Hello! Have you check out any of the dies from Susan Tierney-Cockburn for Spellbinders? They are amazing and create the most wonderful 3D images. My first time playing with them was not a huge success but I don’t give up so today I’m sharing what I have done with some of the dies in her Holiday collection.
First, let me say, these are not quick and easy dies to use. When you use them you should refer to her YouTube videos for how to assemble them. Second, it wasn’t until I added splatter that these die cuts really came to life.
1. Die cut all images from the colors you wish them to be. Be sure to note on the die how many times you should cut some. Alternatively, you could cut from white cardstock and color them in but this really was a time saver for me.
The greenery was cut from Meadow Cardstock and Kiwi Cardstock.
2. Divide them up into something like a muffin tin to keep track of so many dies, especially the little ones.
3. Add shading to the die cuts with a few darker Copic markers (See below for colors used). This makes a huge difference and does not have to be nearly as precise as coloring the entire die cut. I also added the berries with Nuvo drops in Simply White and Postbox Red and set them aside to dry.
4. Follow the instructions in the video on Spellbinders’ YouTube Channel for how to shape and assemble each die cut. I find Susan’s Garden Ultimate Tool kit to be essential for this process but I also use it on so many other projects! I also used Bearly Arts Precision Glue because it is what I have but a thicker, faster drying glue would be better.
5. I cut two of the lantern from Garden Lantern die set with Chestnut cardstock pieces and sandwiched the candle cut from ivory cardstock between the two with foam tape. I offset the candle so it could be seen easier and colored the flame with Copic Markers.
I adhered the top and side of the two lantern pieces together then punched a hole at the top and ran twine through it.
6. Next I splattered the lantern with gold metallic watercolor, covering the candle with scrap paper.
7. I added pine sprigs from Pine Cone and Evergreen Bough with Ladybugs die set and mistletoe from Winterberry and Mistletoe dies and ladybugs and adhered them to the lantern. I added white gouache to the edges of the leaves and pine sprigs.
8. For the wreath, i used the Woodland Wreath and Feathered Friends dies, I cut it once from Sand cardstock and once from brown cardstock. I adhered them together making sure they didn’t line up.
9. I added winterberry and mistletoe leaves from the Winterberry and Mistletoe dies but I didn’t have anything to work in the center. I foolishly didn’t not order any actual flowers from the collection. I, instead used a small poinsettia from another Christmas Blooms die set. I added a black gem to the center.
10. I fluffed up the branches and splattered with white gouache all over. I also added it to the tips of the flower amd leaves.
11. I added a piece of twine to hang this project also.
12. For the card, hot foil the the Skinny Stripe Background Glimmer Plate on Nautical cardstock with Polished Brass Hot Foil Roll. Cut down to 4” x 5 1/4”.
13. Assemble pine cone from the Pine Cone and Evergreen Bough with Ladybugs die set. Before I adhered it to the card I added the sprigs and the leaves from Winterberry and Mistletoe dies. Some under and some over the pine cone. Add white gouache as I’ve don’t above. I then added it all to card.
14. Hot foil the sentiment from the Mini Christmas Sentiment Strips Glimmer Plates with the same foil. Cut into a small strip. Situate the cardinal cut from Cherry cardstock so it sits on the sentiment and glue in place.
15. Add the sentiment so the cardinal from Woodland Wreath and Feathered Friends dies is hiding the bottom of the pine cone where I have a few mistakes. You may not have any mistakes so you can place it anywhere.
16. Add panel to an A2 nautical card base.
I am quite please how these turned out. At some points along the way, I wanted to give up but I’m glad I didn’t. I must say the number one thing that changed my mind has to be the splatter and the white tips to the die cuts.
Be sure to check out the YouTube videos. They were invaluable in creating these projects. Have fun and don’t stress if you can’t get it perfectly right. Some detail is always better than none.
Thanks for visiting!
