Spellbinders Blog

Hi, crafty friends! Lea Lawson here with you today, creating a card featuring the beautiful new Cascading Coneflowers collection by Simon Hurley.

I’m sharing my step-by-step process in easy-to-follow photos and instructions! To start, we are going to ink blend a 4” x 5.25” panel of Classic White cardstock with a coordinating shade of ink. We will deepen the blend at the top to give the panel an ombre gradient from top to bottom. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" size="medium" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-2.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-3.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-4.webp"] Next, we are going to 3D emboss the panel with the Cascading Dots embossing folder. The best plate sandwich for running this through your Platinum 6 is Platform Base A, 3D Embossing Folder with paper inside, and Adapter Plate D.

TIP (not pictured): To help the paper not crack, I like to mist the back of my cardstock with a little bit of water. Some crafters prefer to mist the front, but I have found the back works best for me!

[gallery type="rectangular" columns="2" link="file" size="large" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-5.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-6.webp"] Because the paper has been spritzed with water, I like to add foam tape very soon after embossing to prevent warping. Then adhere the blended & embossed background to an A2-sized card base cut & folded from Classic White cardstock. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-7.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-8.webp"] Now we are going to start diecutting the Wild Coneflowers die set. Diecut the leaves from Rainforest cardstock and the Stems from Fern cardstock. Diecut one layer of the flowers from Beeswax cardstock, and the other layer from Saffron cardstock. Diecut the flower middles from the Antique White Glitter Metallic cardstock, and the middle border from Brushed Gold cardstock. With the coneflower diecutting done, we are now going to ink blend the bottom of the leaves with green ink, and the top of the glitter flower middles with yellow ink. I find a grip mat useful for ink blending diecut pieces, but it is optional! [gallery type="rectangular" columns="2" link="file" size="large" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-12.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-13.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-14.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-15.webp"] It’s now time to start assembling the coneflowers. I start by gluing together all the flower petal layers first, then gluing the middles and middle borders into place after that. TIP: Liquid glue needs a little time to set when adhering to glitter cardstock, and I find it helpful to place a clear block over top while it dries. [gallery type="rectangular" columns="2" link="file" size="large" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-17.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-18.webp"] Once the glue is set on the flowers, next I am attaching them to the top of each stem with liquid glue. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-19.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-20.webp"] Next, we are going to arrange and glue the cornflower stems to the card front, adding foam circles to the back of the flowers for added dimension. I didn’t love how the top stem stuck out a little bit, so I trimmed the lower portion of the stem away and tucked the remaining part of it out of view. [gallery type="rectangular" columns="2" size="large" link="file" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-22.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-23.webp"] I like to adhere leaves last once the flower stems are in place, adding liquid glue to only the bottoms of the leaves. This allows them to have some natural dimension without using foam adhesive! Finally, we need to diecut the sentiment. I’ve cut the scripted word Hello three times: once from Brushed Gold cardstock and twice from white cardstock. I’ve cut the shadow layer from vellum. [gallery type="rectangular" link="file" size="large" columns="2" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-25.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-26.webp"] Glue all of the layers together to create the diecut sentiment. [gallery type="rectangular" columns="2" link="file" size="large" ids="lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-27.webp,lealawson-cascadingconeflowers-blogpost-step-28.webp"] To finish, add a little liquid glue to the back of the assembled sentiment and glue to the lower right corner of the card! I hope you enjoyed seeing this sweet card come to life, and how easy it is to mix and match different sets from the Simon Hurley Cascading Coneflowers collection! I share lots of inspiration on my Instagram feed and YouTube channel - follow and subscribe to see even more inspiration with this beautiful collection. Happy crafting! [spellbinders-supplies]E3D-177,S4-1540,S4-1539,T-034,T-045,CS-8-123,CS-8-115,CS-8-116,CS-8-119,CS-8-120,SCSP-016,SCS-116,SCS-120,SCS-151,T-042,T-098[/spellbinders-supplies]

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Liquid glue

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Celebrate 23 Years of Spellbinders with Us! This month, we're celebrating a very special milestone - Spellbinders' 23rd Birthday! For 23 years, we've been honored to be part of your creative journey, helping makers around the world bring their ideas to life through cardmaking, scrapbooking, mixed media, and paper crafting. To celebrate, we've invited talented designers to join us for a special Birthday Blog Hop filled with inspiration, creativity, and, of course, plenty of birthday cards!

Each designer is sharing a project created with their favorite Spellbinders products, showcasing the styles, techniques, and products they love most. Whether you're looking for fresh cardmaking ideas, new techniques to try, or simply want to be inspired by beautiful projects, this hop has something for everyone.

Join the Blog Hop

Ready for even more inspiration? Visit each designer along the hop and discover their favorite Spellbinders products, creative techniques, and beautiful birthday projects.

Spellbinders Blog Yana Smakula Tina Smith Nichol Spohr Mindy Eggen Cheryl Penner Allison Frazier Sandi MacIver Amy Rysavy Michelle Short Heejung Hunsberger Sheri Gilson Rebecca Keppel Karen Brown Nancy Leppek Tanya Boser Kristie Marcotte Michelle Woerner Debbie Frank Kathy Solie Lea Lawson Teresa Rogers Jennifer Kotas

Giveaway (Now Closed)

To celebrate our birthday, we're giving away a $25 Spellbinders store credit to three blog readers – selected from the comments on our blog. Giveaway closes on Sunday, June 28th, 11:59 pm MST. The winner will be announced in this blog hop post the following Wednesday. The winner is responsible for shipping costs, duties, and taxes.

Winners are: Robin Keith, Donna Thomas, Divya Verma. Winners have been contacted. Congratulations!

