Join My New Facebook Group ~ Heartfelt Card Making With Spellbinders and More

Hi Friends,

Today I am sharing a special video on a card I created for the Heartfelt Design Team about a 6 weeks ago. A special friend from the Official Heartfelt Creations Facebook Page, Mrs Marla Owens, Requested a start to finish style video of this card. If anyone knows me they know I love my Heartfelt Family so I added it to my video list and here it is. Marla, I hope you find this video handy and I hope you share your inspired version in the Official group as well as in our NEW GROUP

Heartfelt Card Making With Spellbinders and MORE. 

Anyone reading this who may be interested is welcome to join as we are encouraging the use of our  favorite Heartfelt products but for people like me who craft with other products as well, those brands are welcome too. The main focus is keeping friends together and CRAFTING LIFE TOGETHER! Hope you will come join us! Here is the link... Heartfelt Card Making With Spellbinders and MORE

 

A Sweet Farewell To Heartfelt Creations, as a Design Team Member, You Will Be Missed!

Hi Friends,

Today is the end of a season in my life, one which has helped me process the death of my mother. When I tried out for Heartfelt Creations Design Team, I was dealing with my moms Estate and hadn't quite processed what had happened over the past few years with her Alzheimer's diagnosis and later her death. When your dealing with a loved one in such a state, and caring for them daily, you do what you have to do to care for them and THAT is your number one priority especially when that person is your best friend. Thankfully I had the support of my husband and daughter who helped me through that period of my life. They will never fully realize how grateful I am for them.

So when I decided to try out for the next design team call, I devoted myself to that decision 100% as I do anything I put my mind to. I studied, I practiced, and I developed my skills for almost a year before leading up to the try tryouts. Then it happened, my 3rd time trying out for the team, and I earned my way onto the Heartfelt Creations Creative team. I know mama had something to do with that. She would of been so excited to follow the journey. So with each flower I felt like I was healing a little bit more and now as I say goodbye to the team as well as the company I can fully say I feel like a completely different person thanks to this amazing company. So thank you Heartfelt for having me as part of your family and for giving me this amazing opportunity to grow and thrive as a individual and as a designer in this business. This card is a THANK YOU to you to commemorate my time with all of you! I wish you the very best in this next season of your life. Much Love, Melanie

For anyone interested in following my card making journey I have started my own group on facebook titled "Heartfelt Card Making with Spellbinders & More" All of you are welcome to join! Thank you friends for your ongoing support for my love of papercrafting.

 Directions:

Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 11 x 7 1/2” and score at 5 1/2” for a top folding landscape card base. Cut a piece of purple card stock to 5 1/2 x 71/2 ” and ink the edges using the HCDA1-449 Stack and Store Daubers along with Deep Purple Archival Ink. Adhere to the front of the card base. Now Cut a piece of Luxe Silver Card Stock to 5 1/4 x 7 1/4” and attach; followed by a piece from Sheet 6A from the HCDP1-2138 Decorative Dragonfly Paper Collection. Before attaching the Dragonfly paper, ink the edges with Night Sky Archival Ink. Next using the HCD2-7424 Rectangle Filigree Frame Dies Using the largest die cut it 3x, first from white card stock, second from Luxe Silver Card Stock, and lastly from Sheet 5A. (From sheet 5A only the inner die cut piece will be used) With the second smallest frame set cut 2x from both white and silver, and from the inside frame outline die cut from sheet 3A. Ink edges of the Dragonfly papers with link colors. (Deep Purple, Night Sky, Leaf Green) Layer as shown in the photos making sure to offset the silver layers behind the white layers and using foam tape behind the inside frame. For the sentiment layer use the HCD2-7351 Iron Work Sentiment Dies and cut 3x, Once from Luxe Silver, once from white card stock, and once from sheet 5A. Ink the 5A layer a little with Deep Purple ink to darken it a little. Layer the sentiments so that the purple and white layers are exactly on top of each other and the silver is slightly on top. (Designers Note: The dates added below the Thank You sentiment are the years the designer has actually been on the Heartfelt Creations Design Team, and this card is to commemorate that. “Thank You Heartfelt for a beautiful journey”)

