Pardon me, but is that a pony? and PPA Peek


Meet Tinkerbell, a young Mastiff, who is my houseguest this week. I work with Tink’s “dad”, who asked if I would mind watching her while he and his family take a short vacation. The last time I had actually seen Tinkerbell was in May, when she was a mere puppy. Well, needless to say, the puppy has matured a wee bit. Just to give you some idea of her size, she is standing next to a sofa table!


I have never thought of my home as being exceptionally small…until now!

This has been an incredibly busy week, with today being the end of third quarter. And those of you who follow my blog know what that means…tests and calculating grades! However, I do have time to share with you my Pals Paper Arts Sneak Peek. Have you noticed, however, that cards are like people? Some are more photogenic than others. This is card is definitely one which is much prettier in person. Tune in Thursday to see more, and learn about the technique that I used.


Hurry, Hurry, Hurry

There is still time to take advantage of Sale-a-bration! But, you have to act fast as this promotion ends Wednesday, March 31st. Spend $50 before shipping, handling and tax and earn one FREE Sale-a-bration product of your choice! OR join me as a demonstrator! The Starter Kit is discounted 15%, plus you can choose a FREE stamp set from the Idea Book and Catalog valued up to $47.95. CLICK HERE for more information. I would love to have you as a member of my downline group, The Schach Pack! Until next time…

Flowers for Sissy

Ever since I could first talk, I have always referred to my older sister as “Sissy”. Fifty-six years later the moniker still sticks. Sissy celebrates her birthday on Easter Sunday this year, and I wanted to design a special card for her. Wishing it to be different from the usual cards that I make, I elected to punch a bunch of blossoms in bright and cheerful colors, reminiscent of the spring flowers that grow in her beautifully landscaped gardens. And unlike real flowers, these blooms will not fade with time. Enjoy this punched bouquet!

The Stampin‘ Schach Tips:

  • Keep it simple, sweetie! Bright colors often work better with simple designs. Notice how these colors just “pop” off the Whisper White background!

  • Distress for depth! Darker contrasting inks, applied with a Sponge Dauber, add depth and dimension to the blossoms and leaves.

  • Punch-a-licious! Can you name the punches used in the creation of this floral fantasy? Did you guess Trio Flower, Boho Blossoms, and the Scallop Circle? And did you notice the small leaves from the Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch?

  • Sizzling Sizzlits! Stampin‘ Up!’s Little Leaves packs a punch for a small price!

  • The Bold and the Beautiful! Summer Sun, Orchid Opulence, Lovely Lilac and Pumpkin Pie card stock were used to punch the flowers, while Old Olive was zipped through the Big Shot to form the leaves.

  • It’s mambo time! Melon Mambo brings just the right contrast into the mix as a layer behind the textured Whisper White mat. The unexpected pop of color works perfectly.

  • Glitz and Glam! Melon Mambo Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, non-polka dot side out, and Pumpkin colored Circle Fire Brads complete the look!

I would like to thank Mary Fish at Stampin‘ Pretty for featuring my card on her blog today. I am fortunate to be a member of Mary’s Stampin‘ Pretty Pals. I have learned so much from Mary, not only in terms of artistic expression, but also in terms of mentoring my own downline. It is with pride that I am able to display the #1 Pretty Pals Recruiting Badge. There is still time for you to take advantage of Stampin‘ Up!’s Starter Kit Special and become a member of The Schach Pack, my downline group. Through March 31st, you will receive 15% off your choice of Stampin‘ Up! Starter Kits AND you will receive a bonus stamp set up to $47.95 in value. For more details, CLICK HERE. Receive the SPA treatment…become a Schach Pack Artist!

As always, I do truly appreciate your comments, so please let me know what you think of today’s card. And remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use, that you can always EMAIL ME. Until next time…

Click Here to Order Stampin‘ Up! 24/7

Inks: Really Rust (102549), Perfect Plum (101437); Card Stock: Old Olive (100702), Whisper White textured (108693—Neutrals assorted), Melon Mambo (115320), Summer Sun (103124), Orchid Opulence (100969), Lovely Lilac (100427); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Stampin‘ Up! Little Leaves Sizzlits (114511), Extra Large Two Step Bird Punch (117191), Trio Flowers Punch (109183), Boho Blossoms Punch (110711), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), Corner Rounder (109047); Glitz and Glam: Circle Fire Brads (109110), Melon Mambo 1/2″ Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115611)

Dream for the PPA


This week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge is “Anything But a Card”. I put a lot of thought into my design for this inspiration project. Since it is a tea bag holder, I decided that Dream Garden, with its oriental flair, would be the perfect set to ink up! I worked with a technique that I rarely use, brayering, and selected a color which I never use…Cameo Coral. Sit back with a nice cup of hot tea, and enjoy today’s “Dream for the PPA”! Mmmm…make mine Peach, please!

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:

  • Summer Sun was lightly brayered onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. A 1″ circle was then punched out of a sticky note using the 1″ Circle Punch and positioned onto the previously brayered area. The area was then brayered again with Summer Sun, and the sticky note circle removed.
  • Cameo Coral was brayered onto the top of the cardstock and extended toward the Summer Sun section. For a smooth transition, I sponged additional Cameo Coral into the Summer Sun area.
  • The images from Dream Garden were inked with Jet Black StazOn and embossed with Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder.
A wonderful tutorial by Beate Johns for making the tea bag holder can be viewed by Clicking Here. To learn more about brayering, Michelle Zindorf’s tutorial is a wealth of information. I plan on making several of these to give as little “thank-you” gifts for the tea drinkers in my life. They also work great for flat squares of chocolate!

Have fun with this week’s challenge! Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think about today’s project. And remember, please do not hesitate to email me if you have questions about the techniques that I use or the cards that I make. Until next time…



Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7
Stamp Set: Dream Garden (114395); Inks: Cameo Coral (103035), Summer Sun (100537), Jet Black StazOn (101406); Designer Series Paper: Kaleidoscope—inside of holder (115680); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Textured Cameo Coral (108697—Earth Elements assorted), Basic Black(102851); Tools: Brayer (102395), Stamping Sponges (101610), Heat Tool (100005), Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109130), 1″ Circle Punch (109046); Glitz and Glam: Basic Black 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon (115605)