cardmaking - Right as Rain

Spellbinders | Relax & Enjoy

Hello! The Fairways & Fish Tales kit (the March 2025 Small Die Kit Club offering) from Spellbinders is full of creative possibilities, whether you’re crafting for a golf enthusiast or someone who loves a quiet day on the water. For this card, I focused on the fishing elements, creating a serene scene with a single fisherman and the sentiment “Relax, and enjoy!” A new color palette gives it a totally different feel from my previous card, proving the versatility of this kit.

- Create an A2-size card base.
- Cut Fairways & Fish Tales elements from a variety of cardstock colors. Assemble as necessary. Add assembled elements to the prepared card base, using foam squares to pop up elements
- Stamp the Fair Winds sentiment in navy ink. I cut the sentiment with a cloud die that was included in the June 2024 DOML set “Summer Vacay,” which is no longer available. (The Fair Winds set includes dies to cut the sentiments and the coordinating die could be used to cut the sentiment.) Add the stamped sentiment to the card base.

Spellbinders Pre-Summer Super Sale– Up to 50% Off – Ends 5/31/2025

Hero Arts | Underwater Scene

Hello! Today I’m sharing a handmade card that brings the underwater world to life! Using a Hero Arts die set, I created a vibrant ocean scene filled with sea creatures—a turtle, a seahorse, and a crab. The layered die cuts add depth and movement, while the simple “hello there” sentiment keeps things light and friendly.

- Blend Distress Inks on to an A2-size card panel using vellum to mask a 5 1/4″ x 4″ area. Trim the panel and add to an A2-size card base.
- Apply Distress Inks to cardstock and cut marine life with the Sea Creatures set.
- Heat-emboss with white powder the Message Strips sentiment on black cardstock. Cut with the set’s coordinating die.
- Add elements to the card base with glue and foam squares trimming the coral as needed to fit within the ink masked area.

Spellbinders Pre-Summer Super Sale– Up to 50% Off – Ends 5/31/2025

Hero Arts | Bonsai Hello Card

Hello! Today I’m sharing a CAS card that features a bonsai tree cut with a Hero Arts die set. I paired the focal element with a kraft cardstock background stamped in white pigment ink with the Hero Arts Leafy rubber stamp. I kept the design simple to let the bonsai tree stand out. It’s a calm and thoughtful all-occasion card that combines die cutting and stamping with earthy tones and clean lines.

- Stamp Leafy background on kraft cardstock with white pigment ink.
- Stamp sentiment in black ink on card background.
- Trim panel and add to an A2-size card background.
- Color cardstock with Distress Inks. Cut Bonsai pieces from the inked cardstock. Fussy-cut the bonsai plant. Add greenery to the base with foam adhesive.
- Add bonsai to card base with foam and dot adhesive.

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.

Cheerful Crayon Card with Caboodle Set

Hello! Bright, cheerful, and full of personality—this mini-slimline card showcases five anthropomorphic crayons made with this month’s Caboodle bonus set Yay! Crayons” from Spellbinders. Each crayon has expressive faces, arms, and legs, bringing playful character to the design. The sentiment “You color me happy” makes this card perfect for celebrating friendship, thanking a teacher, or sending a smile just because.

- Create a 6 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ card base. Cover with patterned paper sized 6 1/4″ x 3 1/4″.
- Die-cut the crayons with the Caboodle bonus set from a variety of cardstock colors. Assemble.
- Heat-emboss the sentiment with one of the Typewriter Adventure Sentiments stamps. Cut with a banner die.
- Add elements to prepared card base.