Cardmaking Kit · papercrafting

Spellbinders April Club Kit Release – Snail Mail, Vintage Letterboxes & Stitched Stationery!

Spellbinders April 2025 Club Kit handmade cards that are watercolored and hand stitched.

Spellbinders’ latest Club Kit Release is here, and this month’s dies are packed with charm, nostalgia, and creativity! I created three unique handmade cards using the Large Die of the Month, Small Die of the Month, and Stitching Club of the Month. Each design brings something different to the crafting table—from vintage-inspired letterboxes to whimsical mail carriers and stitched stationery.

Let’s get started!

Card 1: A Vintage Farmhouse Letterbox

Vintage farmhouse letterbox card – A handmade card featuring a minty vintage-style letterbox with a die-cut letter, pink flowers, and a gold key, mounted on ribbed white paper that resembles house siding.

First up, the Large Die of the Month – a stunning vintage-style letterbox that feels straight out of a charming countryside home.

  • I custom-mixed my colors using Hero Arts Reactive Inks, blending 50% Fog and 50% Pool Party for the perfect minty vintage hue on the letterbox. Other Reactive Inks Used: Taffy, Fruit Punch, Green Apple, Blue Raspberry and. Grape Slush. The key, sentiment frame and keyhole were painted with Gold Metallic Watercolor.
  • Inside the mail slot, a sweet die-cut letter with a heart and a cluster of pink flowers peeks out, adding a touch of romance.
  • A gold letterbox key is placed on the box for extra detail.
  • I mounted everything on Stellar White Groove ribbed paper (from a Your Paper Insider subscription box) to mimic the look of house siding.

I’m a bit of a paper hoarder, so this specialty paper subscription is right up my alley! 😄

Spellbinders April 2025 Large Die of the Month vintage farmhouse letterbox Hello card.

Card 2: You’ve Got (Snail) Mail!

Snail mail delivery scene – A die-cut snail with a mail pouch and hat, holding a tiny letter with a heart seal, alongside a pink worm, tulips, and a mailbox. Sentiment reads "sending" + an enamel heart.

For the Small Die of the Month, I couldn’t resist creating a playful “snail mail” scene! This one was so much fun to put together.

  • The star is a cute little snail, delivering happy mail in style. She holds a tiny envelope with a heart seal and wears a mail pouch and hat as she crawls along.
  • I started by doing my die-cutting and then I watercolored each die cut for my happy cozy scene. I watercolored with Reactive Inks : Creamsicle, Fruit Punch, Taffy, Green Apple, Blue Raspberry, Pool Party, Blue Hawaii, Splash, Granite and Fawn.
  • She’s accompanied by a pink worm and surrounded by red and orange tulips and a mailbox—a cozy little world in miniature.
  • The sentiment is a scripty “sending” + an enamel heart.
  • I finished the card with diluted white acrylic paint splatters, adding a touch of whimsy.

The theme? A punny “You’ve Got (Snail) Mail”—a crafty nod to the classic rom-com! 💌 🐌

Spellbinders April 2025 Small Die of the Month "Snail Mail" scene card that is die cut and then watercolored with Reactive Inks and splattered with white paint.

Card 3: Stitched Notebook Paper & Die-Cut Page Tabs

Snail mail delivery scene – A die-cut snail with a mail pouch and hat, holding a tiny letter with a heart seal, alongside a pink worm, tulips, and a mailbox. Sentiment reads "sending" + an enamel heart.

For my final card, I used the Stitching Club of the Month to create a notebook-inspired stitched background—a must for any stationery lover!

  • The stitched blue horizontal lines and pink vertical margin line replicate lined notebook paper.
  • I have a Stitching Tutorial that you might find helpful.
  • The top edge is die-cut to look like it was torn from a wirebound notebook for extra realism.
  • The sentiments are die-cut page pointers die cut from ColorWheel Cardstock, reading:
    • Hello (pink)
    • Friend (blue)
    • A Note (lime)
    • For You (teal)
  • To add movement, I included a pink and teal kite, die-cut from last summer’s Fly Away Kite Kit.
  • I stitched with two pieces of floss for extra texture and die-cut the background twice (and glued together) for a sturdy base. I used DMC #162 (light blue) and #776 (pink) floss.

This design is a fun way to send a cheerful, handwritten-style note in card form!

Spellbinders April 2025 Stitched Die of the Month Kit Card featuring a background that looks like notebook paper with die cut page pointer sentiments and a die cut kite.

Helpful Links:

Final Thoughts

This month’s Spellbinders Club Kits are filled with endless creative possibilities—from elegant vintage letterboxes to playful snail mail and nostalgic stitched stationery.

Which card is your favorite this month? Let me know in the comments! 💌 ✂️

Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Blog Hop: Enchanted Paper Gardens with the Hero Studio April Release!

Hero Arts Studio:  April 2025 - two whimsical die-cut cards: one featuring a lush, layered terrarium full of mushrooms, leaves, and a fluttering butterfly, and another with bold, hand-painted leaves and a cheerful “hello” sentiment. Both are packed with watercolor magic, intricate details, and playful techniques!

Once upon a time, in a land filled with ink and creativity, a whimsical cardmaker (that’s me!) discovered the Hero Studio April Release and its magical Tranquil Terrarium Kit. With a wave of my die-cutting wand and a splash of watercolor, I crafted a dreamy terrarium scene—one fit for a fairy tale!

