Hot Cocoa themed Pocket Card

 Do you give gift cards or cash for the holidays?

This cute pocket card is for you! I give tons of gift cards around the holidays and for many other occasions. You can create pocket cards and decorate them up any way you like. 

For this card set, I used Cherry Cobbler, Pecan Pie, Pool Party, and Pretty Peacock. I love to use fun color combos. My hot cocoa themed pocket cards feature the More than Autumn bundle. The bundle includes a stamp set and coordinating dies. It's super cute and covers many occasions. I stamped my cups and marshmallows in Basic Gray classic ink. (You could use Smoky Slate too) Then I colored them with Pool Party and Pretty Peacock blends. I didn't add any coloring to my marshmallows. You could add in shading if you wanted. The stamp set includes the cute little images of a candy cane and gingerbread man. I colored those with blends as well- light Cherry Cobbler and Pecan Pie. If you're not familiar with Stampin' Up!'s alcohol markers, they come in a combo set of a light and a dark. 

The background was created with the Sketched Plaid background stamp (seriously one of my favs!). I stamped it in Pretty Peacock classic ink onto Basic White cardstock (5 1/4" x 4"). Then I added some colors with my Stampin' Blends markers. I love customizing this stamped image. I used light Pool Party, light Cherry Cobbler and light Pecan Pie. 

I love that I can dress up the pocket any way I like and customize it to the recipient. Add a gift card to the little pull out notecard along with a little special message. If you need more room for your message, you can add a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of white cardstock to the back.  

You can see the products I used on my website here. I have all the products I used loaded into a cart for your convenience. If you already have something, you can remove it. 

Here's a close up of my cute pocket layer

Change it up and use fun color combos for your seasonal cards. I used a Cherry Cobbler base and pocket on this card.

I've created a Hot Cocoa themed Pocket Card pdf with all the measurements.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this pocket card. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions.

Happy Stampin' 

~ Beth

Zig Zag Z fold card

Have you tried the Zig Zag Z fold card?

This fun fold is sure to WOW whoever receives it. I just love the possibilities. You can layer it up or let the designer series paper (aka patterned paper) do all the work. 

I'm so in love with how this one turned out. The new Yuletide Village stamp set is one of my absolute favorites. I paired it with the Forever Forest stamp set and coordinating dies to create this layered scene. My other favorite is the Nests of Winter designer series paper. The colors and patterns are just beautiful. To add a little distressed look behind my greeting, I tore a piece of Two-toned Pool Party cardstock. If you haven't checked out the new two-toned cardstocks- you're gonna want to! They are fabulous and great for tearing techniques. 

Grab the Zig Zag Z fold pdf for measurements.

Watch a live tutorial if you need more of a visual.

My house image is stamped in Basic Gray classic ink. Then I colored it in with Stampin' Blends markers. I love that you can use the classic inks with the blends markers. Stampin' Blends colors I used: light Pretty Peacock, Cherry Cobbler and Smoky Slate. **Blends come in a combo of a light and dark marker.

The trees from Forever Forest were stamped in Old Olive. I used a little Mossy Meadow on a sponge dauber to add a little depth to my trees. Then die cut with the coordinating dies. I trimmed a tree off and then layered it on top of the taller tree. 

Don't you just love the new two-toned cardstock? I love the expanded colors and the distressed look of a torn edge. 

All my bits are layered onto a stitched circle die cut. 

The greeting is from the retired set- Itty Bitty Christmas. Use whatever greetings you have on hand with the Yuletide Village set. 

Here are some other zig zag z fold cards I've made. 

Nests of Winter Designer Series Paper, Winterly Tree Tops stamp set

Take to the Sky Designer Series Paper
Adventurous Sky bundle

Give this fun fold a try! It's a great WOW card.

Head over to my Stampin' Up! website and see what products I used on my Yuletide Village zig zag z fold card here.

Want to check out the new two-toned cardstock? Browse my online store.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this card and are inspired to give it a try. I'd love to hear from you in the comments. 

Happy stampin'

~ Beth 

Cards featuring the new two-toned cardstock

 Have you checked out the new two-toned cardstock? 

