Right as Rain - Cardmaking and Scrapbooking with Jean Manis

It’s Never Too Late to Unwind

Hello! This card is a gentle reminder that pampering isn’t reserved for a special occasion or a certain stage of life. Created with the Spellbinders Unwind die set, this month’s Caboodle offering, the eye mask with heart details and cozy critter slippers set the tone for rest and comfort, while the sentiment makes it a perfect gal pal card. In cheerful reds, whites, and pinks against a playful pink polka dot background, this design celebrates friendship, self-care, and the simple truth that it’s never too late to slow down and indulge a little.

- Create an A2-size card base and cover it with patterned paper.
- Using the Unwind die set, cut the eye mask and slippers from your chosen cardstock colors and assemble the pieces.
- Stamp the sentiment and cut it out with the coordinating die.
- Arrange and adhere the assembled elements and sentiment onto the prepared card base.

Winter Greenery Christmas Card

Hello!, Today I’m sharing a Christmas floral card crafted with several Elizabeth Craft Designs die sets, all cut and hand-colored for a beautifully natural look. I built the design as if I were creating a real winter arrangement, tucking sprigs of greenery, berries, and branches into a metal pail, just like you might at a florist or in your own holiday décor. It’s a warm, inviting project for anyone who enjoys bringing seasonal arrangements to life, whether on the craft table or at home.

- To begin, cover a 5″ x 7″ card base with patterned paper.
- Die-cut the Winter Greenery, Florals 29, and Flower Pot/Bucket (a retired Elizabeth Craft Designs set) from Soft Finish Cardstock. Add color with Distress Oxide inks. I like coloring after cutting, as the ink highlights the embossed details in the die-cuts.
- Shape the pieces as needed and assemble the individual elements.
- Stamp a sentiment from Festive Holly Sentiments in Potting Soil ink and cut it with a tag die. (I used a now-retired MFT tag set.)
- Create your arrangement by layering and attaching the die-cut elements to the card base. Keep building until the greenery has that full, pleasing, zhuzhed-up look you’d aim for in a real holiday arrangement. Finish by attaching the sentiment tag with foam adhesive for added dimension.

Better Together Owl Valentine Card

Hello! Today, I’m sharing a Valentine created with the Spellbinders “Better Together” die set, this month’s Small Die Kit. The kit includes pieces to build either cute owls or playful otters, and I chose to make a pair of owls perched on a branch. With hearts, flowers, and the lighthearted sentiment “you’re stuck with me,” this card is a fun way to send a little love to someone special.

- To begin, cover an A2-size card base with patterned paper.
- Stamp the sentiment with the Clear Stamp of the Month in black on white cardstock and cut with the coordinating die.
- Cut the owls, branch, flowers, and greenery with dies in the “Better Together” set from a variety of cardstock colors. Assemble.
- Add assembly and sentiment to the prepared card base with foam squares.

Spellbinders | Spa Day Card

Hello! I created this spa day-themed card with the Spellbinders “Wrapped in Care,” the December 2025 Large Die kit, with the special women in my life in mind, such as my daughter-in-law. With the towel-wrapped hair and other pampering details, the card captures the joy of a relaxing spa day. It’s playful and stylish, and what matters most is that it’s a thoughtful, handmade way to send love and encouragement across generations.

- With the December Clear Stamp set, stamp the sentiment on a 5″ x 7″ white cardstock panel and add to a card base.
- With the Large Die kit, cut the body and face, the towels, and the flowers from a variety of cardstock colors. Assemble.
- Cut a patterned paper panel 4″ x 5 3/4″ and add to the card base. Add the assembled woman to the card front with foam squares.

With its easy-to-layer pieces and design, this card proves that creating something charming doesn’t have to be complicated.

Cozy Christmas Forest | Mix & Match Stencils

Hello! For those of us who love crafting, there’s a joy in building a layered scene with stencils. On this Christmas card, I combined two Newton’s Nook stencils to craft a playful forest view. Mixing and matching stencils opens up so creative possibilities, allowing you to experiment with color and composition. It’s also a fun way to challenge yourself to try more complicated scene-building on your holiday cards.

Begin with a draft scene, stenciling in black on scrap paper to determine the placement of the trees and bird feeders.
Once the scene is determined, stamp the Holiday Haul sentiment on to white cardstock.
Next, cut the hillside with a die in the Nature Borders set from vellum and stencil the sky above the snowbank with Tumbled Glass ink.
Stencil the Birdhouse Line birdhouses and Christmas Tree Line trees in steps, adding the layers of embossing paste last.
Adhere patterned paper to an A2-size card base. Trim the stenciled panel and add to the base.
Finish the scene with snowflakes cut from glitter foam using dies in the Lawn Fawn Mini Snowflakes and Sizzix Festive Things sets.