Dazzling Peaceful Pine for the PPA

Thursday is Pals Paper Arts challenge day! If you are new to this challenge, we are a group of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators who sponsor a variety of weekly challenges. This week the challenge is to incorporate the theme, “Christmas Cheer”! Although as a Design Team we are dedicated to using only Stampin’ Up! products on our projects, you are more than welcome to use any supplies that you wish! For my inspiration card, I wanted to create something serene and elegant. I fulfilled that vision by using the “Pine Tree” image from “Lovely as a Tree”. A “Swirly” Texturz Plate and Dazzling Diamonds glitter are used for effect.


The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:

  • When is less more? The answer is when you want to design an elegant card. I rarely do elegant…I am more a “distressed and dirty” kind of gal, as is evidenced by my love affair with Sponge Daubers and Chocolate Chip ink. So in my quest for elegance, I kept the color selections to a minimum…Whisper White, Old Olive, and Real Red!

  • Move beyond boring! Although I love Whisper White, a large unbroken expanse of it can be “visually boring”. That is when the Big Shot and Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate come to the rescue. The soft elegant swirls mimic the feel of snow swirling in a storm.

  • Dazzle with Diamonds! After sponging a touch of Frost White Shimmer Paint over the tree, each branch received a coating of “icy” Dazzling Diamonds glitter. The small end of a Stylus was used to apply a thin line of Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive branch by branch. A liberal sprinkling of Dazzling Diamonds was applied, and the excess was tapped away.

  • Do pay attention to detail! Rounding opposite corners on the image mats add that little bit of something special, as does the glitter around the edges of the Stampin’ Up! Lots of Tags die cut.
I hope that you enjoyed today’s card. It truly is much prettier in person! It is so shimmery! Let me know what you think of my efforts by leaving a comment. And, as always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me! For more Pals Paper Arts design inspiration, visit my Pals at the PPA! Until next time…

Stamp Sets: Lovely as a Tree (115026), Four the Holiday (116921); Inks: Old Olive (102277); Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Real Red (103133); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate (115962), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Stampin’ Up! Lots of Tags Sizzlits (114508), Corner Rounder (109047), Large Oval Punch (107305); Other: Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive (110755), Dazzling Diamonds Stampin’ Glitter (102023)

Pals Holiday Hop

Woo Hoo! It’s time for the Pal’s Holiday Hop Part Two! I have prepared two new projects for you today, including a fall basket and a card. The stamp set which I am showcasing on the card is “Gifts of the Earth”. I love this set from the Holiday Mini Catalog and have used it for several cards that I have created, including my winning Mojo Madness card, “Crock of Apples”! The card posted below is a new design, featuring water coloring with Blender Pens and inks.


The Stampin’ Schach Tips:

  • Earth Element inks provide a perfect palette for coloring “Gifts of the Earth”! Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red, More Mustard and Old Olive team up with Elegant Eggplant and Bordering Blue to make quick work in the tinting department!

  • To finish your “watercolored” images, shade with Sahara Sand to anchor the image and add depth!

  • Double the fun! A double Eyelet Border adds visual interest to the bottom of the card and balances the large image.

  • It’s all about the details! The Vintage Brads which border the image mat and the Brads on the sentiment pull this card together. A snippet of Chocolate Chip 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon hides the interface between the Always Artichoke and More Mustard card stocks.