Step into a Paper Fairy Tale: A Lush, Layered Terrarium


A handcrafted die-cut card featuring a whimsical terrarium scene with mushrooms, leaves, rocks, and an orange butterfly, all watercolored in bright, vivid hues. The background has a vintage script stencil effect, and the card base is soft Mist blue

Picture this: a tiny enchanted world encased in glass (well, cardstock), teeming with lush leaves, charming red and tan mushrooms, green grass, rustic rocks, and a tiny tree stump. Perched on a delicately curled leaf is a radiant orange butterfly, completing this little forest wonderland.

  • Die-cut magic: Every element was cut from watercolor paper, allowing for beautifully blended, organic colors.
  • Coloring adventure: I used brightly colored reactive inks to hand-paint each die cut piece, adding depth and dimension. I enjoyed painting each piece individually, but you could also paint several card panels and then die cut the elements. Reactive inks used: Green Apple, Key Lime Fizz, Blue Hawaii, Granite, Purple Galaxy, Fawn, Fruit Punch,
  • Serene background: I put a light Pool Party watercolor wash on the rounded terrarium panel. It shows up better in person and adds a lovely subtle dimension.
  • Vintage charm: The background panel features a subtle Script Stencil in tan ink, lending a storybook feel to this enchanted setting. Stencil Used: Script Stencil
  • Rounded elegance: To echo the terrarium’s shape, I rounded the corners of both the panel and card base using Rounded Rectangle Infinity Dies.
  • The final touch: Layered on a dreamy Mist blue card base, this card is a burst of color, depth, and whimsy.

✨ Pro Tip: When layering die-cut scenes, use thin foam squares on select elements (like the butterfly) to create a natural sense of depth without overwhelming the design.

Botanical terrarium card  full of lush leaves, adorable red and tan mushrooms, green grass, rocks, a tree stump with a beautiful orange butterfly perched on a gently curling leaf.  I die cut my pieces from watercolor paper and then watercolored the components with brightly colored reactive inks.   Card created with Hero Studios April 2025 Card Kit of the Month

What’s Inside the April 2025 Hero Studio Card Kit?

  • 20 Terrarium Fancy Dies
  • Terrarium Clear Stamp Set, 6″ x 8″
  • 16 Terrarium Coordinating Dies
  • Clear Hero Enamel Dots
  • 3 Clear Card Panels, 4.25″ x 5.5″
  • 9 Sheets of Cardstock, 5.5″ x 8.5″ (Poppy, Peridot, Rainforest, Fern, Alabaster, Fawn, Truffle, Fog, Anchor)

The Whole Studio includes ALL 5 of the monthly subscriptions in one discounted bundle. Cling of the Month, Stamp & Cut of the Month (new name for the subscription!), Layering Stencil of the Month, Fancy Dies of the Month, and the Card Kit of the Month.

This month, receive a FREE adorable “froggy” stamp & die set when you purchase The Whole Studio!

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

Card 2: A Bold, Botanical Hello

A bold, colorful handmade card with die cut watercolored leaves and fronds on a creamy white background.  Uses Hero Studio April 2025 Fancy Dies kit.

For my second card, I embraced bold color and graphic design with the Fancy Dies of the Month Kit. This set features five striking leaf dies and a scripty “hello” with a shadow layer.

  • Hand-painted beauty: Each leaf was die cut from watercolor paper and hand-painted in vibrant greens and blue-greens. Reactive Inks Used: Splash, Key Lime Fizz, Blue Hawaii, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple. I started with the lightest color and then layered on darker shades.
  • A pop of fun: To contrast the cool tones, I painted the “hello” with Fruit Punch Reactive Ink-blended cardstock, giving it a lively coral-red pop.
  • Artful splatter: I added Licorice Reactive Ink splatters for an artsy, organic touch. I simply dabbed the ink on an acrylic block and flicked splatters on my die cuts with a fine wet watercolor brush. I turned my splatter box for even splatter distribution.
  • Design balance: The leaves are arranged in a radiating composition, leading the eye toward the bottom-right hello.
  • Crisp and clean: Everything is anchored on an Adriatic blue card base, making those greens pop!

🎨 Pro Tip: When adding splatters, dab the ink on an acrylic block and flick splatters on the die cuts with a fine wet watercolor brush. Thie results in controlled yet artistic splatters. Don’t forget to rotate your splatter box to get an even, natural distribution!

A bold handmade card with  hand-painted die-cut leaves in vibrant greens and blue-greens. The sentiment "hello" stands out in a coral-red shade.  The leaves have black ink splatters adding artistic detail. The background is clean white on a deep Adriatic blue A2 card base making the colors pop.

BLOG HOP!

Don’t forget, this is part of a blog hop, so there’s plenty more enchanting inspiration ahead! Be sure to follow along for more crafty adventures. ✂️✨

Giveaway:

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, April 6 at 11:59pm PST, 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
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Mindy Eggen
Anna Mahtani
Seeka
Channin Pelletier
Rosie Lopez
Charlene Madrid
Michelle Short
Rachel Kleinman
Jeannie Lieu
Natasha Vacca
Jennifer Kotas
Natasha Polite
Karen Brown You Are Here!
Lisa Tilson
Michelle Lupton
Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Kelly Taylor

A Fairy-Tale Ending? Or Just the Beginning?

These cards brought to life the whimsy of a storybook forest and the bold beauty of botanical art, all with the magic of the Hero Arts April Release. Whether you love layered die cuts, ink blending, or just an excuse to play with paint, this kit delivers endless creative inspiration!

I’d love to hear your thoughts—which card is your favorite? Let’s chat in the comments!