The Winner of the 19th Second Sunday Sketches is...

Pat! Congratulations, Pat! Pat is the winner of the 19th Second Sunday Sketches card sketch challenge! Your prize, the Item #153548 Snowflake Splendor 1/4" Ribbon and 3 handmade cards, will be in the mail on Wednesday, December 2nd.

The color combination of Pat's card is truly stunning! The metallic and the Pretty Peacock combined with the angel wings evoke the Christmas spirit! The For Unto Us stamp set's greetings are so meaningful during Christmastime and throughout the year!

Check out the other entries for the 19th Second Sunday Sketch card challenge. I love how Candy's card features a classic stamp set White Christmas and a newer set Snow Front that pair well together. The embossed snow makes this Christmas card extra special! Dawn's card is so cute! Layering die cuts in the center of the card front was a very clever idea. The designer series paper makes this card even more full of winter cheer! Freezin' Friends stamp set is one of my favorite stamp sets from the August-December Mini Catalog, and I am sure it will become a favorite of yours too! Toni's birthday card is fantastic for all ages and genders. The batik designer series paper makes this birthday card a showstopper! Well done, everyone! I am so happy that you are enjoying the Second Sunday Sketches! I look forward to seeing your entries each month!

Missed this Second Sunday Sketches? 

The next Second Sunday Sketches card challenge starts on December 13th, 2020. The prize will be a package of the Resin Hearts (Item #154578) from the upcoming 2021 January - June Mini Catalog and 3 handmade cards from me.

Share Second Sunday Sketches with a Friend

Be sure to join in on the fun and share with a friend! Starting in March, if you enter the Second Sunday Sketches challenge, you can get a bonus surprise prize by sharing this challenge with a friend (for US residents only)! Here's how to get a bonus surprise prize. Limit two bonus surprise prizes per person per month.

1. Enter into December's Second Sunday Sketches challenge
2. Share December's Second Sunday Sketches challenge with a friend
3. Have your friend submit their December's challenge card entry. Email me that your friend has submitted their card entry. Submit your complete mailing address and the name of the friend that you shared with. I will confirm their entry and then send you a bonus surprise prize 1-3 business days after I draw December's winner.

Happy Stamping!
Beth

P.S. Ever wonder how I draw for the Second Sunday Sketches winner? I use an app called Tiny Decisions. I input all of the names of the participants onto the wheel and spin it. The name that the wheel stops on is the winner.

I would love to send you a catalog!

Hi, Friends!

I would love to send you a free 2020-2021 Annual Catalog. It usually costs $5, but I am going to send it to you for free. Before I do, I would to have a conversation with you and to confirm your mailing address. 

 

So, if you would like a free 2020-2021 Annual Catalog catalog, send me at craftwithbeth@gmail.com with your phone number and the best time to call you. I will then call you and get started on that.

I can’t wait to speak with you, and I look forward to mailing the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog catalog to you!

Beth

Thank you for your service!

Thank you for your service! Thank you for keeping us safe and free! Your service, sacrifice, and bravery are valued beyond measure and are not forgotten!

May God bless you and keep you!

Beth

Join Me for a Virtual Bingo Night!!

You are invited to play bingo Stampin' Up! style! Join me on Saturday, November 21st from 5:30pm to 730pm for a fun-filled night of virtual Bingo Stampin' Up! style!

• Bingo Night will be hosted on Zoom's virtual meeting platform. 
• We will play 5 rounds of bingo. Instead of bingo cards, you will receive 25 numbers - 5 numbers for each round - to keep track of. You can earn more numbers by
• if you have already placed an order in my online store from November 1st, 2020 through November 18th, 2020 at 5pm EST,
• sharing this bingo event with a friend and having that friend RSVP and prepay by November 18th, 2020 at 5pm EST (there is a 3 extra number limit for sharing), and
• emailing me a photo of your latest card making project.
  
• Five extra numbers are the maximum amount that you can earn for this event. You can use one extra number per round. Once that extra number has been used, it is no longer available to be used for any other round.
  
