Heart Sentiments

Hello, and welcome to Heart Sentiments.

Throughout the year, or your life, there are times when sending a card to mark an event or share your feelings are so appropriate. Here at Heart Sentiments I understand that it’s all about what, and how you want to, say something. And I hope that the cards, projects and ideas you find on my site will help to reflect your style, values and personality in the cards you create.

If you’re not the creative type, feel free to contact me and share your vision, so that I might create it for you.

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May 2021 Class and Workshop

You will find samples and details of the cards we made at our May 2021 Class and Workshop.

The first is my take on the Plaid shirt card that I cased from Rachel Tessman. We used the new Many Messages stamp and die to add the inside sentiments. I also made a template for the tie by tracing it from the catalog page of the Handsomely Suited set. While adding a little more manliness to the card, it also helped to hide the paper seam created in the folding of the “shirt”. Each shirt used a 6 x 6 piece of patterned paper. This plaid is currently retired. Brads were added for buttons.

Here is another look when the shirt card is opened.

We used the Grace’s Garden bundle for our second card. The arch was die cut prior to embossing the brick pattern and sponging it. We also did a little sponging with Pear Pizzazz and Pool Party to give the background a little dimension behind the gate. There are so many pieces in this die set (including the little kitty and bird) which will make it easy to produce many different versions of this card.

You can learn more about Heart Sentiments or me here. If you are interested in making cards or learning more about it, feel free to sign up at one of my monthly classes or workshops here. 

If you are interested in any of the products used to make these cards, please visit my online store at https://conniec.stampinup.net (click SHOP NOW).

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April 2021 Class and Workshop

The card projects for my April 2021 Class and Workshop were centered on several ideas/themes. First we played with the beautiful Sand and Sea suite of products. Second, we had to get Mother’s Day cards made since the May classes will not be held until after that day. And as we do most months, we made fun fold cards. I will try to link to those from whom I cased several of this month’s projects.

I couldn’t wait to copy this beautiful card from Jan Clothier. There are just so many techniques in this card that make it so lovely but also a lot of fun. The direct pad to paper white-washing of the embossed panel sets the background for this card. The punched and die cut circles create the porthole-like theme. Then add all the die cuts, ribbons and gems and you have one fantastic card. Thank you to Jan and all who have shared this striking card.

We used more of the Sand & Sea Suite of products to create this card. The large seashell die and embossing folder on the beautiful pearlescent paper provide the focus for this card. The background paper is from the In Good Taste DSP pack. This card was created using several ideas found on pinterest.

This Mother’s Day card is an accordion fold card that I cased from Lynn Dunn – see her youtube video. It uses a half a sheet of 12 x 12 designer series paper, scored and folded to create an accordion fold. The stamped images are from the retired Tea Together stamp set. I love when you can create cards with DSPs where you get to enjoy both sides on the paper from the front of the card. The paper used here is from the Flower & Field DSP.

Check out the two images below: one shows the accordion card open, and the other shows where I adhered the top half fold of the DSP to the next layer of accordion, thereby creating more of a Z-fold card.

The last card is also a Mother’s Day card, cased from Rachel Tessman. See her video tutorial on youtube. I selected this design because it offers another way to see both sides of the designer series paper. Feel free to visit her link for instructions.

Those interested in future classes, feel free to sign up at one of my monthly classes or workshops here. You can learn more about me here.

If you are interested in any of the products used to make these cards, please visit my online store at https://conniec.stampinup.net (click SHOP NOW).

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March 2021 Class and Workshop

So, I decided to shake things up for our March 2021 Class and Workshop. Shaking things up means we were making shaker cards using two different methods. First we used the traditional method of creating the shaker void with a piece of window sheet and foam strips, making this sweet jar shaker card.

The second shaker card was made using the Painted Poppies sequins and a clear envelope instead of the window sheet and foam strips.

I try to teach new and different techniques to my customers. With the other cards we made, I demonstrated what I’m calling a spotlight technique. This is where you create an open diagonal area on the card that goes from a narrow area of focus to a wider one.

