The Card Grotto

Spellbinders | June 2026 Club Kits

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have two cards to share using the Spellbinders June 2026 Club Kits. The first uses the Small Die of the Month called Mahalo Sea Turtle, and the second uses one of the free gifts that you get when you subscribe to the All-Clubs Crate, called Penguin in Paradise.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

The kits this month all have a wonderful Hawaii and tropical paradise theme to them and a lot of them can be mixed and matched together too, which is great!

I started off my first card by die cutting the turtle from the Spellbinders June 2026 Small Die of the Month Club Kit from Spellbinders Seaside (the top layer), Peridot (the bottom layer and shell), Alabaster (tummy), Classic White (bottom layer of eye), and Raven (top layer of eye). I added ink blending onto the tummy and top layer using Altenew Limeade, Grass Field, Dew Drops and Aqualicious Fresh Dye Inks.

I used Grass Field on the bottom layer. He was assembled and adhered using Bearly Art Glue. I took the background die and die cut it from a panel of Spellbinders Seaside ColorWheel Cardstock. It was adhered to a US A2 sized card base made from Spellbinders Waterfall ColorWheel Cardstock using thin foam tape. This would make a great shaker window, but I kept mine plain for today!

I adhered the turtle on top using thin foam tape and then die cut the 'mahalo' sentiment from Spellbinders Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock. I added a second layer behind and then adhered to the card. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Aquamarine Color Essentials Gems.

For my second card, I started off by die cutting the Spellbinders Penguin in Paradise set from Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock in Classic White (top layer of body), Raven (main/bottom layer of body), Chiffon (cheeks), Saffron (beak), and Bellini (pa'u and lei po'o). The pieces were adhered together using Bearly Art Glue.

I had some strips of cardstock left over from this card I made, so I adhered them to a panel of scrap paper using liquid glue. I did cut an extra stripe from the Spellbinders Stripe Right Etched Dies from Spellbinders Fawn ColorWheel Cardstock to act as the sand on the beach. So, from bottom to top it is: Fawn, Seaside, Waterfall, Teal Topaz, Beeswax, Chiffon and Coral. I die cut the stripes using a Spellbinders Everlasting Circles Etched Die and cut off the bottom.

I adhered a white cardstock layer behind before adhering to a US A2 sized white card base. The penguin was adhered on top using thin foam tape. I die cut the 'aloha' sentiment from the Spellbinders Aloha Hula Etched Dies (another free gift with the All-Clubs Crate Membership) from Spellbinders Saffron ColorWheel Cardstock. It was adhered to the card and then to finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Silver Mix Color Essentials Gems.

SUPPLIES:

Here are the links to what I have used on the project. Affiliate links are used on some products. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on my link, I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate your support when using these links. Please click on the logo below the product to shop at your favourite store. All products were personally purchased except marked with an asterisk (*) which were kindly sent to me to use. You can read my full disclosure here.

SPELLBINDERS CLUB KITS

To buy the kit - if you are a current subscriber to the Small Die of the Month Club Kit (or any kit), you do not need to do anything. You will be charged as normal on the 5th of the month and your kit will be shipped to you. If you are a new subscriber, you can purchase the kit (or any kit) from the 6th - 27th June 2026 to receive that month's kits. Members can cancel their membership at any time. If you are not keen on subscribing to the kit but still want a kit, you can purchase them individually (without a subscription) on the 10th of the following month but the price will be higher. The free gifts from the All-Clubs Crate will not be sold separately.

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great day! Take care!

Spellbinders | Wild Coneflowers

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, it's release day over at Spellbinders and there are three new collections. One of them being the Cascading Coneflowers collection by Simon Hurley. This pretty collection features coneflowers/echinacea, sentiments, a cascading dot embossing folder and coordinating stencils. I am using the coneflower dies for my card today.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by die cutting the Spellbinders Wild Coneflowers Etched Dies from white cardstock. I added ink blending to them using Altenew Fresh Dye Inks. I used Enchanted Garden for the petals, Golden Sunset for the centres, and Green Valley for the leaves and stems. I cut two layers of the stems (adhered one on top of the other) to give them some dimension. The flower heads were assembled and adhered using Bearly Art Glue.

I took a panel of Spellbinders Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock and die cut it using one of the ovals from the Spellbinders Scallop and Stitched Edge Ovals Etched Dies. It wasn't quite the right shade of purple to match the flowers, so I added ink blending on top using the darkest colours from the Altenew Enchanted Garden Fresh Dye Ink collection, followed by a little Jet Black Fresh Dye Ink around the edges.

For the card base, I die cut two of the scalloped oval die from the set and scored a line towards the top of one to create a hinge. I added adhesive onto the hinge and adhered it to the back of the other one to create the oval shaped card base. I adhered the flower stems and leaves first onto the purple oval, followed by the flower heads using thin foam tape. I cut the bottom of the stems off with scissors and then adhered the panel onto the card base using more thin foam tape.

I stamped the sentiments, from the Spellbinders Whimsical Wishes Clear Stamp Set, onto white cardstock using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink. They were cut into strips and adhered to the card using more thin foam tape. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Prism AB Color Essentials Gems.

SUPPLIES:

I created a card using this collection (with step by step photo tutorial) for the Spellbinders Blog, so I will have a peek of that to share soon! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Spellbinders | Whimsical Village

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I hope you are well! Today I have two cards to share using the fabulous new Spellbinders Whimsical Village collection by Vicky P. You may not know this but I love Vicky P! I think she is amazing! Although our styles are very different, her being more mixed media, and me being CAS, I love everything she does. She is also an incredibly lovely person too!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I always love seeing Vicky's collections for Spellbinders. The Whimsical Village collection is just that - whimsical houses, whimsical flowers, and fabulous sentiments. I am not using them today but there are also animals, clouds, a sun, a moon, and embossing folder to work with the collection.

I started off my first card by die cutting one of the houses from the Spellbinders Whimsical Houses Etched Dies from Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock in Seaside, Waterfall and Teal Topaz. What I love about these houses is that you can mix and match the different doors/roofs etc. I cut the window frames from Spellbinders Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.

I assembled and adhered the house together using Bearly Art Glue, but before adhering the window frames (since they are inlay), I adhere a piece of Vellum behind to work as the glass. I then took the Spellbinders Whimsical Blooms Etched Dies and die cut the stems from Spellbinders Peridot ColorWheel Cardstock twice. I layered them one on top of another for some dimension.

I die cut the flowers from Spellbinders Fairy Tale, Lavender, Lilac and Beeswax ColorWheel Cardstock. I assembled them and adhered them to the stems using Bearly Art Glue. I then adhered them to a 4" x 5.5" black card base using more liquid glue, cutting off the excess from the bottom using scissors. The house was adhered on top using black thin foam squares.

For the second card, I repeated the process but with the opposite colours. I used Spellbinders Fairy Tale, Lavender and Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock for the house, as well as Classic White and Vellum for the windows. The flowers were die cut from Spellbinders Seaside and Waterfall ColorWheel Cardstock and the stems from Spellbinders Peridot ColorWheel Cardstock.