• Each bingo round prize will be valued at at least $15. A few prizes will come from the Holiday Catalog but mostly from the January-June Mini Catalog that isn’t even publicly available for purchase yet!
• There will be random prize patrol giveaways during the evening. Prizes valued at $7 or more.
• The Door Prize is a $25 gift certificate to my online store!
• A Take and Make project will be mailed to you that can be completed with the stamp set used in the sample or using a favorite stamp set that you already have.
• Plus, for the first 5 people that RSVP and prepay to me by email or phone, I will send a free mystery bonus pack of an assortment of stamping goodies valued at least $40!! I will personally pick each mystery bonus pack from my own stash with a variety of goodies, including but not limited to stamp sets, designer series paper, embossing folders, embellishments, and more! All mystery bonus packs will be different. All mystery bonus packs will contain retired product. (Update: All Mystery Bonus Packs have been claimed! Thank you for your overwhelmingly postive response!)
  
• The cost is $25 per person payable by PayPal, or, for my current customers, by check.

RSVP by November 18th at 5pm EST. Please, email me at craftwithbeth@gmail.com or call me to RSVP, and I will email you the PayPal invoice as well as the Zoom meeting information to attend.

EDIT: This event is now closed for registration.

I miss our in-person stamping parties and spending time with you! I would love to have you all attend Zoom bingo! I can't wait to see you all at virtual bingo!

Happy Stamping!
Beth

The NEW Second Sunday Sketches Starts Right Now! Join in on the fun!

 

It is time for another Second Sunday Sketches challenge! If you are new to Second Sunday Sketches, please review the rules here or below. Each second Sunday of the month, I will post a card sketch. A sketch is graphic or drawing of how the elements of a card are layed out.

You will then use the sketch as a guide to create your own card. Your card must be a new creation and reflect the challenge guidelines. Your card must include the major elements of the card sketch, such as the number of layers and the general position of the embellishments and/or die cuts. You can rotate the sketch for a top-folding card or for a side-folding card.

You choose the occasion and the color palette as well as the stamp set(s) and the embellishments. I do ask that you use Stampin' Up! products (current or retired).

The measurements will also be included in the blog post for each Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge. You can use the measurements as given or increase them or decrease them. For example, if a greeting is stamped on a 1" circle on the sketch, but the greeting you choose is 1-3/4", then increase the size of the circle to 1-3/4". You can also change the shape. Instead of a circle, you can use an oval, a square, a daisy punch, etc.

The challenge will run from the second Sunday of the month until the last day of that month.

Below is November's card sketch.

Challenge Dates

November's challenge will run from November 8th, 2020 until November 30th, 2020 at 5pm EST.

If you would like to participate in the Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge, please create a card using the sketch above and email me a photo of your card by November 30th, 2020 at 5pm EST with the subject line Second Sunday Sketches Entry.

Prize Drawing

The day after the last day of the month (December 1st), I will place all of the names of the participants in a proverbial hat and randomly draw a winner. The winner will receive a prize! The prize each month will change and will be announced at the start of each challenge. September's Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge prize is Item #153548 Snowflake Splendor 1/4" Ribbon and three hand-made cards from me.

 

 

Winner Announcement

If you are the winner, I will notify you by email. Please respond to my email with your complete mailing address, and I will mail you your prize! If the winner does not respond to my email within 7 days, I will draw another winner.

I will also post all of the entries on my blog (with your names attached to the photos) and the name of the winner.

Some Ideas on How to Make this Card Sketch Your Own

There are many ways to change this card to make it your own! You can rotate the card layout 90 degrees, change the rectangles other shapes like flowers, stars, or letters, make the rectangles shorter, create a winter scene on the top layer, emboss the card base, and more!

Share Second Sunday Sketches with a Friend

Be sure to join in on the fun and share with a friend! Starting in March 2020, if you enter the Second Sunday Sketches challenge, you can get a bonus surprise prize by sharing this challenge with a friend (for US residents only)! Here's how to get a bonus surprise prize. Limit two bonus surprise prizes per person per month.

