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.

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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!)

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I know…I know! I have designed umpteen million cards using the Serene Snowflakes stamp set! But I like it! And besides, this one is a little different in that it fits my “Simply Schach” definition of a card that is quicker and easier than the more complicated cards that I usually create. Shimmer paint, a Texturz plate, and Brushed Gold card stock combine to make a statement in a short amount of time with a minimum of fuss and muss! The time that you save in making this card can be time that you can spend with your family…or seeking out those “Black Friday” doorbusters!

The Stampin‘ Schach Tips:

• When time is of the essence, using a single color of ink can save a minute or two! Bravo Burgundy is a great holiday color and was used to ink both the snowflake and the greeting.
• Become well-rounded! Using the Corner Rounder on all four corners of the image matting adds visual interest in seconds. Likewise, rounding the lower corners of the card softens it.
• Shimmer and glimmer! Add Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint to rubbing alcohol and mist away! I simply purchased an inexpensive travel size fingertip sprayer (2 ounces) and filled it approximately one-third full of rubbing alcohol. I then added 1/4 teaspoon of shimmer paint and shook well. What could be easier? Not only can you “shimmerize” card stock, you can spritz your ribbon, too!
• Save time by misting Very Vanilla card stock with Shimmer Paint before texturizing. In this case, I used the “Quilted” plate from Stampin‘ Up! Perfect Details. Extra deep texture can be achieved this way.
• Mix the “bling“! Who says you can’t combine circles and squares? A round yellow Circle Fire brad compliments the center of the snowflake, while two yellow Square Fire brads accent the greeting.
• Double the label, double the fun! Punch the sentiment from Very Vanilla card stock with the Modern Label Punch, and then punch the label a second time from Brushed Gold.
• Do you suffer from “Saggy Bow Syndrome”? A few perfectly placed Mini-Glue Dots can put that pesky bow in its place!

Would you like a little sneak peek at this week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge card? Of course you do! Do you recognize this stamp set? Tune in Thursday and find out if you were correct in your guess! And don’t forget to mark your calendars for December 1st and our third installment of the Pals’ Holiday Blog Hop! If you liked the first two hops, you are sure to love this one as we highlight cards and projects of the season! If you have any questions about today’s card or about the Hop, please do not hesitate to email me. In the meantime, please feel free to leave me a comment! I truly do appreciate them! Until next time…

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