Spellbinders Blog

Hi everyone!  My name is Melissa Phillips, and I’m delighted to join you today in celebration of Simon Hurley’s new Spring collection called Happy Spring.  I’ve created three projects for you using the cutest Spring and Easter products from this line, beginning with the new Bunny Buddies dies, Ornate Eggs Embossing Folder, and stencils. My Happy Spring card begins by using the Perfect Touch Arches Etched Dies from the On the Farm Collection.  I used the largest arch and ran it through my die cut machine with the Ornate Eggs Embossing Folder. After embossing the eggs, I used the coordinating Layered Ornate Eggs Stencils to add soft pastel color to my background.  I added a smaller arch where I began building my sweet bunny scene after sponging aqua ink across the top of my arch. The darling bunnies from Simon Hurley’s Bunny Buddies Die Collection are filled with mix-and-match images, flowers, eggs, a butterfly, bow, and so much more that can provide you with endless hours of creativity as you build each bunny and its accompanying scene. I used the tiny bunny holding flowers behind its back and added a tiny little butterfly fluttering near its nose.  Die cut grass across the bottom, and more spring flowers were the perfect finishing touch, as was the die cut sentiment beneath my scene. A bit larger bunny was used on my Happy Easter card, selecting one that sits perched in the grass.  My background was created using the Ornate Eggs Embossing Folder and aqua ink to highlight the beautifully embossed eggs.  After embossing and stenciling my large eggs using the Ornate Eggs Embossing Folder and Layered Ornate Eggs Stencils, I used the egg die from Bunny Buddies and cut out two of the larger eggs.  They are the perfect addition on both sides of my bunny. Two of the Perfect Touch Arches Etched Dies were used to build my scene and provided the perfect place to add die-cut grass, bunny, eggs, butterfly, and flowers. Each Bunny Buddy comes with separate die-cut arms, tail, ears, and other pieces, which allow you to customize each bunny.  No two will look alike! All that was missing on my card was the tiny die-cut sentiment, which I adhered across the bottom once again.  Bunny Buddies comes with two different die cut sentiments and allows you to create a two-toned look if you enjoying layering or a simple one- layered look if you choose.  Pure creativity! My last project uses the beautiful In Bloom Egg.  This lovely die collection creates a one or two-layered egg in minutes.  It’s delicate, detailed, and ornate, and it quickly became a favorite of mine.  Easily create a card by adding it to a card base or simply tie it to a spring package…the choice is yours! I began by cutting my top layer from white cardstock and my bottom layer from a very subtle patterned paper that would show a gentle transition between the two layers.  I separated the intricate vines, leaves, and floral die-cut images from the top layer and added color to them using ink blending.  I focused on using soft pinks and a deep red for the centers of my flowers and two shades of green for my vines and leaves. My sentiment was stamped on a small die-cut arch and added to the center of my egg after wrapping scrunched seam binding around the center of my egg and tying it in a double bow on the side.  I added a few die-cut stems, leaves, and flowers surrounding my sentiment, and love the shabby, feminine feel of this finished project.  Imagine how cute this will look tied to a gift bag or attached to a sweet Easter treat! Ranger Distress Spritz, Crystal Stickles Glitter, Adhesive pearls, scrunched seam binding, patterned paper Thank you so much for joining me today.  Fill your cart full of these inspiring, new Simon Hurley products and pull out your favorite patterned paper, ribbon, and embellishments!  I hope you enjoy every minute of creating. Melissa [spellbinders-supplies]S5-749,S5-751,E3D-169,STN-124,S5-649[/spellbinders-supplies]

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Hello crafty friends! It’s Lisa Tilson, and I am thrilled to be back on the Spellbinders blog with you today. I’m here to share a step-by-step tutorial using the In Bloom Egg Etched Dies from the Simon Hurley Happy Spring Collection. I am going to be doing one of my favourite techniques – die cut inlay. This is one of the first die-cutting techniques I was taught back when I started cardmaking many moons ago! It is still a favourite and often a go-to technique. It’s like doing a mini jigsaw, and I find it very therapeutic. Due to the nature of die cutting from several colours of cardstock, like I do today, you will have spare die cuts which can be used on other cards. It’s a win-win! So let’s get started with our card for today.

