Hearts, Love, and Sweet Friendship with Simon Says Stamp
Two Heart to Heart card ideas featuring stenciled backgrounds, cute critters, and a bold love-filled focal point.
Hi crafty friends! Today I’m sharing two heart-filled card ideas featuring the new Heart to Heart release from Simon Says Stamp. I have a soft friendship card with the sweetest little critters and a bold, graphic “love” design inspired by a frosted toaster pastry. Both projects are perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or anytime you want to send a little extra love.
For the full supply list, click here or scroll down to the thumbnails at the end of this post.
Disclosure
Compensated affiliate links may be used in this post at no cost to you. I received the products featured in this post at no cost as part of the Simon Says Stamp designer family. I will ONLY show you products from companies that I believe in and purchase from personally. Thank you for supporting me so that I can continue to bring you lots of fun crafting content!
Sweet Friendship Card
My first card focuses on soft color, sweet characters, and a heart-filled background. I started by ink blending a fun heart-filled background using the Love City stencils. I used warm pinks and peaches, shading each heart so one side is more saturated and the other fades out. That little shift in color makes the hearts look dimensional and gives the whole background a cozy, storybook feel.
Next, I die cut two stacked hearts from cream and white cardstock using the Rounded Hearts dies to create a large frame in the center of the card. The open heart shape gives the critters a place to sit while still letting plenty of the background show. I colored the adorable dog and cat image from the Sweet Friendship stamps with alcohol markers, keeping the palette warm and slightly muted so it coordinates with the background. Once they were cut out, I popped them up on foam tape over the bottom of the heart frame.
Underneath the image, I stamped “HELLO, FRIEND” in crisp black ink so it tucks nicely into the curve of the heart. A scattering of tiny gems adds a touch of sparkle and helps balance the design. I mounted the finished panel on a white card base to keep everything light and airy. This card would be perfect for a friend who loves animals or as a simple “thinking of you” note any time of year.
Love Toaster Pastry Card
For my second card, I wanted to create a fun toaster pastry with a shiny frosting center using the Toaster Pastry dies. First, I die cut the pastry rectangle with soft, wavy edges and ink blended a warm beige tone around the outer edges, keeping the center lighter. This simple shading instantly makes the piece look like baked pastry crust.
Next, I die cut the frosting layer from white cardstock. I stamped a bright red heart and the word “Love” from the Heart Suite stamps to create a bold focal point. To finish the frosting effect, I melted ultra thick embossing powder over the entire die cut. Shiny icing is such a fun detail on cards!
A few tiny pink hearts tucked around the edges echo the motif without taking attention away from the main heart. I love how graphic and playful this design feels while still being very clean and simple.
Heart to Heart Blog Hop + Gift with Purchase
Today’s post is part of the Simon Says Stamp Heart to Heart Blog Hop, and there is so much inspiration to enjoy. Simon is also offering a special gift with purchase for the hop. The not-yet-released Friend Like You 3×4 Stamp Set will be automatically added to your cart with any purchase from the Heart to Heart collection. This gift with purchase is available through January 11 at 11:59 pm EST or while supplies last.
Simon Says Stamp is also giving away a $25 coupon at every stop along the hop. Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. Winners will be chosen from the comments and posted on the Simon Says Stamp Blog on Wednesday, January 14, along with details on how to claim your prize.
Once you have finished hopping, be sure to add your own creations to the Heart to Heart gallery over on the Simon Says Stamp blog. It is a great place to share your projects and get even more ideas from other crafters!
Hop List
Here is the full hop order so you can see all of the beautiful projects created with this release:
- Simon Says Stamp Blog
- Nichol Spohr
- Barbara Tarayao
- Emily Midgett
- Lisa Addesa
- Tina Smith
- Keisha Charles
- Heather Ruwe
- Barb Engler
- Lea Lawson
- Charlene Madrid – you are here
- Maggie Haas
- Maura Hibbitts
- Sandi MacIver
- Cathy Zielske
Thank you so much for stopping by today. If you recreate either of these Heart to Heart cards, I would love to see what you make. Tag me on Instagram @dreamcraftcreate so I can cheer you on.
Happy hopping and happy crafting!
Charlene
Supplies
The critters on the first card are adorable!
Love the second card too, so many must haves in this new release!
Two fantastic valentines, Charlene! I love this sweet pair of pets that look quite smitten with each other! The elegant stamped LOVE shows beautifully on the toaster pastry.
