Stamps sing to me, paper whispers my name. Welcome to all who craft--I hope you're glad you came!
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Lyssa Griffin Zwolanek, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and life-long craftin' addict!
Did you catch the quick and easy fancy fold I shared last month? Check out the Simple Step-Out Fold in the 100% Always Free Photo Tutorials section and see how fast you can make something special. I was inspired by this card I received at the 2016 Stampin' Up OnStage. Here's what it looks like when opened... adorable new Sweet Cupcake photo-realistic stamp set, eh?
Cute, huh? Get complete measurements and easy scoring instructions and try it at home this weekend! Your recipient will LOVE it.
Thanks for stopping by Song of My Heart today! Be sure to subscribe to my once-a-week email for news, exclusive projects and a free gift with signup.
I'm so excited to share my newest adventure with you--the first official Class of the Month Club! It's the most flexible club option out there. I'm so SURE you're going to love it, that I'm not even requiring a commitment to "lock you in."
Here's how it works!
What Does Lyssa Prepare Each Month for COTM Club Members?
I choose a stamp set each month and design 4 beautiful cards with it. They will range from easy to intermediate, with at least one advanced fancy fold or technique every month. There will also be two bonus designs, giving you even more ideas for that set!
I'll create a 6-8 page PDF document with full-color photos, cutting measurements and step-by-step instructions, along with lots of tips for all four of the cards. Any necessary templates and cutting guides will be included.
I'll "sneak peek" two of the projects, so you can decide if you're going to participate for the month. No surprises!
What Do COTM Club Members Have to Do Each Month?
You place your order for the Suggested Order for that month (or the dollar equivalent, if you already own some of the items) on my Shop with Lyssa site, using the club code. This lets me know you want to be in Class of the Month Club and get the perks and points!
The club code will be published by the first, and your Suggested Order (or dollar equivalent of other products) must be placed by the 20th. You'll be able to see what's on sale for the month and adjust your personal order to get what YOU want to add to your tools and supplies.
Your order will come straight to you--no waiting for the hostess to close, or trying to schedule pickups.
What's the Typical Cost for COTM Club Each Month?
The total will vary slightly each month depending on the stamp set, but will always be about $30. Your club order will need to be at least that for the month, before shipping and taxes.
Class of the Month Club is a fantastic way to stick to a crafting budget and still get lots of bang for the buck! I'm on a budget, too, so I know what it's like to want both supplies AND ideas--and have to choose between them. With COTM Club, there's no having to choose! Get BOTH every time you participate, as often as YOU are able to participate.
What Happens After Your COTM Club Order Each Month?
The club PDF file will be e-mailed to you within 24 hours after your order. Just print it out and start creating! Your friends and family won't know what's gotten into you. The PDF will go to the email address you used when you ordered unless you tell me otherwise.
I'm completely confident you'll fall in love the full-color photos, measurements, step-by-step instructions, design hints and practical tips that you'll be receiving every month for COTM Club.
Start a binder for the amazing files you'll be getting each month, and you'll soon have an envious collection of tried-and-true inspiration right at your fingertips. Your skills will grow with each additional month as you play along.
What Are Your COTM Club Rewards?
This is the FUN PART! Every time you participate in Class of the Month Club, you get a point. When you get five points, you get a $30 shopping spree--and I'll pay the shipping! This club is NOT a commitment for a certain time period--you participate at YOUR convenience! Play along as your budget allows, and whenever you've been able to take part five times, reward yourself with something fun and FREE.
Every participant also gets their own main catalog and appropriate seasonal publications. And everyone who places a Class of the Month Club order will get a Free Product Sample of the Month inside a handmade thank-you card in the mail. The surprise sample could be ribbon... embellishments... papers... you never know! You will really enjoy getting an extra little goodie to use on a couple of projects of your own. Try it out--and if you like it, put it on your club order next month!
I'm so excited for Class of the Month Club!
I can't wait to share the cards with you each month. Will you be participating?
Maybe you'll wait for the sneak peek of the featured stamp set and decide?
I can't wait for you to become a Class of the Month Club Member... so I can SPOIL you rotten! Hope to see YOUR name pop up on the list next month. Email me anytime! Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com
Over Thanksgiving week I had time to play around with my Santa's Sleigh Thinlets. I cut out a bunch of sleighs and the detailed overlay piece for them out of a variety of different cardstock colors and metallic finishes. I tried black over silver, black over red, red over silver, red on red, red on black, and all kinds of different combos. These are some of my favorites from that fun crafting session.
