Delightfully Easy Delightful Decoration Card

I love Saturdays! It is a day where I have the luxury of just relaxing and creating cards for various challenges. Today’s card was designed with three challenges in mind: Our Creative Corner, which was a sketch challenge, Penny’s Challenges, which was a “No DP” challenge, and a new one to me, Crazy 4 Challenges , where the challenge was to use at least one punch on the project. Plus this card has the added luxury of being quick and easy! Enjoy this “Delightfully Easy Delightful Decoration” card!

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:

  • Texturz for texture! The Big Shot pairs up with the Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate to create an embossed background quick as a wink! Spritzing the paper beforehand deepens the embossing by weakening the paper fibers. Rubbing alcohol can also be used, and evaporates more quickly than water.
  • Uniquely unique! The Horizontal Slot Punch was used in creating the slits for the ribbon treatment. Two Circle Fire Brads bring attention to the Real Red 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon, which has been interwoven through the slots. How cool is that!
  • Bling-a-ling! A third Circle Fire Brad is substituted for the “O” in Joy! Good things come in threes!
  • Tag Team! I love to layer the Modern Label Punch. The doubled label looks great layered upon a tag from Stampin’ Up! Lots of Tags Sizzlit 4-Pack.
I know that I have been featuring many non-traditional holiday colors this fall. It’s refreshing to get back to Real Red and Garden Green. I know that during this Tuesday’s Holiday Hop you will undoubtedly see all combinations of holiday colors. The Pals’ Holiday Hop is hosted by a group of talented Stampin’ Up! demonstrators who are ready to show off their paper crafting skills with inspirational ideas using Stampin’ Up! products! So please join us on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM CST as we showcase all that Stampin’ Up! has to offer – from rubber stamps, designer paper, embellishments, and much more! Mark your calendar now! You don’t want to miss out! You can enter the hop at any point in the line-up, and we will make certain that you don’t get lost! I will include a complete listing of Holiday Hop participants in tomorrow’s post! But trust me, you will not be disappointed with the variety!


Remember, there is still time to participate in the Pals Paper Arts challenge. This week we are hosting a KISS challenge. KISS stands for “Keep It Simple, Sweetie”. These are cards that are quick and easy, with minimal layers and embellishments. If it is “kissable” to you, it is “kissable” to us. Mr. Linky will close at Noon CST on Tuesday. Who knows? You may be one of the next Pals Artist Picks!
As always, I appreciate your comments! And, never hesitate to email me if you have a question about a technique that I use or a card that I create! I love helping others with their stamping questions. Until next time…

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Stamp Sets: Delightful Decorations (116517—Holiday Mini), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370); Paper: Real Red (102482), Garden Green textured (108697—Earth Elements assorted), Whisper White (100730); Inks: Real Red (103133); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate (115962), Standard Texturz Impression Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Stampin’ Up! Lots of Tags (114508), Modern Label Punch (1166630), Ornament Punch (116794—Holiday Mini), Horizontal Slot Punch (105089); Glitz and Glam: Circle Fire Brads (109110), 5/8″ Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon (109052), Gold Elastic Cord (109867—Holiday Mini)

Snow Swirled Peace


A few week’s ago, I had the chance to participate in my first Penny’s Challenges. I am happy that I was able to participate again this week for the “No DP Allowed” challenge. Although we were encouraged to randomly stamp our own designer paper, I opted to emboss a background instead. The “Tree” image is from the beautiful Snow Swirled stamp set, inked in Elegant Eggplant. This card was quick and easy to make, and it’s creation was made even more fun since I was able to spend some “QST” (Quality Stamping Time) with my sister and niece after Thanksgiving dinner! If you are up to a challenge, I recommend that you visit Penny’s Challenges and see what the design team has prepared for you! Before you do, however, take a look at a few design tips that will help you save time as we enter that hectic period between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:

  • Go for the Silver! Brushed Silver card stock adds sparkle and shine in no time, and is a perfect choice for holiday cards! Here it is used to mat the image and for the Modern Label.