They were assembled and adhered the same as the first card and adhered to a 4" x 5.5" black card base using Bearly Art Glue and thin foam squares. I cut the card bases narrower so that I could have the flowers hanging off the side but still fit in standard sized envelopes.

For the sentiments, I stamped two sentiments from the Spellbinders Whimsical Wishes Clear Stamp Set onto Hero Arts Pitch Black Cardstock using Versamark Ink. I applied Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder and heat set. They were cut into strips and adhered to the cards using more black foam squares. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Aquamarine and Prism AB Color Essentials Gems, adding the teeny tiny ones as the handles on the doors.

SUPPLIES:

Obviously this collection would be great for new home cards but since the houses are on more of the whimsical side, I think they can be used for generic cards too, hence the sentiments I used. Thanks so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

VIDEO | Creating a Simple Underwater Scene Using Die Cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card to share using the Altenew Mini Delight: Graceful Seahorse set. This set was one of my favourites from the June 2026 release. You can see the other cards that I made using this release so far here.

This set has a die set with the seahorse (multiple layers), as well as seaweed. The stamp set has sentiments and more seaweed. My focus is mainly on the die set but I do use a sentiment from the stamp set too!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by die cutting the seahorse from Altenew Mini Delight: Graceful Seahorse from white cardstock. I added ink blending using Altenew Sweet Dreams Fresh Dye Inks on the right, and Altenew Enchanted Garden Fresh Dye Inks on the left. Once the inks had dried, I assembled and adhered the seahorse using liquid glue, adding a dot for his eye using a Fine Liner Pen.

I die cut the seaweed from the set from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Limeade Cardstock three times and added ink blending on top using Altenew Lime, Grass Field and Shadow Creek Fresh Dye Inks. I cut the rock, from Altenew Creative Cuts: Zero-Waste Beneath the Blue from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Sand Dunes Cardstock. I added ink blending to it with Altenew Coffee Break Fresh Dye Inks.

I took a panel of Altenew Crafty Necessities: Dew Drops Cardstock and added ink blending to the bottom using Altenew Sweet Dreams Fresh Dye Inks (Dew Drops and Aqualicuous). It was adhered to a white US A2 sized card base using Altenew Glue Tape.

I layered up the rock with another two die cuts and adhered it to the card. Before the glue dried, I popped one of the seaweed piece behind. The seahorse was adhered on top using a combination of liquid glue and Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape. I added one of the seaweed pieces in front of the rock, followed by another behind.

I stamped a sentiment from Altenew Mini Delight: Graceful Seahorse onto Altenew Crafty Necessities: Dew Drops Cardstock using Altenew Obsidian Pigment Ink. It was cut into a circle using the Altenew Nesting Circles Die Set. I punched a 1.5mm hole in the top and threaded Altenew Silky Lilac Metallic Thread through and tied in a bow. It was adhered to the card and then to finish, I embellished with Altenew Crystal Clear Enamel Dots.

VIDEO:

Here is the video showing how I made the card:

If you are viewing this blog post via email subscription, you can watch the video HERE on YouTube.

SUPPLIES:

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day and a great week ahead! Take care!

Altenew | June 2026 Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Hello there, thank you so much for joining me here on my blog. I am delighted to be joining Altenew today to celebrate the June 2026 release with a fun blog hop. I already shared one card using the release here and today I have five more to share! Most of the cards feature an underwater theme and they were so fun to make and I love that you can mix and match a lot of the sets together!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

CORAL REEF WONDERS

My first card uses the Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Coral Reef Wonders. This fabulous kit includes a stamp set (with images and sentiments), a die set full of fabulous sea creatures, a reef embossing folder, and coordinating stencils for the embossing folder and also stencils to create an ocean. I started off my card by embossing a panel of white cardstock using the embossing folder.

I then coloured the image using ink blending with the stencils. I went colourful as you can see, using Altenew Fresh Dye Inks in Cherry Blossom, Shades of Purple, Green Valley and Golden Sunset. The panel was adhered to a white A2 sized card base using Glue Tape. I die cut the turtle from the die set using Altenew Crafty Necessities: Dew Drops, Aqualicious, Teal Cave and Jet Black (for the eye) Cardstock. He was assembled and adhered using liquid glue then adhered to the card using Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape.

The sentiment, from the stamp set, was stamped onto Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock using Altenew Embossing Ink. I applied Altenew Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip and adhered to the card using more foam tape. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Crystal Clear Enamel Dots.

BENEATH THE BLUE

My second card uses Creative Cuts: Zero-Waste Beneath the Blue combined with the fish from Craft Your Life Project Kit: Coral Reef Wonders. I die cut the coral first from the Altenew Creative Cuts: Zero-Waste Beneath the Blue Die Set from Crafty Necessities Cardstock. This is a zero-waste die set so in theory, you would cut it all at once, but since I wanted to use different colours of cardstock, I just placed the small pieces of cardstock onto the die and cut them out that way.

I then added ink blending to the die cuts for some added interest. I used Soft Lilac Cardstock with Lavender Fields Ink, Pink Diamond Cardstock with Pinkalicious Ink, Limeade Cardstock with Lime Ink, and Parrot Cardstock with Grass Field Ink. The fish were die cut from Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Coral Reef Wonders using Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black and Amber Blaze Cardstock, plus a little white cardstock too.

I took a panel of Altenew Crafty Necessities: Dew Drops Cardstock and added ink blending at the bottom using Altenew Dew Drops and Aqualicious Fresh Dye Inks. I stamped a sentiment onto the panel from Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Coral Reef Wonders using Altenew Obsidian Pigment Ink. It was adhered to a US A2 sized white card base using Glue Tape. The coral was adhered on top, followed by the fish. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Crystal Clear Enamel Dots.

CORAL ARCH

My next card uses the super cute Altenew Coral Arch Die Set. This little set includes the arch as well as three fish. I die cut the arch three times from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Dew Drops Cardstock. I added ink blending using Altenew Sweet Dreams Fresh Dye Inks (all four shades) onto one of the arches.

The non-inked arches were adhered behind the ink blended one and then adhered onto a white A2 sized card base using liquid glue. I die cut the fish three times each from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Glacier Iris Cardstock. I added ink blending to the top layer using Altenew Hydrangea Fresh Dye Ink and then layered them up before adhering to the card.

I stamped a sentiment from Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Coral Reef Wonders onto Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock and heat embossed it using Altenew Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder. To finish, I applied Altenew Iridescent Glitter Relief Paste to the fish using a paint brush. This gave the most beautiful sparkle to the fish!

GRACEFUL SEAHORSE

My next card uses the beautiful Altenew Mini Delight: Delightful Seahorse. I die cut the seahorse from the die set from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Aqualicious Cardstock. It was assembled and adhered using liquid glue. I then added ink blending on top using Altenew Teal Cave Fresh Dye Ink.

I die cut the seaweed from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Bamboo and Parrot Cardstock and added ink blending to both with Altenew Grass Field Fresh Dye Ink. I took a panel of Altenew Crafty Necessities: Dew Drops Cardstock and stamped the sentiment from the Altenew Mini Delight: Delightful Seahorse stamp set on top using Altenew Obsidian Pigment Ink.