Such sweet cards! The critter card is adorable and the 2nd card is beautiful!
What great cards from this release!!
Great cards!
Adorable little critters! The “Love City” stencil is beautiful and unique. Love the use of the ultra thick embossing powder!
Love the toaster card. I wouldn’t have thought about using the toaster die that way..
I love the puppy and kitten card. It is so cute. And the heart card is beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
The two friends on your first card as simply adorable, a perfect way to just say Hello or Happy Valentines to a friend. Your second card is bold with the usage of black, red & white, the Love over the red heart is both powerful and striking.
I LOVE the Love City stencil set and all of the great ways it can be used. Thanks so much for sharing how you used it!
These cards are so sweet! I like the way you used the toaster pastry die!
I love how you used the critters!
Adorable cards!
Your hello friend card has the cutest critters!
Those critters are darling and what a wonderful card! I have never seen such a fancy poptart – just beautiful!!
Adorable cards, the little critters are just adorable.
Love both of the valentines day cards – cutest critter card ever, and you really captured the dimensional heart effect – love your color choices! Thank you for the inspiration!
Beautiful cards! I love the little cat and dog on the log together – your coloring is perfect!
Beautiful cards!
Both are darling! I LOVE the critters and LOVE toastie!
How fun are the little critters and a bold word “love”..thank you for sharing
Your first card with the 2 critters is adorable!
I’ve never had a Pop Tart or toaster pastry so I just don’t understand 😕.
Those little critters on the first card are adorable! (and you did a great job coloring them)
And I especially love the way you made the icing on the toaster pastry look so real!
Toaster pastry card is so cute!
Eeeep love your cards those critters and stenciled background is so cute and I so love your vintage pop tarts card!!!
Great cards!
Love these cards!!!
Such beautiful cards. The critters are so adorable.
Wonderful cards for the hop! Love the adorable critters and the stenciled background! Fun toaster pastry card too!
Such pretty cards. Love the sweet friendship image! So cute!
Sweet cards! Adorable critters with hearts in background!
I love your sweet design. I can see it would work well for a Mother’s Day card as well (with appropriate word stamp :-). Thanks for sharing.
Could this card be any cuter? I just love it! Beautifully done.
Such cute cards; those critters are adorable!
Very pretty cards! Wonderful. Great coloring on the first card.
The critter card is so sweet.
That first card is certainly heartwarming! Great creation!
Lovely cards!! The first is just so so sweet & adorable.
Adorable cards, excellent work with this release!
Such great cards! The first card is so adorable 🙂
Such sweet cards 💜
Oh my gosh, the puppy and kitty friends are precious! I love how you colored the log, too.
Sweet cards!! The critters are adorable!
Very cute cards.
Love the cards. Such great coloring on the puppy and kitty
Both of them are so pretty, but I especially love the first card, it’s just full of cuteness. 🥰
Beautiful cards! Love the details on the toaster pastry card!
Great backgrounds! Loving those sweet adorable critters! Too cute!
Hello friend! Absolutely adorable!!! Your coloring is on point!
Wonderful cards!! Love the cat and dog. They are just too cute. What a great friendship card. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
I love the background you created with the 3D hearts stencil!
Love the first card – the background is fantastic, and the critters are so cute!
The sweet friendship stamps are so so adorable!!! Love it! Beautiful cards!!! Love your coloring!
That toaster pastry card is so cute!!
Love the little critter cards. So sweet and adorable!
Adorable card with the friends. Your coloring is awesome. Love the toaster card. Great idea to put the frosting stamp on the background and emboss the middle.
I am getting a weird message so sorry if this is duplicate. Adorable card with the friends. Your coloring is awesome. Love the toaster card. Great idea to put the frosting stamp on the background and emboss the middle.
Beautiful cards
Awww! The little bears are too sweet! But I love all the cards – beautiful!
Both are very sweet. the Friends card is so adorable.
Love the colour technique applied to the furry characters.
Love the sweet friendship card!! So cute!
Both are well done. I really love your coloring on the first card.
Such sweet cards! Love the critters ❤️
So many goodies in this new release. Love that cool heart background
Fabulous cards!!!!
Both sweet cards! Love your stenciled background, with the pretty color combos!
Two such gorgeous makes! That first one just melts me with those sweet critters. Gorgeous makes both xoxo
Both cards are nice but the first on with the critters is so cute 😍.
Super sweet set of cards!
Really fun cards! I love your design using the toaster pastry die!