April SheetLoad Showcase

We had a great response to our April SheetLoad Showcase call. Here are a few of the wonderful cards that readers submitting using the April issue...

Alexandra H. (Alex)All products are Stampin' Up! Paper - Brocade Blue, Ruby Red, and Very Vanilla card stock, Jersey Shore and Cutie Pie Designer Series paper; Inks - Brocade Blue and Ruby Red Classic, Brocade Blue and Ruby Red Stampin' Write markers; Stamps - "In the Stars" from Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini cat. 2008; Accessories - Lg and Sm Star Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, Paper Piercer and Mat Stack, White grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' dimensionals, Brocade Blue brads, sponge; Techniques - sponging, distressing, stampin' on ribbon, faux stitching

Beth M

Paper - SU! very vanilla, chocolate chip, misc red, My Minds Eye; Ink - Colorbox chalk dark brown and warm red, Stazon timber brown, reinkers; Stamps - Hero Arts, Stampendous, Paper Source, Inkadinkado; Accessories - aqua brush, ribbon, bobby pin, nestabilities, pop dots

Cynthia K.

Papers - Cherry Arte Burnished PP, SU! Navy & Kraft Card stock; Ink - SU! Night of Navy; Stamps - SU! Classic Convertibles; Accessories - SU! Dimensionals; Technique - Paper Piercing

Jill Gardner

Papers - Bazzill cardstock, Making Memories patterned paper; Stamps - Stampin' Up, Ink - Pallette black ink.


Monica M.

Papers - Bazzill Cardstock, K & Company Patterned Paper; Stamps & Ink - Stampin' Up!; Brads - American Crafts.

Nicole Anderson

All Supplies Stampin' UP! except white organza ribbon and pop-up dimensionals. Stamps - Full of Life (quote) and Small Sayings (heart); Designer Paper - Afternoon Tea; Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky and Whisper White; Inks - Ruby Red & Chocolate Chip; Ribbon - Double Stitched Soft Sky; White Organza Clear Bags; Accessories - Ticket Corner Punch, Paper Studio Pop-Up Dimensionals.

Riley F. All Products are Stampin' Up!, unless otherwise noted. Cardstock - Groovy Guava, Basic Grey, Blush Blossom, Very Vanilla, Watercolor Paper; Stamp Set - Always; Inks - Groovy Guava, StazOn Jet Black, Blush Blossom Marker; Embellishments - Making Memories Brads, Groovy Guava Double Stitched Ribbon; Ranger Crystal Stickles Glitter, Accessories - Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Blender Pen; Techniques - "I cuttlebugged all of the panels for dimension and texture! The heart was colored with Groovy Guava ink with blender pens. The outside of the heart was colored with the Blush Blossom SU Marker."

May Issue Sneak Peeks (and a chance to win)...

Here are some sneak peeks at the cards in the upcoming issue of SheetLoad of Cards. Don't they look yummy?!



Make sure to check back here on May 1st for our newest issue of SheetLoad.

Now for the blog candy... Can you guess what company has sponsored the May issue of SheetLoad? The first comment with the correct answer* will win a baggie of goodies.

Here is a hint: The owner of this company is a sweet "sistah"!

UPDATE: Wow, you all are too quick! The correct answer (Stamping Bella) was guessed and Dannie is the winner!! Congrats Dannie!

*Comment must include: Correct Answer, Your First Name and Last Initial and Email Address (if your comment is not linked to a blog with "contact me" info).

Meet the Artists - Episode 12 - Gloria Jewett

Today's Artist is...

Gloria Jewett - SheetLoad Sample Artist http://gloriasgallery.blogspot.com/

SheetLoad Q - How long have you been making cards? 6 months

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite technique to use on cards? Newest technique is paper piecing with stamps, and I really enjoy it.

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite crafty site? Stamping with Roxy

SheetLoad Q - Are you a member of any other Design Teams? Just SheetLoad of Cards

SheetLoad Q - What is a little-known or odd fact about yourself? Alicia, who created SheetLoad of Cards, is my daughter.

SheetLoad Q - What is a recent card you have made, that would be considered a favorite?

And the winner is...

Thank you all so much for your positive feedback and suggestions in our recent celebration blog candy, and congrats to...

Heather said...
I love that you have the cutting instructions included it makes it so much easier. And the ideas are always great.

I will contact you shortly with more information about collecting your prize.

Some huge numbers and a blog candy to celebrate!!

As of April 16th, SheetLoad has had over 40,000 hits, and the April issue has already been downloaded over 2,000 times!! And the month is just a little over half over!!


To celebrate and help us thank all of our wonderful readers, Jeri from Memories from the Attic has donated a $10 gift certificate to her store for one lucky reader!!