Spring Smiles Ahead

For all my die cutting, I am using the Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine with my die cutting sandwich as follows (from bottom to top):

• Plate A – Platform Base
• Plate B – Platform Top
• Plate C – Cutting Plate
• Plate C – Cutting Plate

Your cardstock/die will be inserted between the two cutting plates with the die sitting on top of the cardstock.

1. Start off by taking the In Bloom Egg Etched Dies detail die and die cutting it from panels of Wild Berry, Tutu, Blush, and Rainforest ColorWheel Cardstock. I almost always tape my die to my cardstock using Best Ever Craft Tape so that it doesn’t move around when passing through the machine. For a detailed die like we are using today, I will often run it through my machine four times, rotating it as I go. If you find you are not getting a good cut, insert one or two paper shims, and this will help.

2. Next, cover a panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock with White Liner Adhesive Sheet. Tape your die on top and run it through your die-cutting machine.
3. Also, die-cut the detailed die from a panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock. You will not need the outline die for this part.

4. The picture above shows what you will have at the end of this section of die cutting.

5. Using your Tool ‘n One, pop out all of the pieces from the white detailed die cut. Keep these for future projects!
6. Peel back the adhesive sheet from the plain egg panel and adhere the detailed panel on top.

7. It’s now time to start inlaying your leaves and flowers. I started by removing all the green leaves from their panel, and then using tweezers, I placed them into their respective openings. As you have an adhesive sheet underneath your openings, each die cut will be held securely in place. I find it easier to remove and place one die cut at a time rather than popping them all out and then working out which bit goes where. This is especially helpful when you have small leaves of varying sizes!

8. Now remove three of the flowers from your Wild Berry panel and pop them in place.

9. Repeat this using three Blush

10. Finish by adding in your three Tutu You will have lots of spare pieces at this point. Don’t waste them, keep them, and use them on another project.

11. Adhere all the tiny dots into their openings. I was not very prescriptive here! I just randomly popped in different coloured dots here and there. You could also die-cut these from a panel of glitter cardstock – that would be really pretty! You could even add gems here if you wanted some extra sparkle!

12. Next, take another panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock and, once again, die cut the outline egg die from it.

13. After die cutting it, cut a tiny slither off the bottom of it. This panel is going to be used as the back panel of your card, and it will help it stand up when finished.

14. Pop it into your scoring tool and score a small line towards the top of the egg.

15. Add some double-sided tape onto the tiny section above the score line. This is going to create a hinge mechanism. Make sure you use a strong adhesive for this part.
16. Remove the backing tape from the double-sided tape and adhere your inlaid panel down on top.

17. The picture above shows how the final card will look once you stand it up. It’s a very easy way of making a circular/oval-shaped card stand up on its own. It won’t need to lean against anything on a shelf.

18. For my sentiment, I am using the Spring Canopy Glimmer Hot Foil Set. This was the February 2025 Glimmer of the Month Kit, and it contains a variety of Spring/Easter sentiments. I selected a sentiment and adhered it onto a panel of Raven ColorWheel Cardstock with some Matte Gold Glimmer Hot Foil beneath it.
19. Make sure that your foil is pretty side up and your plate is face down.
20. I taped my sentiment to hold it steady and waited for my Glimmer Hot Foil System to heat up.

21. When you see the green light (Platform Ready) light appear below the red light (Power), it is time to place your cardstock onto the platform. The sentiment plate must be directly on top of your heated-up platform.
22. Pop on your two additional plates at this point (the green and clear plates that come with your machine). The green plate should be under the clear plate.
23. Press the timer button, and it will start flashing.

24. When the timer button stops flashing, remove your platform and run it through your Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine. You don’t need any other plates at this point. Just the platform you have removed from your Glimmer System.

