Category Archives: 2025 Design Team

A Winter Birthday Card with Soft Layers and Snowy Texture

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By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends… If you are like me, I always need birthday cards at any season. Since it is Winter now, today we are going to make a Winter themed birthday card. Let’s gather your supplies and make it together.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15-20 minutes

Directions:

Step 1

First, cut out a piece of vellum paper into 4.25 inch x 5.5 inch (or any size that will fit inside your embossing folder).

Add some of the Brilliance Moonlight ink to the embossing folder on the raised side, carefully add the vellum paper to the embossing folder, and then run it through the die cutting machine (make sure to follow your die machine sandwich instructions for embossing folder).

It’s optional, you add more of the white ink to the embossed vellum if you want to.

Use a craft heat gun to dry the ink on the embossed vellum.

Step 2

To add more shine and sparkle to the white snowflake embossed vellum, gently rub some of the VersaMark Dazzle Frost ink pad on the embossed side (raised image).

Dry the ink on the embossed vellum with a craft heat gun.

Trim it into 4 inch x 5.5 inch. I suggest using scissors instead of papertrimmer.

Step 3

Add the 3 cake image stamps on the stamping tool, and then add the Brilliance inks (Pearlescent Purple, Pearlescent Lavender, and Pearlescent Sky Blue) to each cake stamp. Stamp them on a piece of white cardstock.

Repeat this step if needed to get good solid stamped images.

Dry the ink well with a craft heat gun and set it aside.

Step 4

Add the icing image stamps on the stamping tool, and then add the Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid to each cake stamp. Stamp them on a piece of white cardstock.

Repeat this step if needed to get good solid stamped images.

Dry the ink well with a craft heat gun and set it aside.

Step 5

Next, stamp the cherry and sentiment using the stamping tool with Delicata Ruby Red ink on a piece of white cardstock.

Repeat this step if needed to get a good solid stamped image.

Dry the ink well with a craft heat gun and set it aside.

Step 6

Cut each image with the matching die using a die cutting machine.

If you do not have the matching die set for your stamp set, you can fussy the stamped images with micro-tip scissors.

Step 7

Add the embossed vellum paper to the card using On Point Glue, press gently to make sure the vellum adhered well to the card background.

Add the birthday cake pieces to the card using On Point Glue, press gently to make sure they adhered well to the vellum background.

Step 8

Fussy cut the sentiment using the micro-tip scissors.

Add some of the white fun foam to the back of the sentiment using some of the Tear It! Tape, then add the sentiment to the card.

This card is easy and fun to make, especially the Brilliance Pearlescent inks give extra sparkle to the cake!

Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Birthday Cake Remix stamp and die set (Catherine Pooler Designs)
  • Snowflake Embossing Folder (Darice)
  • Vellum paper (Bazzil)
  • White Cardstocks
  • Thin white fun foam
  • Stamping Tool
  • Die cutting machine
  • Twizzers
  • Micro-tip scissors

 Create an Easy Candy Treat Box 

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By Jessica Lin

Skill: Beginner
Time: 20 minutes

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here. Today I am sharing a candy box idea that is fitting for all occasions. However, the candy box die I am using today is versatile and you could dress up the box for Halloween treats, too!

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the small butterfly base image from Stampin’ Up’s Watercolor Wings set with VersaMagic Red Magic ink pad.

Step 2:
For the second layer of the butterfly stamp, I used VersaFine Clair Glamorous ink pad. I think these two shades of red complement each other very well.

Step 3:
Die cut the butterfly with the coordinating Butterflies Thinlits dies.

Step 4:
Stamp the third layer with VersaMark ink pad and heat emboss with gold embossing powder.

Step 5:
Die cut two pieces of patterned paper using Lawn Fawn’s Candy Box die. Then adhere the sides of the boxes together with Tear-It Tape, while leaving the ends open. After filling the box with treats (chocolates like Ferrero Rocher and Lindt are perfect!), tie the ends of the candy box with pieces of twine.