To be entered to win this prize, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post with the following:
- Your favorite thing about SheetLoad and anything additional you would like to see in the future; either on the blog or in each issue.
- Your First Name, Last Initial
- Email address* (see below for more specifics)

Deadline: April 25th, Midnight CST
Specifics: All comments must include your first name and last initial. If your comment is not linked to a blog that has "contact me" info, you must also include your email address*. ie: "Anonymous" posts must have all three pieces of info to qualify.

I will draw 1 random number and the winner will be announced here on April 27th.

*I will not use the email address to SPAM you. If you feel more comfortable inserting spaces in the address, that is fine. I just don't want to have to track down a lot of anonymous winners. If you do not include your email address, or a link to a blog with contact info, your entry will be voided.

Reader Suggestions

Beth at Stamp Me A Rainbow recently blogged about her first experience using a SheetLoad of Cards issue and made a wonderful suggestion on how you can "Make It Your Own".

Her idea is to use double-sided patterned paper to make the set of cards look just a little different from each other. This would still allow you to make the out of each sheet, but also have some variety.

Love the idea, Beth!

Do you have a way you "make it your own" when creating your latest SheetLoad? Leave a comment here and let others know about it as well.

Tell 'em "SheetLoad Sent Ya"...

In the back of each issue of SheetLoad of Cards is our advertiser directory. Please help us keep our advertisers happy and visit their site(s).

When you make a purchase or join an advertiser's site, please make sure to tell them "SheetLoad Sent Ya", so they know their advertising dollars are hard at work.

The April issue features the following advertisers...

Lisa McDowell, Stampin' Up Demonstrator

Imagine Stamps - Clear Stamps for Scrapbooks and Card Making

Scrapifieds.com - Buy and Sell Scrapbook Pages and Layouts

Memories from the Attic - Online Crafting Store and Message Board

The Shaker Box - Monthly Kit Club

Paper Crafters {Anonymous} - Card Making Message Board

Would you like to advertise your business or website in SheetLoad? Send an email to sheetload@comcast.net for more information.

And the winner of the April Shout Out is...

Using Random.Org the winner of the April "Shout Out to SheetLoad" challenge is:

Annelies said...
Really great prize, so here's my link: http://scrapannelies.blogspot.com/2008/04/shout-out-to-sheetload.html
April 4, 2008 11:12 AM

Annelies - congrats on the win. I will contact you shortly to get your mailing address.

A huge thanks to all of the readers who entered the contest. With your shout outs this is the most successful issue of SheetLoad to date!

We have had 1708 downloads of the April issue and almost 9,000 blog hits already this month!

Meet the Artists - Episode 11 - Heather Strenzwilk

Today's Artist is...

Heather Strenzwilk - SheetLoad Sample Artist http://stampdetails.blogspot.com/

SheetLoad Q - How many years have you been making cards? 14 years

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite technique to use on cards? any kind of background

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite crafty site? SplitCoast Stampers

SheetLoad Q - Are you a member of any other Design Teams? Craft Critique and gg designs

SheetLoad Q - What is a little-known or odd fact about yourself? I love a good bargain! I recently moved 5 minutes away from an Offray Ribbon Outlet store. I doubled my ribbon collection in 2 visits!

SheetLoad Q - What is a recent card you have made, that would be considered a favorite?

Sketch for SheetLoad

Since I am running out of sketch ideas, and would like Michelle (our lone sketch artist) to be able to have a month off if she wishes, I am putting out a call for SheetLoad Sketch Artists.

If you currently have a card sketch blog; or are interested in dabbling in the card sketch field, and your designs would fit SheetLoad's format, please email me at sheetload@comcast.net with the following:

- "SheetLoad Sketch Call" in the subject line
- A link to your card sketch blog, or 2-3 samples of sketches you have done
- How often and how long you would be available. (issues are put out on a monthly basis)

Emails for this call will be accepted until Midnight CST on April 30th and I will announce the new artist(s) in mid-May.

Don't forget...

Our new April issue is ready for download.

Lisa McDowell, our April Sponsor, has a special chance to win some free stamps this month.

"Meet" the April Guest Artist, Kurtis Amundson.

Post a "Shout Out to SheetLoad" and be entered to win.

Share a SheetLoad of Cards for a good cause.

Send in your cards for a chance to be showcased at the end of the month.

Subscribe to SheetLoad using FeedBlitz and be entered to win.

Meet Melissa Machado, one of our SheetLoad artists.

Our new sidebar...

Did you notice our new sidebar?!

I would like to send out a special thanks to Amie of Baubles-N-Scraps for allowing me to use elements from her Harmony Girl digi-kit (pictured at right) on the sidebar photos.

If you are in to digital scrapbooking, make sure to check out her store. She has tons of cute papers, elements and kits to choose from.