1. Enter into this month's Second Sunday Sketches challenge
2. Share this month's Second Sunday Sketches challenge with a friend (that hasn't participated before)
3. Have your friend submit their this month's challenge card entry
4. Email me that your friend has submitted their card entry. Submit your complete mailing address and the name of the friend that you shared with. I will confirm their entry and then send you a bonus surprise prize.

I am looking forward to seeing your personal take on the 19th Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge! If you have any questions about this card sketch challenge, please let me know! I am happy to assist!

Happy Stamping!
Beth

The Winner of the 18th Second Sunday Sketches is...

Toni! Congratulations, Toni! You are the winner of the 18th Second Sunday Sketches card sketch challenge! Your prize, the Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems (Item #153547) and 3 handmade cards from me, will be in the mail on November 4th, 2020.

I love how Toni made a fun, smiley face background with different circles of cardstock and the smiley face stamps from the fun fruit stamp set! It is so cheery! I challenge you not to smile when you look at it!

Check out the other entries for the 18th Second Sunday Sketch card challenge. Even though October's card sketch was a bit challenging lining up the stamped images, these card entries are some of my favorite card entries so far! I'm so thrilled that you are all enjoying this sketch challenge and continue to enter such amazing cards! Thank you so much for participating in the Second Sunday Sketches!

Missed this Second Sunday Sketches? 

The next Second Sunday Sketches card challenge starts on November 8th, 2020. The prize will be a  spool of Snowflake Splendor 1/4" Ribbon (Item #153548) and 3 handmade cards from me.

Share Second Sunday Sketches with a Friend

Be sure to join in on the fun and share with a friend! If you enter the Second Sunday Sketches challenge, you can get a bonus surprise prize by sharing this challenge with a friend (for US residents only)! Here's how to get a bonus surprise prize. Limit two bonus surprise prizes per person per month.

1. Enter into November's Second Sunday Sketches challenge
2. Share November's Second Sunday Sketches challenge with a friend
3. Have your friend submit their November's challenge card entry. 
4. Email me that your friend has submitted their card entry. Submit your complete mailing address and the name of the friend that you shared with. 
5. I will confirm their entry and then send you a bonus surprise prize 1-3 business days after I draw November's winner.

Happy Stamping!
Beth

P.S. Ever wonder how I draw the winner. I use an app called Tiny Decisions. I add the names to the wheel and spin it. The name the wheel stops on is the winner.

Second Sunday #18 Starts Today!

It is time for another Second Sunday Sketches challenge! If you are new to Second Sunday Sketches, please review the rules here or below. Each second Sunday of the month, I will post a card sketch. A sketch is graphic or drawing of how the elements of a card are layed out.

You will then use the sketch as a guide to create your own card. Your card must be a new creation and reflect the challenge guidelines. Your card must include the major elements of the card sketch, such as the number of layers and the general position of the embellishments and/or die cuts. You can rotate the sketch for a top-folding card or for a side-folding card.

You choose the occasion and the color palette as well as the stamp set(s) and the embellishments. I do ask that you use Stampin' Up! products (current or retired).

The measurements will also be included in the blog post for each Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge. You can use the measurements as given or increase them or decrease them. For example, if a greeting is stamped on a 1" circle on the sketch, but the greeting you choose is 1-3/4", then increase the size of the circle to 1-3/4". You can also change the shape. Instead of a circle, you can use an oval, a square, a daisy punch, etc.

The challenge will run from the second Sunday of the month until the last day of that month.

Below is October's card sketch. This month's sketch has a staggered, repeating pattern in the background with an off-center label shape. This is a great sketch to use with your Stamparatus!

Challenge Dates

October's challenge will run from October 11th, 2020 until October 31st, 2020 at 5pm EST.

If you would like to participate in the Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge, please create a card using the sketch above and email me a photo of your card by October 31st, 2020 at 5pm EST with the subject line Second Sunday Sketches Entry.

