One of my favorite stamps for the past holiday season was Dasher, so it is no surprise that I absolutely had to have the Decor Elements Dasher Level II Hostess Gift. Of course, I wanted the luxury of hanging Dasher on my wall next year and the next year and the year after! Well, you get the picture! So I decided to invest in a frame, and just switch out the glass and Decor Element depending on the season. I kept Dasher up as long as I felt I possibly could, and I finally decided that it was time to corral him in the closet until next winter.

Since I loved my frame (I am a cherry/mahogany kind of girl), I was limited somewhat in my selection of Decor Elements that would work in a 16 x 20 frame. Luckily, I loved the “Our Attitude Toward Life” saying, and it fit perfectly into my existing frame. Just a quick trip to the local glass store, a hammer and glazier points were all it took to switch out the glass.

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:

• Don’t take shortcuts! Before starting the application, read all instructions thoroughly and know your product. Every Decor Elements has three layers: a backing sheet with gridlines, the image which will be transferred to your desired surface, and a sticky tansfer sheet through which you can see the image.
• Cleanliness counts, when applying Decor Elements! I cleaned the glass thoroughly with an ammonia based spray cleaner, and made certain that the glass was completely dry before attempting to apply my image.
• Be prepared! Know exactly where you plan on placing the image on the glass. The gridlines on the backing sheet will help you.
• Slow and steady wins the race! Work carefully and slowly with the images. You will save time in the long run by completely and firmly rubbing the backing sheet with the Decor Elements Applicator Tool. And when peeling off the backing sheet, take your time. You may have to repeat this rubbing procedure several times if the image has not completely transferred to the transfer sheet. This is normal…don’t panic!
• If two heads are better than one, it follows that four hands can be better than two! When placing the image sticky side down…it sticks! I found out the hard way with Dasher! Luckily he landed in the right spot! So this time I was not going to take any chances. I enlisted the help of my husband. (He really does like helping out with my Stampin’ Up! projects.) This time, no problems!
• Bubble trouble? Occasionally there will be small bubbles in some of the more solid pieces. I poke them with a sharp needle, and work the air out through the opening. Because the hole is so small, no one is the wiser!

• Order Stampin’ Up! to take advantage of the great Sale-a-bration promotion. With every $50 of product, receive free Stampin’ Up! items from the Sale-a-bration brochure! To order from my on-line store CLICK HERE!
• Join me as a member of The Schach Pack! Sale-a-bration is a perfect time to take advantage of the Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit Special. Wouldn’t you like to receive discounts on Stampin’ Up! products, plus join me at this year’s Convention? CLICK HERE for more details, or EMAIL ME if you have questions.
• Help me celebrate my Stampin’ Up! Anniversary. Leave a comment and become eligible for delicious calorie-free Blog Candy! Who can resist blog candy?

Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7!

Our Attitude Toward Life Decor Element (119433—Chocolate, Medium as shown)

Dasher Hostess Level 2 (117958—Chocolate)

Today was “challenging” around my house! Usually on Saturdays I check out some of my favorite challenges, hoping to find something that strikes my fancy. And lo, and behold, I found two that were intriguing! First, the design team over at Stampin’ Royalty were hosting a Love/Valentine Theme challenge. Since Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, how could I pass up one last chance to design a Valentine? And then, as a bonus, the gals at Crazy 4 Challenges were sponsoring a RED challenge. How could I resist? So, trying my hand at clean and simple, I designed a card that can be created in a few minutes. Enjoy “Butterflies of the Heart”!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

