Embellish

Comfort & Healing, with warmth and caring

I hope you all aren't TOO tired of seeing this fun new card fold style--I have one last sample to share! I needed to make a super-special card for my super-special grandma, who pulled her back really badly last week taking care of her husband, who is very close to Heaven at this point. She'll be ninety this spring, so things take a long time to heal, and it hurts her even more not to be able to "do" for Grandpa Carl, I know. He doesn't wake at all any more, so the time grows very short. Would y'all pray for them, for me, today? Thank you.

I made Gramma's version with Wisteria Wonder and Sweet Sugarplum, sponging the Irresistibly Floral specialty pre-embossed papers and hand-cutting the big flowers from Flourishing Phrases (wood, clear). You can see how to make this Four-Fold card in the photo tutorial here, and see a wedding version in this post as well.

My grandma is a cardmaker herself--in fact my first stamp party was at her house at age 12!--so I know she'll appreciate all the details and effort that went into this special card.

Ok, now I'm gonna share something really personal, even for me, Miss Spill-Your-Guts : ) This is the most recent letter I got from Gram. She knows the health trials I've been struggling with and all the emotions that go along with not being able to do the things that have always made up your identity and sense of self-worth.

She hand-wrote, in her precious handwriting, the words to several hymns and choruses she remembered, in a four-page letter. How I bawled when I read it... how blessed I am to have a grandmother who knows and loves God, who continues to exhort and encourage even as her eyes fill with the lights of Glory.

Ok, time to pull myself together and keep trucking on craft fair projects. Thanks for letting me process a little today, and for putting up with one more sample of a card fold I just can't seem to get enough of! But in my defense, if you haven't tried it yet, you don't know how addicting they are : )

Get those cards in the mail, my friends...

Celebrating a Lifetime of Love

I don't know why everything I've made lately is pink and purple! I'm just in a purple place of mind, I guess! But it does suit the wedding cards I made this week. I die-cut a whole ton of hearts and headlines from the Sunshine Wishes Thinlets and combined them in different colors on these simple congratulations cards. I made navy blue and blush pink, plum and mauve, eggplant and wisteria, all kinds of color schemes. This one was my favorite, though--Sweet Sugarplum and Elegant Eggplant on crisp Whisper White, with Wink of Stella on the letters and a line of rhinestone bling.

Want to recreate this card at home? Go for it! Here's what you'll need:

 Shop with Lyssa! All Supplies Stampin' Up.

• Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies
• Sunshine Sayings Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Sunshine Sayings Cling-Mount Stamp Set
• Sunshine Sayings Cling-Mount Bundle with dies
• Sunshine Sayings Wood-Mount Bundle with dies
• Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments
• Big Shot Magnetic Platform
• Big Shot Home Die-cutting System by Sizzix
• Big Shot Die Brush (optional)
• Fine-Tip Glue Pen
• Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin' Pad
• Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush
• Sweet Sugarplum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock
• Elegant Eggplant 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

 Thanks for stopping in to Song of My Heart today to see what I've been up to! I LOVE that you come here for papercrafty inspiration. Now... turn off the computer and go get in the craft room! : )

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Hope & Hugs

Sharing a card today in honor of all the women in my life who have fought or are fighting breast cancer. Your courage is contagious; your love is inspiring; your attitude lifts us all. Prayers, love, hope and hugs!

Recreating this card at home? Here's what you'll need to order!

Click any link to Shop with Lyssa:

Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies by Sizzix for Big Shot	Sunshine Sayings Wood-Mount Stamp Set	Sunshine Sayings Cling-Mount Stamp Set
Sunshine Sayings Cling-Mount Bundle w/dies	Sunshine Sayings Wood-Mount Bundle w/die	Flourish Thinlits Dies (border piece)
Big Shot Magnetic Platform	Big Shot Home Machine	Big Shot Die Brush (optional)
Pink Pirouette 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Sweet Sugarplum 8-1/2"X 11" Cardstock
Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin' Pad	Delicate White Doilies	Metal Rimmed Pearls
Pearl Basic Jewels Embellishments	Fine-Tip Glue Pen	Clear Wink Glitter Brush

If you are looking for a great cause and a chance to use your crafting talents where they will be very much appreciated, www.necessitiesbag.org is a fantastic option. Designed to help mastectomy patients with their recovery, the volunteers put together and deliver tote bags with medical comforts, a handmade post-surgical pillow, and beautiful thank-you notes. Check them out today and see how you can help contribute to the cause in this very practical way!

Our Little Peanut Baby Shower

I have the sweetest new baby cousin, and it was my honor to do the shower decor for Charlie's welcoming party. His momma Abbie has an elephant theme for the nursery, so I borrowed an old set of Zoo Babies and built my decorations around the color scheme.