So thankful for the amazing rolling Big Shot Brush and how easy it makes the detailed dies now. No more sitting there tediously picking the little pieces out of the die. If you haven't picked one up yet, order it today. You'll thank me later! And you'll use your detailed dies so much more often since it's much faster with the brush.
Another thing that made my Christmas cards go faster this year is the Fancy Frost pre-embossed specialty papers. They are plain white light-cardstock-weight paper that has been embossed in advance with a variety of really lovely patterns (not holiday specific, either, BONUS!) So it just saves me a step when I'm making this many cards at once. I can sponge or spritz it, or leave it plain for crispness.
I think I used up half a package of Basic Rhinestones on these cards! It's fun to go all out with bling on Christmas cards, though, isn't it? Though you can't see it in the photos, I tore "snowbanks" of Dazzlin' Diamonds Glimmer Paper, and most of the reindeer, trees and sleighs were also coated with a layer of Clear Glimmer Wink of Stella brush pen, too. These is FANCY!
Which one is your favorite? Have you found a combo that you just really love? I like them all so much--think I'll just keep making each one a little bit different! I do like the great sentiments from Wonder of Christmas--the font styles just seem to pair really well with the sleigh. I haven't used the little angel much, but I sure am getting a lot of good from the rest of that 7-piece set! Funny how that works sometimes.
These are just the red and black ones--the post is getting long, so I'll share the gold and black ones in another post! I told you I got a LOT done over Thanksgiving! Hope you had some time to craft or just get relaxed and caught up with family. The holidays are here, ready or not!
I was delighted to see the Christmas Stockings Thinlets on sale in the 2016 Holiday Extravaganza! Right NOW through Monday the 28th, they are on sale for $21 instead of $30--a savings of nine bucks! That's MY kinda coupon! The Fancy Frost specialty papers I used on this card are also on sale during the Extravaganza for 30% off. Nice!
Have you checked out the Extravaganza yet? It's worth a peek! Click here to see the four pages of sale items: Download Online Extravagana product list US-1 or click here to go Shop with Lyssa and browse online!
If you'd like to recreate this card at home, here's what you'll need:
The only measurements are the 2.25 x 5.5 inch strip of Emerald Envy (green), behind a 4x3 inch piece of Fancy Frost (white) paper. This is an easy card that goes together smoothly. There's a minimum of stamping, so you can mass-produce without getting too sore, and having the Fancy Frost papers cuts down on the time it would take to emboss all of them, too.
For more holiday card ideas, be sure to check out the blog section for Christmas Cards. There's more ideas than you can shake a candy cane at! Thanks for stopping by Song of My Heart today.
I love this quick "half-front" card fold for when I want to do something special but don't have time for a lot of scoring or special tools. All you do is cut half of the front cover off, turn it 90 degrees and attach it at a slant to the remaining card front.
Note: I made two versions of this and dressed mine up a little more by using the front half of the red cards on the green bases, and vice versa. Sorry if that's a little bit confusing!
Here's the card when it's opened... place your interior greeting so that it is covered by the slanted piece on the cover, and add the Jolly Hat punch or some other cute little accent on the bottom right. Fun!
Ready for the measurements so you can try it at home? Here you go!
the card base is 4.25 x 11 inches, scored at 5.5 inches.
2.75 inches gets cut off the front cover and used as a mat for the focal point.
the patterned paper for the remaining front cover is 4 x 2.5 inches, and the same for the inside front cover.
the background mat for the inside back of the card is 4 x 5.25 inches.
the focal point piece and the interior greeting piece are both 2.5 x 4 inches.
I hope you'll try this and other EASY Song of My Heart tutorials at home this weekend! If you like "real-life" papercrafting, the kind that doesn't require tons of time or fancy tools but still looks really great, you'd love the Cheat Sheets Collections. And if you need supplies, I'd love to be your personal demonstrator! Shop with Lyssa or request a catalog at Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com
Gold Foil paper, Gold Wink of Stella, Copper embossing powder, Gold-stitched ribbon, Silver foil vellum, Copper thread, Silver Glimmer Paper-- I love using trendy metallic elements in my scrapbook pages and cards! It's just like a piece of jewelry, the finishing touch for the perfect outfit.