The last card for this month’s workshop showcased several of the products in the Final Art Floral suite, and focused on the various ways to apply gilding flakes. This card used the Fine Art Floral designer series paper and the Golden Garden acetate overlay. The layering panel was embossed with the Painted Texture embossing folder. Double sided tape was used for adhering the gilding flakes. While a bit messy, everyone agreed that applying gilding flakes is a much easier process than they imagined.

Those interested in future classes, feel free to sign up at one of my monthly classes or workshops here. You can learn more about me here.

If you are interested in any of the products used to make these cards, please visit my online store at https://conniec.stampinup.net (click SHOP NOW).

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January 2021 Class & Workshop

It seemed like a good idea to use up some retired product for my January 2021 Class and Workshop, especially since we missed several in-person ones due to the virus shutdowns. So please pardon my use of retired products in these projects.

North Brevard Senior Center Class

For the class at the North Brevard Senior Center, we made a different fold card that uses a unique template with efficient use of card stock normally used in making a standard A2 card. By cutting half of the front of the card base and front panel, and layering them sideways, you create a completely different card. But, this template only uses the same amount of card stock.

This sweet card, using the Healing Hugs stamp set, makes great use of this template.

With this card, I was teaching a one hole bow or knot closure. In doing that, we also altered how the card opened by scoring 1″ from the fold of the card and gluing it in place. After adding the designer series paper panels, a single hole is punched in the center of that 1″ folded strip. A 12″ piece of ribbon is laid across the front, folded around the card base from both the top and bottom. Then the ends are brought through to the front, on either side of the ribbon and tied tight.

As a demonstrator, I find that some of the simplest techniques, like this, make the most impression. Because even the most beginner card maker can execute it and feel special for having done it. As one in the class stated, “I can’t wait to go home and make a whole bunch of these.”

January Workshop at Trinity Lutheran Church

At the workshops, I demonstrate a bit more advanced techniques. The cards usually involve embossing and die-cutting. We made a Valentine card since this group won’t meet again until after Valentine’s Day. Using the lace 3D embossing folder on red foil card stock and Be Mine dies, we created this cute holiday card. A retired border punch added some more laciness to this card. Fussy cutting the sentiment is a reminder that you don’t always have to have a punch or die to add a sentiment to your card.

Lastly, we delved into stenciling, using the new Blending Brushes, to create a silhouette image, birthday card. These brushes are great for blending and the whole class loved them. It was also an opportunity to showcase one of the many great Sale-a-bration items, like this Corner Bouquet stamp set.

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2020 Christmas Sampler

For the first time this year, I held workshops where we made Samplers. The 2020 Christmas Sampler this week was the most difficult one I did this year. Here’s the picture of the Christmas Sampler, using many of the Christmas stamp sets in this year’s catalogs.

The various panels used embossing folders, gold heat embossing, dies, designer series paper, markers, water color pencils, and even a shaker snow globe. I planned two hours for the class, but the class did take longer than expected. It’s hard to get a handle on how long it will take to complete a sampler when you’re designing piecemeal, without sitting down and making another one after everything has been cut and prepared. And as most of us know, we never seem to have enough time to do such things. Although I must confess that finding organizing tips for a workshop such as this from my upline did a lot to help keep things running smoothly.

There were two gals in the workshop who preferred to make tags instead of a framed piece. This required me to alter half of the panels to make them more like tags than card fronts. Here are some of those that they made. Since these were just individual tags, it allowed me to go beyond the red, gold, and green color scheme we stuck to for the sampler. So while this gave me a little more freedom, it also created more work for me for the workshop. I particularly liked the tag with the jar full of snowflakes.

Here are the other samplers I designed for workshops this fall.

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Single Layer Cards

Single layer cards with a little extra technique can give a simple card that extra ‘wow’, prompting people to ask ‘how did you do that?’. I usually use single layer cards at the class I teach at the North Brevard Senior Center. The classes are only an hour long and may include ladies not very familiar to stamping; so these easy-to-make- cards fit into the schedule nicely.