Suggested Color Combination: 

Night Of Navy

Smoky Slate

Whisper White

Tangerine Tango

Paper pinwheels are so easy to make, and a bunch of them in varying sizes, hot-glued to bamboo skewers, make a great centerpiece for showers. I put mine in a fun striped tin from the Designer Tin of Cards project kit, which matched perfectly.

One fun note--the buttons on the pinwheels were all from our grandmother's button box! How fun is it that I got to use them on her newest great-grandchild's baby shower? A little extra blessing on the day.

Naturally, we had "circus peanuts" for the candy (bonus that they matched the decor!) I had been saving these adorable clothespins for something special, and they were just the touch for the pinch closure on the favor boxes.

And of course, no party of mine is EVER complete without a banner!

Ready for the absolute cutest thing in this whole post... the whole BLOG, actually!? Here he is!

Thanks for stopping in to see Charlie's decorations! If you enjoy party decor, you'll love browsing that category here at Song of My Heart. Enjoy! 

Photo Tutorial: Easy Free-Standing Post-It Note Holder with Pen

Ready for an adorable papercrafting project for your upcoming craft fair, or a quick classroom or co-workers gift for Christmas? This sweet little free-standing desktop Post-It Note Holder with Pen is the perfect little present when you just need a token but want to make something with love. I've made a quick tutorial with everything you need to make this memo pad stand in about ten minutes flat!

The measurements are easy, the scores are simple, the results amazing--let's make this today!

To begin, you'll need:

• Simply Scored board or Stampin' Trimmer with scoring blade;
• 3x3 Post-Note pad and mini pen (Dollar Tree is awesome for these)
• Good-quality, sturdy cardstock (5.75 x 12 inches)
• Tear & Tape or other strong adhesive like Tombow Multi
• Patterned paper, stamps, ink and embellishments as desired.

Don't have the tools you need to make your projects turn out great, every time? Shop with Lyssa! I'd love to be your Stampin' Up demonstrator if you don't already have one. Let me help you be successful and proud of what you make!

So easy, right? I know! I made 15 of these in about an hour last night, all different and SO CUTE! And it was so fun to have perfectly coordinating papers and cardstock to work with. It really does make a difference when you use quality, matching supplies. So many times it's the difference between "homemade" and "handmade." The only thing we want to look "homemade" is our baked goods, am I right? Handmade, on the other hand, is something truly special, undertaken with loving care, lots of time, and our best materials.

Good luck with your handmade projects this week! Please leave me a comment if you've enjoyed this tutorial. It keeps me encouraged and helps me know what kinds of things YOU want to see here at Song of My Heart. Thanks, friends!

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Autumn Shaker Cards

 I love shaker cards! And autumn is my favorite season. Now combine the two, and you have one happy Paper Pumpkin subscriber this month! Ready to see the October kit? Watch this quick clip!

Is it time for YOU to subscribe to get a fun crafting escape in the mail every month! I love having a great project all designed for me, ready to go whenever I am. I just grab scissors and adhesive and take the box along with me, and I'm all set. Here's the awesome options for pre-paying for your subscription in advance, or you can also sign up to have a credit card charged month-to-month instead.

1-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription $20.00

3-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription $59.00

6-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription $114.00

z 12-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription $215.00

Hope to see your name on my subscribers list very soon! I promise you won't be disappointed.

Easy Fold-back Front Christmas Card

 I'm always looking for quick folds to snazz up my Christmas cards quickly and easily, without a lot of extra effort. Because, let's face it, when it comes to holiday greetings, you almost always have to go a little simpler than you'd hoped, just to get them all done and mailed on time!

Well, here's a fast idea that turns an ordinary card into something a little more fun, with one easy score and fold. We can manage that!

Here's the opened card...

This trick is so easy--when you have your Simply Scored or personal trimmer out to score the center fold line at 4.25, add just one more score line at 1.25 inches. Fold the card in half with the additional scored line on the front cover. Fold that score back on itself. That's it!

If you want to decorate the panels, here's the SIMPLE measurements:

• 1x5.25 inch patterned paper to fit on that folded flap
• 4x5.25 inch paper for interior back of the card (visible when closed)
• 3.25 inches square focal point (or sized to fit your image)
• 3.5 inches square mat for the focal point
• 2.75x5.25 inch neutral panel for interior sentiment

I hope you love all the easy, "real-life papercrafting" tips and tricks here at Song of My Heart. I DELIGHT in finding fun and quick ways to step up our crafting skills economically and efficiently. Papercrafting doesn't have to break the bank--or be complicated and difficult! If it is, you're doing it wrong : )

Need supplies? I'm your girl! Click here to Shop with Lyssa. Happy stampin!

Four-Fold Card takes the craft world by storm!

