have not one, but 17, chances to WIN great Stampin’ Up! goodies!

      The retirees whom I will be honoring at today’s “Retirement Party”  are the retiring colors, Pale Plum and Going Gray, as well as one of our retiring embellishments, Basic Gray 3/8” Taffeta Ribbon. But in case you are feeling a little sad about our retirees, you are also getting a sneak peek at Artistic Etchings, one of the stamp sets which will be available for purchase July 1st. Because I know that you are anxious to continue hopping along, it’s time for…

      The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

      • Team up sets with a common theme! One of my favorite background stamps, En Francais, was the perfect choice to pair with the “Eiffel Tower” image from the new set, Artistic Etchings. Inking the background with a subtle ink, such as Pale Plum, does not detract from the focal image. “Merci” from Chic Boutique develops the theme even more! Oo la la!
      • Cabochons? Oui, s’il vous plait! (Here in Iowa, we refer to them as Half-Back Pearls from the Pretties Kit.) Don’t they add a touch of femininity to the left side of the card? I adhered them quickly and easily with a drop of Crystal Effects.
      • Impress your boss with embossing! And how about a wee sneak peek at one of Stampin’ Up!’s two new Textured Impressions Embossing Folders? “Merci” was stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock with Basic Gray ink and then zipped through the Big Shot die cutting machine with my newest acquisition, the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder. You know me and embossing folders…can’t live without ’em. And they add texture so quickly!
      • Glitz and Glam: I know that some people have kissed the Blarney Stone, but I have “smooched” the Eiffel Tower…with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. And being the smooching fool that I am, I smooched the background and the Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, too. Don’t you love that subtle sparkle?
      • And doesn’t Pale Plum look so lovely with textured Going Gray card stock? This has been one of my favorite color combinations…and there is still time to order before it is all gone!
      I hope that you have enjoyed today’s “Fond Farewell” card, and that you are having a blast with the Farewell Blog Hop.  And as I stated earlier, if you visit all of our “hoppers” and leave a comment, you will have 17 chances to win 17 different sets of Blog Candy!  Yummy…and naturally calorie free!
      Doesn’t this package of 8-1/2″ x 11″ Handsome Hunter card stock look positively delicious with these Summer Sun Corduroy Buttons (24 total—full package)!  Of course, you will need ribbon for embellishment, so I am including a brand, spankin’ new roll of one of my retiring faves…5/8″ Brocade Blue Grosgrain.  Oh…and how about a stamp set, too?  This Candy Package includes an unmounted set, Spring Song!  Once again, all of these are brand new and retiring! How fun!
      For your chance to win all the above goodies, please leave me a comment at the end of this post by 3:00 PM CST, Friday, June 11th, at which time I’ll choose a random winner. In keeping with the Hop guidelines, shipping will be within the United States only. Within in your comment, please answer this question: What retiring stamp set on the Last Chance List will you miss the most? My answer to this is, as if  you could not guess, Spring Song, 115074 on page 102 of the Idea Book and Catalog. I’ll announce the winner of my blog candy package here on The Stampin’ Schach on Sunday, June 13th, 2010. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me after their name is announced.
      Before you leave, here is a Spring Song retrospective!

      More inspiring ideas and another great blog candy package awaits you at Melanie Collin’s Oops a Daisy Blog, stop number 7 on the Pals Farewell Blog Hop! Hop over to see Melanie’s wonderfully creative ideas! Thanks for “hopping” by!  And remember, if you ever have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, never hesitate to email me! And if you would like to receive email updates each time I post, don’t forget to sign up on the upper left side-bar! Until next time…

      Lost? Here is the complete Pals Farewell Hop Line-up!

      1. Liz Hughes
      2. Gina Shaw
      3. Barbara Furlong
      4. Nina Dee
      5. Debbie Pierce
      6. Ann Schach
      7. Melanie Collins
      8. Kim Lampone
      9. Mike Funke
      10. Regina Mangum
      11. Linda Callahan
      12. Anne Eicher
      13. Mary Fish
      14. Carla Bazhenow
      15. Joanna Munster
      16. Margaret Moody
      17. Martha Stewart

      Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7!
      Stamp Sets:  Artistic Etchings (Available July 1), Chic Boutique (113744), En Francais (109521);  Ink:  Pale Plum (102732), Going Gray (103274), Basic Gray (109120);  Card Stock:  Pale Plum (101658), Going Gray (108693—Neutrals Textured assorted), Very Vanilla (101650);  Tools:  Big Shot (113439),  Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder (Available July 1), Large Oval Punch (107305)—reconfiguring, Scallop Oval Punch (114889)—reconfiguring, Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402);  Glitz and Glam: Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (118772),  Pretties Kit (109114)—reconfiguring, Basic Grey 3/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (109064) *Items in red are retiring or are being reconfigured