Inspired at the OCC


I love Saturdays for a variety of reasons, one of them being the Our Creative Corner challenge. They are challenging us this week to find inspiration in the journals by Monique Duval. I drew my inspiration from the colors, selecting Perfect Plum, Really Rust, and Always Artichoke. Texture and distressing, as well as a double ribbon, highlight this “Really Perfect Artichoke” of a card!

The Stampin’ Schach Tips:
  • Finish with a flourish! When designing a card with only a sentiment, a flourish or two are smart ways to draw the eye to the focal point of the card. By using the Big Shot and the Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits Dies, flourishes are zipped out in seconds!

  • Is your Designer Paper too vibrant? Tone it down with ink. In addition to using a Sponge Dauber, I “painted” Always Artichoke ink onto the Really Rust pattern paper. I simply squeezed the closed ink pad to pool the ink into the lid, and used my Aqua Painter for instant distressing!

  • Here’s another “texture lecture”! Using the Big Shot and the Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate, this Top Note goes from plain to “insane-ly” beautiful! The Perfect Plum shadow was made by punching out a second Top Note and cutting it in half. It was not distressed in order to enhance the Always Artichoke overlay.

  • Always add a little extra! Double the “fab factor” with not one, but two, ribbons. Elegant Eggplant and Always Artichoke 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbons fit perfectly on the bottom of this layout.
If you have questions about any of the techniques that were used in the making of this card, please do not hesitate to email me! And once again, congratulations to June Renee’ for winning the blog candy! Just email me your address, and your “candy” will be on it’s way! There is another milestone looming in the future, and more blog candy will be offered.
Stampin’ Up! Deals
Feeling like a little punch? Stampin’ Up!’s Deal of the Week has returned! From October 1, Midnight (MT) through October 12, 9:50 AM (MT), they are featuring The Trio Flower Punch ($10.99), The 5 Petal Punch ($10.99), and the My Way Punch ($11.99)! The regular prices of these punches are $15.99! What a deal!

Visit the Clearance Rack! Just click the Clearance rack icon on my right sidebar to be taken to incredible deals on Stampin’ Up! merchandise. Once you reach my business website, just click on “Shop Now”!

Become the Newest Member of The Schach Pack

From now until March 31, 2010, Stampin’ Up! is offering a “My Digital Studio” Starter Kit for
$185.00 (over $295 value!). Just look at what you receive!

•My Digital Studio software
•Party Hearty and Petal Pizzazz stamp sets
•Whisper White card stock (8-1/2″ x 11″)
•Earth Elements assorted card stock (8-1/2″ x 11″)
•Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, and Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin’ Pads
•Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Real Red Stampin’ Write markers
•Chocolate Chip 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon
•Real Red 1″ Double-stitched Grosgrain Ribbon
•Button Latte Designer Buttons (my personal favorites)
•Stampin’ Dimensionals
•Mini Glue Dots
•SNAIL Adhesive
•Business supplies (including catalogs, order forms, training DVD, and other supplies)

Of course, the Original Starter kit is always available! (Over $335 worth of merchandise for $199…FREE shipping and handling)
If you join my group, I will be there every step of the way to coach you and answer your questions. I am so proud of my ever-growing downline, The Schach Pack, and what they are accomplishing! And as a special “Welcome” gift from me, if you sign up before October 31st at 11:50 PM (MT) you will receive any stamp set of your choice up to $24.95. After signing up, simply contact me with your choice and I will order it November 1st. Just as soon as I receive it, I will mail it to you! There has never been a better time to join! Whether you aspire to be a career demo or a hobby demo, there is room for you in The Schach Pack!
To join my group, just follow these easy steps:

1. Click here
2. Then click “Start Your Own Business” followed by “Join Now”
3. Enter my recruiting password (Please email me for my recruiting password, or if you have questions)

Please let me know what you thought about today’s card. Your comments and questions are always important to me! And, don’t forget to “Play at the PPA!”. Mr. Linky will close at Noon (CST) Tuesday. You could be the next Pals Paper Artist Pick! Until next time…