I can't quit making the Four-Fold card from last week's easy tutorial! Did you try it yet? This version is even easier, because instead of all that stamping on the panels, I used Designer Series Paper (Floral Boutique pattern). I am crazy about the navy and white! It also makes the card a little lighter in weight, which might be a consideration in regards to postage expenses if you're going to be making a lot of these for wedding invitations or graduation announcements.

Here's the partially-opened card...

And then here it is fully opened... and remember, it fits in a regular envelope! Love that.

Awesomesauce, huh? This is a fun, impressive card! I hope you try it! Here's a complete supply list of what you'll need to pull together to recreate this particular version.

  Make Me at Home! Click any link to Shop With Lyssa:

Simply Scored scoring board [122334] $30.00	Petite Petals Wood Stamp Set [133152] $16.00	Coordinating Petite Petals Punch [133322] $13.00
Floral Boutique Designer Series 12x12 Paper [141663] $11.00	Floral Phrases Cling-Mount Stamp Set [141767] $18.00	Floral Phrases Wood-Mount Stamp Set [141764] $25.00
Metal Rimmed Pearls (adhesive) [138394] $5.00	Pansy Punch [130698] $16.00	Banner Triple Punch [138292] $23.00
Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100867] $8.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00	Night Of Navy Classic Ink Stampin' Pad [126970] $6.50

Thanks for indulging my infatuation with this gorgeous new card style! I'm sure that NEVER happens to you, does it? : )

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Cozy Critters: Christmas with the Little Red Fox

 I was the hostess for my own Stampin' Up show last month (did you know demonstrators get hostess benefits, too?) and I chose to spend part of my Stampin' Rewards dollars on a hostess-exclusive stamp set from the 2016 Holiday Mini Catalog, Cozy Critters. I just can't get enough of this little fox! He coordinates with the Fox Builder Punch, and the Cozy Critters stamp set also comes with an owl image that fits in the Owl Builder Punch. It has a woodland tree branch, ornaments, present and a Santa hat, too--everything you need to turn Foxy Friends into a Christmas set! Love that.

We made this card at Christmas Club last night, pairing Mr. Fox with sentiments from the Oh What Fun tag-making set and the cute little "Naughty or Nice" list from Greetings from Santa. I really like this fun, classic color combo.

Suggested Color Combination:

Real Red

Old Olive

Crumb Cake

Whisper White

Always Artichoke

Because the Cozy Critters stamp set is clear photopolymer, it was SUPER EASY to line up the fox and presents, and position the sentiment. No need for placement tools. I love how accurate the positioning is when you can see right through not only the clear block but also the stamp itself.

I shared this fun little fox holiday card as a Newsletter Exclusive sneak peek for my subscribers (are you one yet?) and several people chose to place a book order to get their own Cozy Critters stamp set. That's a GREAT option for busy crafters! Just $150 in orders counts as a party, so get together with a friend or two or place your own stock-up order and you can choose this set as part of your own host rewards. 

Photo Tutorial: Easy Covered Post-It Note Pad with Pen

In my e-newsletter last week (sign up here!) I shared an adorable project my team member Heidi Olsen showed us all how to make. Many of you asked for a photo tutorial, so I put one together for you. Now you can make your own! They're super easy, and who can't use more Post-It Notes, am I right?

Here's Heidi's projects, all packaged up for her next craft fair. They make great stocking stuffers! They would also be really adorable and economical party favors, or even a party craft for your child's birthday.

To begin, you'll need:

• Simply Scored or Stampin' Trimmer with scoring blade
• 3x3 Post-It Note pad in color that coordinates with project
• Mini pens or pencils (I got them at the Dollar Tree)
• Stamps and ink to decorate

Other stuff to think about:

• choose a color cardstock for your base that will not show dirt easily. It will take some time to use all the Post-Its.
• use good-quality (not flimsy) cardstock. The holder needs to last as long as the notes do!
• I don't use popped-up pieces or embellishments on my covers because they'll just catch and come off in a purse or briefcase.

That's that! Cute, quick, and super practical... that's the kind of "real-life papercrafting" you'll find at Song of My Heart! Please leave a comment if you're going to try this project. I LOVE it when you speak up, and it keeps bloggers encouraged and posting when people leave feedback. Thanks for stopping by today!

Ready to Make It? You are My Sunshine Card

Instructions for “You are My Sunshine” card designed by Lyssa Griffin Zwolanek for Song of My Heart Stampers. All supplies Stampin’ Up! "Ready to Make It?" cards are designed to be created in fifteen minutes or less, with limited supplies. Try one today!

Stamps: Sunshine Sayings (saying, flower) Perfectly Wrapped (additional smaller flowers)

Ink: Marina Mist, So Saffron

Cardstock: Whisper White pre-cut Note Cards & Envelopes; Crushed Curry

Accessories: Sunshine Wishes Thinlets, Big Shot, mini glue dots, candy dots.

Instructions:

1. Card base is pre-cut and scored Whisper White notecard.

2. Stamp the large flower in the lower right hand corner with full-strength Marina Mist ink. Stamp again without re-inking up and to the left.