The panel was adhered to an A2 sized white card base using Glue Tape. I adhered one of the seaweed pieces first, using liquid glue, followed by the seahorse and other seaweed piece using Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Shimmering Pool Stellar Sequins.

LEANING LILY

My final card today uses the new Altenew Build-A-Garden: Leaning Lily. I stamped the lily image onto white cardstock using Altenew Obsidian Pigment Ink. I then used the coordinating stencils to colour it using ink blending. I used Altenew Cherry Blossom Fresh Dye Inks for the petals, Golden Sunset Fresh Dye Inks for the stamens, and Green Valley Fresh Dye Inks for the stems and leaves.

It was die cut out using the coordinating die. I mixed some Altenew Carbon Black Artists' Gouache with a little water and splattered it onto a white A2 sized card base. Once it has dried, I adhered the lily on top using Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape. The sentiment from the set was heat embossed onto black cardstock, cut into a strip and adhered using more foam tape. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Clear Iridescent Stellar Sequins.

MINIMALIST MAGIC: LESS IS MORE CLASS

In case you haven't already seen it, I am delighted to be teaching a lesson in the new Altenew Minimalist Magic: Less Is More class. The class uses the June release, sharing ways to use the products in a clean and simple way. There are three ways to take the class - the class pass only, the class along with the regular kit, and the class with the deluxe kit. The Altenew website shows what you get in the kits.

My lesson uses a product that I have not shared here and explains how to use the rule of thirds and add a spin on it! If you like clean and simple cards, I hope you will check it out!

BLOG HOP:

As mentioned, this post is part of a fun, inspirational blog hop with prizes. Please click on the other participants below to visit their blogs.

GIVEAWAY:

$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $50 gift certificate to 4 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by June 11th for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 5 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew's Blog Hop Post on June 13th, 2026. The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.

SUPPLIES:

I did rush through the descriptions of the cards a bit as I didn't want the post to be too long. If there is anything you are not sure of, please ask in the comments and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day and a great weekend! Take care!

VIDEO | Acetate Window Card with Pinkfresh Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am over on the Pinkfresh Studio YouTube channel today, sharing an acetate window card using the Sunlit Garden suite. This suite is perfect for creating window cards as the image is in the shape of a frame. By adding in the acetate, it gave me somewhere to add a sentiment, which is fun as it looks like it is floating!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by stamping the floral frame from the Pinkfresh Studio Sunlit Garden Cling Stamp onto white cardstock using black ink. I then die cut it into an A2 panel using the largest die in the Pinkfresh Studio Single Stitch Rectangle Die Set. I added temporary/removable adhesive to the back of the panel and adhered it to the front of an A2 sized white card base.

I then placed the Pinkfresh Studio Sunlit Garden Die on top and held in place with low-tack tape. This die cuts out the window. I opened up the card and ran it through my die cutting machine. I removed the stamped panel from the card base and set it aside. I knew that the die wouldn't cut through both the panel and card base, but it did leave an indentation in the card base, so I was able to use that to get the die back into place and run it through my die cutting machine again.

I added ink blending to the stamped panel using the Pinkfresh Studio Sunlit Garden Stencils and Pinkfresh Studio 1/2" and 1/4" Blending Brushes. I used Soft Lilac and Hydrangea for the small flowers, Lemon Whip, Marigold, Doe and Gathered Twigs for the sunflowers, and Grassy Knoll and Key Lime for the stems and leaves.

I adhered a panel of Pinkfresh Studio Heat Resistant Acetate onto the back of the stamped panel and then adhered that to the front of the card base. I wanted some colour to show through the window, so I added ink blending to a panel of white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Waterfall Ink and a 1" Blending Brush. It was adhered to the back inside panel of the card.

To finish, I stamped a sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio Lemon Blossom Crest Stamp Set onto white cardstock using black ink. It was die cut out using the coordinating die. I cut the die again three times. Two were adhered to the back of the stamped one for added dimension before adhering to the card. The other one was adhered inside the card to cover up the adhesive showing through.

VIDEO:

Here is the video showing how I made the card:

If you are viewing this blog post via email subscription, you can watch the video HERE on YouTube.

SUPPLIES:

I feel like the card does look a little unfinished without embellishments but I tried adding a few onto the acetate and I didn't like how it looked so left them off! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day!

Altenew | Wishing You Comfort and Calm

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Hello there, I hope you are well! Today is release day over at Altenew and the June 2026 release is amazing! There is an underwater theme for a lot of the products this month but also some of Altenew's signature florals too. My card today uses the new Lilypad Dreams Embossing Folder & Stencils. At the end of this post, I will also be sharing some sneak peeks of the other cards I have made for this release, which I will be sharing in full on Saturday.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by placing a 4.25" x 5.5" panel of white cardstock inside the Altenew Lilypad Dreams 3D Embossing Folder. I then ran it through my die cutting machine. I placed the Altenew Lilypad Dreams Stencils on top, one by one, to add ink blending to the image using Altenew Mini Blending Brushes.

I used Altenew Green Valley and Whispering Woodland Fresh Dye Inks for the lily pads and foliage, Delectable Delights Fresh Dye Inks for the rocks/sand, Enchanted Garden and Golden Sunset Fresh Dye Inks for the flowers, and Sweet Dreams Fresh Dye Inks for the water.

The panel was adhered to a white US A2 sized card base using Glue Tape. I stamped a sentiment from the Altenew Build-A-Garden: Leaning Lily Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Altenew Obsidian Pigment Ink. I then die cut it out using the coordinating die. I cut the die again twice and adhered them behind the stamped one before adhering to the card. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Crystal Clear Enamel Dots.

Here is a peek of some of the cards I will be sharing on Saturday for the blog hop. I had a lot of fun making these!

SUPPLIES:

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day!

Spellbinders | Party Time Dragon

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, it's Spellbinders Paper Arts 23rd Birthday this month and they are celebrating with lots of fun events, releases and free gifts. The releases will be taking place every Wednesday in the month (including today!) of June. If you spend over $150/£150 in a single transaction (club subscriptions are not included), you can receive Sir Spelly - Party Time Dragon Etched Dies for free (full terms and conditions are listed on the Spellbinders website). I had to make a card with him because he is just too cute!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by die cutting Spellbinders Sir Spelly - Party Time Dragon Etched Dies from Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock. I cut the base of his body and head from Lavender, his tummy and nose/snout from Fairy Tale, his eyes from Classic White and Raven, his teeth from Classic White, and his wings and horns from Seaside.

They were assembled and adhered together using Bearly Art Glue. I added two layers for his snout and tummy for some added dimension. I die cut the balloon from the set twice from Lilac, and the string from Fog. The balloons were adhered one on top of another and the string adhered on top.

I die cut a a Spellbinders Everlasting Circles Etched Die from a panel of white cardstock and adhered it to a US A2 sized card base made from Spellbinders Waterfall ColorWheel Cardstock. The dragon was popped inside the opening, adhering with foam squares. The balloon was adhered beside him. I cut the string in two parts and added the smaller part below his teeth so it looks like he is holding it.

