Embellish

Year in Review 2019

The end of the year kinda snuck up on me! I just barely got this in under the wire! Here are my favorite projects from each month here on the blog during 2019. Sometimes it was hard to pick... others, not so much!

Enjoy the little retrospective!

My favorite project from January 2019 was definitely this pop-up butterfly punch art. I love rainbow colors and easy WOW's and they don't get much more colorful or eye-catching than that! This was a project from the Class of the Month files.

In February 2019 I made this sweet doggie card with the Happy Tails stamp set. I had so much fun coming up with all the different dog breeds I could think of to color with the Stampin' Blends markers. I didn't get my birthday wish for a dog this year... but I did get two adorable guinea pigs (Dash and Mr. Darcy) which I spoil rotten with all the veggies their chubby little hearts desire.

In March 2019 I must have been longing for some color and warmth. I made this clean and simple Lemon Lime Twist, Mango Melody and Coastal Cabana butterfly grid card. A nice bright POP of color in my cold craft room!

This is hard to pick just one! I made a lot of cards in April 2019. But I did really like this pretty one made with the ferns from Daisy Lane. I got a new custom-cut counter for a desk, and full-length glass door in my craft room. So nice and bright in there now!

May 2019 was tough and I didn't craft very much. Our house siding project drove me to distraction and out of the house quite a bit. But the quilt-inspired cards I managed to make with the Everything is Rosy medley turned out very cute.

I just love everything about this Seaside Notions card I made in June 2019. The gorgeous background paper is from See a Silhouette. This was a swap at our team meeting here in Watertown.

I was gone for a lot of July (on the Stampin' Up Greek Isles cruise!) but I really enjoyed working with the new In Colors when I got back. The 6x6 In Color patterned paper stack and the Butterfly Wishes stamp set and dies went well together in all of the new colors.

Amazing that anything else besides scrapbook layouts for Scrapbooking Summer School gets done during August--but I did make some cards, too, including this farmhouse-inspired one using the Country Home stamp set and the paper piecing technique.

It's hard to make clean and simple nature cards, but this one using Nested Labels from September 2019 fits the description, I think! Love that Nature's Beauty set and love that the proceeds went to mental health organizations in all of Stampin' Up's countries of business.

October 2019 was filled with the annual blog series I do with Penni, my crafty BFF. The rest of the time was spent working on Christmas cards like this Merry Moose punched card using the new Birch background stamp. I am so glad we will be seeing the Moose punch again next fall! I am not done playing with it yet.

My personal favorite from November 2019 was this Beautiful Friendship card made as thank yous for my online club members. Super easy but the end result was gorgeous. Kinda springy for the frigid weather we were having between Halloween and Thanksgiving!

For my last monthly favorite of the year, it's another clean and simple card (I just love those). This December 2019 one is from a sneak peek of a new set coming in January, called Dressed to Impress. It's just feminine and sassy and fun.

Thanks for joining me on a little walk down memory lane! I thank you for being a visitor and follower of Song of My Heart during 2019, and I hope you'll be back in the new year for more stampy inspiration. Happy New Year!

Music From the Heart sneak peek! Quick Musical Notecards

Soo happy to see a musical stamp set in the new spring mini catalog (page 57)!! I love music and have many friends who are involved in i, so it's going to get tons of ink in my craft room. I sat down to play with this set and couldn't wait to share a sneeky peeky!

Music from the Heart will be available beginning January 3rd, 2020, using item #151674 at http://bit.ly/shopwithLyssa

I just made some quick one-layer note cards using Thick Whisper White cardstock, Tuxedo Black Memento ink, clear epoxy hearts embellishments and pastel yellow, aqua and peach inks (So Saffron stamped off once, Pool Party and Petal Pink.)

The watercolor swash stamps are from another new set called Dressed to Impress. I don't trust myself to watercolor free hand very well, so I prefer faking it with a stamp!

So pretty, eh?? I instantly fell in love with this set and decided it HAD to be the next Class of the Month! So look for the club code to be shared on opening day of the new mini catalog (January 3rd), and participate with a $35 order. You do not want to miss this set of projects! There is everything from baby grand piano recital congrats to "rock star" happy birthday cards with guitars.

