Tag: Die Cut Card

handmade winter die cut scene card with a child pulling a sled piled with gifts through the snow. Tips for Arranging Die Cut Scenes | Spellbinders October 2025 Club Kits
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Tips for Arranging Die Cut Scenes | Spellbinders October 2025 Club Kits

Karen Brown1 Comment
Handmade winter card with a girl in shades of pink pulling a sled stacked with three gifts. Periwinkle blue-gray sky with foiled white falling snow and snowy ground. Two decorated Christmas trees frame the scene, with rainbow foiled ribbon sentiment reading 'Christmas Greetings'

One of my favorite things about cardmaking is building little worlds with die cuts. The Spellbinders October 2025 Club Kits are perfect for creating playful, outdoor winter scenes full of joy, color, and personality. Today I’m sharing two companion cards I made using the Die of the Month Kit and the Large Die of the Month Kit—both with matching colors and snowy backdrops.

At the bottom, I’ll also walk you through a few of my favorite tips for planning and arranging die cut scenes.

Sled of Gifts (Large Die of the Month)

Spellbinders October 2025 Large Die of the Month winter snow scene of a child pulling a sled piled with gifts.

I started with the Large Die of the Month Kit, creating a cheerful winter scene of a little girl, pulling a sled piled high with gifts. To set the stage, I added two decorated Christmas trees with colorful ornaments.

The background is periwinkle blue-gray cardstock, foiled in white using the Hero Arts Celebration LetterPress Plate with the Spellbinders Glimmer system. The falling dots create a snowy sky, while snow on the ground grounds the scene.

For the sentiment, I used a ribbon hot foil design from the Merry & Bright Press Plate set, foiled in rainbow foil for a festive and eye-catching finish.

This card feels full of movement and energy—perfect for capturing the joy of the season.

Building a Snowman (Die of the Month)

Handmade winter card featuring a girl in pink and a boy in burgundy and yellow building a snowman in front of a snowy evergreen tree. Periwinkle blue-gray sky foiled with white falling snow. Sentiment reads 'for U' in hot pink cardstock

Since I loved the colors in my first card, I made a companion card using the Die of the Month Kit.

This time, the scene features two children building a snowman.

The background is the same as my first card—periwinkle sky with white foiled falling snow and a snowy ground. Hero Arts Celebration LetterPress Plate + white foil

For the sentiment, I combined a scripty “for” with a giant U (both from the October Caboodle Bonus Gift), both die cut in hot pink. Together, they form a bold, playful greeting.

This card has a storybook charm and pairs perfectly with the sled design.

Spellbinders October Die of the Month scene card showing 2 children building a snowman in front of a snowy sky and flocked tree.

📝 Tips for Arranging Die Cut Scenes

Here are five simple steps I use whenever I build a die cut scene:

  1. Plan Colors First: Choose your key colors. For these cards, I used blue gray, hot pink, and fern green as my anchors. White cardstock provided snowy contrast.
  2. Die Cut All Elements: Having all the pieces ready makes it easier to plan your layout.
  3. Assemble Each Element: I use Bearly Art glue and a Crystal Katana jewel picker to precisely assemble my elements. Once they are fully assembled, it is much easier to determine exactly where I want to place each component.
  4. Mock Up Layouts: I arrange several versions, take quick photos, and then choose the most balanced design.
  5. Construct Your Scene: I like to use glue, foam squares and craft foam to complete my card.

These tricks make arranging die cut winter wonderlands more fun and less stressful.

Helpful Links:

Die cut handmade Halloween Card with pumpkin, ghost and black cat. Spellbinders September Club Kits – Seasonal Fun!
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Spellbinders September Club Kits – Seasonal Fun!

Karen Brown1 Comment
Two seasonal die cut fall/Halloween cards featuring Spellbinders September 2025 Large Die of the Month Kit (whimsical pumpkin house) and Small Die of the Month (smiling Jack-o-lantern with black cat, ghost and flowers)

The Spellbinders September 2025 Club Kits are here, and this month’s themes are packed with seasonal charm—perfect for Halloween, autumn, and everything in between! Today, I’m sharing two cards featuring the Large Die of the Month and Small Die of the Month.

👉 A quick reminder: the last day to subscribe is September 27th—so don’t miss out!

Large Die of the Month – Pumpkin House

Adorable Seasonal autumn card with vivid oranges, teals and greens created with Spellbinders September 2025 Large Die of the Month Kit

The Large Die of the Month is designed as an Acorn House, but I gave it a seasonal twist by transforming mine into a Pumpkin House! I can’t seem to get enough orange this month.

