How to Make a Light-Up Halloween Card with Spellbinders

Hello, cardmaking friends! It’s Mona Tóth here, and I’m so happy to be back on the Spellbinders blog with another detailed step-by-step tutorial.

Today, I’m creating a colorful light-up Halloween card featuring the new Midnight Mischief Collection by Spellbinders. For this project, I used the Winged Shadows Press + Foil Plate, the Boo Parade Die Set, and the Color Block Accent Rectangles Die Set.

My color inspiration came from two very different places: classic candy corn and the beautiful, vibrant colors of Coco movie. For the colors I combined saffron, terracotta, dahlia, and mulberry shades to create a Halloween card that feels warm, bright, and playful.

I also added a fun LED light element, so the die-cut shapes get a soft flow behind them. When you turn off the lights and push the cat, magic happens.

Let’s start creating!

HOT FOIL THE SENTIMENT

For this project, you will need the Glimmer Hot Foil System as well as the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

1. Turn it on and wait until the “Platform Ready” light turns green.

2. Place the sentiment plate from the Winged Shadows Press + Foil Plate onto the heated platform.
3. Press the timer button and wait until the timer light turns solid green.

4. Cut a piece of black foil from the Glimmer Hot Foil 2 Rolls and place it over the heated plate with the shiny side facing down.

5. Place a piece of vellum over the foil.

6. Place the Glimmer Spacer Pad and Thin Shim on the vellum.

TIP: I also added some extra cardstock as a shim between them for a better result. The correct placement order from the bottom is: Thin Shim, extra cardstock, and the Spacer Pad on the top.

7. Remove the platform from the base and slowly run it through the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

8. Carefully remove the shims and peel away the foil to reveal the “A Little Something Wicked!” sentiment.

DIE-CUTTING THE COLOR BLOCKS

1. Select the second largest die from the Color Block Accent Rectangles Die Set.
2. Position the die over Saffron ColorWheel Cardstock

3. Tape the die onto the cardstock with Best Ever Craft Tape to keep it in place.
4. Create the die-cutting sandwich for the Platinum SIX die-cutting Machine. Place the plates in this order from bottom to top: Platform A, Platform B, Cutting Plate C, cardstock with the dies, second Cutting Plate C.
5. Repeat the same process with Terra Cotta ColorWheel Cardstock.

6. Use two layers from the Precision Layering A2 A Etched Dies to cut a frame.
   TIP: I used Layer 6: 3.00 x 4.25 in. and Layer 7: 2.75 x 4.00 in. Fix them with the Best Ever Craft Tape.

7. Place the taped dies onto Mulberry ColorWheel Cardstock.

TIP: Place the dies onto the cardstock with the cutting edge facing down.

8. Use the Layer 4: 3.50 x 4.75 in. die from the Precision Layering A2 A Etched Dies to cut from Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.

9. Use the Layer 1: 4.25 x 5.50 in. die from the Precision Layering A2 A Etched Dies to cut from Dahlia ColorWheel Cardstock.

10. Cut off every second cut-out square around the edges of the Saffron cardstock.

TIP: When you cut off every other square from the Color Block Accent Rectangle die-cut, you can make a tricolor color block frame. This striped border reminds me of candy corn and adds a playful pattern without needing any stamping.

11. Apply Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue to the back of the Saffron cardstock.

12. Layer the Saffron and Terracotta cardstocks so the Terracotta color appears through the rectangular openings around the edge.

13. Press the layers together by your hand and check that the border remains evenly aligned.
14. Apply Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue to the back of the Terracotta cardstock.

15. Place the adhered Saffron and Terracotta cardstocks on the Classic White die-cut.

16. Use two layers from the Precision Layering A2 A Etched Dies. I used Layer 6: 3.00 x 4.25 in. and Layer 9: 2.25 x 3.50 in.. Fix them with the Best Ever Craft Tape.