25. Now remove your foil and take a look at your beautiful sentiment! This never gets old for me. I was late to the party with foiling and only started about five years ago. I absolutely love a foiled sentiment!

26. Trim your sentiment to size using the Guillotine Paper Trimmer.

27. Add some Black Foam Squares onto the back of your sentiment and adhere it onto your panel.

28. Finish by adding some Spectrum AB Color Essential Gems into the centres of the flowers.

That brings us to the end of my card using this pretty die set. I hope it gives you an idea of how to play with this die. If you would like to see more of my cards, I would love to have you join me over on my blog, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. In the meantime, thank you so much for joining me here on the Spellbinders blog today. I hope that you have a great day! [spellbinders-supplies]GOM-FEB25,S5-751,GLF-002,CS-8-104,CS-8-103,CS-8-119,CS-8-106,CS-8-148,CS-8-147,SCS-239,SCS-167,SCS-268,SCS-123,T-035,T-024,T-042,T-043,T-066,PE-104,GLS-005[/spellbinders-supplies]

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Embellishment Wand, Clear Double-Sided Tape (3mm width)

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Hello, crafty friends!! Brenda Noelke here from My PaperCut Creations! I’m thrilled to be a guest on the Spellbinders blog today!! I’m combining pattern paper, stickers, chipboard stickers, and die-cut to create three cards with the Rosie’s Studio Breakfast In Bed Collection!! There’s also an embellishment bundle that includes several products from this collection. I had so much fun mixing and matching these goodies!!

TIME TO CELEBRATE YOU

I began by trimming a piece of pattern paper from the 6” x 6” Designer Paper Pad to 4.25” x 5.5”. I die-cut a panel of Celestial cardstock with a stitched rectangle die from the Nested Postage Labels and Tag Die Set and a panel of white cardstock with one of the dies in the A2 Matting Basics A Die Set. Both panels were adhered to the pattern paper with liquid glue. From there, I added a die-cut floral sticker and a border, and a small flower from the sticker book. A die-cut sentiment strip from the die-cut ephemera sentiments pack and a butterfly from the die-cut ephemera pack were adhered with foam squares. A sprinkling of Crystal Mix Color Essential Gems adds a bit of shine and completes this card.

THINKING OF YOU

I chose some of the stunning florals in the die-cut ephemera pack for my second card. The pattern paper creates such a cohesive design!! I began by trimming a piece of pattern paper from the 6” x 6” Designer Paper Pad slightly smaller than A2 and adhering it to a panel of Chiffon cardstock. A piece of striped paper from the same paper pad was adhered across the center of the background. I die-cut a piece of Chiffon cardstock and white cardstock with dies from the Nested Postage Labels & Tag Die Set and adhered them with liquid glue. The floral, leaf, and heart die-cuts are from the die-cut ephemera pack. The leaves and floral bouquet were adhered with liquid glue. The sentiment and bird are from the chipboard sticker pack. The bird was popped up with foam squares, along with the tiny circle heart die-cut. Fashion Bella Pearls were the perfect finishing touch.

FIND TIME FOR THE SIMPLE THINGS

I fell in love with the pattern paper on my last card! The heart pattern paper from the 6” x 6” Designer Paper Pad was trimmed slightly smaller than A2 and adhered to an A2 panel of blue pattern paper from the same paper pack. I tied a bit of twine through the die-cut tag, then adhered it, a die-cut floral sticker, and one other tag to the background. The chipboard sentiment was added across the tags. Two circle heart die-cuts, from the die-cut ephemera pack, were popped up with foam squares, and the same Fashion Bella Pearls finish this one off. You can find more of my work on my blog My PaperCut Creations or on Instagram @mypapercutcreations!! Thank you so much for stopping by today!! Happy crafting! [spellbinders-supplies]PE-104,RBD-011,169214,169265,169219,169218,169216,169217,169220,CS-8-108,CS-12-132,S5-635,S5-131,SCS-214,SCS-128[/spellbinders-supplies]

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Liquid glue, 80 & 110 lb. white cardstock, twine

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