Meet the Artists - Episode 10 - Melissa Machado

Today's Artist is...

Melissa Machado - SheetLoad Sample Artist http://mmachado.myctmh.com/

SheetLoad Q - How many years have you been making cards? 5 years

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite technique to use on cards? stamping backgrounds

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite crafty site? Paper Crafters {Anonymous} and Stamp Shack

SheetLoad Q - What is a little-known or odd fact about yourself? I lived in the Middle East for 5 years.

SheetLoad Q - What is a recent card you have made, that would be considered a favorite?

SheetLoad Q - Is there anything else you would like to share with SheetLoad readers? The best thing about crafting is by far the friendships I've made. My favorite (and perhaps the most embarrassing) memory is when I attended my first crop with some friends. I kept asking one of my friends if I could use her trimmer. Finally after about the 4th time, she asked me why I didn't just get mine out. You can imagine the ruckus when the entire table ... then the entire room learned that I didn't own a trimmer! What? No trimmer? A little red-faced, I ended up leaving the store that evening with a new trimmer proudly in tow!

Subscribe to SheetLoad and win...

As promised, here is your chance to win some Stampin' Up goodies!!

To be entered to win this blog candy all you have to do is "Subscribe to SheetLoad" using FeedBlitz's email subscription service.

Just enter your email address in the box on the left-hand side of the page, and when you receive your confirmation notice, finalize your subscription.

At the end of the month I will use random.org to select two (2) lucky winners from the list of subscribers!!

The "fine print":
- Open to all new SheetLoad of Cards FeedBlitz subscribers from April 1, 2008 - April 30, 2008. (so yes, if you have already subscribed, you are automatically entered)
- Prize package includes: 6 - SU! Carousel Notes, 6 - Square Brown SU! envelopes, 12 6"x6" pieces of SU! Afternoon Tea Designer Series papers, 1 - sheet of rub-ons (color will be determined later).
- You must confirm the subscription. ie: just entering your email is not enough, you have to follow up and finish the subscription process

SheetLoad Showcase - Call for Cards

Beginning this month, SheetLoad of Cards is going to do a monthly showcase of reader cards!

If you make cards using the April 2008 issue, make sure to send them in! Toward the end of the month we will have a SheetLoad Showcase post that features some of the best work submitted.

To be entered:
- Email a picture of your card(s) to: sheetload@comcast.net with a subject line of "Showcase My SheetLoad"
- Include the following in the email: First name, last initial, blog URL (if applicable), list of products and manufacturers, explain any special techniques you used

Deadline: April 20th, 2008

Share a SheetLoad of Cards - April 2008

While looking through my copy of the May 2008 CardMaker magazine, I found an article titled "Readers Reach Out" and I was inspired to challenge SheetLoad readers to "Share a SheetLoad of Cards"!

The purpose of "Readers Reach Out" is to...

"...share your creativity while reaching out with love, purpose and positive energy."

SheetLoad has been blessed the past few months with guest artists, celebrity sketches, awesome celebration sponsors and lots of new readers; so I thought it only right to give back in some way.

In this month's issue "Readers Reach Out" is asking for cards that will be donated to the residents of Franciscan Skemp Healthcare / Arcadia Campus Nursing Home in Arcadia, WI.

Here is my challenge to you:
1 - Choose a current or past issue of SheetLoad of Cards and complete a full "sheetload". This is usually 6-9 cards.

2 - The theme of the cards for the issue is: Fall Colors

3- You can make cards for specific occasions (ie: birthdays, anniversaries) or they may be general, all-occasion cards.
Please do not sign the cards, as the residents will be sending the cards and writting messages/signing them.

4 - Download and fill out the "Share a SheetLoad" form, and send it along with your cards to the address shown below.
***Each month they select three (3) reader cards to showcase in the magazine, so make sure to include your name and location on the form.

5 - Mail your cards and envelopes to: Mary Lynn Maloney, Readers Reach Out Coordinator, 5091 Bell Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368
Please make sure to include envelopes for each of the cards you send in.

6 - Please make sure the cards arrive by their deadline. May 12, 2008



SheetLoad would really like to keep giving back, so please email sheetload@comcast.net if you have any suggestions as to what group/facility could be the focus of our next "Share a SheetLoad"

ps: If any of you reading are bloggers, any and all help to spread the word about this post, would be greatly appreciated.

"Shout Out To SheetLoad" - April 2008

Starting with this issue, each month we will have a "Shout Out to SheetLoad" challenge, and all participants will be entered to win a little prize.

This month's prize is the
Making Memories Cosmopolitan Embellishment Kit:

This 610 piece kit, includes:

Stickers ~ Rub-Ons ~ Chipboard Letters, Tags and Accents

Felt & Paper Flowers ~ Buttons ~ Brads ~ Ribbon

To be entered to win...

