I’ve Got a Case of the Monochromatic PPA Blues


The Pals Paper Arts gals have a case of the “Monochromatic Blues” with this week’s PPA challenge. I decided on Night of Navy paired with the Bella Toile background stamp. Oo la la! The Square Lattice Embossing Folder, available May 1st, adds so much texture! And you know how much I LOVE texture!!! This card is quick and easy, yet packs a visual punch. Won’t you sing the “PPA Blues” with us!

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:

  • Stamp then emboss! Doesn’t this background look wonderful? The Bella Toile stamp was inked with Night of Navy and stamped onto Very Vanilla. This was then zipped through the Big Shot die cutting machine with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. The result is instant “Wow”!

  • Punch then emboss! “Merci” from Chic Boutique was stamped in Night of Navy onto Very Vanilla card stock and punched out with the Small Oval Punch. A quick trip through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder results in a coordinated sentiment. However, be very careful if you emboss then punch…sometimes the punch will tear the embossed paper. Don’t ask me how I know!

  • Kissing and Smooching! After first “kissing” the edges of the rose petals with Very Vanilla ink, give them a big “Smooch” with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. Your roses will love you for it!

With the release of the Summer Mini this Saturday, I would like to share with you my top four “must haves”, two of which I have used on this card:

  • Elements of Style Stamp Set—classy and elegant
  • Very Vanilla Smooch Spritz—adds instant shine and shimmer
  • Presto Patterns Specialty Designer Series Paper—vintage style magically revealed
  • Square Lattice Embossing Folder—deeply embossed texture thats modern yet classy

Beginning May 1st, these items can be ordered right here on The Stampin’ Schach!

Remember, your comments are very important to me. So leave me a comment and let me know what you think about today’s card. And if you ever have questions about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use, don’t hesitate to Email Me! And don’t forget the wonderful blog candy that I am offering this week. See the original post HERE. Until next time…


Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

Stamp Set: Bella Toile (111598), Chic Boutique (113744); Inks: Night of Navy (102977), Very Vanilla (104308); Paper: Very Vanilla (101650), Night of Navy (100867), Kraft (102125); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Embossing Folder (119976), Extra Large Fancy Flower (118073), Small Oval Punch (107304), Scallop Oval Punch (114889), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Tombow Adhesive (110755); Glitz and Glam: Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spray (118772—Summer Mini), Night of Navy 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon (109036)

Birthday Blog Candy and PPA Sneak Peak

How about a little peek at this week’s Pals Paper Arts inspiration card? Don’t you just love the way I smooched this rose with the new Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz? Remember that you can see this card in its entirity when the Pals Paper Arts challenge goes live this Thursday at 5:00 AM CST. If you have not joined us before, why not play along this week? The design team is a fun-loving group of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. Although we use Stampin’ Up! supplies only, you are free to use any type of product you desire!

Yesterday was my birthday, and I would like to continue my celebration with you! And what better way to celebrate than with Blog Candy! If you are the lucky winner, you will be receiving:

  • 56 6″ x 6″ sheets of retired designer series paper (mostly Stampin’ Up! with a smidge of other)
  • 56 6″ x 6″ sheets of DCWV card stock
  • 1 new Yoyo Yellow Classic Ink Pad
  • 1 new and unmounted retired stamp set “Botanical Blooms”
Between now and Friday at 9:00 PM CST, just leave a comment on any of the posts that I happen to make, beginning with this one. On Friday evening, I will use Random.org to select a comment from all that have been left. The winner, whose name will be posted on The Stampin’ Schach Saturday morning, will need to email me their address by Sunday, May 1st so that the package can be mailed Monday, May 3rd.

A New Look
You may have noticed that there has been a change in my blog format. The Stampin’ Schach is now sporting two sidebars thanks to Heather Wright-Porto of Blogs by Heather. And my blog banner received a slight facelift courtesy of Michelle Laycock of Laycock Designs, who designed the original. Heather is available to help you design, set-up and maintain your blog, while Michelle is an expert at developing new custom looks. I highly recommend both of these talented ladies! Thank you, Heather and Michelle.