Stamp out 8 medium and 2 large Climbing Clematis Flowers onto HCPP1-475 Deluxe Flower Shaping Paper using the HCPC-3954 Climbing Clematis Cling Stamp Set using Distress Oxide Wilted Violet Ink. Color using a blending brush and Majestic Violet Archival Ink. Die cut with coordinating dies and run through the coordinating 3D mold. Using the HCST1-401 Deluxe Flower Shaping Kit press the centers of the flowers and pierce the centers to add HCS1-459-4 Rock Candy Stamen. Secure with a glue gun. Now stamp the HCPC-3816 Lush Lilacs Cling Stamp Set 1x onto Deluxe Flower Shaping Paper with Night Sky Archival Ink. Color using French Ultramarine Archival Ink and ice cut using the coordinating die. Ink the tips of the flowers with Night sky before running the flowers through the coordinating 3D flower mold. Now using the Flower Shaping Kit press the centers with the smaller ball tools. Using a small golf tool pierce a tiny hole into the center of each flower and thread thru 1/2 of a pastel pearl stamen small and secure to the back with a drop of glue.  To finish the flowers simply add Nida Tanner’s Magic Glitter Powder by adhering it with Dries Clear Glue and a Hydra Sponge. Lastly for the leaves create these by stamping the HCPC-3835 Leafy Accents in Olive Archival Ink and coloring it in with Leaf Green. Die cut with the coordinating dies. Before running the leaves through the 3D mold ink the edges of the leaves with Olive ink. Once the leaves are shaped all there is left to do is to arrange the beautiful corner arrangements. Cut a piece of coordinating paper from the Decorative Dragonfly Collection to complete the inside of the card.

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed creating it for each of you! Check out my personal project in the Heartfelt Creations Gallery to find out what products I used for this project.

Also, please be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all of the gorgeous projects created by the other amazing design team members.

Hot Foiling Heartfelt Creations Dies

 Hi Friends,

I was challenged by a post in the Official Heartfelt Creations group when someone asked the curious question; "Is it possible to hot foil Heartfelt Creations dies?" Well since it is my last month as a designer for the company I thought I would step up to the challenge and get my beautiful dies out and have a play with them along with My Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil Machine. Lets take a look, then make sure to follow the link over to the video below....

In the photo below you can see the outer decorative oval hot foiled in silver hot foil. The die cut lines foil onto the paper rather than cutting the paper. Also if you look closely there is a nice little detail around the Merry Christmas as well. I foiled them before actually creating the sentiment. 

In this photo below you can see the foiling around the words even better. When experimenting I was surprised that the foiling still showed.

Now that you have seen close ups head on over to My YouTube Channel to check it out. Also just so everyone knows I have started to NEW facebook group called "Heartfelt Card Making with Spellbinders and More" I would love it if you would all join. Looking forward to crafting life together! Melanie

Holiday Ornament Collection by Heartfelt Creations ~ Our Last Release

Hi Friends,

Thank you so much for all the warm comments and for those who reached out to me last week. Your words of encouragement and support for the new Heartfelt Card Making with Spellbinders and More facebook group has been overwhelming.  Make sure to keep spreading the word.

Today I am sharing my second card featuring the Holiday Ornament Collection. I went super basic here for a clean and classic mail-able card. I hope you enjoy it.

Directions: 

Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 7 x 10” and score at 5” for a side folding card base. Cut a piece a red mirror card stock to 5 x 7” and adhere to the front of the card base. Now from the HCDP1-2153 Holiday Ornament Paper Collection cut a piece measuring 4 7/8 x 6 7/8” from sheet 4B and before gluing it attach a piece of 1” red ribbon around it and secure it to the back. Now attach this plaid piece of paper to the card front. 

Next cut a piece of red mirror card stock to 4x6” and cut a piece of white card stock to 4 7/8 x 5 5/8” Using a stamp positioner, stamp the small ornaments from the HCPC-31031 Noel Holiday Ornaments Cling Stamp Set and HCPC-31030 Sparkling Holiday Ornaments Cling Stamp Set onto the white card stock in Sunflower, Emerald Green, Olive Green, and Red Geranium Archival Inks. Then run this paper through a 2D embossing folder for a fun textured look. Once embossed glue it to the red mirror card stock and attach the layers to the card base using 3D foam tape along the top half and bottom half of the card leaving room for the 1” ribbon to run along the center behind the panel.