Thank You for Celebrating with Us!

From all of us at Spellbinders, thank you for being part of our creative community for the past 23 years. Your support, enthusiasm, and creativity inspire us every day.

We hope you enjoy today's birthday inspiration and discover new ideas to spark your next project. Happy hopping, and here's to many more years of making, sharing, and creating together!

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Hello, crafty friend! I’m Adrienne Boese, better known online as Alice Scraps Wonderland. There’s nothing quite so delicate as swans floating over the water. So today, we are going to recreate those ethereal vibes in cardstock and patterned paper using the Buttons & Keepsakes collection designed by Frank Garcia. In this tutorial, we’ll be using some simple techniques including die cutting, embossing, paper layering, and paper tearing. These are great foundational techniques that can really make any project pop while giving it texture and dimension. We’ll also make use of one of the Better Press plates in the Buttons & Keepsakes collection. Let’s get started.

• Using Classic White Color Wheel Cardstock, trim and score an A2 card base (trim cardstock to 8 ½ x 5 ½, then score at 4 ¼ so when the card is folded it measures 5 ½ x 4 ¼ inches).
• Select a pattern from the Buttons & Keepsakes 6x6 paper pad, trimming one to 5 3/8 x 4 1/8 inches. (Keep in mind that we are making a landscape orientation card, so cut your paper accordingly!) Distress the edges with the blade of your scissors by dragging one of the blades back and forth over the edge of the paper.
• Attach this patterned paper to the white card base with your favorite adhesive.
• Select a second pattern from the Buttons & Keepsakes 6x6 paper pad and trim it to 5 ¼ x 3 inches. Tear the top half off so that the bottom half shows the white core and distress the other 3 edges with your scissors. This will create one “paper wave” layer.

TIP: You can also use a distressing tool or thread cutter tool to distress your paper edges with.

• Trim a piece of Alabaster Color Wheel Cardstock to an A2 size, mist it with water, then place it in the Haberdashery Buttons 3D embossing folder. Run it through your Platinum with the D adapter plate sandwich configuration.
• Tear your embossed cardstock down the center to create another “paper wave” layer. Then trim one edge to make the embossed cardstock 5 ¼ inches wide. Distress the other 3 edges of the cardstock
• If needed, trim the height on your patterned “paper wave” layer so that it layers nicely with the embossed cardstock layered underneath.
• Adhere the patterned layer to the embossed cardstock layer with 1 millimeter thick foam adhesive.

TIP: Keep the adhesive toward the bottom of the patterned paper layer so that you can layer your swans underneath later!

• Die cut the Keepsake Swans from these Color Wheel Cardstock colors: Classic White (body and tail feathers), Raven (face layer), Beeswax (bill), Alabaster (largest cape layer), Chiffon (smaller bow and upper cape layer), and Seaside (larger bow and third cape layer).

TIP: Die cut two of each of the bows and glue the two layers together only in the center. Bend the top bow up gently to create more dimension!

• Assemble your die-cut swans and their bows using your favorite liquid adhesive. Using a wax-tipped tool can help you place the tiny die cuts easily. Tweezers work great for larger die cuts!
• Tie some distressed silk ribbon into a bow, leaving long tails.
• Place the bow over the bottom left of the “paper wave” layers and wrap the tails over to the back. Use your favorite adhesive to take the tails in place on the back side of the waves and cut off the excess ribbon. Don’t add adhesive to the front side so you can layer your swan under the ribbon later.

• Place 1 millimeter thick foam adhesive on the back of the waves. Then adhere the waves with the bow to your card base, lining up the bottom of the waves with the bottom of the patterned paper on the card base.
• Tack the bow in place with a dot of hot glue to keep it from flopping around.
• From the remaining embossed cardstock, tear a thin strip, trim it to 5 ¼ inches wide, distress the other 3 edges, and attach it on top of the waves, lining up the bottom edges. It’s okay if it overlaps your bow a bit.

• Add your swans with foam adhesive, layering the one on the left between the bottom embossed cardstock and patterned paper waves, and the one on the right under your ribbon.
• Glue a button or cabochon to the center of your bow using hot glue.

• Place the Heirloom Words BetterPress plate onto your BetterPress platform. Ink the plate up with the Black Ink that came with your BetterPress (or in the Regal Tones ink set).
• Using Best Ever Craft Tape, attach an A2 BetterPress Cotton Card Panel in Porcelain to the clear plate of the BetterPress platform. Place this over the base of the platform on the magnets and roll this through your Platinum.

• Remove the Cotton Panel from the BetterPress platform and use the coordinating die to cut the sentiments out using the standard die sandwich and your Platinum.
• Attach a sentiment to the top center of your card using 1 millimeter thick foam adhesive.

• Add some Gold Pearls and Pink Color Essential Gems to your card for a bit of sparkle!

I hope you enjoyed this layered card tutorial. The Buttons & Keepsakes collection is such a wonderfully shabby and chic collection full of sewing notions and couture elements. And the dies, embossing folders, and BetterPress plates coordinate so wonderfully with the papers. I’ll have more inspiration and ideas using this collection for you, so don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and to check out my blog. Until next time, happy crafting! Adrienne [spellbinders-supplies]S4-1535,BP-364,E3D-176,BPC-002,CS-8-108,CS-8-115,CS-8-123,CS-8-141,CS-8-147,CS-8-148,SCS-137,SCS-142,SCS-123,BP-001,PE-104,T-058,967161[/spellbinders-supplies]

Other Supplies

Foam adhesive (1 mm thick), roller adhesive (dotted and/or permanent), liquid adhesive, hot glue, scissors, paper trimmer, tweezers, wax tipped tool, distressed silk ribbon, button or cabochon

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