Blog Candy…Because I Care


I am so enjoying my first weeks of summer vacation. Oops! I mean retirement! It has been wonderful to finally have the time to stamp and play with my new pre-order items. And it has been fun experimenting with different looks and techniques, as we shall see with today’s card, which features the new Hostess Level I set, Because I Care. I know…it looks like a dead hydrangea. But since everyone else has been using this set to make such gorgeous pink, blue, purple and even green hydrangeas, I wanted to use a monochromatic color scheme using my two new favorite colors, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso. (Why are my favorite colors always named after foods?) Did a make a mistake selecting this combination? I don’t know. I like distressed and “dirty” cards. I like beautiful pink, blue, purple and even green hydrangeas, too. When I was teaching, I always told my students, “A mistake is only a mistake if we fail to learn from it.” And since I learned several things while creating this card, it was not a mistake. I hope you enjoy and benefit from my learning process. And at the end of the post there will be a Blog Candy opportunity. Why? Because I care!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • Distressing shouldn’t be stressing! My favorite tools for adding a distressed look are Sponge Daubers, the Color Spritzer and the 7-Sided Tool from the Cutter Kit. After inking up the “Hydrangea” image from Because I Care with Basic Brown ink, I stamped it onto Very Vanilla card stock. Then I heavily distressed the edges of the paper with the 7-Sided Tool. Using the Sponge Dauber, I dabbed Early Espresso Ink on the edges, bleeding in toward the center at the corners. After a few spritz with the Color Spritzer Tool and an Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker, my distressed look was complete. Note: The Basic Brown Classic Stampin’ Pad is on The Last Chance List. As of Thursday, it was still listed as available.

  • Move aside Monet! Although Monet’s medium of choice was oil paints, I’ll take Blender Pens and Classic Ink Pads any day! I simply touch the tip of my Blender Pen to the corner of an ink pad to load it with ink, test it on a piece of scratch paper, and “paint” away! I used Crumb Cake for the blossoms and Always Artichoke for the leaves.

  • Design your own “Designer” paper! I randomly stamped Crumb Cake hydrangeas on Crumb Cake card stock, for a subtle tone-on-tone background. After daubing a little Early Espresso ink on the edges, I had achieved the “smoky” look I wanted.

  • W-A-C it! Sometimes focal mats look better when they are adhered Wonky, Akilter, or Cattywampus…all of which translate into “not exactly centered or straight”. I tried centering it, but it just looked better askewed.

  • Step it up, if you wish! A few random pearls add so much! Or add a few random petals, snipped out and adhered for added depth.


So there you have it…three similar, yet different, looks!

How About Some Blog Candy?

View One

Here is what I have gathered together for this huge retiring In-Color Blog Candy Package:

  • 36 —6″ x 6″ sheets of textured card stock (12 Bermuda Bay, 16 Dusty Durango, 8 Crushed Curry)
  • 72 —6″ x 6″ sheets of Designer Series Pattern Paper (24 of each of the 3 colors)
  • 36 Card Bases (12 in each of three colors)
  • 3 new ink refills (Bermuda Bay, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry)
  • 3 like new Classic Stampin’ Ink Pads (Bermuds Bay, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry)
  • 3 yards of 1/2″ Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (1 yard in each of the three colors)
  • Vintage Labels Clearmount Stamp Set (New)

The rules: I will select one random comment (using a random number generator from Random.org) from all of the comments left on THIS post between now and Monday, June 21st at 3:00 PM, CST. I will announce the winner on Tuesday, June 22nd. The winner will have until Thursday, 3:00 PM CST to contact me with an address. I will ship your scrumptious candy out pronto!

View Two

Don’t forget…there is still time to take advantage of Stampin’ Up!’s $99 Starter Kit! Join The Schach Pack for less than the cost of a trip to the grocery store…and start receiving your demonstrator perks and benefits today! After seeing the new catalog, you will be glad that you did! Click Here to see a short video about being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and to sign-up on-line (my recruiting password is stampinschach) or Email Me to learn more! Hobby stampers…here is chance to really make an impact on your Wish List!

