BetterPress - Right as Rain

Spellbinders | Whimsical Santa Mug Card

Hello! I’m sharing a whimsical handmade Christmas card today featuring a jolly Santa mug brimming with festive touches—trees, a few wrapped gifts, and an ornament. I paired this charming focal point, created with the Cocoa Wonderland die set, part of the Wonderland Collection from Spellbinders, with a checked patterned paper background for a cozy, homespun feel. The color palette of greens, red, black, white, and shiny gold gives the whole piece a classic yet playful holiday look.

- Cover an A2-size card base with patterned paper. Add hand-drawn stitched border.
- Cut the Cocoa Wonderland pieces from a variety of cardstock colors. Assemble.
- Press the Merry & Bright sentiment in black on Poppy cardstock. Cut with coordinating die.
- Add assembled mug and sentiment strip to card base with foam adhesive.

Spellbinders | Country Christmas Barn

Hello! If you love the nostalgic charm of White Christmas, this handmade card might just transport you there. Created with a die set and a BetterPress sentiment from the Country Christmas Collection at Spellbinders, this elegant design features a festively decorated barn with its doors open to reveal a Christmas tree inside. The refined palette—dark red, soft gray, crisp white, gold, and deep green—adds a touch of sophistication while keeping the rustic warmth. Finished with a snowflake-patterned background, this card captures the magic of a timeless country Christmas.

- Cover an A2-size card base with patterned paper.
- Use a die in the Landscape Edges set to cut a snowbank from white cardstock. Trim and add to the prepared base.
- Cut the barn pieces from a variety of cardstock colors and assemble. The product page has an image with assembly instructions. Cut the trees with the same set. I added a star and Christmas ornaments to the tree inside the barn using a die in the Cocoa Wonderland set.
- Press the sentiment with Thunder ink on white cardstock. Cut with the coordinating die.
- Add barn assembly and sentiment to base with foam adhesive.

While this card celebrates the season in classic holiday style, the barn die itself is incredibly versatile. With a quick change in color scheme, you could create a springtime farm scene, a fall harvest card, or even a patriotic Fourth of July barn. The traditional design elements from the Country Christmas Collection lend themselves beautifully to a range of occasions, making this set a timeless addition to your crafting stash.

Statement Carnation in a Vase

Hello! Sometimes a single bloom says it all. For this card, I created a dimensional carnation using a Susan Tierney-Cockburn die set and placed it in a vase to let the flower take center stage. Because the carnation has such a strong visual presence, I kept the overall design clean, adding just a touch of patterned paper in the background and a BetterPress sentiment to complete the look.

- Create an A2-size card base and cover with Echo Park – My Favorite Summer patterned paper.
- Cut the Carnation pieces from Susan’s Garden Specialty Cardstock and Fern (leaves) cardstock. Follow the video in the product link to form the carnation.
- Use dies in the Ceramic Vases set to cut the vase.
- Press the You are Everything Sentiments plate in black ink. Cut with the coordinating die set.
- Add assembled carnation, vase, and sentiment to the card with foam adhesive. Glue leaves behind the bloom.

Girl with Balloons Birthday Card Idea

Hello! Today I’m sharing a birthday card featuring a sweet girl being lifted off the ground by two playful balloons—one shaped like a bear and the other a smiling face with a party hat. This cheerful card is a creative mashup of several die sets from Spellbinders, including one where the original girl held a kite. I swapped it out for balloons to create a fun, floating effect! I finished the design with patterned paper that reinforces the birthday theme and color palette, adding extra charm and visual interest.

- Cover A2-size card base with patterned paper.
- Cut the Memory Frames and back with a coordinating patterned paper. Add the frame assembly to the prepared card base.
- Die-cut the girl with dies in the Up and Away set. I coordinated her clothing with colors in the patterned paper. Assemble. Find inspiration for the Up and Away set HERE.
- Cut the balloons with dies in the Go Kart Go die set. Assemble.
- Press the Soaring Sentiments in black in and cut with the coordinating die set.
- Add elements to prepared card base with foam adhesive.

Soaring High | Spellbinders Up and Away

Hello! Celebrate life’s big and small victories with a card that soars! Created with the Up and Away die set, part of the Sky’s the Limit Collection by Simon Hurley at Spellbinders. This design captures the joy of a carefree day as a boy flies his kite against a bright, open sky. With the sentiment “The Sky’s the Limit,” this card is a perfect way to encourage a grandchild who’s reached a new milestone—whether it’s finishing a school year, winning a big game, or accomplishing a personal goal. Let them know their potential is endless!

- - Cut an arch of Cascade cardstock with the largest Essential Arches die. Dry-emboss the arch with the Head in the Clouds folder. Add to an A2-size card base.
  - Cut the kite and boy with dies in the Up and Away die set. Assemble.
  - Press the Soaring Sentiments plate in blue ink and cut with the coordinating die.
  - Add the kite, boy, and sentiment to the prepared card base with foam and dot adhesive.