Please Click Here to Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies 24/7!
Stamp Set: Herb Expressions (113234); Designer Series Paper: Patterns Pack Designer Series Paper III (116234—Hostess Level 1); Card Stock: Always Artichoke (105243), Perfect Plum (101889), Really Rust (100661); Inks: Chocolate Chip (100908), Really Rust (102549), Always Artichoke (105219); Tools: Big Shot (113439), Top Note Die (113463), Perfect Details Texturz Plate (115962), Swirls Scribbles Sizzlit Die (113441), Sponge Dauber (102892), Aqua Painter (103954), Corner Rounder (109047); Embellishments: Elegant Eggplant 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon (109039), Always Artichoke 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon (109035)

Ten Minute Card

During my Hostess Club meeting last evening, I took on the 15 minute challenge… create a card in 15 minutes from conception to completion! Now you would have to know me to know that this would be a true challenge. After all, I love my layers and distressing. Plus, it is not uncommon for me to spend an hour or more on design, debating on what layout, colors, paper and stamps to use. Not only that…Paper Snips have become my newest best friend, as can be seen by the wreath cards I have been making of late.

However, it is good to take a break from cards that take hours to make and whip out a few that can be made in a matter of minutes! Not only did I come in under fifteen, I actually made it in ten! And you know what? It felt good. I was throwing caution to the wind. It was if I was cleansing my creative soul. Yes, there are things that I would change, like moving the snowflake a little more to the right and adding a sentiment. But by golly, I was under the gun as far as time! So here’s the deal: Try the 15 minute challenge! Design and create a card in under fifteen minutes. Be spontaneous! Let your creativity soar! And let me know what you come up with!

The Stampin‘ Schach Tips:

  • Petals-a-Plenty should be renamed “Texture-a-Plenty”! With simple cards or when time is a factor, the Big Shot and a Textured Impressions Folder can be the “Wow” factor that you are looking for!
  • “Color me dramatic!” Simple cards can become stunning with the right color combinations. Real Red and Whisper White are striking when paired together.
  • Bling it on! Just a single Circle Fire Brad can be all that’s needed to add the right amount of sparkle to KISS cards (Keep It Simple, Sweetie).
  • Give your card a “knockout punch”, such as the Whisper White snowflake punched with the Jumbo Snowflake Punch!
Blog Candy Winner: Wow! I knew that I made the right choice in celebrating you, my readers! Your many comments were definitely inspiring and certainly appreciated! The randomly selected comment was :
“The blog candy is wonderful!! Just like your blog. 🙂
I celebrate my family every single day. I have a fantastic husband and four wonderful children who’ve made us incredibly proud!”
And the lucky author of this comment is…June Renee’! Congratulations! Just email me your address, and your “candy” will be sent out Monday morning. I am so looking forward to my next Blog Candy giveaway! Stay tuned for when that will be! In the meantime, please continue to leave your comments. I do appreciate them. And remember, never hesitate to email me about the questions that you have about the cards that I make or the techniques that I use. (I have received many inquiries about my use of Blender Pens. I will be making a tutorial to help you with this technique.)
Important Announcement: The Washington, IL workshop on October 25th is filled. However, I am excited to let you know that I will be scheduling technique classes in the area, with dates to be arranged. More information will be forthcoming.
Well, gang, that’s it for this post! Don’t forget to participate in the Pals Paper Arts challenge. I love looking at what you have created and leaving you comments! Until next time…

Please Click Here to Order Your Stampin‘ Up! 24/7!
Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Real Red (102482)
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Jumbo Snowflake Punch (116628), Petal-a-Plenty Textured Impressions Folder (116824—Holiday Mini)
Embellishments: Circle Fire Brads (109110), Mistletoe Ribbon Originals (116792)

Thankful for the PPA


It’s Thursday! And that means it’s time to play the Pals Paper Arts challenge! This week we are hosting a theme challenge: Gratitude and Thanks. Whether your project represents something (or someone) for which you are grateful, is a simple thank you note, or has a Thanksgiving motif, we encourage you to create with a spirit of gratitude and thanks. I opted to create a Thaksgiving card. Although I have used the Gifts of the Earth stamp set for several cards, I had never inked up the turkey image. The shape of the stamp seemed perfect for an oval, so I simply used the center of the Bigz Oval Frame Die and decorated the edges with leaves stamped from Lovely as a Tree. And if you do not recognize the sentiment, it is from the sweet little Gobble, Gobble turkey. How about it? Are you ready to talk turkey?