- Write a post titled "Shout Out to SheetLoad" on your blog, that includes a preview of our April Issue, and a link to our blog: http://sheetload.blogspot.com/

- Come back and leave a comment on this post with the direct link to your "shout out".

Deadline: Your post must be up and your comment must be made by Midnight, CST on Saturday, April 12th.

A winner will be selected using Random.Org and posted here by Monday, April 14th.

Good luck and get to "Shout"ing. :)

Random stuff about the contest:

To get a thumbnail for your post, go to the April SheetLoad issue post, right-click on the issue thumbnail and select "Save picture as...". You can then save the thumbnail to your own computer and upload it to your blog post.

This contest is only open to readers who blog. But don't worry, I will have a blog candy later in the month that the non-bloggers can enter.

Items in the kit will be taken out of packaging for shipping purposes.

Meet the Artists - Special Episode - Kurtis Amundson a.k.a. Stampin Kub

Today's Artist is...
Kurtis Amundson, SheetLoad Guest Artist; http://www.stampinkub.com/



SheetLoad Q - How many years have you been making cards? 5-6 years cardmaking

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite technique to use on cards? dry embossing - with stylus or Cuttlebug

SheetLoad Q - What is your favorite crafty site? Splitcoast Stampers

SheetLoad Q - What is a little-known or odd fact about yourself? I'm an identical twin and was homeschooled all the way through high school.

SheetLoad Q - What is a recent card you have made, that would be considered a favorite?

A special offer from our sponsor...

The April issue of SheetLoad of Cards was sponsored by Lisa McDowell, a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Besides offering up wonderful kits to our artists, she also has a special offer for SheetLoad readers!

For every $30.00 in Stampin' Up! product you purchase from Lisa in the month of April, you will get one entry into the prize drawing for this fabulous stamp set:

Email Lisa today to place your order!

Make sure to put "SheetLoad Stampin Up Order"
in the subject line of your email to be entered.

The "fine print"...

To qualify, your order must be placed with Lisa McDowell between 4-2-08 and 4-30-08. The number of entries into the drawing is based upon every $30 (pre-tax, pre-shipping & handling) of product purchased. Open to U.S. residents only.

And the final winners are...

The winners of the final 3 blog candies are...

#4 - Totally Clear Prize Package - Sponsored by Paper Crafters {Anonymous}

PC{A} Member - JeanneLee

#11 - Card Keeper Album Kit #3 - Sponsored by CardKeepers

I am so glad I found this ezine. I look forward to future issues. Thanks for the giveaway.

Bev W.

#12 - $15 Gift Certificate - Memories from the Attic

Thank you for the opportunity to win this blog candy!

Kelly A.

Congratulations to all of you!! I will be contacting you shortly with further details.

15,000th Hit Celebration - By The Numbers

Wow, after tallying up all of the numbers and statistics today after our Month of Celebration, it is amazing what came out of it!!

Here are some fun, by-the-numbers, facts...

8

Wonderful Sponsors

12

Awesome blog candies given away

57

Number of spots we climbed on Stamping Top 50's List

752

Number of people who commented for a chance to win the blog candies.

939

Downloads of the March issue (so far)

12,684

Hits to the site during the March 1st - April 1st period!

Thanks so much to all of the readers, artists and sponsors for making the month a success!

The April issue of SheetLoad is ready to download!!

Wow, what a great issue to follow such a great month here at SheetLoad!

(Clicking on the image above will open up a dialog box where you can "open" or "save" the PDF file. You will need Acrobat reader to view the issue.)

A couple "features" (see below) came together this month to make the April 2008 issue one of the loveliest SheetLoads yet. We are excited to share the new sketch and samples with you, and hope you will enjoy them as much as we do.

The April 2008 issue of SheetLoad of Cards
features products from Stampin' Up!
and our very first Guest Sample Artist!

Lisa McDowell, a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, provided each artist with an awesome card kit to use this month. They featured product from Stampin' Up!'s new Spring Mini. Artists were also free to use any additional Stampin' Up! product they already owned.

SheetLoad is pleased to announce its very first Guest Artist, Kurtis Amundson a.k.a. Stampin Kub!

I stumbled onto Kurtis' blog one day while doing a simple search for cards made with the Stampin' Up! spiral punch.

After perusing his ENTIRE blog archive and gallery, I was struck by a few things...

- The great samples and tutorials on his blog.

- The photos of his creations are absolutely STUNNING.

- He is a "he"! (which is a welcome rarity in the card making world)

Kurtis' work has been published in Stamper's Samplers' Take Ten and he is currently a member of the Gina K Designs and Stampers Dream design teams.

Make sure to stop back later this week for a special offer from Lisa and an episode of "Meet the Artists" that features Kurtis!