Next stamp the “Merry Christmas” Sentiment from the HCPC-3995 Starry Holiday Greetings Cling Stamp Set onto Luxe Gold Card stock using Versamark Ink, and heat emboss using Gold Embossing Powder. Die cut it with the coordinating dies. Also cut 3x from white card stock.  Stack and glue together with the gold on top. This gives the card front dimension all while still keeping the card clean and simple and easy for mailing. Lastly add mini rhinestones to assorted ornaments to give the card a little extra shine. Finish the inside as desired.

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed creating it for each of you! Check out my personal project in the Heartfelt Creations Gallery to find out what products I used for this project.

Also, please be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all of the gorgeous projects created by the other amazing design team members.

Heartfelt Creations Last Release and My Honest Thoughts

Hi Fellow Crafters,

Well today is THE day for the final collection release with Heartfelt Creations. I know this is a sad day for everyone but we will we will always have our memories with this wonderful company.  I will be honest with all of you, I struggled designing with this collection so you will see my cards are a lot more basic than usual. When I received this collection 3 months back I had just been notified about the upcoming closure of the company and my little heart was broken. So designing on a deadline was difficult for me. This week and next weeks cards are rather basic and I hope everyone understands, and bares with me. 

After receiving the news I went through a world of emotions as if I was going through a type of real grief. I worried the most about all of the customers and how you all were going to deal with this news. I struggled with this for quite some time as I could not really talk to anyone about the situation. I knew how I was feeling being on the team and losing the team in yet some of you have been following the company for a lot longer than me. Well then I had to push those feelings aside so I could figure out how to cope and that is when I decided it was time to pick myself up and dust myself off and decide "What's Next for Melanie?" 

I have been a designer in this business for over a decade, and Heartfelt Creations was my dream position. So deciding what to do next was a BIG step for me. I had already begun considering making more YouTube videos but with the schedule of the full time Heartfelt position, there just wasn't a lot of free time due to  the extensive amount of time I put into each and every project, plus the team requirements as well. So I decided to begin reaching out to different companies, being PROACTIVE and POSITIVE. Seeing who might be interested in teaming up with me? Rather than waiting around to see what would happen next. A few companies made offers and Spellbinders seemed like a good fit. They had a wide variety of quality products, they have a flower making line, but they also have a more well balanced product line that will attract a wider base of followers for YouTube and will allow me to stay engaged and creative doing different things all the time. This appealed to me as I know a lot of people do not want to always make large 3D cards that are difficult to mail but would rather make classy cards or even quick and easy cards that are affordable to mail. So I felt like I was getting an opportunity to spread my wings, so to speak, and reach even more people with my card making journey. 

So for any of you who may be reading this, I want you to know that I have just formed a Facebook Group for ALL OF THE ABOVE! It is called Heartfelt Card Making With Spellbinders and More and I would love for all of you to join me over on facebook as we move forward living life together one card at a time. I encourage all of you to continue using your Heartfelt Creations products and mix them with other products from your stash and design to your hearts content. This is a community where all is welcome. Love, Melanie

 

Directions:

Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 7 3/8 x 10 3/4” and score at 5 3/8” for a side folding card base. Cut a piece a red mirror card stock to 7 3/8 x 5 3/8” and adhere to the front of the card base. Now from the HCDP1-2153 Holiday Ornament Paper Collection cut a piece measuring 5 1/4 x 7 1/4” from sheet 10B (dark green) and glue it to the card front. Now take the HCD2-7426 Oval Filigree Frame Die and using the largest die cut 2x, once from Luxe Gold Card Stock and once from white card stock. Adhere these together so that the white is slightly offset on top of the gold and the gold peaks out behind the white. Now cut the large oval die from the same die set, cutting it 2x from sheet 7B from the same paper pack. Attach the frame and one green oval to the front of the card and the other green oval to the inside of the card.

Using HCPC-31029 Large Holiday Ornament Cling Stamp Set Stamp put the large ornament with gold metallic ink onto white card stock and heat emboss with gold embossing powder. Do this once more but only stamping the center star. Using Copic markers carefully color the top and bottom of the ornament using reds and greens. Now using the coordinating dies cut out the large ornament with both the outer and the inlay piece. Also cut the individual star that was stamped and embossed. Using just the large outer die, cut 4x, once from Red Mirror Card Stock, and 3x from 110lb heavy weight card stock. (Deluxe Flower Shaping Paper was used in sample). Adhere all the ornament layers together with colored ornament layer on top followed by Mirror card and 3 white layers. Color the edges of card stock with matching red Copic marker. Glue the chipboard like Large Ornament to the card front and place the gold star in the center. Add gold gems to the Large Ornament and in the center of top star.  