Two-toned cardstock adds great texture to your cards and expands coordinating colors too. 

Recently, I saw a sketch from Freshly Made Sketches and immediately I thought of the new two-toned cardstock. Two-toned cardstock has a white core because the color is actually printed onto the paper. This allows Stampin' Up! to add a color from all the color line and a lighter color of the same on the reverse side. This really expands the colors we have to play with. I'm really excited about that aspect. Also, when you tear this cardstock, it leaves a white edge. I love this texture! There are four colors available in single colors packs (Pool Party, Real Red, Garden Green and Basic Black) and four variety packs that coordinate with the new scrapbooking workshop kits. You can check out all the colors available now in my Online Store. 

So, I grabbed my favorite new stamp set, some new two-toned cardstock and got busy. Yuletide Village just released in September and I've fallen madly in love with it. It's great for all occasions and any winter themed cards. I paired it with Forever Forest stamp set. I also used a variety of greetings, retired and current. 

I inked my trees (Forever Forest) in Old Olive classic ink and then swiped the Mossy Meadow classic ink over spots to create some dark areas. My stamp must have been a little dirty from the last use because it had a little brown on it as well. That happens sometimes. I'm not disappointed with the result. In my tutorial video below, I go over different ways to add inks to your cling stamps. 

After I finished this card, I decided to try the same layout and elements with die cut trees (Forever Forest dies) instead of stamped trees. 

Another card featuring the same layout but with Merry Christmas


Check out my video tutorial of the Christmas card featuring two-toned cardstock:

Grab my Winter Card pdf tutorial with all the measurements for the Merry Christmas card.

I love the effect the two-toned cardstock gives my card. It's a great layer to build elements on. So naturally, I had to try out another stamp. The sled is a great winter image that can be used for a variety of card occasions. Here's my results after adding different items to my two-toned cardstock layers. 

One of the things I love to do is get out my favorite products that I've added to my collection. We buy things we love and therefore should use them. Here's a card I worked up with some retired sets that you may have in your stash. I used Coming Home and Beauty of Friendship stamp sets. I used a Misty Moonlight card base and Cajun Craze two-toned cardstock. Blues and Oranges work well together because they are complementary colors. You could use Peaceful Evergreens or Frosted Forest and Humble Home to recreate this card.

Here's an up-close pic of those torn edges. The texture is great and you can use one sheet and have a little difference in color or mix and match colors. 

I hope you've enjoyed the ideas with the two-toned cardstock. I started with a sketch and added different elements with the two-toned cardstock. I plan to work up some more with this general layout and two-toned cardstock. What sets/images would you use?

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my cards. 

~ Beth

Accordion Z Fold Card with Yuletide Village

 Do you love fun folds? 

Here's one to try- the accordion z fold card.

I love trying new things. Fun folds can seem really complicated and scary. Here's one I found that I love. It's like one of my other favorite fun folds- the z fold card or double z fold card. The difference is the front part is an accordion fold instead of folding the front flap (or panel) back on itself. Cool right? 

Measurements:

• Card base #1: 5 1/2" x 11". Score 11" side at 1 3/4", 3 1/2". 5 1/4" and 7"
• Card base #2: 2" x 6". Score 6" side at 3"
• Layers for base #1: 1 1/2" x 5 1/4" (4) and 3 3/4" x 5 1/4"
• Layers for base #2: 1 3/4" x 2 3/4" (2)
• Add any layers or die cuts you'd like

This card is a quick and easy fun fold that has a ton of WOW. You can keep it simple or layer it up. It's up to you!

Grab my printable pdf here.

You can use any patterned paper and stamps you have on hand. 

Need more of a visual? check out my tutorial video. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out my fun fold card. Want to grab this cut stamp set (Yuletide Village) or this gorgeous paper (Nests of Winter)? Hop on over to my online store and browse for those products. 

Check out more samples with this fun fold:

                                  

Give this fun fold a try! Happy Stampin' 

~ Beth

Fall color schemes with More Than Autumn stamp set

 Do you love the Fall season? The crisp air and beautiful display of colors gives me a giddy feeling. 