  • Keep with the theme, but don’t be afraid to stray a little! I was focusing on the “earthiness” of this set, so I stayed with earthy elements: inks, paper colors, distressing the edges, use of wood sheets, and vintage brads. However, I added a touch of Victorian in the Eyelet Border and the Finial Press Embossing Folder.
Here is a “parade” of previously posted “Gifts of the Earth” cards so you can see the other stamps in this set and how the image looks “in the round”:
The card above features the “Pumpkin” image stamped onto a circle which was cut using the Circle Scissors Plus. I could not live without my CSP!
The “Turkey” image in this set is just perfect for Thanksgiving!
And last, but certainly not least, we see the “Crock of Apples” which was the focal point of this Mojo Monday-Mojo Madness winning card!
For my second Blog Hop project I wanted to feature a three-dimensional project. Since I love using my Pillowbox Die and Big Shot to create wonderful baskets that are just too cute, this was a logical choice for me! For a classic Fall look, Chocolate Chip and Kraft card stock were paired together. I zipped the Kraft panels through the Big Shot with the Quilted Texturz Plate. The leaves were a snap to make using the Leaves #2 Original Die and Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper!
I hope that you enjoyed your stay at The Stampin’ Schach and my focus on the “Gifts of the Earth” stamp set. I am happy to send you off on the next step of your Blog Hop journey…Gina Shaw’s website, Cards by Gina. But first, please leave me a comment to let me know what you think of today’s new card and basket. You know that I appreciate and love your comments! Until next time…




Holiday Hopper Line-Up
1. Kris Kilcoyne (Kween Bee Kreations)
2. Carla Bazhenow(Carla’s Scraps)
3. Linda Callahan (Stampin’ Seasons)
4. Mary Fish(Stampin’ Pretty)
5. Tricia Gillam(Soul Stamper)
6. Jill Gregory(Stamping Heart)
7. Liz Hughes(DIY Paper Creations)
8. Kim Lampone (Stamp, Scrap, Get Kreative)
9. Kalshelia Lloyd (Stampin’ Fabulousity)
10. Regina Mangum (The Stampin’ Bean)
11. Margaret Moody(Margaret Moody)
12. Debbie Pierce(Stampin’ Sunshine)
13. Ann Schach (The Stampin’ Schach)
14. Gina Shaw (Cards by Gina)
15. Lourdes Torres (Cozy Crafty Corner)

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

Stamp Set: Gifts of the Earth, Falling Leaves; Inks: More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Bordering Blue, Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant, Summer Sun; Designer Series Paper: Autumn Traditions, Autumn Meadows; Card Stock: Really Rust textured, More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Texture Cuts Wood Sheets; Tools: Eyelet Border Punch, Modern Label Punch, Big Shot, Finial Press Embossing Folder, Original Dies Leaves #2, Pillowbox Die, Color Spritzer, Blender Pens, Sponge Dauber; Embellishments: Vintage Brads, Chocolate Chip 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Circle Fire Brads

If you enjoyed the Halloween Hop last month, you will not want to miss the Thanksgiving and Fall Hop on Tuesday, November 10 as my Pals and I showcase all that Stampin’ Up! has to offer—rubber stamps, designer paper, embellishments, and so much more.

And make sure to “Save the Date” on your calendar for our next hop. You won’t want to miss the creations we have to share as we focus on Christmas and Winter on December 1, 2009! So tune in to Tuesday!

For your advanced planning, the line-up is featured below!

Holiday Hopper Line-Up

1. Kris Kilcoyne (Kween Bee Kreations)
2. Carla Bazhenow(Carla’s Scraps)
3. Linda Callahan (Stampin‘ Seasons)
4. Melanie Collins(Oops a Daisy)
5. Mary Fish(Stampin‘ Pretty)
6. Tricia Gillam(Soul Stamper)
7. Jill Gregory(Stamping Heart)
8. Liz Hughes(DIY Paper Creations)
9. Kim Lampone (Stamp, Scrap, Get Kreative)
10. Kalshelia Lloyd (Stampin‘ Fabulousity)
11. Regina Mangum (The Stampin‘ Bean)
12. Margaret Moody(Margaret Moody)
13. Debbie Pierce(Stampin‘ Sunshine)
14. Ann Schach (The Stampin‘ Schach)
15. Gina Shaw (Cards by Gina)
16. Lourdes Torres (Cozy Crafty Corner)

I am still trying to catch up from a busy week last week. However, I am so looking forward to the Hop and to Thursday’s Pals Paper Arts challenge! And there is still time to participate in last week’s color challenge. But don’t hesitate…Mr. Linky closes at Noon CST Tuesday. Until next time…