Prize Drawing

The day after the last day of the month (November1st), I will place all of the names of the participants in a proverbial hat and randomly draw a winner. The winner will receive a prize! The prize each month will change and will be announced at the start of each challenge. October's Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge prize is Item #153547 Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems and three hand-made cards from me.

Winner Announcement

If you are the winner, I will notify you by email. Please respond to my email with your complete mailing address, and I will mail you your prize! If the winner does not respond to my email within 7 days, I will draw another winner.

I will also post all of the entries on my blog (with your names attached to the photos) and the name of the winner.

Some Ideas on How to Make this Card Sketch Your Own

There are many ways to change this card to make it your own! This month's sketch has a staggered, repeating pattern in the background with an off-center label shape. This is a great sketch to use with your Stamparatus! You can rotate the card layout 90 degrees, change the repeating starburst-hearts to another shape like flowers or letters, use embossing folders to add more texture to a mat layer, and more!

Share Second Sunday Sketches with a Friend

Come back on March 8th for the next Second Sunday Sketches! Be sure to join in on the fun and share with a friend! Starting in March 2020, if you enter the Second Sunday Sketches challenge, you can get a bonus surprise prize by sharing this challenge with a friend (for US residents only)! Here's how to get a bonus surprise prize. Limit two bonus surprise prizes per person per month.

1. Enter into this month's Second Sunday Sketches challenge
2. Share this month's Second Sunday Sketches challenge with a friend (that hasn't participated before)
3. Have your friend submit their this month's challenge card entry
4. Email me that your friend has submitted their card entry. Submit your complete mailing address and the name of the friend that you shared with. I will confirm their entry and then send you a bonus surprise prize.

I am looking forward to seeing your personal take on the 18th Second Sunday Sketches sketch challenge! If you have any questions about this card sketch challenge, please let me know! I am happy to assist!

Happy Stamping!
Beth

Happy Fall, Y’all! Baby Wipe Ink Refill Technique

I host Zoom stamping sessions twice a week on most weeks - Monday evening and Friday afternoon. All of my current customers and my demonstrator team members are welcome to join in and stamp with us. Email me for the Zoom meeting information. I would love for you to stamp with us!

During tonight's Zoom stamping session we made cards using the Baby Wipe Technique. The Baby Wipe Technique is a way of creating your own variegated "ink pad" using a baby wipe and ink refills.

The Baby Wipe Technique truly lends itself for autumnal colors! I love the deep oranges, reds, browns, yellows, and even purples that fall is so known for! Fall is my absolute favorite season! I think that is why I tend to create with it during the latter half of the year.

Start with a baby wipe and fold it in half or in quarters, depending on how large or small the stamp that you are using is. You want your baby wipe to be about 1/4" or 1/2" larger than the stamp you are using, so that you have plenty of ink coverage. Place the baby wipe on a water-resistant surface such as a folded paper towel or the silicone craft mat to help keep your work surface clean.

Choose 3 or 4 different ink refills that coordinate well together - anymore and the color may become muddled. I chose Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, and Rich Razzleberry ink refills. Start with your lightest ink refill and randomly drop ink onto the baby wipe.

Go to your next lightest ink refill and randomly drop ink onto the baby wipe. Spread the ink droplets around the baby wipe.

Then repeat with your darkest ink refill.

It is ok to leave some areas of the baby wipe without ink. The more you stamp with this "ink pad", the more the ink droplet starts to fill in and to blend together.

Take your stamp and pounce around the baby wipe "ink pad" to fully cover the stamp with ink and stamp onto your cardstock. Is there enough ink on your stamp? Do you like the way the ink refills are blending together? If not, try adding more ink refill to the baby wipe.

Once you are satisfied with your "ink pad," continue stamping your project.

You can stamp several projects with one baby wipe, but add more ink refills to the baby wipe if you notice that the baby wipe is starting to dry out, or as needed.