Metallic tones add instant glamor, but every once in a while they strike a wrong note, and we don't always know why. Today I'm sharing several gorgeous samples that use metallics to great effect--and 5 rule-of-thumb tips for using metallics effectively in your projects.
Five Tips Designers Know About Using Metallics
Balance the Temperature: Visually, metallics are "cold." Pairing them with colors that are "warm" often results in a pleasingly balanced composition. An exception to this would be Christmas cards--white and silver are both hard and color, but it works because of the wintery feel. Patterned papers also count as "warmth." Using vanilla instead of white as your main neutral will also help warm up metallics.
Balance the Texture: Likewise, metallics are visually "hard." Sometimes projects look almost painfully sharp. Soften that edge with textured layers, ribbons and textiles, loops of twine or thread--all "soft" elements. Round the edges of your layers, or emboss tone-on-tone with matching metallic embossing powder and a heat tool.
Know When to Quit: designers recommend that papercrafting projects use no more than ten percent foil compared to regular cardstock and paper. It should be considered an embellishment. Think "necklace" and not the main outfit. There's always an exception to the rule, but in general, less is more. Metal draws the eye--so keep it clustered and not scattered in all four corners.
Just Add Texture: if you're using a larger piece of foil, it can be brassy and overwhelming to a project. The light reflecting off it can pain the eyes--not something you want when people are admiring your card! Cover part of it with a band of something else, or run it through the Big Shot with an embossing folder to reduce the shine and add interest.
Mix and Match: The old rules about only wearing one color of metal at a time have flown out the door--you'll see lots of jewelry and purses in the stores today that blend gold and silver, or silver and copper. Fashion trends often find their way into papercrafting trends, and this is no exception! Split the time evenly when combining two metals so they don't "fight." But when combining three metals, use a 50-25-25 rule--more of one of the colors than the other two. There can only be one dominant in a group of three.
I hope you've enjoyed these secret designer tricks, the fifth in my new blog series, Five Tips Designers Know. I love sharing design principles to help you grow in your skills as a crafter. If you enjoy tips like these, you'll love the Cheat Sheets Collections, too. Collection #18 was just released this week! Leave me a comment if you have ideas for future "5 Tips" suggestions.
One of my very favorite reasons to be a demonstrator is the amazing sample swapping that goes on whenever we gather together!
Stampin' Up demonstrators are some of the most creative people in the world, and I benefit greatly from seeing their ideas. I love coming up with a cool card and making a bunch of them so I can trade with others. It's fun to think of the little card I stamped in my craftroom in Wisconsin traveling across the U.S. and sometimes even across oceans, to land in another demonstrator's sample basket.
I'm sharing several favorites from my latest chance to swap, at the OnStage 2016 earlier this month. I made forty swaps, so I can't show all the samples I received here, but these are some of my favorites! I also swap every month with my team, at our local gathering. I think swapping is such an integral part of being a demonstrator, that if any of my non-local team members wants to participate by mail, I pay the shipping back to them after the meeting. It's worth it to spread the love!
One really nice thing about swapping is that I get a variety of stamp sets, paper choices and different embellishments and die-cuts to show my local stamping friends. I don't have to personally own all of Stampin' Up's product lines--thank goodness for that, because there's almost 4,000 products in our catalogs! Even if I could swing it, it wouldn't all fit in here, for sure!
My stampin' friends LOVE to look in my sample basket to see what new delights I've traded for since the last time they attended! It's awesome to have artwork from many different designers that they can look through and learn from. It helps both them and me get out of our little crafty comfort zone and try new layouts, color combos and techniques that we never would have seen otherwise.
I keep the samples protected in our Clear Translucent Envelopes so they don't get fingerprints or smudges on them while we browse the basket. And when the products used on the swaps retire, I have all these cool card fronts that I can turn into full cards and use for all kinds of occasions. Sometimes I turn them into gift tags or use the pieces as elements on scrapbook pages, too. Fun!
I hope you've enjoyed this little sneak peek into the secret world of demonstrator sample swaps... one of the best "hidden" reasons to join Stampin' Up! We should chat about the Starter Kit, the support services and incentives I provide as a member of the Song of My Heart team, and how you could get involved in swap exchanges with demonstrators all over the world.
