die cuts - Right as Rain

Simon Hurley Birthday Bear

When a birthday card is meant for a child, a playful focal point and clear design go a long way. For this card, I used the Birthday Bear die set created by Simon Hurley, part of the Spellbinders Sending Hugs Collection, letting a patterned paper background guide my color choices for the bear’s hat and gift. A Polaroid-style frame helps contain the scene. The versatility of this die set really shines, since it’s easy to swap colors to suit a girl or a boy, and you can choose to build either a sweet panda or a more traditional bear.

- Cover an A2-size card base with patterned paper.
- With the Birthday Bear die set, cut the bear, hat, sentiment, and present. Assemble as necessary.
- Cut the Frame and add the assembled bear to the inside of the frame, securing along the bottom. Add a patterned paper background to the back and add the assembly to the card base.
- Add the sentiment, sentiment banner, and hat.

Relaxing Card to Brighten Winter

Hello! Today, I am sharing a card created with the January Die of the Month for Spellbinders. The structure of the die did most of the work. The set cuts a graceful fan shape, and I dry-embossed the individual fan pieces to add subtle texture before layering them together. The floral elements sit on top of the fan. I chose a rich palette of deep, saturated colors from the ColorWheel cardstock that feel especially welcome this time of year. A simple sentiment is included at the bottom of the frame, keeping the emphasis on the design and texture of the card.

- Create an A-2 size card base from Violet cardstock.
- Use the Sunny Stems set to cut the fan pieces from Gold Treasured cardstock. Emboss the interior pieces of the fan with the Cloud Nine folder, the January 2026 embossing folder offering, and add to the fan frame. Add the assembly to the card base.
- Cut the Sunny Stems from a variety of cardstock colors and assemble. Add to the frame.
- Heat-emboss in gold the Fair Winds sentiment and cut with the coordinating die. Add to the card with foam squares.

Spellbinders | Hummingbirds Birthday Card

Hello! Birthdays are one of those card-sending occasions that never go out of style, and that’s part of what makes them so satisfying to create. For this card, I used the Spellbinders January Large Die of the Month, Hummingbirds Delight, and leaned fully into color, which is a welcome change this time of year. The die set includes a beautiful frame, which makes it easy to anchor the design and add a sentiment along the bottom.

While I chose a birthday greeting here, this design easily adapts to many occasions including thank you or thinking of you, by swapping out the sentiment.

- Create an A2-size card base from Blue Spruce cardstock.
- Using the Large Die set frame die, cut the frame, leaves, flowers, and hummingbirds from a variety of cardstock colors. Assemble as necessary.
- Add the floral piece to the backside of the frame.
- Dry-emboss Seaside cardstock with the Cloud Nine folder and secure to the bottom portion of the frame. Place the assembly on to the card base. You need the top to be open to tuck the elements under the frame.
- Add the elements to the top and sides of the frame. Secure frame to the dry-embossed background.
- Press the You are Everything sentiment and add to the frame.
- Add hummingbirds with foam squares.

Elizabeth Craft Designs | Little Mouse

Hello and Happy New Year! Today I am sharing a card that celebrates winter, a season that’s still here long after Christmas! Using the Elizabeth Craft Designs Little Mouse and Winter Accessories die sets, I created a snowboarding mouse that isn’t tied to any holiday. The mouse was cut from soft finish cardstock and colored with Distress Oxide inks.

- Cut patterned paper with a die in the Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle set measuring 3 3/4 x 5 inches. Stamp the Holiday Treats sentiment on to white cardstock. Cut the panel with the same rectangle die along the bottom, then with a hill die (I used a die in the now-retired ECD Adventure Edges 2 set) on the top. Add the sentiment panel to the patterned paper and the assembly to an A2-size card base.
- Cut the Little Mouse and Winter Accessories pieces from soft finish cardstock. Color with Distress Oxide inks and assemble.
- Add the mouse dressed for the slopes to the prepared base with foam adhesive.

Mouse: Black Soot, Spun Sugar, Tea Dye, Candied Apple; Winter Accessories: Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, Faded Jeans

Tim Holtz | Winter Skates

Hello! This mixed-media Christmas card was created using Tim Holtz supplies and features a pair of die-cut ice skates filled with festive holiday greenery. A classic sentiment completes the design, giving the card a timeless winter feel that’s both nostalgic and elegant.

- Dry-emboss an A2-size panel of watercolor cardstock colored with Tumbled Glass Distress Spray with a snowflake embossing folder. (I used the now-retired Sizzix Tim Holtz Simple Snowflakes 662432 folder.) Add to a card base.
- Heat-emboss in silver the Mixed Media 32 (aka Sketch Greenery) sentiment on watercolor cardstock and cut with a label die (from the now-retired Tag Collection set 658784). Add to the prepared base.
- With the Vault Winter Wishes set, cut the skates. Color, assemble, and add crochet thread for the laces.
- With the Vault Holiday Greens and Christmas Minis sets, cut greenery and berries from watercolor cardstock color with Distress Sprays. Assemble. Add Snowfall Grit paste to some of the greens.
- Add the assembled skates to the card base with the greenery arranged in the skates.