I die cut the flowers from the Spellbinders Mini Blooms and Sprigs Etched Dies from Spellbinders Classic White (petals) and Beeswax (centres) ColorWheel Cardstock. I cut the leaves from Spellbinders Peridot ColorWheel Cardstock. They were adhered together and then on to the card.

I stamped the 'happy birthday' from the Spellbinders Summertime Sentiments Clear Stamp Set onto Spellbinders Raven ColorWheel Cardstock using Versamark Ink. I applied white embossing powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip and adhered to the card with foam tape. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Silver Mix Color Essentials Gems.

SUPPLIES:

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp | Hopping By to Say Hello

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Sat, 30 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there and happy Saturday to you! Today I have a card to share using the new Token Terrarium Stamp Set from the Simon Says Stamp Always There May 2026 release. This is a really fun set! There is a terrarium and you can add all kinds of plants, trees and rocks inside, as well as a cute frog/toad. You can use the images without the terrarium too!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by stamping the frog from the Simon Says Stamp Token Terrarium Stamp Set onto a panel of white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I then stamped it again onto Altenew Masking Paper and fussy cut it out. I removed the backing off the masking paper and adhered it over the stamped image.

I then repeated the process for the rocks, followed by the plants and then finally stamped the terrarium on top. I removed the masks and coloured it using Copic Markers, adding in a little Polychromos Pencils in some areas. I also used pencils to create the reflections on the glass of the terrarium (white and aqua) and added white gel pen highlights.

The image was then fussy cut out using scissors. I took a white A2 sized card base and added scoring lines on to the front panel using a scoring board and bone folder. These are difficult to see in the photos but do add a nice extra detail in real life! I wrapped black twine around the front panel and tied in a bow at the front.

The terrarium was adhered on top with thin foam tape. I stamped the sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Token Terrarium Stamp Set onto black cardstock using Versamark Ink. I applied white embossing powder and heat set. It was cut into two strips using the Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Labels Dies and adhered to the card using black foam tape.

SUPPLIES:

COPIC MARKERS: Frog - G09, YG07, YG05, YG01, Y00 + 158 & Black Polychromos. Rocks - C7, C5, C3, C2. Grass - G29, YG17, YG23, YG01. Purple plant - V09, V17, V15, V01. Green leaf plant - G29, G09, YG07, YG05, YG03, YG01 + Black Polychrmos. Wood - E49, E59, E57, E55. Glass - BG45, BG13, BG11, BG10 + Polychromos 156 & White.

Whilst this card did take a long time to make with the masking of the images, it was nice to sit and colour for a while. I don't do it as much as I would like these days! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Pinkfresh Studio | Hugs & Happy Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am delighted to be joining Pinkfresh Studio for a fun Instagram Hop today to continue the celebrations for the May 2026 release. For my card today I am using the new Bloom & Buds suite. I am using the stamp, die and stencils. There is also a press plate, but I am not using that today.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by stamping the image from the Pinkfresh Studio Bloom & Buds Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Detail Black Ink. I then placed the Pinkfresh Studio Bloom & Buds Stencils over the top, one by one, adding ink blending using Pinkfresh Studio 1/2" Blending Brushes to add colour to the image.

I used Pinkfresh Studio Sweet Mustard, Apricot and Bubble Gum Inks for the flowers, and Key Lime and Olive Inks for the stems and leaves. The image was then die cut out using the Pinkfresh Studio Bloom & Buds Die. I die cut a Pinkfresh Studio Double Stitched Elongated Oval Die from white cardstock and adhered the floral image on top using thin foam tape.

I created a US A2 sized (4.25" x 5.5") card base from Pinkfresh Studio Heat-Resistant Acetate Sheets and adhered the oval on top using more thin foam tape. I then cut another three ovals to adhere inside the card and on the back to cover up the adhesive and give me somewhere to write a message.

I stamped a sentiment from the Pinkfresh Studio Bloom & Buds Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Detail Black Ink and die cut it out using the coordinating die. I cut the die again from white cardstock and adhered it to the back of the stamped one before adhering onto the card using a combination of Pinkfresh Studio Precision Clear Craft Glue and thin foam tape. To finish, I embellished with Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Dew Drops.

SUPPLIES:

For the hop, please head over to my Instagram page HERE and Pinkfresh Studio's HERE. Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp | A Little Note

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 28 May 2026 08:43:10 +0000

Hello there, I hope you are well! Today I have a card to share using the new Dewpierce Butterfly Die from Simon Says Stamp. The die is part of the May 2026 Always There release, which is out now!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by die cutting the new Simon Says Stamp Dewpierce Butterfly Die twice from white cardstock. I added ink blending to the wings using Altenew Bubblegum Dreams Fresh Dye Inks for one, and Altenew Enchanted Garden Fresh Dye Inks for the other.

The butterfly wings were adhered together first, using Bearly Art Glue, followed by the bodies on top. I then lifted up the wings using my fingers to create some movement.

I took a US A2 sized black card base and splattered Altenew Titanium White Artists' Gouache on top (mixed with a little water) and then set aside to dry. Once dry, the butterflies were adhered on top using Bearly Art Glue.

I stamped a sentiment from the new Simon Says Stamp Token Terrarium Stamp Set (I will be sharing a card using this set on Saturday) onto black cardstock using Versamark Ink. I applied white embossing powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip using the Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Labels Dies and adhered to the card using thin foam squares. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Onyx Color Essentials Gems.

SUPPLIES:

I really love that butterfly, I think it is so pretty! I will be sharing another card using it next month. Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I have another post up this afternoon but in the meantime, I hope you have a great day!

Pinkfresh Studio | Sunlit Manor May 2026 Release Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am delighted to be joining Pinkfresh Studio today to celebrate the Sunlit Manor May 2026 release with a fun and inspirational blog hop. I have two cards to share with you today using two different product suites.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

LEMON BLOSSOM CREST

My first card uses the new Lemon Blossom Crest suite. The suite consists of a stamp set, die set, stencils and a press plate set. I started off by stamping the image from the Pinkfresh Studio Lemon Blossom Crest Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Detail Black Ink. I then placed the stencils over the top, one by one, to add colour to the image using ink blending.

I used Pinkfresh Studio Inks in Sunshine and Sweet Mustard for the lemons, Grassy Knoll and Key Lime for the leaves, Sparkling Rose for the flowers, Warm Buff for the wreath/crest base, and Waterfall and Turquoise for the ribbon bow.

It was die cut out using the Pinkfresh Studio Lemon Blossom Crest Die. I took an A2 sized white card base and die cut a Pinkfresh Studio Double Stitched Elongated Oval Die from it, overlapping the top of the oval with the edge of the card base, so that not only is the fold intact, the top of the oval gets cut off. I then cut a little off the bottom of the back panel of the card so that it can stand up nicely.

The wreath/crest was adhered on top using thin foam tape. I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set onto white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Detail Black Ink. It was die cut out and adhered to the centre of the wreath using thin foam tape. To finish, I added a Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Dew Drop to the centre of the bow.

CARDINAL KISS

My second card today uses the Cardinal Kiss suite. This consists of a stamp set, die set, stencils and press plate set. I started off by stamping the image from the Pinkfresh Studio Cardinal Kiss Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Detail Black Ink.