So please, leave me a comment to let me know what you think about today’s card, and to take advantage of this wonderful Blog Candy. 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! Until next time…


Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

Stamp Set: Because I Care Hostess Level 1 (W 118384; C 120118—Available July 1); Ink: Crumb Cake (121030—Available July 1), Early Espresso (119670—Available July 1), Basic Brown (104315), Always Artichoke (105219); Card Stock: Early Espresso (119689—Available July 1), Crumb Cake (120953—Available July 1), Very Vanilla (101650); Tools: Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Cutter Kit (106958), Sponge Dauber (102892), Early Espresso Stampin’ Write Marker (119680—Available July 1); Glitz and Glam: Very Vanilla 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (117291), Early Espresso 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (119959—Available July 1)

Eyelet Flower Tutorial and PPA Card


It’s Thursday and time to play @ PPA! This week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge is a theme challenge…Summer! And summer to me means a time for vacation, flowers, and butterflies…all of which are represented in this card. I hope you enjoy “Our Journey” through the design process!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

Ruffles ‘n Roses! I love the Eyelet Border Punch and I love making paper flowers, so I was thrilled when I spied this lovely flower in the latest edition of Stampin’ Success, the monthly magazine for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. (You can receive your copies of Stampin’ Success by taking advantage of Stampin’ Up!’s current $99 Starter Kit Promotion!) Here’s the step-by-step pictorial:

Step1. Punch a circle from Daffodil Delight card stock using the 1-1/4″ Circle Punch. Cover the circle with Sticky Strip.

Step 2: Cut a 1″ strip of Daffodil Delight card stock. Punch one edge using the Eyelet Border Punch. Distress using a Sponge Dauber and Daffodil Delight ink. Tip: Distress both sides of the punched edge.

Step 3: Run this strip through the Crimper 3 or 4 times in order to break down the paper fibers and make the strip pliable.

Step 4: Remove the Sticky Strip from the circle. Begin adding the eyelet strip around the circle, pleating as you go. Tip: If you run out of paper, simply prepare a second strip and begin where you left off. This step may take a little practice to get the flower edges even!

Step 5: Using the Extra Large Bird Punch and Pear Pizzazz card stock, punch 3 wings to use as leaves. Distress the edges with Old Olive ink applied with a Sponge Dauber. Run through the Crimper for texture. Finally, apply a liberal “smooching” of Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. Tip: While the flower is still wet from smooching, gently shape it in the cup of your hand, and allow it to dry. For even more body, add a slight misting of light hold spray starch!

Of course, the rest of the card is easy as pie!

  • Ink the “Our Journey” phrase from In a Word using Real Red and Basic Black Stampin’ Write Markers. Stamp onto Very Vanilla, and punch out with the Modern Label Punch. Pop this up onto a second Modern Label punched from Basic Black and cut in half vertically.
  • A touch of class, is provided by a snippet of Basic Black Satin Ribbon.
  • A Basic Black butterfly, made with the Beautiful Wings embosslit, completes the look !
I hope you enjoyed “Our Journey” together as I shared how to make the Eyelet Border flower. I was planning on doing my first You Tube video, but the learning curve using my Flip Cam is a little “curvier” than I expected. I am working at perfecting my video skills though, and as they say, “Practice makes perfect!” As always, I would love it if you would leave a comment to let me know what you think of today’s card. What do you think of this flower? And remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, do not hesitate to Email Me. Until next time…
Stamp Set: In a Word (W 117143; C 120057—Summer Mini); Inks: Daffodil Delight (119667—Available July 1), Old Olive (102277); Stampin’ Write Markers: Basic Black (100082), Real Red (100052); Designer Series Paper: Newsprint (117166—Available July 1); Card Stock: Basic Black (119922), Very Vanilla (101650), Daffodil Delight (119688—Available July1); Tools: Eyelet Border Punch (119853), Crimper (101618), Sponge Dauber (102892), 1-1/4″ Circle Punch (119861), Sticky Strip (104294), Big Shot (113439), Beautiful Wings Embosslit (118138); Glitz and Glam: Basic Black 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (117285), Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (118772)