3. Stamp smaller flowers as desired to create a grouping, using So Saffron ink.

4. Use candy dots, pearls or brads in the centers of the two large flowers.

5. Die-cut the "sunshine" saying on the Big Shot and adhere it so that the upper candy dot is the dotted "i" in sunshine, using mini glue dots.

6. Stamp the "you are my" saying above the die-cut, using Marina Mist ink.

Thanks for stopping in to Song of My Heart today for real-life papercrafting tips and tricks. Check out the rest of the cards in the Ready to Make It category here!

Photo Tutorial: Easy Four-Fold Card

I have such a fun card to share with you today! It's called a Four-Fold Card, and it looks fancy on the outside, but its even more amazing when you open it! Here it is partially opened...

 And here it is opened all the way... this is a BIG, impressive card!

Isn't that FUN? And it's really not all that complicated, just a couple of scores and two little trimmed bits. I took a couple of extra photos for the tutorial to make sure you don't get confused at all, but it's easy, I promise!

Best part of all? It FITS in a regular envelope! Let's learn how to make it. To begin, you'll need to gather:

• scoring tools such as the Simply Scored or the Paper Trimmer with scoring blade;
• strong adhesive such as Tear N Tape, Tombow Multi or Sticky Strip;
• coordinating cardstock, inks, and stamps as desired

I used the Helping Me Grow, Timeless Textures and Butterfly Basics stamp sets, with Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White cardstock. My ink colors were Elegant Eggplant, Sweet Sugarplum, So Saffron, Wisteria Wonder and Soft Sky. All supplies Stampin' Up! And all available through me or your local demonstrator.

Ok, here we go! First, cut your cardstock for the card base. It will need to be made from 12x12 cardstock.

Not sure how to find the 5/8ths inch mark? Count five "notches" over from the end. The scoring grooves on a Simply Scored board are set at 1/8th inch intervals--so convenient! 

That's the basic card base. But wait--it's only three panels! It's not a "four-fold" yet until we add a front panel.

Now there's just one last bit of business left... neaten up the little flap. That wasn't so bad, was it? Pretty simple, actually!

Once the card base is completed, it's just a matter of decorating the panels as you prefer. I've included measurements for matted layers for each of the panels. as you can see, I got really fancy with mine!

I hope you're inspired to turn off the computer and go get in the craft room! The Four-Fold Card will be a great design for your repertoire for years to come. I can't wait to make more.

Thanks for stopping in, and please feel free to share this post with your friends!

Five Tips Designers Know about choosing portrait or landscape card layouts

 

Spoiler Alert! It's up to you!

Many times, when I'm creating a card, laying out my pieces and playing with placement, I have trouble making up my mind whether the card looks better one way or the other. Should it be vertical or horizontal? Back and forth we go.

I finally get exasperated and glue it down, but later, every time I look at the card, I'll still be wondering if I should have done it the other direction. These are the dilemmas that cardmakers face, am I right?

The truth is, it normally doesn't matter. There is no "right" answer in art. The only "right" answer is to get the card in the mail! Nevertheless, we papercrafters naturally want our creations to look as good as they can. I've written down some tips I've learned over a decade of professional cardmaking to give us some basic parameters for how to choose if a card should be vertically or horizontally oriented.

But first, we have to know our terms! "Portrait" and "landscape" are how professional designers refer to height/width orientation.

• Portrait orientation refers to a card that has a width dimension smaller than its height dimension. Think of a painting of a person, seated stiffly upright. The first card, shown above, is portrait.
• Landscape orientation refers to a card that has a width dimension larger than its height dimension. Think of a painting of a sunset, wide and low. The second card, shown below, is landscape.

5 Tips Designers Know About Choosing Portrait or Landscape Card Layouts:

1. It's all about the words! Landscape allows for a wider, shallower arrangement of your sentiment, while portrait restricts the words to a taller, narrower boundary. If your sentiment has a lot of words, or a long, sweeping font style, it will likely look better on a horizontal layout. Trying to visually squeeze them into a vertical one will look overcrowded. Likewise, a tall, thin sentiment will look awkward and out of place on a long, low card.
2. If using a lot of different elements, choose landscape. Research on orientation in design by Wolfe and Horowitz (2004) showed that spreading out the visual "distractors" helped subjects identify the "target" (focal point) more quickly. It was harder on the eye to search out and focus on the important material when there were a lot of elements close together or the elements were very similar.
3. Use color to help guide your decision. Does your most prominently colored piece run vertically or horizontally? Match the layout to that piece, no matter how big or small it is. The eye goes first to the color that "leaps forward" the most, and if the length and size of that piece is clashing with the way the card is oriented, it's going to be fundamentally discordant no matter how cute all the various parts are. Not sure which color is the most prominent? Try squinting at the card. One will intensify while the others recede.
4. One size doesn't fit all. Ever flipped your smartphone on its side in order to fit more information at once on the little screen? You made a split-second decision to alter the layout in order to meet your needs. That can't be done once a card is adhered together, but if you're struggling with a layout during the pre-adhesive stage, turning it 90 degrees may be the answer. Still doesn't work? Try doing a "mirror image" flip of all your elements. The location of the key "white space" or "resting space" changes with every configuration you try. One of them will most likely be the optimal layout.
5. Done is better than perfect. The most important factor in cardmaking is getting them done and in the mail. Every card teaches a lesson, even if it's just reinforcing good design principles we already know and enjoy. Maybe the lesson this particular, imperfect card teaches you is a subtle, even unconscious help towards doing better next time. Every project is another step along the path of developing our God-given creative skills and using them to bless others. Accept imperfection and enjoy the journey!