Join the fun--the world is waiting to see what YOU will create next!
I'm sooo excited to announce the release of another Collection of Cheat Sheets cardmaking helpers!
Meet the brand new Cheat Sheets Collection #18! 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!
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.
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.
FINALLY... easy-to-use, professional design resources
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 the last 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.
Cheat Sheets are also available individually upon their release, or in money-saving sets of three (1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, and the latest bundle, 16-18). You'll save $10 on every set of three. Click here to visit my Etsy Shop for those! I hope you'll give Cheat Sheets a try. They have been THE answer for so many frustrated papercrafters who just need a little nudge on the design side of things.
Oh my goodness! I'm so glad I subscribed to Paper Pumpkin. This month's kit is out of this world! Check it out here.
The ONLY way to get these amazing craft kits by mail is by becoming a Paper Pumpkin subscriber and watching for your box every month to see what the surprise is this time! Sometimes I like it better than others, but it's always something cute and totally on-trend. I can choose to put it together according to the instructions, or do my own thing. Plus, the exclusive, never-seen-before-OR-after stamp sets can be used for years to come. Super cute stamps no one else has? Yes, please!
Ready to subscribe?
Here's the options to pre-pay in advance--they count towards party orders that way!
or select to have them charge your card once a month
If you have questions about which Paper Pumpkin option is right for you, email me at Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com and I'll be happy to walk you through it!
This weekend I finally got a chance to play with my Santa's SleighThinlits for the first time! I did not order the stamp set that coordinates with it because I'd already blown my budget sky-high. The 2016 Holiday Catalog, aka "the Budget Buster," has not been a friend to my checkbook. But I'm happy to say you can easily use the Thinlits alone and not have to get the set if you don't want to. I think I did just fine without it on this card, don't you?
I wish you could see the sparkle on this card! I used Wink of Stella on the reindeer and tree, and boy does that ever POP on the Basic Black cardstock. The Silver Foil cardstock, embossed with the Brick Wall embossing folder, adds shine as well, and so does all the pearls I sprinkled on the tree.
But the best part of the card is the Real Red twine wrapped around the reindeer's neck. It adds an elegant focal point dab of red to a monochromatic card. Christmas cards are supposed to be over the top, after all!
This would be a great card to mass-produce for Christmas cards this year. It's impressive but easy, without a lot of putzy techniques or special-use supplies. Feel free to copy this design if you'd like! Here's the complete supply list, for your convenience.
Did you know that the #1 card style people create is Christmas? Makes sense! The #2 most-produced card type is birthday. I'm looking forward to my annual Birthday Bash in January--stay tuned for details on how to register for that event! Hope to see you there.
I had so much fun creating this sweet new class geared towards busy stampers who need to make a good number of cards in one sitting! It's all ready to go--just purchase and download to start playing immediately!
You'll appreciate the complete supply list, easy directions, cutting and layout guides, and lots of full-color photos in this super-simple do-it-yourself class you can take TONIGHT, right in the comfort of your own home. Create eight lovely cards and enjoy the pattern to make many more. Your skills will grow as you confidently make beautiful creations to WOW your family and friends.
Song of My Heart is making it affordable and FUN to stamp again. Quick and professional design assistance IS available--without breaking the bank! If you're totally new to stamping, check out my Beginner's One-Sheet Wonder Card Class for an even more basic, fool-proof "how-to" lesson right in the privacy of your own home.
Are you crazy for cable-knit? Then you will love the latest embossing folder from Stampin' Up! It adds a luscious warmth and depth of texture to your Christmas cards that will remind you of your favorite sweater--so realistic you'll find yourself running your fingers over it to see if it's really knitted! If you only add ONE thing to your collection for this year's holiday cards, let it be this folder!
I made two of these Peaceful Pines cards this weekend (so easy! Three stamps, three cuts with my Framelits, one run-through with the embossing folder, and assemble). When it came to the embellishments, I knew I wanted to use twine to play up the fabric feel of the cable-knit embossing.
But while I naturally reached for Cherry Cobbler, in keeping with my usual love of monochromatics, I pulled out the Garden Green as well--and now I can't decide! Which do you think looks better? A pop of accent color, or all red and white?