Who in your life would appreciate a set of music notecards? I'm thinking piano teachers, band leaders, worship team, show choir, church pianist... and anyone who just loves music!

Last chance to get Healing Hugs with the December Class of the Month!

LAST CHANCE to participate in the December 2019 Class of the Month! The deadline to play each month is the 28th.

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has participated in Class of the Month over the past few years. December is our third anniversary! I have heartily enjoyed creating the classes for you each month and love hearing about how useful they are for you. I continue to be amazed at the versatility of just plain stamps, paper and ink. Thank you for supporting Song of My Heart by being such loyal fans!!  I appreciate you!

Song of My Heart's online rewards club for December 2019 features the Healing Hugs stamp set. It's a beautifully versatile get well set, with great sayings and useful images that pair perfectly to make cards for all your well wishes.

Your friends are going to think you are the most thoughtful person on the planet when they get a handmade "speedy recovery" card from you!

My classes are designed to teach you at least one thing you didn't know per project, no matter what level you're at as a crafter. Even newbies to stamping can create the fun techniques with my simple, step-by-step instructions! And all you have to do to join is place a $35 order with the monthly code (December 2019 code is 4RGUTCGZ) at http://bit.ly/shopwithLyssa 

Click here to read about my Class of the Month Club!

Click here to read about my new club starting for scrapbookers!

SNEEKY PEEKIES: I can't wait to show you January's projects!! It is a showcase of the brand new Music From The Heart stamp set (page 57 of the new spring mini catalog). The stamp set and the class will be available on opening day of the new mini catalog, January 3rd, 2020. Woo hoo!!!

Will you be getting this card from me? Healing Hugs

I had to clear a space in the Christmas clutter on my desk to make a batch of thank you cards this week. It was a nice break from all the red and green. Since they were for my Class of the Month Club members, they needed to use the Healing Hugs stamp set, which is our featured set for the month of December 2019. But I wasn't feeling super rosy, so I decided to see if I could make their thank you cards with just one of the leaf stamps that are included in the set.

My spring mini catalog preorder is here (!!!) and taunting me since I have no time to play, so I snuck in the box and grabbed out a new bundle I am really excited for. It's called So Sentimental and it's ALL greetings (cute ones!) and dies to match. It's going to be so fun to have some different shapes besides the usual ovals and rectangles to play with! The stitching just adds so much texture, too.

Can't wait to have more time to get acquainted with this bundle and the rest of the contents of that lovely preorder box the minute the holiday hoopla dies down around here!

What would YOU play with first if you could order anything you wanted out of the catalog? Join my team and get your new catalog goodies a whole month before they're available to regular stampers. You would not believe how fun and exciting it is when they let 50,000+ Stampin' Up demonstrators loose on a new catalog. Some people stay up all night to order. And the samples start appearing in about 48 hours. It's a riot!

And, between you and me and the tree, there's a big sign-up special starting January 3rd--let's chat! [email protected]

Christmas Cards of 2019: Toile Tidings with Dashing Deer

I'm proud of me! It's December 20th and I'm all done with my Christmas cards!... MAKING them, that is! I still have about eighty left to sign and send. But for me, any time before the 25th is good. Did you get yours out this year?

For my last couple of batches, I focused on the scrap bin and cutting up the remainder of some partially-used packs. These cards used up every last bit of my Toile Tidings paper AND wrapping paper! I just loved working with that timelessly elegant toile this year. I usually used the red side, but the green makes lovely designs, too.

I also used up ALL my embellishments on these last batches! In the end I started mixing and matching and coloring my own with Stampin' Blends so each card got the proper amount of bling. So now I'm out. But that's ok--now I have an excuse to order more!

Fairly simple... at this point of the year, simple and DONE is better than fancy and not!

If you're still working on getting those greetings out, I wish you luck! I've noticed many a card come in after Christmas day, so I'm pretty sure you're not alone! Crank up the Christmas tunes and rock on!

NEW: My Layout Library Club!