Here are two cards that anyone could make in just a little over half an hour, but look like you spent more time on them.

This first card uses the Timeless Tropical stamp set, with just a little bit of sponging and masking. A piece of scrap paper was placed across the panel to create a horizon by sponging ink below it. To create the sun, a small circle was die cut into a piece of clear acetate and So Saffron ink was sponged inside it. The scrap paper was then flipped across the card to cover the area above the horizon and a little more So Saffron was sponged in the water area to highlight it below the sun. The tree was stamped with Garden Green and Early Espresso, along with some “thumping” of Old Olive on the fronds. A little Sahara Sand ink was swiped across the base of the trees with some scribbled lines of Old Olive to look like grass. The sentiment was stamped in Pacific Point to match the water sponging. The panel was then attached to a coordinating card base.

The second card uses the Positive Thoughts stamp set. The leaf image was stamped three times without re-inking. A piece of tissue paper, larger than the card panel was completely crumpled up and opened back out before placing over the entire panel which was covered with Kraft stick glue. Pressing well to adhere the tissue to the glue, the excess tissue was wrapped around the back of the panel and glued in place before attaching the panel to the Garden Green card base. The sentiment was stamped over the tissue covered panel, and a twine bow was added with a glue dot.

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It’s Forever Greenery Suite

Here’s an sneak peak at some cards made with the Forever Greenery Suite from Stampin’Up!’s 2020-2021 Annual Catalog. Several years ago I put a suggestion into the Sandbox at Stampin’Up! suggesting that they create a stamp set with different types of foliage. Eh voila, it appeared in this year’s catalog. In addition to the Forever Fern stamp and die bundle of ferns and different greenery, the suite includes Designer Series Paper, embossing folders, ribbon and other embellishments.

To be completely honest, I didn’t order the DSP  because I found that the colors in some of the papers clashed too much for my taste. As a retired florist, color was a very important design principle in creating floral arrangements. This included the hue of the foliage, to make sure it complimented and didn’t clash with the colors of the flowers. That being said, I can say that it’s very easy to create your own patterned paper with the various size stamps in this set along with the number of pretty inks, to create one that you will find pleasing. One such card is shown here.

The colors used in these samples are Blushing Bride, Petal Pink, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Shaded Spruce, and Rich Razzleberry. Each of the cards also used several pieces from the Gold Specialty Laser-cut paper. The various elements and panels in this paper come punch-out ready; no need to use your trimmer to cut these up like previously sold laser cut papers.

 

I was able to pull apart all the die cuts and panels in minutes and store them in a stamp case for easy retrieval when ready to use them.

 

You’ll also notice some embossed vellum using one of the embossing folders, and some scraps of rice paper. I could also have used some of the tissue paper that comes packaged with the laser-cut papers. And I may actually use this in an upcoming class or workshop, as I think it’s the perfect texture to use with this stamp set.

One of the first things I did after receiving this bundle was to stamp and die cut all of the greenery images with different colors of ink and card stock. This not only helped to get my mojo going, but also made it very easy to put different images and colors together to design these cards.

Along with all of my floral stamp sets, I know this one is a keeper. If you’re anything like me, you are going to love just how versatile this bundle is.

You can find all of these products at my online store through Stampin’Up!

 

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Lovely Lily Pad Cards

It’s too bad that this cute Sale-a-bration stamp set, Lovely Lily Pad, isn’t carrying over to the upcoming 2020-2021 Annual Catalog. I know that’s the point of these sale items – for a limited time only. But the technique I’m going to share can be applied using any stamp set. The technique, that others are calling a “Faux Pearl technique”, also worked really well with another retired item, the Share What You Love specialty designer series paper from the previous year because many of those papers have this shimmer frost look.

First I took the Frost White Shimmer paint and some scrunched-up plastic wrap and, using just a large drop on my silicone mat, I dabbed it all over a sheet of whisper white. (well, actually, a couple of sheets of whisper white, because I made a lot of cards.) But one drop is pretty much all you need to cover a single sheet. It dries pretty quickly if you don’t glob it on.