Ready to recreate this look at home? Here's what you'll need! If you do not have a Stampin' Up demonstrator who is serving your needs already, I'd love for you to consider ME your demo! Email me any time: Lyssa@songofmyheartstampers.com
Thanks so much for stopping in today to see my latest Christmas card and give me your opinion on the twine color! I love stamping "with" you! Wish we could have a cozy cup of cocoa and a good long craft session today. Wouldn't that be fun?
I had so much fun creating this sweet new class geared towards brand new stampers! It's all ready to go--just click to visit my Etsy Shop and download to start playing immediately!
You'll appreciate the complete supply list, easy directions, cutting and layout guides, and lots of full-color photos in this super-simple do-it-yourself class you can take TONIGHT, right in the comfort of your own home. Create six lovely cards and enjoy the pattern to make many more. Your skills will grow as you confidently make beautiful creations to WOW your family and friends.
Who needs a card from you today? Download the class now and it can be in their hands tomorrow!
Need supplies? Order right now from my Stampin' Up Store! It's easy and convenient, and it will come right to your door. Plus, you can check out the online-only Clearance rack while you're there.
This picture makes me so grateful Look at all the amazing women in my SU family! And this isn't even all of us--we had team members at several locations all over the country for this event. How blessed we all are to be connected through Stampin' Up, just by the shared experience that someone offered us the opportunity to be part of the sisterhood of demonstrators--and we said YES.
We had such a lovely time last weekend at the 2016 Stampin' Up OnStage conference. I am so thankful my health has improved enough to go--even just two weeks out I was seriously doubting I would have the stamina for this event. Thanks for praying for me! I managed to stay for much more of it than I had hoped. And it was SO GOOD to get all those hugs! So I'm really glad I went.
Friday night was just for leaders at a certain level and up, and we enjoyed a yummy dinner of prime rib and cheesecake and some specialized training on how to hold effective and fun team meetings. We all got the most gorgeous tote--it is right up my alley--charcoal and black with pink stitching! It matched my outfit really well : ) Then we went back to the hotel--many to stamp, me to sleep! In anticipation of a long and fun day to come. I had been stamping for weeks in advance, getting gifts ready for each team member and making my sample to swap with fellow demonstrators.
The next day everyone else arrived and we all got a canvas tote jam-packed with good stuff! The decorations were SO adorable--hot air balloons and a circus theme. And there were prizes like crazy--all for brand new product from the Spring Occasions 2017 Catalog! WOOT WOOT! I can't show any of that to you JUST yet, but you'll be seeing some sneak peeks beginning December first when the demonstrator-preorder begins.
(inserting tiny sales pitch here--you really need to think about joining my team so you can get a discount on what is coming!!!)
It was so good to see so many friends, hear inspiring success stories and lots of great tips, get all the latest updates on our wonderful company, and just plain STAMP together! We got to celebrate with Kristine, who presented on the stage; Tamie, who was a display stamper, Holly, who became an Artisan Award winner; Jessica, who made it into the Global Top 100; Diane's 20th anniversary as a demo; and many other anniversaries and career milestones. I received recognition for leadership, recruiting and personal sales as well, including the Thailand trip. God is good! Then after the conference was over, my team had a dinner catered by Olive Garden, with Make N Takes, a product challenge, and a fantastic swap. Even though everyone was SO tired, no one wanted to the day to be finished. It was truly a blessed day.
So, the next one's in April... at locations all over the country. Who wants to come with? Just $99 to join, and you get to pick your Starter Kit. Then you can take advantage of the discount AND pre-earn Sale A Bration 2017 rewards with your orders, getting your hands on the latest and most innovative papercrafting tools and stamps in the industry, before anyone else. April will be my 12th Stampin' Up anniversary... wanna help me celebrate? Let's do it!
I saw this idea at Stampin' Up OnStage 2016 and couldn't wait to come home and make a tutorial for you all. This is one of the easiest fancy-folds you will ever do, so simple that it's perfect even for mass card production, like we all do at Christmastime. Enjoy my fun little fox card, all dolled up in bright Real Red and Cucumber Crush green. I used the Cozy Critters and Designer Tin of Tags stamp sets for my sample.