Today, I'd love to introduce you to the new More than Autumn stamp set. It is available as a bundle with dies as well. This is a great set that covers many seasons and holidays.

I am drawn to all things coffee and hot chocolate. So this naturally this set made my list.  For my fall themed cards, I made a pumpkin spice latte and an apple cider drink. Which one is your favorite fall drink?

The other thing I love about fall is all the beautiful colors that pop at the beginning of the season. I wanted to come up with a few simple color combos for my fall drink themed cards. Orange is a favorite of mine. It can be dark or vibrant. Cajun Craze is one of my favorite colors from Stampin' Up!. It definitely gives me a fall vibe. However, Copper Clay is becoming one of my favs too. While it isn't really an orange, it gives me that fall feeling. 

So check out two of my Fall themed color combos that I used on these cards:   

Give them both a try with your favorite fall themed stamps. 

For my drinks, I stamped the outline in Basic Gray classic ink. Then I colored the images with Stampin' Blends markers (Pecan Pie, light Smoky Slate, Pumpkin Pie, and Real Red). I used the color lifter to smooth some of my edges and create highlights. *the color lifter doesn't actually "lift" the color. It pushes it through your cardstock. The greeting is stamped in Basic Gray ink. I added my layers to a sheet of plaid designer series paper from Take to the Sky paper pack. I love the patterns in this paper and the Copper Clay paper went well with my fall theme. Who doesn't love plaid, right?! I added these layers to a Copper Clay card base and my simple stamped card was complete. You can stamp some fun images or use patterned paper to spruce up the inside layer or leave it blank for your message. These cards will be great for many occasions for your fall drink lovin' friends and family. 

Measurements:

• Card Base (Copper Clay): 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" folded in half
• Plaid layer: 5" x 3 3/4"
• Basic White layer: 4" x 2 1/4"
• Basic White inside layer: 5" x 3 3/4"

I hope you have fun with this new bundle, the fall color combo ideas or the card layout. Thanks for stopping by and checking out my card.

Want all the supplies I used? Shop my online store here.

Happy stampin' ~ Beth

Stained Glass Card Technique- Check out this amazing technique

 Have you ever made a stained glass card or one that looked like a stained glass window? It's a super neat technique. You're gonna love the results! 

I'm so excited to share these cards with you. I recently found a card I had made years ago that I made the front look like a stained glass window. I couldn't wait to create some new cards and share with you a few ways to do this technique. 

Here's my original card. I used a black sharpie and a ruler to create lines like you'd see in a stained glass window. The image and phrase was stamped first. For this card I used StazOn ink because I colored in my panes with Stampin' Write markers. On my original card I did not heat emboss over the top of the layer. (more on that next)

There's a few different ways you can create the finished look. Here's the steps I used for creating a variety of cards.

1. Stamp images on your card layer. I used a 4" x 5 1/4" Basic White piece (or a 3 3/4" x 5" piece)
2. Create lines on your layer with a black marker. Use a Sharpie if you're coloring with Stampin' Write markers. Use a Stampin' Write marker if you're coloring with Stampin' Blends. All my new samples are colored with blends. I traced a circle die for circles. Use whatever you have to help create panes.
3. Decide what colors you want to use. I preferred the blends since there's a light and dark of most colors and I could stretch my color scheme. Then color in your panes. 
4. Once you have colored in your design, you can leave it as is. If you want a shiny look you can go over the entire layer with wink of Stella or heat emboss with clear embossing powder. I do 2 to 3 layers of clear embossing. So you do one layer and let it cool and then do the process again. (I show how to do this in my tutorial video at the bottom of this post.)
5. Let the layer cool. Then adhere to your card front. You can mat it on Black cardstock or trace around the edge of your layer BEFORE heat embossing (this is how I did the black edge on my original card). **if you've heat embossed use strong adhesive like tear and tape or liquid glue. You're layer will curl and it needs extra help to stay down. I show tips in my video below.

First stamp and draw in your design. Get creative and trace dies for different shapes, use a ruler or just free hand in lines. 

Color in your panes that you've created. I prefer Stampin' Blends markers. 

