Right as Rain - Cardmaking and Scrapbooking with Jean Manis

Newton’s Nook | Cozy Fall Card

Hello! There’s nothing like settling in with a good book and a warm cup of coffee on a crisp autumn day, which is the feeling I wanted to capture with today’s card. I used the Newton’s Nook Autumn Reads stamp set to create stacks of books accented with pumpkins and one topped with a steaming mug. The images are stamped and watercolored in rich fall hues, and the simple sentiment, “Happy Fall,” ties it all together with seasonal charm.

- Add Summer Snapshots Collection patterned paper panel to an A2-size card base.
- Stamp Autumn Reads images on Arches Cold Press watercolor paper. Color with medium of choice. I used watercolor markers and Distress inks. Once dry, cut with the coordinating die set.
- Stamp the Fall Roundabout sentiment and cut with the smallest Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle.
- Add elements to prepared card base.

Here for the Presents with Hero Arts

Hello! I’m sharing a Christmas card created with the Best Gift Ever Collection from Hero Arts. The design pairs the Gift Boxes die set, a cover plate that cuts an array of six presents, with the Here for the Presents Letterpress plates.

To create my design, I cut the Gift Boxes from white cardstock (for the frame) and again from coordinating Christmas-themed patterned papers and solid cardstock.

I used Library Green ink on the Letterpress sentiment plate. The sentiment set includes coordinating dies.

On three of the packages, I added gold twine bows.

While perfect for Christmas, the Gift Boxes set can easily be used for birthdays or any celebration.

Hero Arts | Playful Ghost Birthday Card

Hello! For an October birthday, I wanted to create something festive with a hint of Halloween fun. Using several Hero Arts products, I put together a playful card featuring a ghost holding a bundle of bright balloons. The background is full of color, and the simple “boo” sentiment ties it all together. What’s great about this design is its flexibility—you can easily change the balloon colors to suit any season or celebration, and in this case, the ghost adds a perfect nod to the time of year.

- Cover a 5″ x 7″ card base with a patterned paper panel.
- Cut the balloons and strings with the Balloon Bunch die set and assemble. (I previously used the balloon die HERE.)
- Cut the ghost with dies in the Boo to You set and assemble.
- Stamp the Season’s Creepings sentiment and cut with the coordinating die.
- Add balloons, ghost, and sentiment to prepared base with dot and foam adhesive.

Elizabeth Craft Designs | Holiday Wreath

Hello! Today, I’m sharing a classic Christmas card featuring the Festive Holly Collection from Elizabeth Craft Designs. The collection’s wreath includes dies for foliage, berry sprigs, and a bow—perfect for building realistic, layered wreaths.

I created a 5 1/8″ card base and covered it with patterned paper from my stash. I cut the wreath pieces from soft finish cardstock, colored them with Distress Oxide inks, and hand-shaped the elements for added dimension. Once assembled, I added a subtle glaze (Judikins Diamond Glaze) and dry glitter to give the wreath a frosty holiday sparkle. The berries and ribbon were created with Doodlebug velvet cardstock. The sentiment was stamped in Potting Soil ink and cut with a now-retired Sizzix tag die.

You might also enjoy my Christmas Card Roundup with Poinsettias & Wreaths post that includes botanical-themed holiday card inspiration.

Spellbinders | CAS Elegant Christmas Tree

Hello! I’m sharing a clean and simple Christmas card created with the Spellbinders Stamp of the Month – “To You & Yours.” The focal point is a Christmas tree–shaped sentiment, heat-embossed in gold and cut with the coordinating die. To elevate the design, I added the tree to a gold dry-embossed panel of holly leaves, framed it in white, and mounted it on a green card base. The touches of gold, combined with layered foam for dimension, give this minimalist design a luxurious holiday feel.

- Create an A2-size card base from Fern cardstock.
- Cut a gold cardstock panel and dry-emboss with the Holly & Foliage folder.
- Add dry-embossed panel to a Classic White cardstock mat and add the assembly to the card base.
- Heat-emboss in gold the Christmas tree sentiment, cut with the coordinating die, and add to the base with foam adhesive.