  • Selectively select! Select focal stamps that are beautiful on their own merit, and need few if any added embellishments. Three Filigree Brads, with Lilac Circle Fire, centers are all that are needed to accentuate the “Snow Swirled Tree”.

  • Punch it up a notch! The Brushed Silver Modern Label was lovely on its own, but a second label punched from Elegant Eggplant adds depth in just seconds.

  • Sizzlits add sizzle! Swirls Scribbles, one of my personal favorites, was the perfect choice to mimic the swirls of the tree.

  • Pop it up! Stampin’ Dimensionals were used to adhere the image mat to the card base. In fact, double dimensionals were used on the right side of the sentiment to bring it into alignment with the rest of the card.

  • Pull it all together! Determining the dominant design element, in this case swirls, can help you save valuable planning time by steering you in the right direction. As an example, in selecting the sentiment, a cursive “Peace” mirrors the flowing curves of the tree, unifying the total design.
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! For me, it marks a time when our small family celebrates the many reasons we have to be thankful. It also marks the beginning of a festive, but hectic time. There are trees to decorate, lights to string, presents to wrap, and cookies to bake! Plus there are challenges and blog hops, too. In fact, to get us all in the holiday spirit, the Pretty Pals Holiday Hop will be occurring on December 1st. You can enter the “hop” at any point, and we will make certain that you will not get lost along the way. Join us as we feature holiday cards and projects! Stayed tuned for more details and the official Holiday Hop participant list!

Don’t forget to Play at PPA! Mr. Linky is open until Noon CST Tuesday. If you have any questions about the Pals challenge or the Holiday Hop, please do not hesitate to email me. And remember, I welcome any questions that you may have about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use. Your comments and questions are very important to me! Until next time…

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

Stamp Sets: Snow Swirled (111690), Four the Holidays (116921—Holiday Mini); Inks: Elegant Eggplant (105210); Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Brushed Silver (100712), Elegant Eggplant (105126 and 108696—Textured, Rich Regals assorted); Tools: Corner Rounder (109047), Modern Label Punch (116630), Scallop Edge Punch (112091), Small Oval Punch (107304), Big Shot (113439), Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds I (114512), Standard Texturz Impressions Pads (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615); Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits Die (113441); Glitz and Glam: Filigree Brads (112577), Circle Ice Brads (109111)

A Christmas KISS for the PPA


Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! On this wonderful Thursday, Pals Paper Arts is challenging you to a KISS! What is a Pals’ KISS, you ask? It is a clean and simple card, often characterized by more white space and a minimum of layers and embellishments. KISS-able cards truly are a challenge for me. Since I have a “wee” tendency to over-distress and over-embellish, I really have to keep reminding myself that sometimes “Less is More”!


The Stampin‘ Schach Tips:

  • Let color dictate the “mood” of the card! Bravo Burgundy, Night of Navy, and Brushed Gold impart an air of class and elegance…just exactly the mood I wanted to convey!

  • No ribbon? No matter! Create your own “ribbon substitute” from card stock. Brushed Gold card stock forms the perfect backdrop for the Bravo Burgundy Eyelet Border!

  • Shake and Shimmy! Keep a little spray bottle of rubbing alcohol and Shimmer Paint on hand to give any card that little color boost! Just a few spritz of Champagne Mist, and you have a “gold mine”! (I tried to angle the card so that you could catch a glimpse of the shimmer. This card is super-sparkly in person!)
Have fun with this week’s challenge! With the holiday season and all that it entails, couldn’t we all use a little KISS? Just make mine the chocolate kind…wink, wink! So leave a quick comment, head on over to the PPA and check out what the rest of the Design Team has created for you! And remember to mark December 1st on your calendar as we embark on another Pals’ Holiday Hop! Happy Thanksgiving! Until next time…

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

Stamp Set: Gifts of Christmas (115372); Ink: Bravo Burgundy (105214); Card Stock: Night of Navy textured (108696—Rich Regals assorted), Bravo Burgundy textured (108696—Rich Regals assorted), Brushed Gold (102935), Very Vanilla (101650); Tools: Eyelet Border Punch (113692); Glitz and Glam: Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806);