To begin, you'll need to gather:
Simply Scored board or other scoring tools
Paper Trimmer or a craft knife and mat
a cardstock base cut to 4 x 9.75 inches
stamps, ink and papers to embellish
If you don't have a paper trimmer with both a horizontal and vertical ruler, let's remedy that! I use the Cadillac of all personal paper trimmers, the Stampin' Trimmer. You will never get mad at your cutter again! Life's too short to use bad adhesive or a crappy cutter : )
Still with me? That wasn't so bad, eh? It's easy when you have a photo to follow. Photo tutorials are my favorite way to learn a new technique. Other than in-person, of course!
That's all there is to the base! The rest is just decorating the panels. I've included measurements for all of them.
So what do you think? Are you going to try it? I hope you do! I love simple WOW's like this. If you do, too, check out the rest of the projects in the 100% Free Tutorial Library here at Song of My Heart. More inspiration than you could ever use in one lifetime!
Thanks for visiting today! If you'd like to support Song of My Heart, please consider a purchase either from my Stampin' Up Store or my Etsy Shop. Help keep all the free inspiration FREE! : )
Instructions for “Autumn Leaf Trees” 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!
1. Card base is 5.5 x 8.5 inches folded in half to form horizontal card.
2. Die-cut three leaves from Very Vanilla cardstock.
3. Sponge one tree with Cajun Craze, one with Always Artichoke, and one with Deligthful Dijon.
4. Stamp the tree branches on the leaves using Chocolate Chip ink, lining up the stem with the trunk.
5. Center the yellow tree on the cardfront with the green and orange trees on either side, using dimensionals.
6. Stamp the desired greeting in Cajun Craze ink underneath the trees.
Thanks for stopping in to Song of My Heart today for real-life papercrafting tips and tricks. Please feel free to shop my Stampin' Up store to show your support, and be sure to check out the rest of the cards in the Ready to Make It category here!
First, die-cut your shape. Position the window area of the shape over your notecard.
Sponge on your lightest color first, using sponge daubers.
Without moving the stencil shape, add your second color, blending with the first.
Add your third color. It may look strange and muddy, but when you stamp the tree branches over it, it will be amazing!
Add your sentiment and you're good to go! What do you think? Is that not a sweet little technique? If you love quick cards, check out the Ready to Make It? section, with only cards that take 15 minutes or less to make.
I know these aren't cards, but this is something I've been "working" on lately, too... just getting out the house. I've fallen into some terrible habits working from home for 10+ years, and I'm trying to get outside more and enjoy the simple things. I started a healthy home cooking class by mail, which I'm really enjoying. Penni and I are signed up for yoga classes here in town. Things like that.
Fall in Wisconsin in so absolutely stunning, it's really helping me want to lace up those Sketchers and get out there! Here's some snaps from my phone from the past two weeks.
I feel very blessed to live in such a gorgeous state! This year's autumn change has been particularly lovely, long and slow, with each variety of tree getting its full share of attention. Driving anywhere is a total treat right now, too. I'm about to leave for Madison for the Stampin' Up conference tonight and tomorrow--can't wait!
Oh look, I do have a card to share... this pretty thank-you is a sample swap received at my team meeting. Love the clean, natural simplicity of it. Thanks for swapping with me, Shellie!
Stay tuned for more samples from OnStage 2016... We get to see not only the upcoming Spring 2017 Catalog but also the Sale-A-Bration Brochure--so exciting! I won't be able to share THOSE, of course, but I will have lots of fun new techniques and designs to show.
It's super fast to become a Song of My Heart e-News subscriber--and you'll get all the week's news, specials, upcoming events plus one exclusive sneak peek project each week, in one easy email. It's free to sign up, and I'm even throwing in Cheat Sheets Collection #1 as a gift when you do!
What are you waiting for? Fill out the form below and your confirmation email will come momentarily.
Looking forward to seeing YOUR name on my list, very soon!
This card was so easy to make, it almost feels like cheating! All I did was die-cut a heart from Black Glimmer Paper and mount it on the upper center of a Basic Black card. The "congrats" is die cut from the same set of Framelits, called Sunshine Wishes. You could make it any color but mine happened to be Sweet Sugarplum, because I'm addicted to it... sigh.
The finishing touches were some gold and silver star-shaped sequins. Pretty snazzy! I think this would be a great card for a dance recital or a special birthday. Or even just a good week at school. Life is full of celebrations when we start to look for them. Celebrate with a little time in the craft room today!