Once you are finished using the baby wipe, you can use the remaining ink to create backgrounds for cards and 3D projects. Simply, scrunch up the baby wipe with the ink facing outwards and swipe across your cardstock. Repeat swiping across the cardstock until it is fully covered with ink. You can also pounce the baby wipe all over your cardstock to create a sponged look.

For the inside of these cards, I stamped the large leaves from Rooted in Nature with Rich Razzleberry ink onto one of the ink-swiped backgrounds and cut it to fit the width of the card base.

This card layout is simple and straightforward to show off the baby wipe ink refill technique and is very easy to customize. You can change the greeting and the leaf stamps to suite any occasion. 

The "Happy Thanksgiving" greeting stamp is also included with the Banner Greetings stamp set., but you don't have to limit this technique to only the fall months. Can you imagine how beautiful butterflies or tulips would be with spring colors?!

I hope you give the Baby Wipe Technique a try! What stamp sets and ink refill colors will you use for your card? I would love to see what you create! Post project photo on my Facebook Page or email your project photo. I would love to feature your project photo in one of my upcoming newsletters!

Thanks for stopping by!

Beth

Happy World Cardmaking Day!

Happy World Cardmaking Day! Today is a fantastic day to make and send cards to loved ones! Choose your favorite stamp sets, designer series papers, and embellishments and create a card for an upcoming occasion or to send a special message to a favorite friend.

Fun folds are some of my favorite ways to make cards! I love the way fun folds are constructed and how they open differently than regular cards. I also like that fun folds have a layout already designed for you, but you can still add your own touch by choosing the color palette, the papers, the stamps, and the embellishments. Sometimes, deciding on a layout is the most difficult part of creating a card.

This Whale Done tower card came together quickly. I added a label die cut to the front of the card with a stamped underwater scene and whale punch.

Techniques are a great ways to expand and grow your stamping skills. It also helps see new possibilities, creative options, and layouts. Sponging techniques are some of my favorite ways to incorporate color and dimension to my cards like this birthday sliding puzzle card below!

Whether you are creating new cards, finishing cards in progress, or trying a new technique,  I hope you are having a fun-filled day of making and sending cards to family and friends!

I would love to see what you created for World Cardmaking Day! Email me a photo of your cards to craftwithbeth @ gmail.com. I would love to feature your card in one of my upcoming newsletters!

Happy Stamping!
Beth

The Winner of the 17th Second Sunday Sketches is...

Donna! Congratulations, Donna! You are the winner of the 17th Second Sunday Sketches card sketch challenge! Your prize, the Real Red3/8" Sheer Ribbon (Item #153535) and 3 handmade cards, will be in the mail on October 2nd, 2020.

I love how Donna heat embossed onto the foil paper! The pheasants almost appear to be a part of the metallic foil paper! What an elegant technique to embellish a Thanksgiving card! Stunning!

Check out the other entries for the 17th Second Sunday Sketch card challenge. I love how everyone added layers of texture and pattern to their cards, whether it was by using a seasonal embossing folder, a textured embossing folder, or adding washi tape! I love the thought process behind your designs! You are all incredible card makers and designers!

Missed this Second Sunday Sketches? 

The next Second Sunday Sketches card challenge starts on October 11th, 2020. The prize will be a package of the Blue Adhesive-Backed Gems (Item #153547) and 3 handmade cards from me.

Share Second Sunday Sketches with a Friend

Be sure to join in on the fun and share with a friend! If you enter the Second Sunday Sketches challenge, you can get a bonus surprise prize by sharing this challenge with a friend (for US residents only)! Here's how to get a bonus surprise prize. Limit two bonus surprise prizes per person per month.

1. Enter into October's Second Sunday Sketches challenge
2. Share October's Second Sunday Sketches challenge with a friend
3. Have your friend submit their October's challenge card entry. 
4. Email me that your friend has submitted their card entry. Submit your complete mailing address and the name of the friend that you shared with. 
5. I will confirm their entry and then send you a bonus surprise prize 1-3 business days after I draw October's winner.

Happy Stamping!
Beth