Would you LOVE to get a box of brand new, fun products specially chosen to coordinate to make gorgeous, professional-looking pages each month? What if it systematically grew your scrapbooking stash as well-- helped you complete more pages in less time--and did it all on a budget?

Yeah, I'm looking for that, too! Somebody should invent such a thing!

Well, somebody did--Song of My Heart Stampers! And it's called My Layout Library.

Focused on a suite, color combo or product medley from Stampin' Up's new spring and summer catalogs, you'll receive everything you'll need to make beautiful pages (and cards, if you want!) from the box of goodies you'll open each month.

Everything you need is included, from patterned papers, cardstock and embellishments, to trims, adhesives and ideas!

For just $29 a month (billed through Paypal), you'll receive 12x12 cardstock, patterned papers, trims and embellishments for a color-coordinated theme or occasion. Boxes may include surprise cutting templates, free printables, or handmade "page candy"--every month something totally different and unique!

You'll also enjoy visiting our private group to access the digital Layout Library, download page sketches, and see samples that others have made with their monthly kit. My Layout Library has grown to become an amazing resource for scrapbookers!

You're going to LOVE getting that box every month and being part of the awesome energy in our positive, encouraging club!! 

Shipping is included in the price, too--there are no hidden fees. Pay only $29/mo when YOU decide to play that month based on the theme, shared in advance. All payment is handled through PayPal.

I've already started curating the box for next month and I can't wait to show you the samples. Fans of Song of My Heart's Scrapbooking Summer School and Scrapbooker's One-Sheet Wonders have a little idea of what is in store for those of you who haven't scrapped with me before!

I've designed the scrapbooking club I wished existed--join me!

[email protected]

Learn to make these Healing Hugs for your friends!

I love this vibrant, non-traditional rose card! The white embossing on the Poppy Parade red circle just really pops! Complete instructions, measurements, supply list and tips for this card and six others are included in my December 2019 Class of the Month. Copy everything exactly, or branch out and swap in different colors or cuts to make it your own!

All you have to do to join my club is SHOP! Crazy, huh? Shop with the code before the 28th of the month, and I'll automatically send your project files, thank you card and sampler of the month. I'll also keep track of how many times you play along, because every five times gets you $30 in product YOU choose, as your reward.

For complete club details, click here. To start shopping, click here. The December 2019 Club Code is 4RGUTCGZ

Already have the stamps? No problem! Just order anything else you'd like to meet the minimum $35 before shipping and tax.

Already have a demonstrator? That's ok, too. You can shop with me one-time and still keep them as your preferred demonstrator. But if you don't have a demo friend to provide you with cool inspiration and great customer service, please consider me yours. Contact me anytime and get a free catalog! [email protected]

Seeing this after the deadline? Great news! I put all my past Classes of the Month available as downloads. View them here and pick up a few for the sets you already own or have been wanting to get!

Camou background technique with quick video tutorial

I shared this new technique with my team during our virtual meeting this month. Camouflage backgrounds are handy for guy cards, especially when you live in an area where many families hunt, like we do. Its perfect with the Nature's Beauty deer image, too!

I made a quick no-frills video, but the basic gist really doesn't need a lot of explanation. The abstract roses from Beautiful Friendship are stamped in Mossy Meadow and Soft Suede on Crumb Cake cardstock, with the deer and sentiment stamped in the darker Early Espresso ink so they stand out.

 

Ready to recreate this look at home? Click any link to go start a cart and shop with Lyssa!

Beautiful Friendship Photopolymer Stamp Set

[149252]

Nature's Beauty Cling Stamp Set

[150528]

Family Party Photopolymer Stamp Set

[149379]

Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[120953]

Soft Suede 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[115318]

Mossy Meadow Classic Ink Stampin' Pad

[147111]

Early Espresso Classic Ink Stampin' Pad

[147114]

Soft Suede Classic Ink Stampin' Pad

[147115]

Linen

Thread

[104199]

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

[144108]

NEW Paper

Trimmer

[152392]

Very Vanilla Medium Envelopes

[107300]

Snail

Adhesive

[104332]

Paper

Snips

[103579]

I hope you try this fun technique! Thanks for popping in to Song of My Heart today.