I hope you've enjoyed today's mini-lesson on good design! You might appreciate the other articles in my brand new "Five Tricks Designers Know" series. You'd also love the design hints and tips I put on every page of my Cheat Sheets cardmaking helpers. Learn WHY things look better placed in certain areas, WHERE color combinations go awry, HOW to cut to make the most of your paper. Good design is within everyone's grasp! Thanks for visiting Song of My Heart today.

A bundle of fall flowers

I like the Jars of Love stamp set and coordinating Everyday Jars Framelits die-cuts for the Big Shot, but I don't always feel like using the mason jar motif. I'm really enjoying using the stems and flowers by themselves, to turn into a lovely hand-tied bouquet in any size and color I choose!

Suggested Color Combination:

Cajun Craze

So Saffron

Delightful Dijon

Old Olive

Crumb Cake

For my autumn arrangement, I chose vibrant fall colors. You could use wedding colors, spring colors, whatever fits the occasion. I trimmed down the "burlap" wrap to about half the width of the band that normally goes around a jar. You could cut a little bit of real burlap or tie some twine knots there for a more realistic touch with lots of texture, too.

Ready to recreate this card at home? Here's what you'll need!

Click any link to go Shop With Lyssa:

Cajun Craze 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock $8.00	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock $8.00	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock $9.00
Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad $6.50	So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad $6.50	Delightful Dijon Classic Stampin' Pad $6.50
Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad $6.50	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad $6.50	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad $6.50
Everyday Jars Framelits Dies w/o stamp set $33.00	Jar Of Love Photopolymer Stamp Set $27.00	Save 10%! Jar Of Love Photopolymer  Bundle w/ dies $52.00
Big Shot Magnetic Platform (optional) $40.00	Big Shot Home Die-cutting System w/ Plates & Platform $110.00	5/8" Burlap Ribbon Trim $7.00

I couldn't decide if I preferred the little burlap accent at the top of bottom of the left hand side--which do you like best?

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NEW Cheat Sheets Collection #17 released from Song of My Heart Stampers!

I'm sooo excited to announce the release of another Collection of Cheat Sheets cardmaking helpers!

Meet the brand new Cheat Sheets Collection #17! If you've already become a fan of these handy layouts, you know how EASY and painless good design can be, when you have a little cheat sheet at your fingertips! Get yourself a cute binder and start your "Cheat Sheets" library, because this is just the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship! Song of My Heart is making it affordable and FUN to stamp again with Cheat Sheets--our little secret! 

Get quick and professional design assistance without breaking the bank! Each collection of these handy card-maker's helpers contains six different sketches ranging from super easy to moderately difficult, complete with measurements, step-by-step instructions, and alternate layouts. There's even design hints to teach you why things look better placed in certain areas instead of others, and how to choose colors and patterns that will enhance and complement your work instead of compete with it.

MORE THAN JUST SKETCHES, Song of My Heart's NEW exclusive "Cheat Sheets" make measurements a snap! Unlike other inspiration to be found online, which tends to lead to lots of unproductive browsing and not much actual creating, Cheat Sheets are right there physically at your crafting table, with practical but pretty projects that ordinary, busy modern papercrafters will enjoy and appreciate.

FINALLY... easy-to-use, professional design resources

for "real-life" papercrafters ... just like me.

Get your newly-released

Cheat Sheets Collection #17

at Song of My Heart's Etsy Shop today!

Once you order the PDF files, your Digital Download will be available to print once immediately upon payment--so you can start crafting right away! And they are rated according to difficulty, so when you're in a hurry, you can turn right to the "Easy" category. When you have more time to play and explore, flip through the "Moderate" category--or try your hand at more "Advanced" designs!

Ready to see Cheat Sheets in action? Watch me make a card using a design from Cheat Sheets Collection #17! This short (4 min) video walks you through making the Easy Diagonal Pleat card and gives you an idea of why so many crafters are turning to Cheat Sheets for pretty-but-practical cardmaking inspiration.