A gray squirrel is making his way to the front door, while the acorn cap roof is decorated with green and teal leaves plus two aqua flowers. The playful colors and crisp white background bring the whole scene to life.

It’s whimsical, unexpected, and full of cozy fall personality.

Die cut "pumpkin" house card, with a gray squirrel walking toward the door. The roof is decorated with teal and green leaves and two aqua flowers.

Small Die of the Month – Boo to You!

Card with a smiling jack-o’-lantern, a ghost, a cat, and flowers in bright orange, teal, aqua, and green cardstock on a white card base. Sentiment reads 'Boo to You' in heat embossed lettering.

This month’s Small Die of the Month might be one of the cutest yet! It features a smiling jack-o’-lantern, along with a sweet little cat, a friendly ghost, and whimsical flowers.

I loved carrying over the same vibrant color scheme from my Large Die card—orange, teal, aqua, and green—so the two feel like companion pieces.

I couldn’t resist heat embossing a “Boo to You” sentiment to go along with this cheerful pumpkin scene. The vivid colors—bright orange paired with teal, aqua, and green—make the characters pop against the crisp white A2 card base. A touch of gray and black adds grounding contrast while keeping the vibe playful.

This card is pure Halloween happiness! 🎃✨

Fun handmade Halloween card created with Spellbinders September 2025 Small Die of the Month Kit.

Coordinated Companion Cards

I love how these two cards—though built with different kits—look like they belong together. The shared palette of vivid oranges, aquas, teals, greens, and neutrals ties them into a cheerful seasonal set.

And if you’d like even more inspiration, I’ll also link to my September Stitching Die of the Month card—another beauty from this month’s Club collection.

Helpful Links:

Fall theme apple orchard homemade card. Apple Picking Scene Card | Hero Arts ‘I Pick You’ Collection
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting · Stamping

Apple Picking Scene Card | Hero Arts ‘I Pick You’ Collection

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Handmade fall card featuring a stamped and stenciled apple orchard scene with ladder, basket, and boots. Apples are shaded red, leaves in green, and scene is framed with a navy die cut rounded rectangle.

Fall is in the air! Today I’m sharing a heartwarming scene card I created with the Hero Arts September Collection: I Pick You. The In The Orchard Bundle instantly brought back childhood memories of going apple picking with my family at Wiggins Farms—where we’d spend the day filling baskets and sipping fresh cider.

This Collection is also part of an Instagram Hop…come hop with us! @karens_mini

Helpful Links:

🍏 Building the Scene

Hero Arts In the Orchard stamped, stenciled and die cut scene card featuring picking apples in an orchard.

This stamp + stencil combo makes it easy to create a layered, idyllic orchard scene. I stamped the images first, then used the coordinating layering stencils to add color with small blending brushes. To give my coloring more depth and dimension, I used two shades of ink for each color family:

  • Apples: Pale Tomato + Cherry
  • Leaves: Fresh Lawn + Green Apple
  • Boots: Lemon Drop + Spicy Mustard

The combination of stamping + stencil blending creates crisp, dimensional images that still look soft and organic. And Hero Arts stencils always line up beautifully with the stamped images!

Handmade autumn scene card of a whimsical apple orchard and featuring Hero Arts "In the Orchard" stamp, stencil and die bundle.

🍎 Finishing Details

Once everything was colored, I die cut my elements to build the orchard scene—complete with a ladder, a basket, and classic Hunter-style boots. For the finishing touch, I die cut a navy frame using my Rounded Rectangle Infinity Dies to bring everything together.

This seasonal card is full of fall charm and is perfect for sending a cozy autumn hello!

Die cut critter card of snuggly animals in bed. Cozy Die Cut Scene Card
cardmaking · Die cutting

Cozy Die Cut Scene Card

Karen Brown1 Comment

Hello, crafty friends! Karen Brown here today with a card that is extra cozy, extra cute, and full of September Hero Studio goodness. This month’s release is all about comfort and charm, and I couldn’t resist creating a sweet little bedtime scene featuring some of the most adorable die-cut critters ever.

Key Products: Hero Studio Fancy Die of the Month and Whole Studio Bonus Gift

I really LOVE this die set and I created another card that you might like to see HERE.