I placed the stencils on top, one by one, to add ink blending to colour the image in. I used Pinkfresh Studio Hydrangea and Summer Shower Inks for the petals, and Grassy Knoll and Key Lime Inks for the stem and leaves. It was die cut out using the Pinkfresh Studio Cardinal Kiss Die Set.

I created another card base the same as I did for the first card (but this time using it landscape format) using the Pinkfresh Studio Double Stitched Elongated Oval Dies and adhered the flower on top using thin foam tape, cutting the excess stem off the bottom using scissors.

I stamped a sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio Cardinal Kiss Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Pinkfresh Studio Detail Black Ink. It was die cut out using the coordinating die. I cut the die again from white cardstock and adhered it behind the stamped one for added dimension. It was adhered to the card using a combination of Pinkfresh Studio Precision Clear Craft Glue and thin foam tape. To finish, I added black dots using a fine liner pen.

BLOG HOP:

As mentioned, this post is part of a fun and inspirational blog hop. Please click on the other participants links below to visit their blogs.

GIVEAWAY:

Pinkfresh Studio will give away ten $50 gift cards along the hop, selected from the comments left along the hop at random. They will also give away the full release over on the Pinkfresh Studio blog and YouTube Channel. Winners will be announced on the Pinkfresh Studio Giveaway Page on 3rd June 2026. Please make sure to check if you are a winner and claim your prize within two weeks.

SUPPLIES:

Here are the links to what I have used on the projects. Affiliate links are used on some products. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on my link, I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate your support when using these links. Please click on the logo below the product to shop at your favourite store. All products were personally purchased except marked with an asterisk (*) which were kindly sent to me to use. You can read my full disclosure here.

I will be back tomorrow sharing another card using the release but until then, thank you so much for stopping by, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful time on the rest of the hop and a great day!

Spellbinders | Shiny New Day

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Tue, 26 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am delighted to be over on the Spellbinders Blog today sharing a card using the new Shiny New Day Collection. This fun collection is cleaning themed but there are also some flowers in there too (which I am hoping to use soon!).

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

As you can see in the peek above, I used an aqua/teal, white and yellow colour palette for my card. I used the Spellbinders Squeaky Clean Etched Dies cutting them from Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock and arranging them on the left of the card base. I accompanied them with the sentiment from Spellbinders Shiny New Day Sentiments Clear Stamp Set.

SUPPLIES:

I am not going to lie, cleaning isn't a job that I love but I did have a lot of fun making this card! Those dies are made so very well with all the different layers. For more photos and the step by step instructions on how I made the card, please head over to the Spellbinders Blog. Thank you so much for stopping by. As always, it is very much appreciated. I hope you have a great day!

VIDEO | Achieve Smooth Ink Blending with this Vellum Trick!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Sat, 23 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have two tags (and a video) to share using a fun trick to get the appearance of smooth ink blending even if you didn't! I am using this technique for tags today but this will work for cards and other projects too!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my tags by stamping one of the images from the Altenew Flowers & Flourishes Stamp Set onto Altenew Translucent Vellum Paper using Altenew Embossing Ink. I applied Altenew Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder and heat set. I repeated the process so that I had two stamped vellum panels.

I then die cut one of the larger tags from the Altenew Terrific Tags Die Set twice from white cardstock. I die cut the coordinating die for the stamped image onto the tags. I added adhesive onto the back of the tag pieces and then lined them up on top of the stamped image vellum panel.

I cut off the excess around the edges using scissors. I then die cut two more tags from white cardstock and added ink blending to them using Altenew Fresh Dye Inks and Altenew Small Blending Brushes.

The yellow-pink tag uses Chamomile at the top, Snapdragon in the middle, and Fuchsia at the bottom.

The aqua-blue tag uses Aqualicious at the top, Tide Blue in the middle, and Starlight at the bottom.

Once the tags were dry, I adhered the vellum layer on top. This softens the look of the ink blending and removes any imperfections! Even if you didn't get smooth ink blending, it now looks like you did!

I threaded twine through the tops of the tags and tied in bows at the front.

For the sentiments, I die cut the 'hello' word from Altenew Stylish Greetings 2 Die Set five times for each word (so 10 times in total) from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock. I layered them up one on top of another, adhering with liquid glue before adhering to the tags.

For the accompanying sentiment, I stamped the 'sending hugs' from the Altenew Flowers & Flourishes Stamp Set onto Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock and heat embossed in the same way as the vellum. They were cut into strips and adhered to the tags using Altenew Instant Dimension Black Foam Tape. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Clear Iridescent Stellar Sequins.

VIDEO:

Here is the video showing how I made the tags:

If you are viewing this blog post via email subscription, you can watch the video HERE on YouTube.

SUPPLIES:

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great weekend!

Hero Arts | You've Got a Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 21 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card and tag to share using the Hero Arts You've Got a Friend collection. I am using the Abstract Floral Stamp & Cut, as well as the wonderful Hello Friend Stamps & Dies (the dies can be used to coordinate with the stamp set or used as standalone like I have today).

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by stamping the Hero Arts Abstract Floral Stamp Set onto white cardstock. The set can either be stamp layering, so you can stamp the flower centres directly on top of the first layer, or die cut layering - you can stamp them then die cut them out and add them on top that way. I stamped the flowers using Hero Arts Core Inks in Ultra Pink, Orchid (I did these flowers twice for both the card and tag), Paradise and Lemon Yellow.

I then stamped the centres using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink directly on top. I also stamped the leaves using the black ink as well as the branch like pieces for the tag (these are supposed to have flower heads on the top but I left them off!). They were then all die cut out using the Hero Abstract Floral Dies.

For the card, I adhered a panel of white cardstock on top of a US A2 sized white card base using thin foam tape. The leaves were cut apart and adhered to the card using Bearly Art Glue. The flowers were adhered using thin foam squares. I die cut the 'hello' from Hero Arts Hello Friend Die Set. I cut the word itself from Hero Arts Pitch Black Cardstock three times and the shadow from white cardstock twice.

They were layered up one on top of another using liquid glue and then adhered to the card using a combination of foam tape and liquid glue. The sentiment, from Hero Arts Hello Friend Stamp Set, was stamped onto white cardstock using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink and cut into a strip. It was adhered below the 'hello'. To finish, I added black dots using an Altenew 0.1 Fine Liner Pen.

For the tag, I die cut the Hero Arts Tag Infinity Die from white cardstock, as well as the hole reinforcer/eyelet that was adhered over the hole. I adhered the leaves and branches to the tag flat using liquid glue and the flowers with thin foam squares.

I then threaded twine through the top of the tag and tied in a bow. I die cut the 'friend' from Hero Arts Hello Friend Die Set. I die cut the word itself from Hero Arts Pitch Black Cardstock twice, and the shadow from white cardstock twice. They were layered up and adhered using together using liquid glue.

It was adhered flat to the tag using liquid glue. I stamped a sentiment from Hero Arts Hello Friend Stamp Set onto white cardstock using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink and cut it onto a strip. It was adhered below the 'friend' using thin foam tape. To finish, I added black dots using an Altenew 0.1 Fine Liner Pen.