Mini Photo Tutorial: Double Doors Card

I received a sample of a fun and easy fancy fold at OnStage 2019 and had to come and make a tutorial for you guys! It's so simple but such a WOW. Sorry the photos are a bit rough as I snapped them during our virtual team meeting!

Here's the card folded up to fit in a regular a-2 envelope (medium)...

One extra nice thing about this fancy fold is that it stands up on its own on the mantel or shelf, so the Double Door fold is great for display.

I used the Dashing Deer stamp set with Pretty Peacock ink and cardstock, gold foil cardstock and plain Whisper White, accented by some of the embossed foil papers from the Noble Peacock suite.

To make the basic card, you'll need:

• Simply Scored board or Paper Trimmer with scoring blade
• Colored cardstock base of 4.25 x 5.5 inches
• Whisper White or Very Vanilla 4 x 11 inches
• Strong adhesive such as Tear & Tape or Liquid Multi
• Stamps, ink, patterned paper, etc to decorate

Score your 4 x 11 inch Whisper White at the 2, 3.75, 7.25 and 9 inch marks on the long side.

Fold the two center scores in towards the middle, and the two outer scores back on themselves towards the outside.

Stamp everything before assembling.

Attach the back of the main middle panel to the card base with strong adhesive.

Add a focal point and sentiment to the center of the outside, attached on the left panel only.

Another variation is to turn the double doors sideways so they open vertically instead of horizontally. This of course wouldn't stand up by itself, but still a fun and unexpected fold without a lot of work.

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial! I love sharing the "real-life" kinds of projects that ordinary crafters like me actually make with our busy modern lives and limited resources. Thanks for making Song of My Heart Stampers a inspiration stop today!

Ready to Make It? Easy Snowy Mountain Christmas Card

it's NOT too late to make all your Christmas cards for the year! This is a one-layer card yet a real wow.

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

Stamps: Snowfront, Light & Peace (sentiment)

Ink: Balmy Blue, Crumb Cake, Shaded Spruce

Cardstock: Whisper White

Accessories: Shimmery Crystal Effects, Dazzlin' Diamonds Glitter

Instructions:

1. Start with a Whisper White card base of 5.5 by 8.8 inches. Fold in half.
2. Stamp the mountain peak image in the upper center of the card in Balmy Blue ink.
3. Stamp the evergreen tree/hill images on either side at the base of the mountain, in Shaded Spruce ink.
4. Stamp more individual trees randomly around the edges of the lower half of card.
5. Stamp the lake in Balmy Blue ink between the trees. Stamp the "river" image here and there to simulate snow drifts.
6. Stamp the cabin and deer in Crumb Cake ink.
7. Add a thin line of Crystal Effects to the hills, banks and cabin roof. Sprinkle with glitter and shake off excess.
8. Allow card to dry. Stamp inside the card and on the envelope to match!

If you have 15 minutes, you can make a handmade card. Be sure to check out the rest of the EASY & FAST cards in the Ready to Make It category here!

Mini Photo Tutorial: Double Z-fold Card

I'm partial to this card fold--Z is a pretty awesome letter, and this layout is a DOUBLE Z! We made these beauties in Christmas Club this year and I wanted to share them with you, because they're such an easy WOW. I used the cardinal stamp and die from Stampin' Up's Toile Christmas and the Real Red side of the Toile Tidings papers for mine.

This fun card folds down flat to fit in a regular A-2 (medium) envelope and it still ok for mailing with ordinary postage as long as you don't add stick-up embellishments. Maybe just a Linen Thread bow or some Shimmery Crystal Effects.

To begin, you'll need:

• Simply Scored Board or Paper Trimmer with scoring blade
• Strong adhesive such as Tear & Tape or Liquid Multi
• Very Vanilla cardstock for base and panels
• Crumb Cake or other accent color cardstock for the attachment
• Patterned paper
• Stamps, ink, die cuts, etc to decorate

You're going to love how easy this is!

First, cut a Very Vanilla card base of 11 by 4.25 inches. Score it at 2.75 and 5.5 inches on the long side.