The Stampin‘ Schach Tips:

  • When planning on sending large square cards through the mail, prepare a 5-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ card base. It will fit perfectly into Stampin‘ Up!s Medium Square Envelopes. As for my card base, I selected Always Artichoke. It coordinates well with Really Rust, Dusty Durango, and Pumpkin Pie for exquisite fall cards!
  • Forget about diamonds…Paper Snips are a girl’s (and guy’s) best friend when it comes to snipping out intricate designs like these Oak Leaves from Lovely as a Tree. Sharp all the way to the tip, they were indispensable in the creating of this card.
  • Bling it “down” for Fall! As much as I love bling, my autumn cards are better served with Vintage Brads. And for perfect placement of them, I used the Template from the Mat Pack.
  • Distressing should not be distressing! I simply use a Sponge Dauber to apply the ink to the edges of the paper. It couldn’t be easier! For today’s card, Chocolate Chip was the color of choice. And what could be easier than using a Color Spritzer? If you do not have one, I would encourage you to add one to your next order. Paired with a Chocolate Chip Stampin‘ Write Marker, I used the Color Spritzer Tool to distress the background of the turkey image and the “Give Thanks” oval.
  • Never underestimate the power of a Blender Pen! I do all of my watercoloring with Blender Pens and ink. I simply “dab” the tip of my pen directly on the ink pad itself. If the color is too strong, I stroke the pen a few times on a piece of scratch paper. The colors that I used for the leaves included Really Rust and Old Olive. The veins of the leaves were enhanced with a Close to Cocoa Stampin‘ Write Marker. For the turkey, from Gifts of the Earth, I used Creamy Caramel, Basic Gray, Ruby Red, Not Quite Navy, and Close to Cocoa. The speckling was enhanced with a white Signo Gel Pen.
  • Dare to be different! I wanted my “Give Thanks” label to have a unique twist. So I inked the sentiment from the bottom of the adorable Gobble, Gobble turkey using my Chocolate Chip Stampin‘ Write Marker, stamped it onto Very Vanilla, and punched it out with the Small Oval Punch. After a little distressing, it was ready to adhere to this card’s “unique” factor…the label prepared from the Modern Label Punch. A label was punched from textured Really Rust, which was distressed, and a second was punched from Always Artichoke. This one was simply cut into two pieces and adhered to the Really Rust. Linen Thread was used to further enhance the look.
  • And if you are wondering about the random leaf in the upper right hand corner…it’s only there because I spent a rather large amount of time cutting these leaves out…and by-golly I was going to use it somewhere!!!
I have many things to be thankful for, including the fact that I am a member of the Pals Paper Arts design team. They are an awesome group of card makers, and their cards inspire me everyday. I can assure you that the other Pal Gals have designed their own delightful creations! So please leave me a comment, and then head on over to the PPA . I am so anxious to see what you create this week! And remember, I am always here to answer any questions you may have about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use. (P.S….Don’t forget about my Blog Candy!) Until next time…

Please Click Here to order Stampin‘ Up! 24/7!
Stamp Sets: Gifts of the Earth (116501—Holiday Mini), Gobble, Gobble (116535—Holiday Mini), As Lovely as a Tree (115026)
Inks: Chocolate Chip (100908), Really Rust (102549), Old Olive (102277), Sahara Sand (105208), Close to Cocoa (103139), Basic Gray (109120), Ruby Red (102259), Not Quite Navy (103008), Creamy Caramel (103220), White Signo Gel Pen (105021), Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker (100071)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Traditions (115668), Autumn Meadows (116769—Holiday Mini)
Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Always Artichoke (105119), Really Rust textured (108697—Earth Elements assorted)
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Bigz Die Scalloped Oval Frame (114521), Small Oval Punch (107304), Modern Label Punch (107590), Paper Snips (103579)
Embellishments: Vintage Brads (109109), Linen Thread (104199)