SUPPLIES:

I am not going to lie, I did struggle a little with these flowers. They are very abstract but they are also fun too! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Altenew | Minimalist Magic: Less Is More Class

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Wed, 20 May 2026 15:35:18 +0000

Hello there, I hope you are well! I just wanted to pop in and let you know that I am teaching a lesson in the new Altenew Minimalist Magic: Less Is More Class. Charlene Madrid, Lea Lawson and myself are all sharing pre-recorded videos for the class and Maryam Perez will be teaching a live session.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

The class will take place in June and both the pre-reordered lessons and the live and can watched at any date, you get lifetime access to them! There are also printable step by step instructions provided for every project.

There are three ways to take the class - the class pass only, the class along with the regular kit, and the class with the deluxe kit. The Altenew website shows what you get in the kits. My lesson uses products from the regular and deluxe kit.

If you do want to purchase the kits, you can use the code MINIMALR1 for $10 off the regular kit. Use code MINIMALD1 for $10 off the deluxe kit. Codes expire 27th May 2026.

In my lesson, I talk about the rule of thirds and share a twist on it for clean and simple cardmaking! As you can see from the graphics, the class has a fun underwater theme to it!

SUPPLIES:

Here are the links to the class bundles. Affiliate links are used. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on my link, I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you. I truly appreciate your support when using these links. Please click on the logo below the product to shop at your favourite store. All products were personally purchased except marked with an asterisk (*) which were kindly sent to me to use. You can read my full disclosure here.

If you love clean and simple design, I hope you'll take a look! Thanks so much for popping by, I really appreciate it. I hope you have a great rest of the day! Take care!

VIDEO | Let's Build a House using Yana's Everyday City Holiday Collection!

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Tue, 19 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card and video to share using Yana's Everyday City Holiday Collection from Spellbinders. This collection coordinates with the City Holiday Etched Dies that were released for Christmas and the holidays. Now you can make your apartment buildings/houses/shops etc. into everyday and not just holiday related. I am combining a few new sets today along with the original one.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my house/apartment building by die cutting the main apartment building die, as well as the bricks, from the Spellbinders City Holiday Etched Dies from Spellbinders Seaside ColorWheel Cardstock. I cut the roof, door frame, steps and large window frame from Spellbinders Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock and the cat from Spellbinders Raven ColorWheel Cardstock.

The door itself was cut from Spellbinders Waterfall ColourWheel Cardstock and the inside of the large window cut from Spellbinders Fog ColorWheel Cardstock.

The window frames, window sills and flower boxes, from the Spellbinders Everyday Windows, Curtains and Flower Boxes Etched Dies, were also cut from Spellbinders Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock. The base layer of the windows were cut from Spellbinders Fog ColorWheel Cardstock and the curtains cut from Spellbinders Waterfall (for the straight curtains) and Teal Topaz (for the ones with tie backs) ColorWheel Cardstock.

The foliage was cut from Spellbinders Peridot ColorWheel Cardstock and the roses from Spellbinders Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock.

The awnings, from the Spellbinders Everyday Awnings Etched Dies, were cut from Spellbinders Blue Spruce and Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.

I adhered the bricks onto the building first, using Bearly Art Glue, cutting off the excess overhanging the sides using scissors. I then assembled the windows. I adhered the curtains to the back of the window frames first and then adhered the frame to the base layer using thin foam squares. The window sills were then adhered on top. I adhered the windows (and the door) to the building using Bearly Art Glue.

I adhered the awnings together first and then adhered them to the windows. The small ones were adhered using Bearly Art Glue and the large one with thin foam squares. I adhered the foliage and roses to the flower boxes and then adhered them to the windows using Bearly Art Glue. The cat was adhered to the door step using thin black foam squares.

I adhered the building to a white US A2 sized card base (adhering two other layers behind for dimension). I then adhered the roof on top with thin foam tape (where it overlaps the card base). I hot foiled the sentiment from Spellbinders Welcome Home Sentiments Press + Foil Plate & Die Set onto white cardstock using Spellbinders Opaque Black Foil. It was die cut out and adhered to the card. To finish, I added a Spellbinders Onyx Color Essentials Gem to the door for the handle.

VIDEO:

Here is the video showing how I made the card:

If you are viewing this blog post via email subscription, you can watch the video HERE on YouTube.

SUPPLIES:

I love that you can make these houses/apartments/shops in so many different colour combinations and so many different designs with the different windows, curtains, flower boxes and awnings! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Spellbinders | Stargazers

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Fri, 15 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card to share using the Lisa Horton Summertime collection from Spellbinders. This is such a pretty collection and as soon as I saw the Stargazers, I knew I had to make a card with them! They are one of my favourite flowers!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by die cutting the Spellbinders Stargazers Etched Dies from Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock. I cut the petals from Blush, the centres from Beeswax, and the stems/leaves/buds from Peridot and Rainforest. I added dots to the stargazers using R85 and R83 Copic Markers and then assembled them using Bearly Art Glue.

I die cut the bouquet wrapper from Spellbinders Containers and Foliage Etched Dies from Spellbinders Vellum Sheets. The bow was cut from Spellbinders Seaside and Waterfall ColorWheel Cardstock. I adhered the stems behind the wrapper, followed by the top layer, making sure to only add adhesive where the bow would be adhered on top, so you couldn't see it through the vellum.

I took a US A2 sized card base made from Spellbinders Raven ColorWheel Cardstock and splattered Spellbinders Sparkle Splatter Effects on top. It was set aside to dry before adhering the bouquet on top using thin black foam squares behind the flowers and Bearly Art Glue behind the stems/wrapper/bow part.

I stamped the Spellbinders Love and Hugs Sentiment Clear Stamp Set onto more Raven cardstock using Versamark Ink. I applied Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder and heat set. It was die cut out using the coordinating die and then cut down further into two strips, before adhering to the card with black foam squares. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Pink Color Essentials Gems.

SUPPLIES:

I went traditional with my stargazers today but I have seen loads of lovely colour combos for the stargazers cut from different shades of cardstock from other designers. If I get time, I will have to try some out myself! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day and a great weekend!

VIDEO | Make the Background Part of the Focal Point

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 14 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card (and video) to share where the background blends into the focal point. I feel that this helps to draw your eye into the main focal point which are the flowers and the sentiment. The ink blending also adds a real softness to the card which I like!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by creating the flowers. I die cut the flowers from the die set in the Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Magnificent Magnolias from white cardstock. I then added ink blending to them using Altenew Bubblegum Dreams Fresh Dye Inks for the petals, and Altenew Golden Sunset Fresh Dye Inks for the centres with Altenew Mini Blending Brushes. They were then assembled and adhered using liquid glue.

For the background, I first added a layer of ink blending using Altenew Baby Pink and Fuchsia Inks (Bubblegum Dreams collection) with an Altenew Large Blending Brush to a panel of white cardstock. I then placed the Altenew Paper Echoes Stencil on top and added ink through it with an Altenew Small Blending Brush and Fuchsia Ink. The stencil was removed and the panel adhered to a white A2 sized card base.

I die cut the tall tag from the Altenew Best Wishes Tags Die Set from Altenew Vellum Translucent Paper, adding Altenew Double-Sided Adhesive Sheet to the back of the hole reinforcer/eyelet before die cutting. The hole reinforcer piece was adhered on top and then I added black twine through it.