Up your crafting skills and productivity with these fun new resources

featuring popular card designs from the past as well as

brand new layouts exclusively from Song of My Heart.

Ready to see what everyone's raving about?

Click here to go to Song of My Heart Stamper on Etsy!

Cheat Sheets are also available individually upon their release, or in money-saving sets of three (1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and the latest bundle, 13-15). You'll save $10 on every set of three. Click here to visit my Etsy Shop for those!

SCRAPBOOK FANS: check out my resources exclusively for scrapbooking--Scrapbooker's One Sheet Wonders Vol. 1, Volume 2,  Volume 3 and the latest addition, BRAND NEW Volume 4, hot off the presses!

We all want to make pretty cards, but need to be economical and efficient with our time, too. It can be done! Let Cheat Sheets revolutionize your precious craft time by guaranteeing you'll love the results EVERY time you stamp.

7 Patterned Paper projects you'll want to make this weekend!

I've compiled a selection of the very BEST of the patterned paper projects from Song of My Heart's past year or so! So many great projects don't get seen once time passes and they slip off the first couple pages of the blog. That's a shame! Here's the projects! In no particular order--I love them all for different reasons and uses!

The One-Sheet Total Tote Bag is my secret weapon when I need a large, roomy tote for a set of cards for a quick gift. The video shows how there is zero waste so this one is particularly economical as well as super pretty.

The Drapery Fold technique took the crafting world by storm in the new year. The video shares how ridiculously simple it is to do the scoring lines and then make one cut that makes all the folds fall into place perfectly.

The One-Sheet Backpack Scrapbook is a crazy-fun project for party favors and non-candy classroom treats, as well as a thoughtful gift for any grandma or proud auntie! Fair warning--they are totally addictive to make!

The Twice is Nice cutting technique has become a go-to for fast cards for a lot of stampers since I shared it last spring. It's SO easy, and a total no-brainer when you use the pre-packaged coordinating assortments of Designer Series Paper.

This one is from just last week! Penni and I showed this Half-Hour Halloween Wreath during our October blog series and it's been a HUGE hit! So easy with just 20 strips of 2x8 papers and the Banner Triple Punch.

The Patterned-Punch technique I came up with is a super-cutie and is so quick and very enjoyable to make. Use the 2.5-inch circle punch to get a patterned punch piece that perfectly fits with the paper lace doilies!

The Split Diagonal Piecing technique (from the very first Cheat Sheets Collection ever!) is easy and eye-catching. It has some fun variations, too--you really should try this one!

Wow--seven amazingly easy projects you can do RIGHT NOW without any fancy tools. THAT oughtta keep you busy for a while! Pick one or two to try this weekend. Your friends won't know what's gotten into you when you start coming up with all this CUTE stuff!

Don't forget that if you do not already have a demonstrator, I would LOVE to be yours! Just click here to Shop With Lyssa. You'll be on my mailing list for catalogs and mini catalogs then. Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

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Penni & Lyssa's Excellent (Halloween) Boo-tiful Banners & Bags

We have arrived at the last day of our week of creepy cuteness! Penni and I thank you for playing and hope you've gotten some fun ideas, if not for Halloween, maybe for the fall and winter season of home decor and party supplies. This has been our first major (public) collaboration, and if you like it, please leave us a comment and let us know you'd enjoy seeing more! But Penni is locked into doing a Valentine series with me in January since I did one for Halloween for her! : )

Bonus when you leave a comment--you'll be entered to win some of the projects seen this week as well as a FREE "Something Good to Eat" Test Tube candy treat-making kit, last month's subscription-only Paper Pumpkin craft kit by mail. So get typing!

If Tuesday's wreath didn't wow you, maybe today's party banner will! It ain't a party without pennants!

Our party banner is decorated with cute characters from the Cookie Cutter Halloween stamp set and coordinating punch, plus phrases stamped with the Layered Letters Alphabet. Sequins and rhinestones add a little sparkly bling, with buttons and faux stitching for texture.

Suggested Color Combination:

Pumpkin Pie

Basic Black

Whisper White

Wild Wasabi

Basic Gray

Here's a banner-making tip for you: Cut the majority of the pennants the same size, but leave one set of pieces odd. This helps break up the visual repetition to add detail and interest. For this banner, the gray/black/white striped papers (from Pop of Pink) and Pumpkin Pie cardstock are 3x4 inch rectangles, and the Wild Wasabi pennants are 2x4 inches. There's still plenty of continuity in the color distribution and the repeated elements, but that little bit of size difference has an impact when viewed as a whole.

Here's another banner-related tip for you: when your event is over, if you don't want to save the banner for next year, you can unstring it and use the individual pennants for tags, as bag toppers, or on card fronts.