Fold in the center, then fold the front back on itself. That's a regular z-fold card.

Now we need to add the double z!

Cut a strip of Crumb Cake cardstock (or your accent color) measuring 10 by 3.25 inches. Score at 4 and 7 inches on the long side.

Fold this strip into a z, with the widest panel on top. This is what will be seen when the card is closed.

The Very Vanilla pieces are 3 x 3.75 inches for the widest panel, plus two 3 x 2.75 inch panels for the insides.

Decorate and stamp your z-fold strip strip and card base BEFORE you adhere them! Ask me how I know this!!!

When you adhere the strip to the base, use a strong adhesive, because regular SNAIL is not going to be ok with the stress the pieces will be under. The right adhesive gives you the right results!

Start with attaching the front, not the back. Check to make sure the widest panel is centered on the card base before adhering, then fold the strip and press the card closed to ensure perfect placement of the back panel.

If your card looks like this when you're done--you're good!

Isn't that a great fold? I want to do this one again at Easter. it would be super fun for birthday cards, too!

What type of card are you going to make with this idea? Let me know in the comments! And if you love photo tutorials, check out the 100% Free Photo Tutorial Library here at Song of My Heart for more than 100 papercrafting projects broken down step by step.

Sneeky peekies from the spring mini catalog!

I won the sassy new stamp set Dressed to Impress at Stampin' Up OnStage last month, and I couldn't wait a moment longer to share some of the SUPER CUTE things I've been making with it! I don't tend to use pink all that much, so this was fun to play with.

When you see the spring mini catalog, you'll flip OUT over the coordinating patterned papers and dies for the Dressed to Impress suite, including the CUTEST new tiny tote purse die with fun accessories like buckles and buttons. It really is just the cleverest thing.

These two are one-layer cards, stamped directly on Thick Whisper White cardstock bases. I loved how quick and easy these notecards were to make. For the lipstick one below, I added a paper-pieced patterned accent to one of the lipstick holders.

Just a couple quick sneak peeks of what's in store for spring! Now I have to be a good girl and go finish my Christmas cards!

Spring mini catalogs should be arriving by the end of December--make sure it doesn't get recycled with the holiday junk mail! If you're not on my mailing list and you'd like to be, subscribe to my once-a-week email newsletter and use the form to request a free one (U.S. only).

December 2019 Class of the Month Club is here! Healing Hugs

Some cards you just need year-round... get well cards are one of them! I like to have a stack on hand, and the stamp set Healing Hugs is a good one because of the variety of sentiments for the occasion. I challenged myself to make some COMPLETELY different cards for this class, and I think you'll love the results as your eyes are opened to the versatility of these stamps!

There are seven projects in this month's class, including the popular Triple Time (also known as Ascending Rectangles) technique, as well as a bonus handout on heat embossing tips and tricks.

Already have this stamp set? No problem! Order anything you want as long as it's at least $35 before shipping and tax. All you have to do to join our club is place an order with the special club code before the 28th of the month, and the class files are automatically emailed to you. While the class is based around Healing Hugs, you can sub in other images or sentiments and still use the layouts and color combos.

Here's some suggestions for your Class of the Month Club order: click any link to go start your shopping cart!

• Healing Hugs Cling-Mount Stamp Set [148223] $21.00
• Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053] $30.00
• Embossing Buddy static reducer [103083] $6.00
• White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $6.00
• Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder [141636] $6.00

The December 2019 Club Code is 4RGUTCGZ. Be sure to use the code--that signals me to start tracking your participation, and every fifth time you play you get a $30 shopping spree! Or save your points until you have ten, and earn $60 worth free. Wow!

Even better, there's no requirement to play every month, so you can participate when YOUR budget allows or the featured stamp set or techniques interest you.  Complete club details are here.

BONUS: I have a VERY SPECIAL sneak peek for you hiding in your handstamped thank-you notes this month! Brand new papers from the Spring 2020 mini catalog that will make you want to hurry up and finish those Christmas cards so you can play with the new patterns!

Let's learn to make get well cards together this month. This is going to be so fun!