Card Details

For my design, I started with the September Fancy Die of the Month: Cozy Critters. At the center of the card is a fox, tucked snugly into a brass bed, clutching its “lovey”—a tiny stuffed bunny. To set the scene, I crafted a Celestial Blue quilt with lovely etched stitching details and paired it with two crisp Snow White pillows.

At the foot of the bed, a striped orange tabby cat curls up contentedly, holding its own little stuffed animal. This cutie comes from the Whole Studio Kit Bonus: Cozy Kitty, which coordinated perfectly to complete my charming bedtime vignette.

Background & Sentiment

Every good bedroom needs wallpaper, so I created a subtle patterned background. I stenciled soft stars over ColorWheel Chiffon cardstock using the Scattered Stars Stencil (from the Hocus Pocus Collection) with Peony and Contour inks. The result reminded me of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star—a sweet lullaby touch for a bedtime card.

To finish, I added a clean and simple sentiment, “hello there”, from the Message Strips stamp and cut set. It felt like the perfect greeting for this dreamy scene.

I had so much fun creating this bedtime scene with the September 2025 Hero Studio Release. Between the fox, the kitty, and those snuggly quilts, I think this one might be my coziest card yet! I can already picture more cards made with this die set— seasonal quilts, or even personalized critter bedrooms.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and sweet dreams of your next crafty adventure!

Hero Arts September 2025 Card Kit Inspirational cards. Hero Arts September 2025 Club Kit Release: Fall into Fall
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Hero Arts September 2025 Club Kit Release: Fall into Fall

Karen Brown18 Comments
Two fun homemade cards created with the September 2025 Hero Studio card kit and Fancy Dies Kits.

Hello friends! It’s time for the Hero Arts September Club Kit Release, and this month’s theme is Fall into Fall. 🍁 Autumn crafting is one of my very favorite seasons, and this release is packed with stamps, dies, and sentiments perfect for cozy, colorful cardmaking. I have two very different projects to share with you today—one-layer stamping and coloring, and a layered die cut scene—that both capture the warmth of fall.

Card 1: One-Layer Stamped + Colored Fall Scene

One-layer fall card featuring stamped and colored pumpkins, mushrooms, acorns, and leaves with the sentiment “Fall is my Favorite Color” created with Hero Arts September 2025 Card Kit of the Month. Embellished with enamel dots.

The September Card Kit includes gorgeous fall imagery: pumpkins, acorns, mushrooms, leaves, and more. I wanted to let the stamps take center stage, so I designed a one-layer background that doubles as the focal point.

I stamped a scattering of pumpkins, mushrooms, and leaves across a white card panel, then brought them to life with alcohol marker coloring in classic fall hues:

  • Oranges and yellows for pumpkins
  • Warm tans and browns for acorns
  • Fresh greens, yellows and oranges for leaves

The finishing touch is the sentiment, “Fall is My Favorite Color,” stamped boldly in black. A few enamel dots (also included in the kit!) add just the right amount of shine.

This card is simple, flat, and easy to mail—but still rich in detail and warmth.

Hero Studio September 2025 stamped one layer card featuring alcohol marker colored pumpkins, fall leaves, acorns and mushrooms + a few enamel dot embellishments.

What’s Included in the September Card Kit?

  • Fall is my Favorite 6×8 Stamp Set
  • Fall is my Favorite Coordinating Dies
  • Treehouse Die Set
  • Sunset Enamel Dots
  • Brown Twine, 1 yard
  • 10 Sheets of Cardstock- 1 of each color, 5.5″ x 8.5″ (Truffle, Merlot, Cinnamon, Terra Cotta, Carrot, Coral, Bellini, Beeswax, Saffron, Tuscan)

Receive a FREE adorable Cozy Kitty Die Set when you purchase The Whole Studio!

Hero Arts has many different Monthly Kits that you can subscribe to including:

🦊🐻 Card 2: Cozy Critters Fancy Die Scene

Adorable die cut scene card featuring an adorable brown bear and red fox snuggling in a brass bed with their stuffed animals. Created with the Hero Arts September 2025 Fancy Die Kit of the Month: Cozy Critters.

Next, I dove into the September Fancy Dies: Cozy Critters. This set has my heart! I created a cozy little bedtime scene featuring a brown bear and an orange fox tucked into a brass bed with a green quilt.

  • The bear is snuggling with a little stuffed duck.
  • The fox is holding the sweetest bunny.