I adhered the tag to the card with a small amount of Altenew Glue Tape (making sure to add it behind where the flowers will cover it) and then adhered the flowers on top with liquid glue. I stamped a sentiment from the Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Magnificent Magnolias stamp set onto Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock using Altenew Embossing Ink.

I applied Altenew Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip and adhered to the card using Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Clear Iridescent Stellar Sequins.

VIDEO:

Here is the video showing how I made the card:

If you are viewing this blog post via email subscription, you can watch the video HERE on YouTube.

SUPPLIES:

I really love how the Paper Echoes Stencil adds just the right amount of detail to the background without being overwhelming. Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Spellbinders | From My House to Yours

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am delighted to be over on the Spellbinders Blog today sharing a step by step photo tutorial using the new Everyday City Holiday Collection from Yana Smakula. This collection works with the already released City Holiday Etched Dies to go from a holiday/Christmas set, to an everyday set. These houses/apartments are so fun to put together!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

The peek above uses the Spellbinders City Holiday Etched Dies for the main building, roof, bricks, door, main window and cat. I used the new Spellbinders Everyday Windows, Curtains and Flowers Boxes Etched Dies for the windows, inside windows, flowers, flower boxes, curtains and blinds. I also used the new Spellbinders Everyday Awnings Etched Dies for the awning on the large window. The sentiment is from the new Spellbinders Welcome Home Sentiments Press + Foil Plate & Die Set.

SUPPLIES:

I love how you can mix and match all these sets. There are so many different combinations you can do for the different awnings, windows, curtains, flowers etc. Also tons of opportunities for different colour combos too! I will have a video using these sets (as well as a discount code) up next week but in the mean-time, I hope you will check out the blog post. Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great day!

Hero Arts | Don't Stop Believing

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Tue, 12 May 2026 11:46:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card to share using the new Hero Arts Don't Stop Believing collection, which is out now! This fabulous release is Loch Ness Monster themed and is very fun! I am using the Gentle Giant Dies, along with Lake of Legends Stencils for the background.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off by creating the background using the Hero Arts Lake of Legends Stencil Set. I added ink blending through the layers onto a panel of white cardstock using Ink Blending Brushes. I used Altenew Sweet Dreams Fresh Dye Inks for the sea/ocean and sky (as well as the lightest shade for the clouds). The hills/mountains use Altenew Green Valley Fresh Dye Inks. I omitted the fish.

I then adhered the panel onto a US A2 sized white card base with tape runner adhesive. I die cut the Hero Arts Gentle Giant Die Set from Spellbinders Lavender ColorWheel Cardstock for the top layer of the Loch Ness Monster/Nessie, and Spellbinders Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock for the back layer. I added ink blending to both using Altenew Enchanted Garden Fresh Dye Inks.

There is a die to cut from black cardstock to add behind the head to add colour to the eye, but I decided to just colour onto the back layer of the head with a Black 110 Copic Marker instead. The pieces were assembled and adhered using Bearly Art Glue. I adhered her body first to the card using thin foam tape, followed by her tail. The excess was cut off the sides of the card using scissors.

I die cut the boat from Spellbinders Raven, Anchor and Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock. I adhered the pieces together first with Bearly Art Glue and then adhered to the card. I took the sentiment from the Hero Arts Hello friend Stamp Set and stamped it onto Hero Arts Pitch Black Cardstock using Versamark Ink. I applied Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder and heat set. It was cut into two strips and adhered to the card using more thin foam tape.

SUPPLIES:

Is the Loch Ness Monster purple in colour? Probably not! But who knows, maybe she is! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really appreciate it. I hope you have wonderful day!

Spellbinders | Classic Mouse Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Sun, 10 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have a card to share using the new Spellbinders Classic Mouse Wedding Collection that is part of the May 2026 release, which is out now! The collection features the Classic Mouse Wedding die set (the mice as well as their clothing), an accessories die set (bouquet, rings, champagne etc), a sentiment set, and a background plate.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by die cutting the Spellbinders Classic Mouse Wedding Etched Dies from Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock. I cut the mice from Raven, Alabaster and Poppy. The suit was die cut from Anchor, the waistcoat from Classic White, the shoes from Classic White and Raven, the bow tie from Lavender, and the hat from Anchor and Lavender.

The dress was cut from Classic White and Fairy Tale, the veil from Classic White and Lavender, and the shoes from Lavender. The bouquet, from Spellbinders Classic Mouse Wedding Accessories Etched Dies, was cut from Rainforest, Fairy Tale and Lilac. The mice were assembled and adhered using Bearly Art Glue (there is a guide of how to do it on the Spellbinders website).

I die cut the largest Spellbinders Essential Arches Die from white cardstock and then again twice from Spellbinders Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock. I scored one of the lilac ones towards the top to create a hinge and added adhesive to it. It was then adhered to the back of the other one to create the card base. I cut the white one down a little and adhered it on top using thin foam tape.

The mice were adhered on top using thin foam tape also. I die cut the hearts from the Spellbinders Classic Mouse Wedding Accessories Etched Dies from Spellbinders Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock and adhered them above the mice. The Spellbinders Classic Mouse Wedding Sentiments Press + Foil Plate was hot foiled onto white cardstock using Spellbinders Opaque Black Foil. It was then die cut out using the coordinating die and the 'Just Married' one adhered to the card. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Prism AB Color Essentials Gems on the veil and bow tie.

SUPPLIES:

Aren't they just adorable? I love them! This would be perfect in so many different colour combos but of course, I went with purple for my card today! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great rest of the weekend!

Altenew | May 2026 Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Sat, 09 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am delighted to be joining Altenew today for a fun and inspirational blog hop to celebrate the May 2026 release. I already shared one card using the release HERE and today, I have two more to share.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

Both my cards today use the Craft-A-Flower: Grand Dahlia Layering Die Set.

My first card uses the large flower from the Altenew Craft-A-Flower: Grand Dahlia Layering Die Set. It was die cut from white cardstock, as well as the leaves. I added ink blending to them using Altenew Fresh Dye Inks and Altenew Mini Blending Brushes. I used Sweet Dreams inks for the petals and Green Valley inks for the leaves. The flower was assembled using liquid glue and the keyhole system (each petal has a keyhole shape die cut from the centre to help line up each petal one on top of each other).

I took a panel of white cardstock and placed the Altenew Paper Echoes Stencil on top, holding in place with low-tack tape. I then spread a layer of the new Altenew Iridescent Glitter Relief Paste on top using an Altenew Palette Knife. I just added the paste to the left hand side of the card. I removed the stencil (cleaned it) and left the panel to dry. Once dry, it was adhered to a US A2 sized white card base with Altenew Glue Tape.

The leaves were adhered on top first, followed by the flower, using liquid glue. I stamped the sentiment from the Altenew Flowers & Flourishes Stamp Set onto Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock using Altenew Embossing Ink. I applied Altenew Pure White Crisp Embossing Powder and heat set. It was cut into a strip and adhered to the card using Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape.

Sadly the paste is very difficult to see in the photos but in real-life, it is so pretty!