Our final project of this series is some EASY treat bags that are simple enough to be mass-produced for your neighborhood trick-or-treaters. Since you'll need a LOT of them, you'll need an economical and fast way to create them, assembly-line style.

These projects were make with the new Halloween Night Designer Series specialty papers and the coordinating Halloween Night Baker's Twine. The mummy bag on the left was created with the Treat Bag Thinlets for the Big Shot, a simple two-part die-cut held together with Tear N Tape.You can step it up with the accessories for the Cookie Cutter Halloween stamp set or it's cute just how it is.

Our ghost candy folder, on the right, is even easier--just a two-inch wide strip folded just short of in half, with baker's twine wrapped snugly around it--no adhesive necessary! The enamel dots are just for looks. When the candy is slid into the folder, the tension on the paper and twine holds it securely in place. Your house will be the talk of the neighborhood--and only you and I will know how incredibly simple it was!

Ok! That's it from us this year. I'll leave you with a reminder about my October special offer--there are eight kits remaining! I'd love to ship you one for free, or if you're desperate for them (they're sold out!) shoot me an email and I'll make you a deal. I want to get these all distributed in time for whatever occasion you'd like. Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com

Thanks for joining us!

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Penni & Lyssa's Excellent (Halloween) Adventure! Spooky Scrapbooks & Creepy Cards

Wow, is it already Day Four of Penni & Lyssa's Excellent (Halloween) Adventure? Thanks for popping in to Song of My Heart today to see what we are up to! If you're just joining us, check out the amazing Spooky Houses party decor Penni made on Tuesday, the cupcake toppers and pop-up party invites from Monday, and my half-hour Halloween wreath from yesterday.

Next up is a scrapbook page to immortalize those cute costumes! Ours is made with the sparkly cobwebby background from the Halloween Night specialty Designer Series Papers. That sheet has silver foil embossing on Basic Black, and it's a stunner!

Penni kept the page simple to let the cobwebs really shine, layering mats randomly. The cool thing about Halloween projects is the messier, the better. Smashed edges, paper tears, ink smudges and even drips or spills just contribute to the spooky feeling. Penni feels like that really allows her a freedom in creating that she doesn't feel with other projects. She purposefully left some random embossing powder on her black background for this Mr. Funny Bones card, a kind of static "interference" that helps add interest to the plain black background.

Mr. Funny Bones makes us smile... all the sayings that come with this kit are so hilarious! "Oh Snap!" "Hip Hip Hooray!" "Break a Leg," and "Have a humerus Halloween" are some of our favorites. You'll want to remember to add a canister of white embossing powder when you order this guy, or a Whisper White Craft Ink refill to make sure your pad is nice and juicy.

Halloween cards are creatively freeing, too! They can be simple, if you need a bunch for party invitations, or fancy, if you only need a couple to send to grandkids. They also use fun color combinations that you don't tend to reach for at any other times of the year--pumpkin orange, candy-corn yellow, royal purple, slime green. And this year we have Pumpkin Pie Glimmer Paper to add that fun, no-mess sparkle to everything--love it! The October-themed embellishments this year are really awesome.

 

Halloween Night Enamel Dots [142025] $4.00	Halloween Night Baker's Twine [142027] $6.00	Halloween Night Designer Washi Tape [142026] $8.00	Mini Tassels [142024] $7.50
Pumpkin Pie Glimmer Paper [142029] $5.00	Pumpkin Pie & Old Olive Stampin Write Markers [142032] $7.00	Black Ombre Stampin' Pad [141850] $9.00	Basic Black Metallic Thread [141695] $3.00

Don't forget about our special blog series offer!

I've got a bunch of these "Something Good to Eat" text tube candy kits (this month's Paper Pumpkin refills) and I would LOVE to give you one in time to use for your trick or treat celebrations! Classroom treats, co-worker surprises, lunchbox love--these little cork-topped plastic containers can be filled with any kind of small candies. You get 16 of them plus blank tags you can stamp with anything you'd like. I'm giving one kit away free with every 6 or 12 month pre-paid Paper Pumpkin subscription between now and October 10th.

Just click one of the options below to order, and I will send you the free kit in the mail! You can start the monthly subscription any time you want--no hurry. You can even give the pre-paid subscriptions as gifts--what a perfect Christmas present that would be!

Pre-paid Paper Pumpkin Subscription Options:

1-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137858] $20.00

3-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137859] $59.00

6-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137860] $114.00 Plus FREE test tube candy treat kit!

12-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137861] $215.00 Plus FREE test tube candy treat kit!

Our first-ever BFF blog series draws to a close tomorrow! It's been fun, but I've got to get back to Christmas cards!

GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCED! I'll draw a name from everyone who leaves a comment on one of the five Excellent Adventure blog posts and SEND YOU SOME OF THE PROJECTS along with a Test Tube candy treat-making kit FREE! Open to U.S. participants only. No purchase necessary to win. But you can't win if you don't enter, so be sure to leave a comment!