The scene is playful, heartwarming, and perfect for fall—but I think it would also make an adorable Valentine’s Day card!

Die cut scene card featuring a brown bear and orange fox tucked into a brass bed with a green quilt. Bear snuggles a duck, fox holds a bunny. Sentiment “Wishing You a Cozy Fall” with a subtle stenciled wallpaper background.

The sentiment, “Wishing You a Cozy Fall,” comes from the September Clear Stamp & Cut Set and fits perfectly with the theme. For the background, I added a touch of subtle pattern using the Retro Rainbow Stencil with Contour Ink. The soft “wallpaper” design adds depth without competing with the cozy critters in bed.

Love this die set? I have another adorable creation that you can see HERE.

Charming Die Cut Scene card featuring cozy die cut critters from the September Hero Studio Club Kits.

Blog Hop

Hero Arts is celebrating this release with a Blog Hop full of inspiration from the creative team. Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Friday, September 5th at 11:59pm PT, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week. Leave a comment on all stops for more chances to win!


Hero Arts Creative Team:
Anna Mahtani
Channin Pelletier
Charlene Madrid
Jeannie Lieu
Jennifer Kotas
Karen Brown You Are Here!
Lea Lawson
Lisa Tilson
Michelle Lupton
Michelle Short
Mindy Eggen
Natasha Polite
Nichol Spohr
Rachel Kleinman
Rosie Lopez
Seeka

Christmas Crackers die cut handmade card. 4 Tips for Christmas Cardmaking
cardmaking · Die cutting · Tutorial

4 Tips for Christmas Cardmaking

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Bright, colorful Christmas card with a blue "dimpled" background, purple and orange die cut Christmas Crackers and a folliage accents.

Featuring the Christmas Cracker Die Set + Dimpled Embossing Folder

The holidays are the perfect time to get crafty, and Spellbinders’ new Christmas releases make it so much fun! Today I’m sharing a festive card I created with the Christmas Cracker Die Set from Yana’s Christmas Collection and the Dimpled 3D Embossing Folder from Suzanne Hue’s Texture and Foliage Collection.

Along the way, I’ll walk you through 4 tried-and-true tips that will make your holiday cardmaking easier, more enjoyable, and more beautiful.

Tip 1: Use Quality Cardstock

Handmade Christmas card featuring a colorful die cut Christmas cracker in shades of purple, orange, blue, and green. The background is embossed with a dimpled 3D pattern, and some die cuts are raised on foam for added dimension

The foundation of any good die cut is quality cardstock. Thin or flimsy paper isn’t substantial enough for die cutting. For this project, I used Spellbinders’ Color Wheel Cardstock—which is heavyweight, smooth, and cuts like butter.

Here are some of the gorgeous shades I pulled:

  • 🌊 Cascade
  • 💜 Fairy Tale
  • 🌸 Lavender & Lilac
  • 🌞 Beeswax
  • 🍊 Carrot
  • 🍎 Pomegranate
  • 🌿 Peridot & Rainforest

Together these created a vibrant, cheerful, and slightly unexpected holiday palette.

Tip 2: Swatch Your Cardstock

Handmade die cut Christmas card using Spellbinders Yana's Christmas Cracker set with the Dimpled 3D Embossing folder.

Having your cardstock organized and swatched makes choosing colors so much faster. I’ll link HERE to a post where I go into detail on how I keep my swatches handy and easy to use.

For this project, I flipped through my swatches until I landed on the perfect non-traditional holiday mix. Seeing them side by side helped me visualize how the colors would work layered on the Christmas cracker.

Products Used:

Tip 3: Use Color Inspiration

Handmade die cut Christmas Card created with the non-traditional colors of blue, purple, orange, red and green.

When in doubt, let a color system do the heavy lifting! For this card, I turned to Color Cubes Volume 2, specifically palette card #252, which inspired the purple, red, orange, yellow, blue color mix. I also own Volume 1. You can find the Color Cubes Bundle HERE.

I’ll also link to a previous blog post that features Spellbinders’ Color Deck System, another fabulous way to spark ideas when you feel stuck or want to try something different.

Click HERE if you’d like to see another Christmas Card using the same #252 Color Cubes palette card.

Tip 4: Add Texture and Dimension

Die Cut Christmas cracker card with loads of texture, dimension and vivid colors.

Flat die cuts are nice, but texture and lift make a card pop. For this background, I embossed a panel with the new Dimpled 3D Embossing Folder—a subtle yet impactful pattern that catches the light beautifully.