After you're all done coloring, make it glossy by heat embossing the entire layer with Clear Embossing Powder. 

Here's my finished card. The layer is on a piece of Basic Black cardstock and the base is Blueberry Bushel. I just love how this scene turned out. 

Here's another card. I used a ruler and Basic Gray Stampin' Write marker for my lines. This one is matte and isn't heat embossed.

Here's a close up of the detail. You can stamp a greeting or leave it as is. It's a work of art after all. Do what makes you happy. 

Here's how I finished the inside of my daisy cards. I used a circle die to trace my edge and create a round stained glass window. I used Wink of Stella to create a shiny look instead of trying to emboss the circle area.

Want to jump right in and watch how I created the daisy card? Watch my tutorial video. 

I had so much fun creating the cards. I really like how the cards turned out when I drew my lines free-hand. It took some courage to put down the ruler but I'm so glad I did! I hope this inspires you to try something new and go for it. 

Shop for Stampin' Up! products in my online store here.

Let me know if you have questions and if you try this technique in the comments. I'd love to hear from you. 

Enjoy! 

~ Beth

Using Card Sketches for Inspiration: Playing in the Rain stamp set

 Hello Crafty Friends! I'm sorry I've been away from my blog for so long. Sometimes life calls for a break. I'm back and ready to share loads of inspiration with you.

 Today, I want to share a card I made with Playing in the Rain stamp set and it was inspired by a sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. Often we need a little push or beginning point when we start creating. That is ok and normal! I love the sketches over at Freshly Made Sketches. Sometimes they look like my favorite go-to layouts and sometimes they are new to me. Either way it's a great starting point for all levels of cardmakers. So don't be afraid to tuck these sketches away for when you need them or play along with FMS's weekly challenges. 

I love how simple a striped background can be and it adds a wow factor to your card. You can use any size with this background technique. For this card I made a standard sized card (5 1/2" x 4 1/4" here in the US).

GRAB THIS CUTE BUNDLE HERE!

Here's the sketch for reference: Don't forget to follow Freshly Made Sketches on all their social media! 

Measurements and How-to for my card:

• Base: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" (or folded in half)
• Cardstock strip background: 2 1/8" x 5 3/8" basic white cardstock to adhere strips to (this was a scrap- adjust to whatever size you have or want) Strips are 1/2" wide
• Die cut circle 2 1/8" *adjust to whatever size you have or need
• Die cut fox from Playing in the Rain stamp set and coordinating dies colored with Stampin' Blends markers

1. Cut all cardstock pieces. 
2. Use Basic White layer to create your strip background. Adhere various strip scraps in whatever colors you want. Trim any strips hanging over Basic White cardstock layer. **I ran my strip background layer through my cut & emboss machine with the Cane Weave 3D embossing folder to add some texture. Adhere to card base about the middle of the card front
3. Stamp and color fox from Playing in the Rain stamp set and die cut with coordinating dies.
4. OPTIONAL STEP: I die cut extra foxes to adhere to my colored, stamped image to add dimension. You do not have to do this and can use dimensionals. I prefer the thickness of adding extra die cuts. 
5. Adhere fox to die cut circle.
6. Adhere fox layer to right side of strip background
7. Stamp greeting along the left side of the strip background.
8. Stamp inside as desired.

I hope you're inspired to try this sketch and make it your own. Go check out more sketches from the Freshly Made Sketches group here.

Did you know you can find me on other social media channels? Please follow me via Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. 

Color scheme for my card: Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana, Pool Party and Basic White. I used Basic Gray and Bermuda Bay classic inks. Stamp sets: Playing in the Rain, Lovely You (greeting) and Hand-drawn Dots (umbrella pattern).

Need to add some of these products to your collection? Browse and shop in my online store. You can also click the link on the right hand side of my blog to get to my Stampin' Up! website. 

I'd love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below!

**The Playing in the Rain bundle is on backorder and unavailable until the week March 13, 2023. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

Happy Stamping 

~ Beth 

#stampandcreatewithbeth #handmadecards #craftymomofboys #stampinup #stampinblendsmarkers