Stamp a sentiment from the HCPC-31028 Christmas Holly Accents Cling Stamp Set with Red Geranium Archival Ink and die cut with the coordinating ink. Attach to the inside of the card to complete your project.

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed creating it for each of you! Check out my personal project in the Heartfelt Creations Gallery to find out what products I used for this project.

Also, please be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all of the gorgeous projects created by the other amazing design team members.

Fancy Butterfly Blooms

Hi Friends,

Today I have the beautiful Large Floral Butterfly back in action in this card. This is my all time favorite collection and the one which helped me reach the dream of getting onto the Design Team.   I hope you all enjoy this card created with love for all of you.

Instructions:

Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 5 1/2 x 8 and score at 7” creating a 1” flap at the top of the card base. Using the largest die from the HCD2-7384 Fancy Classic Rectangle Frame Dies cut through both layers with the top portion of the die hanging over the top fold of the flap. Cut a second piece of white card stock with the same die and adhere it to the back of the hinge creating the back of the top folded shaped card base. Using the same die, cut 2 more pieces, One from sheet 6A and another from piece 11B From the HCDP1-2138 Decorative Dragonfly Paper Collection. Adhere sheet 6A to the front of the card and 11B to the inside of the card. (NOTE: by adding the piece inside the card this will cover the seam where the card base was pieced together making the inside of the card finished. A small piece may need to be trimmed from the top to make it fit perfectly). Next using the second largest die from the same die set cut 2x, once from white card stock and once from Luxe Silver Card Stock. Layer the white on top of the silver and glue together slightly offset so that the silver peeks out from behind the white. Adhere this to the card front. 

Stamp the HCPC-3951 Large Floral Butterfly Cling Stamp Set onto white card stock using Versacolor White Embossing ink. Heat emboss with white embossing powder. Using two soft dye based ink colors with blender brushes lightly blend the colors over the heat embossing on the left wing to create a soft blended look. Using the HCD2-7352 Large Butterfly Die set, die cut the butterfly out and fussy cut around the body so that only the body and the left wing remains. Stamp a second body for the butterfly in the same manner and fussy cut the body out. Using Vellum die cut the decorative die from the butterfly set and lightly ink that as well before gluing the body to the body of the butterfly. Cover the glued vellum area with the fussy cut butterfly body. Small glue dots can tack the vellum down to the background and be covered by gems on the butterfly wings if desired. Glue to butterfly to the card front. 

Using the HCFB1-5005 Magnolia Cling Stamp Set, stamp out the medium bloom image two times using French Ultramarine Archival Ink. Also stamp out 5 leaves with Leaf Green Archival Ink. Before die cutting, color using the HCDA1-449 Stack and Store Daubers. Color the centers of the flowers using Viridian Archival Ink and the outer edges with the French Ultramarine ink. Color the leaves with Leaf Green. Die cut with the coordinating dies. Deepen the edges of the flowers with the French Ultramarine ink and the leaves with Leaf Green, before running them in the coordinating 3D Mold. Using the HCST1-401 Deluxe Flower Shaping Kit press the centers of each flower and pierce a hole in the center of each before adding the HCS1-457-1 Pastel Pearl Stamens - Small in Green to the centers. Finish both with a dusting of Nida Tanner’s Magic Glitter Powder by adhering it with Dries Clear Glue and a Hydra Sponge.

For background flowers and leaves stamp the floral stamp from the HCPC-3985 Dragonfly Florals Cling Stamp Set using Olive Archival Ink. Using English Ivy Archival ink stamp the leaves from the HCPC-3912 Cascading Wisteria Cling Stamp Set. Color the flowers in using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and the leaves with Leaf Green ink. Die cut with coordinating dies. Ink the edges of the leaves with English Ivy ink.

Now arrange the flowers and leaves in the bottom right hand corner to complete the card. 

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoyed creating it for each of you! Check out my personal project in the Heartfelt Creations Gallery to find out what products I used for this project.

Also, please be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all of the gorgeous projects created by the other amazing design team members.