I also used foam squares behind some of the cracker die cuts to add depth and shadow. Craft foam also works great, especially on larger die cuts. The best glue for smaller die cuts is Bearly Glue. I love the fine nozzle! Simple details like these can make your handmade card feel polished and professional.

Adorable Pupkin (Dog in a Pumpkin Costume) die cut Halloween Card. Halloween Card | Spellbinders Pupkin
cardmaking · Die cutting

Halloween Card | Spellbinders Pupkin

Karen Brown2 Comments

Sometimes the cutest cards come together quickly—and this one might just be my favorite of the season! I couldn’t resist Spellbinders’ new Pupkin die set, which features an adorable dog all dressed up as a jack-o’-lantern and carrying a tiny skull-shaped trick-or-treat bucket. Cuteness overload!

This card is extra special because I made it for my daughter in memory of her sweet, goofy lab, Tank, who once rocked his very own pumpkin costume. ❤️

I layered several color coordinating mats from past Small Die of the Month and Large Die of the Month kits and I used ColorWheel cardstock and Sand for my pup’s body. The vibrant layers really make our little Pupkin pop! This design is fast, fun, and easy to assemble—perfect for Halloween cardmaking sessions.

Two cute aquatic fish theme die cut cards Spellbinders August 2025 Club Kits: Under the Sea Magic!
Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting · stitching

Spellbinders August 2025 Club Kits: Under the Sea Magic!

Karen Brown1 Comment
2 colorful aquatic theme die cut scene cards featuring bright bold colors, a graphic look and LOTS of fish.

This month’s Spellbinders Club Kits dive deep into all things aquatic—and let me tell you, these kits are fin-tastic! 🐠💦 From vibrant fish to stitched sailboats, the August kits are perfect for summer crafting or anytime you want to send a smile that makes a splash. I created three nautical-themed cards using the Die of the Month, Large Die of the Month, Stitching Die of the Month, and my Caboodle Bonus Gift.

🐟 Card 1: Colorful Coral Reef Scene (Die of the Month + Caboodle Bonus Gift)

Die cut coral reef scene with colorful fish on Oceanside blue background. Made with Spellbinders August 2025 Die of the Month and Caboodle Bonus.

This card is bright, whimsical, and just so much fun to put together! I started with a rich Oceanside cardstock panel for the background “water.” Then I built a vibrant underwater world using the Die of the Month and my Caboodle Bonus Gift for even more fishy flair. I skipped the scuba diver die cuts and instead filled the scene with colorful fish in pink, coral, orange, purple, yellow, white, and aqua, all cut from my scrap bin. 🌈

TIP: Many of the elements are quite small—my Bearly Art glue with the fine-tip nozzle was essential for precise placement. I love that this card feels playful and full of life without being fussy!

Die cut card with lots of cute colorful fish swimming around a coral reef.

🐡 Card 2: Make a Splash with the Large Die of the Month

Pink fish in a plastic bag on blue background with “Make a Splash” sentiment. Made with Spellbinders August 2025 Large Die of the Month.

This Large Die of the Month card features the cutest little pink fish swimming home in a plastic bag! It’s such a clever, nostalgic design. I layered the fish-in-bag die cut over another Oceanside background and added a pink string “tie” at the top of the bag. The sentiment “Make a Splash” is included in the kit and absolutely perfect. It’s a great all-occasion card—birthday, congratulations, or just because.

If you like the graphic look of these first two cards, you might be interested in reading my post: What’s Brewing.

Darling "fish in a plastic bag" die cut card card in pinks and blues.

🚢 Card 3: Stitched Sailboat on the Sea (Stitching Die of the Month)

Stitched and die cut brown sailboat with red and yellow flags on blue sea and “Born to Shine Year After Year” sentiment. Made with Spellbinder's August 2025 Stitching Die of the Month.

My final card gives major paper boat vibes, thanks to the Stitching Die of the Month. I die cut the boat from brown cardstock and stitched the details with marine blue embroidery floss. The little red and yellow pennants waving from the mast make it feel festive and fun. 🌊 I added a blue die cut sea, a white die cut cloud, and hot foiled the uplifting La Dolce Vita sentiment:
“Born to shine year after year.” ✨

Stitching Tip: I die cut the boat twice and layered the pieces together before stitching for extra sturdiness. I used two threads of floss for the perfect amount of detail.

Masculine die cut and hands-stitched boat card perfect for birthdays.