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Penni & Lyssa's Excellent (Halloween) Adventure! Half-Hour Halloween Wreath

Whoo-hoo, it's Wednesday! We're smack-dab in the middle of a fun new blog series here at Song of My Heart, in which my BFF Penni and I team up to share some ridiculously fun October projects for you to make. Whatever you need to make this year, we've got you covered!

The minute I saw this paper wreath I knew I HAD to make one for you guys. And NO KIDDING, it took me half an hour to do it!

I used the new Halloween Night specialty Designer Series Paper (hey, do you know why some of our papers are "special" and some are not? "Specialty" refers to packs of our 12x12 double-sided paper that come with a couple of sheets that are out of the ordinary--either foil embossed, or vellum, or have a glittered design. They cost slightly more than the regular packs, because you're getting a couple of sheets that would wind up costing you several dollars more at a scrapbook store. Now you know!)

This wreath was so simple I could fit the directions on just TWO photos... be sure to pin them so you have this idea saved!

Our wreath (yours will depend on the size of your dinner plates!) took 20 2x8 inch pieces. The Banner Triple Punch made the ends a breeze. Then I just slipped the folded papers over the cardboard wreath base and adhered them with two dimensionals. Worked my way around the wreath, slightly overlapping the strips and was finished in less than 20 minutes.

Once my entire cardboard base was covered, I punched a hole for a ribbon hanger, and then made a little banner with the new Cookie Cutter Halloween stamp set and coordinating Cookie Cutter Punch. I originally used the mummy and skeleton images so I didn't need to color them--but then I went and colored the skeletons anyway, using the Chalk Marker on top of Smoky Slate paper for a fun look that's a little different than using plain Whisper White paper.

 

Thanks for popping in today to see what those crazy Song of My Heart girls are up to now! Don't forget to order your 6 or 12 month Paper Pumpkin subscription and get your free Test Tubes candy treat kit. Penni and I hope you'll be back tomorrow and Friday for two more days of creepy cuteness! And if you're not a Halloween fan, take heart--the week is halfway over : )

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Penni & Lyssa's Excellent (Halloween) Adventure! Sweet & Spooky Houses

Welcome to Day Two of our week of creepy cuteness! Every day this week, Penni-the-Halloween-Baby and I are sharing a bunch of fun Halloween projects using brand new products from the 2016 Holiday Catalog.

Take a look at the AMAZING home decor piece Penni made with the new Sweet Home stamp set and Home Sweet Home Thinlets for the Big Shot! I gasped out loud when she brought it over to be photographed. It's so detailed!

The super crazy thing is, Penni says this actually didn't take all that long. Each house takes two passes through the Big Shot and it put together easily with Tear N Tape. You choose what door frame and window style you want to use. There are two roof styles to chose from as well.

It's so cute how she boarded up the windows! The Spooky Fun Stamp set and Halloween Scene Edgelit dies (bundled for 10% off) made it really quick to decorate the background. And the Halloween Night Enamel Dots make adorable doorknobs!

Love the cobweb stamp! And the little bats, too. Penni used a pre-printed strip cut from the Halloween Night specialty Designer Series Papers for part of the background. Clever girl!

Ready for the coolest part? You can stand this on a shelf or mantel and put electric flickering tealights inside each house! So when you have your lights dimmed to set the mood for trick-or-treaters, the light will be shining out of the doors and windows in the little neighborhood. I totally am going to make a set of these for Christmas with all the cute gingerbread house options that also come with this stamp set.

Of course, the Home Sweet Home houses were meant to stand alone... as treat containers. They're a great size for it--big, but not so big that you go into debt filling them with candy! Wouldn't that be adorable to hand out?

Speaking of candy... I've got a fun offer for you to go along with our October blog series!

I've got a bunch of these "Something Good to Eat" text tube candy kits (this month's Paper Pumpkin refills) and I would LOVE to give you one in time to use for your trick or treat celebrations! Classroom treats, co-worker surprises, lunchbox love--these little cork-topped plastic containers can be filled with any kind of small candies. You get 16 of them plus blank tags you can stamp with anything you'd like.

I'm giving one kit away free with every 6 or 12 month pre-paid Paper Pumpkin subscription between now and October 10th. Just click one of the options below to order, and I will send you the free kit in the mail! You can start the monthly subscription any time you want--no hurry. 

Pre-paid Paper Pumpkin Subscription Options:

1-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137858] $20.00

3-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137859] $59.00

6-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137860] $114.00 Plus FREE test tube candy treat kit!

12-Month Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription [137861] $215.00 Plus FREE test tube candy treat kit!

Wowie! What ever are we going to do the REST of the week, if this is only Tuesday? You'll have to come back and find out! I made tomorrow's project. I'm not the Halloween expert like Penni, but I think you'll like it. See you then!

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