You may be wondering why the revamp is taking place. It is all in preparation for my official retirement from teaching in June. Watch out, stamping world! I will be making up for all of those days when I could not create or post because I was busy grading papers, typing tests, planning lessons and filling out reports. Woo hoo!

Blog Awards
A little sweetness has been passed my way over the past week, and I would like to thank Jean Fitch of Rogue Thoughts…Jean’s Stamping Studio in the Rogue Valley and Jen Timko of Stampin’ on the Fly for blessing me with the Sunshine Award.

In addition, the talented Melissa Rodgers, of MeGa Stampin Studio, has presented me with the Sweet Blogger award.


I would now like to pass these honors on to these creative stampers whose cards and projects range from elegant and classy to fresh and fun:
1. Mary C. Anderson
2. Tara Bilbao
3. Kari Linder
4. Kylie Nicolosi
5. Debbie Henderson
6. Carrie Fitch
7. Melissa Young
8. Lourdes Torres
9. Jade B.
10. Tiffany Miller

Thank you ladies for blessing me with your talent!

Remember to leave your comment in order to be eligible for this round of Blog Candy. You know how much I appreciate your comments, so let me know what you think of this sneak peek. Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

A Tale of Two Yellows


With the announcement of Stampin’ Up!’s “Color Renovation” came the news that Summer Sun and Barely Banana would be retiring. However, an exciting new yellow, Daffodil Delight would be entering the Bright Collection. How does Daffodil Delight stack up to the other yellows? Well, today we can see a side-by-side comparison with Barely Banana using the same card…same layout. (Don’t you just love this layout? I got the idea from a birthday card that I received from my friend and mentor, Mary Fish.) Plus these cards are showcasing two new Summer Mini items: the stamp set, Pedaling Past, and the wonderful Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

As you can see, Daffodil Delight is a bright and cheery yellow, ala Summer Sun. The replacement of Summer Sun with Daffodil Delight will cause no hardship here at The Stampin’ Schach! It is just slightly less intense and will work well with a variety of other colors. Here we can see it paired with three retiring colors, Mellow Moss, Cameo Coral, and Close to Cocoa:

On the other hand, Barely Banana is definitely soft and subtle. How differently Mellow Moss, Cameo Coral, and Close to Cocoa look next to this pastel:

Although there is no soft yellow slated to be released, the new In-Colors certainly sound like they could fill the niche vacated by Barely Banana. Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz sound yummy. After all, anything named after a food can’t be all bad!

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:
  • A trio of textures makes this card sing! Textured Mellow Moss card stock forms a rich base, while the “yellow du jour” is zipped through the Big Shot die cutting machine with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. The Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon quickly adds additional texture and sheen!

  • Punch a duet for a harmonious sentiment! The sentiment from Pedaling Past fits perfectly into the Word Window Punch. Layering it onto a Mellow Moss Modern Label creates the perfect pair.

  • A Scallop Trim Border completes the look! And don’t despair if you did not get the Scallop Trim Border Punch during Sale-a-bration. It will be available again July 1st! In the meantime, the Scallop Border Punch is a lovely substitute!
There is still plenty of time to stock up on the retiring colors showcased today, and there are still five days in which to order from the Occasions Mini catalog. You may have noticed that I am revamping The Stampin’ Schach. Until the change is made to a three column layout, the Stampin’ Up! catalogs may be accessed from the Catalogs page located under The Stampin’ Schach header at the top of this post.

Coming soon: Birthday Blog Candy and a trio of Blog Awards

As always, your comments are important to me. Please let me know what you think about today’s card by leaving a comment. And if you have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, never hesitate to email me. Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7

Stamp Set: Pedaling Past (W 116972, C 120069—Summer Mini); Card Stock: Daffodil Delight (2010 – 2011 Idea Book and Catalog), Mellow Moss textured (108695—Soft Subtle assorted), Mellow Moss (102898), Cameo Coral (100475), Barely Banana (102701), Very Vanilla (101650), Close to Cocoa (101341); Ink: Close to Cocoa (103139); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Embossing Folder (119976—Summer Mini), Word Window Punch (105090), Modern Label Punch (116630), Scallop Trim Border Punch (); Glitz and Glam: Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon (109069)