Then, I sponged on patches of different ink colors for the cards I planned to make. Once that is all dry, I stamped my images with Black craft ink, instead of my regular Memento black ink. Be a bit careful when stamping because the paint you applied makes the card stock more slick. So it’s almost like stamping on vellum or acetate. (Guess I didn’t get a photo of the stamped Lovely Lily Pad images). Since I don’t have the dies for these images, some were cut with my Brothers Scan ‘n Cut and others were fussy cut.

These are some of the cards I made. Others are already in the mail. Hopefully, you can see the shimmer in at least some of the cards.

I went back after shooting the lily cards and added some translucent jewels drops on the lily pads to look like water droplets. You can see that I also used the shimmer paint on the Balmy Blue card stock for this card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On these last cards, I reached back into my collection of SU sets to find images that matched the DSP, and found them in What I Love stamp set and Garden in Bloom stamp set, along with Love What You Do stamp set.

 

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Stamping and Coloring on Acetate

If you’ve never done any stamping and coloring on acetate, you should definitely try it. While I’m sheltering in place this month, I’ve been watching old videos from some of my favorite card makers and finding techniques that are new to me. This card is CASEd from a video that Jennifer McGuire posted over two years ago called 4 Ways: Clear Card Elements.

After stamping, coloring and attaching the acetate to the back of the card front frame, I liked that she popped it up from the card base with a card backing. This way you don’t see the card base through it, especially since my card base is red. For my card, I wanted to add a little interest on the backing for the acetate panel. While testing the idea out on copy paper, it came out perfect, so I decided just to use the paper I’d stamped instead of trying to get it perfect again on card stock. Also, the stamping is not perfect either, so I’ll chalk this card up to it being my prototype.  I even like how the crackle stamped background shows through the colored flower petals.  The coloring was done with alcohol makers.  You can’t blend on acetate the way you can on card stock. But if you give it a couple of minutes to dry, you can go back and add more coloring.  As Jennifer explained in her video, if you pounce your marker onto the acetate, it works pretty well. I wish I would have used thicker dimensions to pop up the front frame/acetate as there is not enough space between the acetate and backing for my liking. It took me a while to complete this card, so I decided not to tackle a more perfect version right away. And I have this prototype to copy from when I’m ready.

A tip for success when stamping on acetate is to use a stamp positioning tool, like the Stamparatus. Acetate is such a slick surface to stamp on, that once the ink hits it, your stamp will slide if both the acetate and stamp are not set in place. I hope you’ll give stamping and coloring on acetate a try.

The stamp sets used here are the Love What You Do set and Amazing You bundle with the Celebrate die, which I die-cut twice and stacked them, red on orange.

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How I spend my time sheltering in place

How best to spend my time sheltering in place, that is the question. Being retired, I already spend a lot of time at home. But sheltering in place added a new feature to my days, in that I couldn’t just jump up and run out to the store to pick up an item or so. I now had to plan my outdoor trips more carefully. It also meant that I had lots of extra time to devote to other things. One thought that crossed my mind, was how could I use my time sheltering in place to do something helpful during this horrible situation we find ourselves in with this pandemic.

Then this thought occurred to me. A member of our church is currently residing in a local nursing home, who no one can visit since all of these residents are in lock-down. So the only thing I can do is send her a card to let her know that we are thinking about her. It only followed that I could send a card to each of the other residents as well, since I spend most of my days now making cards. Addington Place was happy to hear about my offer to drop off cards for the residents, and today I delivered 65 cards for all the residents as well as one for the staff. I hope that it makes them feel as good as it made me feel to do it.

These are some of the cards I particularly liked.

For the most part they were one of a kind “thinking of you” cards, that allowed me to use up current and retired designer series paper and pre-cut card bases, along with ribbon and other embellishments. Depending on how long this lock-down goes on, I may start working on another set of cards for them soon.

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