Apple Blossoms for Always Playing with Paper


Remember the new challenge that I told you about last week, Always Playing with Paper? This marks their second week of challenges, which happens to be a color challenge… and challenging it was! The colors included Brilliant Blue (or Pacific Point), Old Olive, Bashful Blue, and Whisper White, as revealed in this beautiful picture of sassy, little flip-flops:
Although this was not an inspiration challenge, the flowers on the flip-flops reminded me of the floral stamps included in the new Hostess Level 2 set, Apple Blossoms. So I grabbed my inks and stamps and set off to create! I hope that you enjoy today’s “Sneak Peek” card.
The Stampin‘ Schach Design Tips:
  • Don’t worry! Be happy! And make sure the sentiment fits the theme! These bright, cheery colors evoke happy thoughts, and as the sentiment states “Happy thoughts make happy days”.

  • Reinforce the theme! Polka dots are always fun. Old Olive Patterns Designer Paper adds a healthy “dotty” dose of fun, while the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder adds sassiness in seconds when zipped through the Big Shot with Whisper White card stock!

  • Whimsy! What would a happy card be without a touch of whimsy? A snippet of 1/8″ Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon is all that it takes to give our posies pizzazz. While a trio of So Saffron butterflies, made with the Beautiful Wings Embosslit, draw our attention to the sentiment and the flower.

  • Fantasy flowers! For sure, these are not a real species! The bottom layers of petals were created by inking up the Larger Floral image from Apple Blossoms with Brilliant Blue ink. Layer number two was created using the Smaller Floral image and So Saffron ink. The centers were punched from Bashful Blue using the Itty Bitty Scallop Circle Punch. Those Itty Bitty Punches are just too cute!
I loved the sentiment that came with this set. It is perfect for, well, happy cards! Now I will admit that when I first saw this set, I wasn’t too sure about it. But now that I have inked it up and have imagined the possibilities, I am so happy that I selected it as one of my preorder sets.
Would you like to earn your own Apple Blossom stamp set? There are two possible ways:
  1. Host a workshop with me! If you are located in Southeast Iowa or West-Central Illinois, and would love to invite your friends to an afternoon or evening of Stampin‘ Up! fun, please email me. Have stamps…will travel!

  2. Join Stampin‘ Up! as a demonstrator! With Stampin‘ Up!’s $99 Starter Kit, there is still time to take advantage of the new catalog preorder opportunity! This is perfect for the hobby stamper! Plus, you will receive 30% off your first qualifying order if placed within 45 days (which would allow you to order from the new catalog!) For more information about joining The Schach Pack, my downline group, Click Here or Email Me.

Tuesday’s Tidbits:

  • There is still time to take advantage of my FREE catalog offer! If you do not currently have a demonstrator, email me, and I would love to drop you a catalog in the mail just as soon as I receive them! I would love to become your demonstrator! I pride myself on my customer service. This offer expires Friday, June 18th.
  • Save up those nickels and dimes for my huge Retired Stamp Sale! On July 1st, I will be listing 47 retired sets, ranging from new and unmounted to gently used.
  • Blog Candy is coming!
If you liked today’s card, and if you are looking for more inspiration, don’t forget to subscribe to The Stampin‘ Schach using the form on the left sidebar. And please, won’t you let me know what you think of today’s card? What do you think of this new hostess stamp set? Your comments are important to me, and I read them all. And remember, if you ever have a question about the cards that I create, or the techniques that I use, don’t hesitate to email me. Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin‘ Up 24/7
Stamp Set: Apple Blossoms Hostess Level 2 (W 118531; C 120139—Available July 1); Inks: Brilliant Blue (100691), So Saffron (105213); Stampin‘ Write Markers: Brilliant Blue (100057), Basic Black (100082); Card Stock: Pacific Point (111350), So Saffron (105118), Old Olive (100702), Bashful Blue (105120), Whisper White (100730); Designer Series Paper: Old Olive Patterns (112160); Tools: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (113439), Beautiful Wings Embosslits (118138), Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (117335), Itty Bitty Punches (118309); Glitz and Glam: Delightful Daffodils 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon (119254)