These cards came together so easily and would be adorable for summer birthdays, kids’ celebrations, or just brightening someone’s day. Don’t forget—this is all part of the August 2025 Club Kit Release, and if you’re a Deluxe Caboodle subscriber, you get everything plus the bonus die, and save a whopping 58%!

Helpful Links:

Two shell theme BetterPress and Hot Foil Glimmer cards. One Plate, Two Techniques: BetterPress & Glimmer Cards
BetterPress · Die cutting · Hot Foiling

One Plate, Two Techniques: BetterPress & Glimmer Cards

Karen Brown2 Comments

This month’s Hero Arts July Release is full of that easy, breezy summer energy—think sandy toes, sunshine, and salty air. I had so much fun creating with the Summer by the Sea collection, and I’m sharing five cards that show off the versatility of these beautiful new products.

One Plate, Two Looks

Handmade card with gold foiled shell background pattern on aqua cardstock, featuring layered “hello” die cut sentiment in gold and teal. Hero Arts Scattered Shells LetterPress + Foil Plate

Card One: Hot Foiled Glimmer Glow

The first two cards are part of a Hero Arts Instagram Hop that you can find HERE.


I hot foiled the Scattered Shells LetterPress + Foil Plate in matte gold using my Spellbinders Glimmer System, over a gorgeous aqua cardstock. The result is luxe and luminous—it truly glows in person!


I added a layered sentiment using the scripty “hello” from the July Hero Studio Die of the Month Kit—die cut from matte gold cardstock with a slightly offset teal shadow for contrast. Everything is mounted on teal cardstock for a rich, beachy vibe.

You might also be interested in a recent Glimmer Hot Foil Butterfly Post.

Card Two: LetterPress Charm

Handmade card with hydrangea blue letterpress shell background pattern and sentiment “Better Than A Text” using Hero Arts Scattered Shells LetterPress + Foil Plate

For a softer feel, I used the same plate with Hydrangea ink in my BetterPress system. The result is crisp and coastal.
I paired it with a cheeky sentiment—“Better Than A Text”—from the new Banner Days Stamp & Cut set. It’s a fun reminder that handmade is always more heartfelt!

These two cards came together quickly and really showcase the range you can get from one plate—hot foil elegance or classic letterpress charm.

You might also enjoy my popular post: 9 Tips, Tricks and Insights for Spellbinders BetterPress Machine.

Beach Summer seashell themed BetterPress LetterPress card in Hydrangea Blue ink.

🐚 Beach Shell Wreath Card

Square handmade card with pastel beach shell wreath die cuts in mint, coral, blush, kraft, white and aqua.

Next up is a square card that centers around a gorgeous die cut Summer Shell Wreath using the Sophisticated Shells Dies. I used ColorWheel Cardstock in:

  • Mint, Waterfall, Blush, Tuscan, Carrot, Coral, White, and Kraft.

I added just a touch of ink blending to the die cuts to give some depth and dimension, then finished it off with a sweet sentiment from Banner Days and a few clear dot embellishments to mimic bubbles or sea glass. The soft coastal tones and wreath shape feel fresh and modern.

Cheerful Beach Wreath die cut square card using Hero Arts Sophisticated Shell Dies.

🗣️ Sentiment-Focused Cards

Two beach summer themed cards featuring Hero Arts Banner Days stamped and die cut sentiments.

Finally, I created two additional cards using the Banner Days Stamp & Cut set. These sentiments are fun, cheeky, and so versatile—they really bring the “message” to the forefront of your design.

Stamped sentiment focused beach theme card with die cut seashells embellisments.

You’ll find phrases like:

  • “Better Than a Text”
  • “You’re a Treasure”
  • “Some Friendships are Timeless ”

…perfect for summer hello cards, pen pal notes, or lighthearted designs.

Handmade Card with multiple stamped summer and beach theme sentiments + die cut shell embellishments.

And our final card features 5 die cut sentiments that could be “messages in a bottle”.

Message in a bottle theme sentiment focused handmade card

This collection has such a relaxed, summery vibe—whether you’re foiling, pressing, or layering die cuts, there’s something here for every cardmaker. Stay tuned to Instagram for even more ideas from the Hop!

Thanks for stopping by!