• When you want to be a “Big Shot” with your cards, reach for your Big Shot! In a matter of minutes I zippity-zipped Whisper White card stock through the Big Shot along with the new Stampin’ Up! Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder. And then with great speedy-speed, I did the same thing with the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die and Real Red, and again with Whisper White. And because I wanted to crank that handle some more, I passed Real Red through with the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die. (As an added plus, using your Big Shot is a great way to tone up those upper arms!)
• Add antennae! The science teacher in me couldn’t bear to leave my butterfly sensory deprived. Paper Snips and a sliver of Basic Black card stock quickly remedied the problem.
• Bling your bug! What could be prettier than a rhinestone thorax? (Don’t you love it when I speak “science”?) Staying true to my Stampin’ Up! roots, I “dissected” a trio of Clear Rhinestone Brads to produce these shiny beauties!
• Seeing spots before your eyes? Don’t worry. It’s not dengue fever. I took the Whisper White Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits, and punched out a Full Heart. After adhering it to the Real Red Scalloped Heart of Hearts, I popped them up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The Stampin’ Schach Reminders

Remember that Sale-a-bration is the perfect time to become a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. For as little as $169, plus tax, you could become a member of the Schach Pack, my downline team! I offer mentoring, plus access to an exclusive downline website, and I welcome all types of demonstrators into my group…Hobby, Career and everything in-between. Wouldn’t you like to receive discounts on Stampin’ Up! products, plus join me at this year’s Convention? CLICK HERE for more details, or EMAIL ME if you have questions.

And, if you would like to earn FREE stamp sets, don’t forget to place your on-line order with me. For EVERY $50 of product, you receive free items from the Sale-a-bration brochure. We are both winners when you order from me.

And…don’t forget my delicious Blog Candy giveaway. TWO stamp sets, over 75 sheets of 6 x 6 card stock, silk flowers, brads, ribbon, rhinestone “Celebrate”, a Stampin’ Write marker, and a Clean and Simple Splitcoast Favorite card designed by me. A winner will be randomly selected from all comments left on The Stampin’ Schach from February 12th through February 18th. Help me celebrate my Stampin’ Up! anniversary!

If you have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am just an email away! And remember, I love reading your comments, just like I love posting comments on your Pals Paper Arts challenge cards. You can upload your creations through 12:00 Noon CST Tuesday. Who knows…you could be the next PPA Artist Pick! Until next time…

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Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Whisper White Textured (106529—Neutrals assorted), Basic Black (102851), Real Red (102482); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder (117335), Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die (117332), Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (118138), Full Heart Punch (113694); Glitz and Glam: Clear Rhinestone Brads (113144), Real Red 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (117286)

A week ago I had planned to unveil my delicious Stampin’ Schach Blog Candy when tragedy struck my family. With the death of Missy the Boxer, celebrating was the last thing on my mind. A week has passed, and today marks the 11th anniversary of when we adopted Missy. Your kind words have helped to heal, and although a void still exists, I have reached the realization that I still have many reasons to celebrate. These are symbolized in my blog candy:

• My First Year Anniversary as a Stampin’Up! Demonstrator occurred February 1st! Since paper is the traditional gift for first anniversaries, this blog candy contains over 75 six inch by six inch card stock squares!
• The unconditional love of Missy the Boxer for almost eleven years. There was no buddy like my buddy. Therefore, I have included an unmounted “Snow Buddies” Hostess Level 2 set from the last Holiday Mini.
• A “perfect” 34 year career as a teacher. I have loved every minute of it. Since it was a “plum” job, I have included a new “Perfect Plum” Stampin’ Write Marker!
• A blog whose readers and followers are tied together by their love of stamping and papercrafting. To symbolize this tie that binds, I have included a roll of Certainly Celery Ribbon from last year’s Sale-a-bration Ribbon Bundle.
• Virtual friends whose words have comforted me. What could better represent this than the 2009 Level 1 Hostess Set, “Comfort Food”!
• Valentine’s Day! Real Red Classic Ink to symbolize red roses.
• I have also added a few cute brads, some silk flowers, and bling simply because I wanted to!

In addition, I am also including this card, which was selected as a Clean and Simple Favorite a few months ago on Splitcoast. I feel that it’s sentiment, from Vintage Vogue, is very appropriate in light of my recent life experiences.

Please Click Here to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7!