Ways to Add Sentiments to Your Cards
Updated October 2026 with new photos and ideas.
Sentiments are the heart of a handmade card — they tell us the occasion and capture the emotions that come with it. That’s why they’re so important and why card designs almost always include them.
But what if you’ve layered all your pretty papers, added the embellishments, and now you’re ready for the sentiment… only to realize you don’t have Sizzix die cuts for letters, stamps and inks, or even the right phrase for the occasion? You don’t want to leave your card “speechless,” right? I’ve been there.
That’s exactly why I created The Sentiments Vault — a collection of all my sentiment designs for various occasions that you can print as many times as you want and simply glue to your card.
Printing Tips Before You Start
Before you dive into cutting and gluing, let’s talk about getting the best print results for your sentiments.
Go for thicker paper – Printing on cardstock (at least 175 gsm or 65 lb) will make your sentiments feel sturdy and professional. They’ll hold their shape better and look more polished on your cards.
No heavy-duty printer? No problem! – If your printer doesn’t handle thick cardstock, just print on regular copy paper and glue the sentiment onto a piece of thicker cardboard or cardstock. This little “upgrade” will make it just as sturdy.
Try sticker sheets – Printing directly on sticker paper is super handy! You can peel and stick sentiments right onto your card, envelope, or even the back for a cute finishing touch.
Creative Ways to Use Printable Sentiments
I love how many different looks you can get from the same printed sentiment just by changing the way you cut, layer, or decorate it. A small detail can make a sentiment feel like it was made especially for the card you're creating.
Here are 10 simple ideas to try — and you can always mix and match them to create your own look.
Cut with or without the border
Keep the border if you like a framed look, or cut it away and trim closer to the sentiment for a clean, borderless appearance. A border can help the sentiment stand out, while cutting it away lets you use the sentiment more freely and gives you a simpler, lighter look. You can see that decision play out nine times in my nine handmade Christmas card ideas, where the background changes on every card but the sentiment always has to win.
Use Colored Cardstock as a Base
No Sizzix needed! Simply cut a piece of colored or patterned cardstock slightly larger than the sentiment and layer the two together. You can also use shaped cardstock for more interesting look.
Round the Corners
Cut close to the border or without it, then use corner punches for a softer look.
Pair With Die Cuts
If you have a die cut shape that matches the sentiment size (like a stitched square), cut directly from the sentiment sheet or mount the sentiment onto the die cut shape with glue or foam tape.
Fussy Cut The Sentiment
For a custom, detailed look, carefully cut around the exact shape of the sentiment text or design. This can be tricky, so a pair of sharp, precision scissors is a must. It takes more time, but the result looks beautifully tailored to your card.
Add Doodles
Draw dots, lines, or tiny stars with a black pen around the text to make it playful.
Combine Two Sentiments
Use one on the card front and another inside or use both on the card front. For example:
“Hello” + “Welcome Baby”
“Miss You” + “Get Well Soon”
“Hugs” + “Just for You”
“Congrats” + “Cheers to You”
“Yay” + “Good Luck”
“Smile” + “It’s Your Birthday”
You can also put both on the front. Cut them as two strips and lay one slightly over the other so they read as one line. On a winter card I used "Hello, friend" on a white strip with "It's cold outside" on a blue strip just underneath. Two short sentiments together fill the same space one long one would, and you get to choose the words instead of taking whatever happens to fit. It works best when one of them is a greeting and the other says something about the moment.
If you need words for the inside of a Christmas card, I gathered 50 of them in What to Write in a Christmas Card.
Layer The Vellum
Place the sentiment under a piece of translucent vellum for a soft, elegant look.
Turn Them Into Stickers
Print on sticker sheets to seal envelopes, decorate the back of your cards, or to decorate wrapped gift.
Attach Embellishments
Add tiny rhinestones, or other small decorations to highlight the sentiment.
Go beyond cards – Printable sentiments aren’t just for greeting cards! Use them to decorate explosion boxes, scrapbook pages, junk journals, photo albums, pop-up cards, or even turn them into small bookmarks. You can also attach them to a gift box, wrapped present, or gift bag for an extra special touch.
And honestly, I could keep going! That’s the beauty of card making and crafting: ideas are endless, and every crafter can find their own twist.
Happy crafting!
Printable Sentiments for Every Occasion, in One Place
Remember that moment at the beginning of this post — the card is layered, the embellishments are on, and then you realize you don't have the right words for the occasion? That's the whole reason I put the Sentiments Vault together.
It gathers every printable sentiment set I've made into one collection, so whatever card you're making today, the wording is already there.
What's inside
Everyday greetings — thank you, thinking of you, congratulations, just because
Birthday, love and Valentine's Day
Christmas, fall and summer
New baby
Circular sentiments, print-and-transfer sets for a hand-lettered look, coloring sentiments
The collection is still growing, and every new set I add is included free for everyone who already owns it. Nothing to buy twice.
