die cuts - Right as Rain

Halloween Trunk or Treat Scene

Hello! One thing I am currently enjoying is putting together my own “kit” from supplies I already own. For this Trunk or Treat card, I pulled dies from several different sets and mixed and matched the pieces to create the scene. If you don’t know, Trunk or Treat is a Halloween tradition where families gather in a parking lot, and children go from decorated car to decorated car to collect treats instead of going door to door. The decorated trunks can be surprisingly creative, and I had fun translating that idea into a card by combining dies from several different sets to build the scene.

I used the Spellbinders Truckin’ Through the Seasons die set to create the vehicle for my Trunk or Treat scene, where the Halloween decorations are displayed in the truck bed.

After making this card, I discovered another die set (Envelope of Wonder Halloween) that would be perfect for creating a Trunk or Treat scene, especially the candy pieces! I used that set on a card for the Spellbinders blog HERE.

Taylored Expressions dies: Skinny Mini Halloween Borders, Little Bits – Ghosts, Little Bits – Halloween Confetti, The Witch Is In

Spellbinders dies: Truckin’ Through the Seasons (October 2018 Large Die of the Month), Boo Crew, Open House Boo!, Open House Halloween, Spooky Boo

Taylored Expressions cardstock: Candy Corn, Poppy Seed, Jelly Donut, Black Licorice

Spellbinders cardstock: Waterfall, Rainforest, Brushed Metallic Silver, Black Glitter foam

Taylored Expressions Brick embossing folder

Halloween Cardmaking with Dies I Already Own

Hello! This Halloween card combines Taylored Expressions dies and a spooky tree background stamp. For the buildings, I used Halloween-themed dies, the Ghost Town Border and the Haunted Cutting Plate, creatively cutting them apart rather than using them as intended. The exercise stretched my design skills and encouraged me to revisit supplies in my collection. Often, themed products offer less play value than more versatile ones. For example, the Build-A-House die set I used HERE can be used for a variety of occasions and seasons.

I began my design process by creating a look book of my previous Halloween cards. Having a visual reference gives me a helpful starting point. I search my blog using keywords (for example, “Taylored Expressions Halloween”), then copy each card photo and its URL into a Word document. I include the URL so I can easily refer back to the original post and identify the products I used.

I enjoy the challenge of using what I own and finding new possibilities in supplies already in my collection.

Taylored Expressions Dies: Haunted Cutting Plate, Ghost Town Border, BOO, Little Bits – Ghost

Taylored Expressions Stamps: Bare Trees Background
Taylored Expressions Cardstock: Eggplant, Jelly Donut, Candy Corn, Black Licorice, Poppy Seed, Sweet Potato Pie, Pineapple
My Favorite Things Frame die

Fall Scene Card

Hello! This fall-themed card came together using a variety of die sets from my collection. Most were from Lawn Fawn, along with a fence die from Taylored Expressions. The house, fence, grassy foreground, and falling leaves create a little seasonal vignette that is an ode to fall.

I enjoyed looking through my collection of scene-building dies. They are an important part of my supplies and have great play value. Combining pieces from different sets lets you create new scenes. You do not need to buy anything specifically for the project. I also used the process as a chance to organize my cardstock better and pay attention to which cardstock I enjoy working with most. For me, projects like this are as much about exploring what I already have as they are about making the finished card.

With October here, I’m thinking about creating a mix of Halloween and fall cards.

Lawn Fawn Dies: Build-A-House, Build-A-House Beach Add-On, Build-A-House Spring Add-On, Leafy Tree Backdrop, Stitched Cloud Backdrop; Penny Black 51-657 Wildwood die set (birds); Taylored Expressions Picket Fence Border die; Sunny Studio Stamps Picket Fence Border die set (grass die)

Die-cut Autumn Scene

Hello! I created this fall-themed card with a variety of dies from Penny Black and Hello Bluebird. The focal point was cut with the Penny Black 51-275 Winter Lantern die set. The leaves and pumpkins were cut with dies in the Penny Black 51-360 Pumpkins & Leaves and Hello Bluebird Gallery Frame 3 sets. All of the dies, while released years ago, are available on their respective sites. Lanterns feel especially fitting for the autumnal equinox, as we start welcoming the warm glow of candlelight!

I cut the elements from solid cardstock (which gave me a chance to continue organizing my cardstock) and used the Penny Black All-In-One Oval frame to draw the eye to the lanterns.

The “Thinking of You” sentiment (Positivity) has its own coordinating die, which makes placement easy.

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A Cozy Fall Card Reimagined

Hello! I revisited a card I made last year, which was created with the Hero Arts Cozy Critters set (offered as a club kit in September 2025). The set is also available at Spellbinders. Since making the original card, I’ve added new supplies to my collection, giving me an opportunity to mix things up and create a different version of the same cozy scene. I replaced the original animal included in the club kit with two critters from the Spellbinders Trailside Trio set. The result is a cozy fall scene with a slightly different personality.

I also used several Taylored Expressions embossing folders (now retired) that I rediscovered while organizing my folders. The Beadboard folder was used for the card background, and the pillows were dry-embossed with the Cable Knit folder. The texture adds interest without competing with the die-cut scene. For the color palette, I chose seasonal shades that give the card a cozy, tucked-in-for-the-season feeling.

I like revisiting a card design this way. Rather than starting from scratch, I can change the focal images, sentiment, textures, or colors and create something that feels new. It is also a good reminder that reorganizing craft supplies can lead to ideas as well as a more functional craft space.

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