TIP: I die-cut this frame from the already die-cut Dahlia cardstock to save on cardstock. This part of the cardstock will be covered by the color block panel anyway.

17. Create the die-cutting sandwich for the Platinum SIX die-cutting Machine. Place the plates in this order from bottom to top: Platform A, Platform B, Cutting Plate C, cardstock with the dies, second Cutting Plate C.

18. Here are all the frames and die-cuts together; now it’s time to die-cut the foiled vellum.

19. For the vellum use Layer 6: 3.00 x 4.25 in. from the Precision Layering A2 A Etched Dies. Fix it with craft tape and cut with your die-cutting machine.

DIE CUT THE BOO PARADE SCENE

1. Place the main silhouette die from the Boo Parade Die Set over Mulberry ColorWheel Cardstock and Glitter Metallic Cardstock from the Rose Gold Assortment Treasured Cardstock Pack.
2. Secure the dies with Best Ever Craft Tape with the cutting edge facing down.

3. Create the die-cutting sandwich for the Platinum SIX die-cutting Machine. Place the plates in this order from bottom to top: Platform A, Platform B, Cutting Plate C, cardstock with the dies, second Cutting Plate C.

4. Run it through the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

ASSEMBLING THE COLOR BLOCK ELEMENTS

1. Apply a thin line of liquid glue to the back of the larger Dahlia frame and adhere it to white A2 cardstock.

2. Apply liquid glue to the back of the Classic White-Terra Cotta-Saffron panel and adhere it to the Dahlia frame.

3. Add liquid glue to the smaller Dahlia frame, then turn over the hot foiled vellum and adhere it on the frame.

4. Add liquid glue to the thin Mulberry frame, then adhere it to the front of the smaller Dahlia frame.

5. Here are the two finished parts together.

CREATE THE SCENE

1. Turn over the smaller frame with the vellum.
2. Add White Foam Adhesive Micro Strips around the frame.

3. Place the Boo Parade silhouette on the top of the foam strips, behind the vellum window.
4. Test its position and add more foam strips to hold the die-cut if needed.

TIP: I put the die-cut on foam strips because I wanted to achieve soft edges when it lights up.

5. Cut an additional piece of Mulberry cardstock to support the lower part of the silhouette and to hide the LED light.
6. Trim it so the top edge follows the ground beneath the characters.

Before attaching anything permanently, decide where the One Light LED will sit behind the card front.

POSITION THE LED LIGHT

1. Place the battery into the One Light LED system

2. Check with the switch if it's working.

3. Add liquid glue to the cardstock.

4. Place the One Light battery and add craft tape for additional fixing.

5. Remove the backing paper from the adhesive strips
6. Add a second layer of White Foam Adhesive Micro Strips.

7. Remove the backing paper from the second layer.
8. Add a third layer because the light system is thicker and more adhesive strip layers are needed.

9. Add Small White Foam Adhesive Squares in two layers to the diecut and the LED light switch as well.

10. Remove the backing paper from the adhesive strips, turn over the whole panel and adhere it to the Saffron base.

ADD THE GLITTER CAT AND STARS

1. Apply Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue to the back of the glitter cat.
2. Attach the cat near the bottom of the vellum window so it’s connected to the frame.

3. Add small amounts of liquid glue to the vellum and place the small glitter stars. Use Reverse Tweezers to position them accurately.

4. The light switch is under the cat and if you press it will light up.

The sparkling cat and stars add a final magical touch and connect beautifully with the colorful, Coco-inspired palette. The Saffron, Terra cotta, Dahlia, and Mulberry shades are a great combo to try for a non-traditional Halloween card.

Thank you so much for spending your creative time with me today. I hope this tutorial inspires you to get crafty. For more inspiration and easy-to-follow photography tips for cardmakers, check my Instagram, and let's be online crafty friends. I wish you an amazing crafty day! Mona

Other Supplies

One Light LED system, white A2 cardstock