How to choose color in cardmaking. How to Choose Colors for Handmade Cards
cardmaking · Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

How to Choose Colors for Handmade Cards

Karen Brown2 Comments
Card featuring a layered five-point barn star die in rich purple and lavender with orange and lavender greenery embellishments, placed on a script BetterPress background in soft purple ink and mounted on a purple card base. Gold glimmer sentiment reads 'Enjoy Today to the Fullest.

Choosing the right colors for your handmade cards can feel like a creative puzzle—fun but sometimes a little overwhelming. Whether you lean toward classic Christmas colors or love a bold non-traditional palette, color selection sets the tone for your entire project.

Today, I’m sharing two recent cards using the Spellbinders July 2025 holiday releases, and both were inspired by two different color systems: the Color Cubes and the Spellbinders Color Deck System. Each approach helped me craft a distinctive look—from rustic purple barn stars to pastel hot cocoa mugs. Let’s dive into the color magic!

Card 1: Barn Star Wreath – Bold & Non-Traditional

Die cut 5 point Barn Star Wreath card in non-traditional Christmas colors of purple, orange and soft blue.

For this card, I used the Barn Star Wreath Die from Annie Williams’ Country Christmas Collection—but with a non-traditional twist! I selected Color Cube #255 (from Sarah Renae Clark’s Color Cubes) as my palette guide, which includes rich purples, vibrant orange, and soft blue tones.

Color Cube Bundle: Volumes 1 and 2

The Barn Star is a beautiful layered die cut—mine has a deep purple top layer with delicate flourish cutouts over a lavender base. I added die cut lavender greenery and an orange accent for contrast. The background features a BetterPress Script Text Plate pressed in Thistle Reactive Ink on white watercolor paper (yes—it worked beautifully even without BetterPress ink!).

I layered everything on a purple A2 card base, then added a gold Glimmer sentiment—“Enjoy Today to the Fullest”—from the La Dolce Vita BetterPress Sentiments set.

This card includes a little of everything:
✔ Die cutting
✔ Bold Colors
✔ BetterPress background
✔ Glimmer Hot Foiled sentiment

With Color Cubes, you can search by Color, Keyword or Collections. For this card I looked at cards that had the color orange and used the keyword “fruit”. Card #255 was just the non-traditional look I was going for!

Color tip: Don’t be afraid to break the “holiday rules” with color. Purple and orange may not scream Christmas—but together they create a rustic, modern, and cozy vibe.

Cocoa Cups – Inspired by the Spellbinders Color Deck

Winter card with repeating die cut hot cocoa mugs in pastel shades including pink, yellow, lavender, and blue, each topped with a glittery snowflake. Mounted on a white background and created using the Spellbinders Color Deck Holiday Expansion palette.

My second card showcases Spellbinders’ beautiful Color Deck System and Color Deck Bundle, specifically the Holiday Expansion Pack. These 5″ x 4.5″ cards are packed with inspiring palettes—each one practically begging to be turned into a card!

I paired this with Spellbinders’ Color Swatch Petal Stack, which helped me identify and swatch my main colors. The cardstock came from the Color Wheel Sampler:
🌸 Chiffon
🎀 Tutu
🌞 Beeswax
💧 Cascade
🌿 Lavender
🌸 Orchid
🍂 Fawn
💜 Mulberry
🌌 Cosmic Sky

My layout features a pattern of repeating die cut cocoa mugs (from the July 2025 Large Die of the Month Kit) in these pastel shades, each topped with a sparkly glitter snowflake. It’s a playful winter card that also works perfectly for a cozy coffee theme year-round!

Color tip: Using a pre-designed color system (like Spellbinders’ Color Deck or a sampler set) takes the guesswork out of color combos. It’s especially helpful when mixing a lot of hues on one card.

Hot cocoa coffee theme die cut card with a pattern Rainbow hued mugs using Spellbinders July 2025 Large Die of the Month kit.

🧠 Other Color Selection Tips:

🎨 Google Image Search
Search terms like “Christmas color palettes” or “winter pastel colors”, then switch to the “Images” tab. Seeing real-life examples can help spark ideas.

🎨 Color Wheel Strategies

  • Analogous Colors: Colors next to each other (e.g., blue, teal, green) for a harmonious look.
  • Complementary Colors: Opposites on the wheel (e.g., purple + yellow) for bold contrast.

🎨 Neutrals
When in doubt, mix brights with soft neutrals like kraft, white, cream, or gray for balance.

Whether you’re swatching, color-scheming, or just winging it, choosing colors can be one of the most satisfying parts of cardmaking. Try something unexpected—you might just love the results!