My next card uses the small flower from Altenew Craft-A-Flower: Grand Dahlia Layering Die Set. It was die cut from white cardstock twice, as well as the leaves. I added ink blending on top using Altenew Shades of Purple Fresh Dye Inks for petals and Altenew Green Valley Fresh Dye Inks for the leaves.

The flowers were assembled using liquid glue. I adhered the leaves to a white US A2 sized white card base first, followed by the flowers, both using liquid glue. I then die cut the 'hello' sentiment from the Altenew Stylish Greetings 2 Die Set.

I cut the shadow layer twice from white cardstock and the word layer twice from Altenew Crafty Necessities: Jet Black Cardstock. They were adhered one on top of another and then adhered to the card using a combination of liquid glue and Altenew Instant Dimension Foam Tape. To finish, I embellished with Altenew Clear Iridescent Stellar Sequins.

BLOG HOP:

As mentioned, this post is part of a fun and inspirational blog hop. Please click on the links below to be taken to the other participants blogs.

GIVEAWAY:

$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $50 gift certificate to 4 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by May 15th for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 5 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew's Blog Hop Post on May 16th, 2026. The winner of the $100 gift certificate will be chosen from comments left on the Altenew blog.

SUPPLIES:

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a great time on the rest of the hop and a wonderful rest of the day too! Take care!

Spellbinders | May 2026 Club Kits

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Fri, 08 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Hello there, today I have two cards to share using Spellbinders May 2026 Club Kits. The first card uses the Small Die of the Month and the Embossing Folder of the Month. The second card uses one of the free gift that you receive if you get the All-Clubs Crate.

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

For my first card, I started off by die cutting the Spellbinders May 2026 Small Die of the Month Club Kit called 'Ready to Roll' which features a suitcase, a dog, a cat and items to put in the suitcase. I die cut the suitcase from Spellbinders Lilac, Lavender and Raven ColorWheel Cardstock. The shirts/clothing from Spellbinders Classic White and Fairy Tale ColorWheel Cardstock, the ticket from Classic White and Fairy Tale ColorWheel Cardstock, and the passport from Cosmic Sky and Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.

I assembled the suitcase first, adding in the ticket and passport to the pocket before adhering the netting for the pocket on top. I then die cut the dog from Spellbinders Fawn, Truffle, Raven and Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock. The glasses were cut from Spellbinders Fairy Tale ColorWheel Cardstock. The cat was cut from Spellbinders Fog, Raven and Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock.

They were assembled and adhered using Bearly Art Glue. I took a panel of white cardstock and stamped the sentiment from Spellbinders Summertime Sentiments Clear Stamp Set at the bottom using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink. I then placed the panel inside the Spellbinders May 2026 Embossing Folder of the Month Club Kit called 'Poolside' leaving the bottom hanging out. I then ran it though my die cutting machine to add the embossing to the top part of the panel.

The panel was adhered to a white US A2 sized card base using tape runner. The suitcase was adhered on top using thin foam tape, followed by the cat. The hearts, from the insides of the glasses, were adhered above the suitcase.

My next card uses the Spellbinders All-Clubs Crate die set called 'Red, White & Bloom'. It is made to celebrate 4th July but since it is not something I celebrate, I thought I would use it in a different way and just added the flowers to the hat instead!

I die cut the hat from Spellbinders Raven ColorWheel Cardstock and the band from Teal Topaz. It was assembled and adhered together using Bearly Art Glue before adhering to a US A2 sized white card base with thin foam tape. I die cut the foliage from Spellbinders Peridot and Rainforest ColorWheel Cardstock.

The flowers were die cut from Spellbinders Seaside, Waterfall, Blush and Tutu ColorWheel Cardstock. The flower centres were die cut from Spellbinders Beeswax ColorWheel Cardstock. They were arranged inside the hat and adhered using a combination of thin foam tape and liquid glue.

I hot foiled a sentiment from Spellbinders Birthday Wishes Sentiments BetterPress Plate & Die Set onto white cardstock using Spellbinders Silver Foil using the Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil System. It was die cut out and adhered to the card with a combination of foam tape on the right and liquid glue on the left. To finish, I embellished with Spellbinders Pink Color Essentials Gems.

SUPPLIES:

Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day! Take care!

VIDEO | Create the Illusion of Layers with Pinkfresh Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle Short) — Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Hello there, I am delighted to be over on the Pinkfresh Studio YouTube Channel today sharing a card where I am creating the illusion of layers. There are some actual layers on the card but there are less than what it appears!

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. Please see below for my full disclosure.

I started off my card by taking the Pinkfresh Studio Golden Poppies Stencils. I placed each stencil, one by one, onto a panel of white cardstock and added ink blending to them using Pinkfresh Studio 1/2" Blending Brushes.

Stencil 1 & 2 - I used Sparkling Rose, Bubble Gum and Candy Violet Inks.
Stencil 3 - I used Sparkling Rose, Bubble Gum and Candy Violet Inks for the large flower, and Turquoise Ink for the butterfly.
Stencil 4 - I used Sparkling Rose, Bubble Gum and Candy Violet Inks for the small flowers, and Turquoise Ink for the butterfly. I used the residual pink and purple ink for the flower buds.
Stencil 5 - I used Detail Black Ink.
Stencil 6 - I used Summer Shower (with a 1" Blending Brush) and Seaside Inks.

The ink blending for the smaller, more closed flowers adds two layers of petals. This is the first way where it looks like I have added layers when I didn't. You can just cut these dies from cardstock (and then add ink blending if you want to), but adding the stencilling on top really brings these flowers to life!

The panel was then die cut out using the Pinkfresh Studio Golden Poppies Die Set. For the card base, I wanted something to draw your eye into the focal point (the bouquet of flowers) but I didn't want to add an actual layer, so I embossed one instead! I placed a Pinkfresh Studio Nested Hexagon Double Stitch Die on top of a panel of white cardstock and ran it through my die cutting machine to deboss the die onto the cardstock.

The die impresses into the cardstock thanks to the silicone mat and prevents the die from cutting into the cardstock. You can use the front (the debossed side) or the back (the embossed side). For today's card I used the front. It was adhered to a white US A2 sized card base with tape runner adhesive. The leaves and foliage were then adhered on top using Pinkfresh Studio Precision Clear Craft Glue. The flowers were adhered using thin foam squares.

I stamped a sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio Blooming Daydream Stamp Set onto white cardstock using black ink. It was die cut out using the Pinkfresh Studio Blooming Daydream Die. I cut the die again from white cardstock and adhered it behind the stamped one for stability. The sentiment was then adhered onto the card using a combination of foam tape and liquid glue. To finish, I embellished with Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Dew Drops.

VIDEO:

Here is the video showing how I made the card:

If you are viewing this blog post via email subscription, you can watch the video HERE on YouTube.

SUPPLIES:

I know blue leaves aren't for everyone but I thought they looked really pretty against the pink flowers. I really love the illusion of adding in a layer with the embossing of the die. I used to do this all the time on my cards, so I am really happy to have found the technique again! It's a great way of adding layers to cards without the bulk! Thank you so much for stopping by today, I really do appreciate it! Take care!