Step 6:
Stamp a sentiment with VersaMagic Red Magic ink and this simple treat box is complete! Imagine

Craft Supplies:

Imagine

Other Supplies:

  • Stampin’ Up! – Stamps – Watercolor Wings
  • Lawn Fawn – Die – Candy Box
  • Winnie & Walter – Stamps – Sentimental: Endearments
  • Gold Embossing Powder
  • Twine

Let’s Make a Nature-Inspired Birthday Card

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By Anna Escalada York

I wanted to use my husband’s birthday to make him a personalized birthday card. He loves to be in nature and loves it when I use recycled materials (mostly because then we don’t have to buy new things). I also added a background that expresses how I feel about him.

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp a piece of kraft cardstock with a text-based background stamp with Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Die cut the panel with the second-largest die from a nested A2-sized nested die set.

Step 2:
Stamp a large tree stamp set on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Die cut with a mid-sized star die from a nested star die set.

Step 3:
Lightly spray Rich Cocoa Fireworks! Craft Spray and Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto the watercolor stamped star. Blot a little of the spray off with a paper towel and allow to dry. Then Then press Celestial Copper Delicata ink onto a piece of acetate packaging and spray with water. Watercolor smoosh the star by pressing the liquid copper onto the panel. Then repeat the watercolor smooshing with Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink mixed with water on the acetate. Let the panel dry again.

Step 4:
Mix some of the remaining Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink and water with more of the Rich Cocoa Fireworks! Craft Spray to make a darker brown watercolor. Paint the trees with the watercolor. Allow to dry. Apply a second coat of watercolor to a few trees to add interest and darker trees. Allow to dry a second time.

Step 5:
Stamp a sentiment on kraft cardstock with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Then heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. Then die cut with the corresponding dies.

Optional: Die cut 2 more die cut layers for each of the sentiment (3 layers total for each of the dies–1 that is the stamped kraft layer, and two scrap layers). Glue the layers together and set aside to dry.

Step 6:
Die cut a piece of corrugated cardboard with the largest die from an A2-sized nesting panel die set. Then brush the edges of the panel with Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink.

Step 7:
Use a sponge dauber to ink blend the edges of the star with Celestial Copper Delicata ink. Glue the die cut star onto the smaller, stamped panel. Trim the overhanging left part of the star. Then press Tea Leaves VersaMagic Chalk Ink onto acetate packaging and spray with water.

Splatter the Tea Leaves-colored watercolor onto the panel. Add a couple of watercolor smooshed areas to add interest (or to cover areas where you want splatters but the splatters are not doing what you want). Allow to dry.

Step 8:
Brush the edges of the smaller, stamped panel with the Celestial Copper Delicata ink pad.

Step 9:
Assemble the card. Glue the two panels together. Glue the sentiment strips onto the panel. Then add sequins on the lower left and upper right parts of the card. Then glue the whole thing onto an A2-sized kraft card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Rich Cocoa
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Gold
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMagic Chalk ink – Jumbo Java
• VersaMagic Chalk ink – Tea Leaves
• Sponge Dauber

Other
• Altenew – die set – Wings & Petals (for the sentiment)
• Altenew – stamp set – Wings & Petals (for the sentiment)
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Wintergreen
• Pink and Main – die set – Notched Corners
• Simon Hurley create – background stamp – Timber!
• Simon Says Stamp – die set – Nested Stars Wafer Dies
• Simon Says Stamp – background stamp – You Are
• Kraft cardstock
• Watercolor paper
• Corrugated cardboard
• Clear Embossing Powder

Bright and Colorful Happy Birthday Card!

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By Tracy Fear

When it’s your birthday everything should be all color and shine! That’s exactly what we get when creating this colorful birthday card!

Tracy

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 60 Minutes

Craft Products Used

Imagine Products
• VersaFine Clair in Summertime, Cheerful, Glamorous Pink, Strawberry, and Bali Blue
• VersaMark Ink

Art Supplies
• Die cutting machine
• 100lb white paper
• A2 Card Base
• Foam Strips
• Dies
• Orange-tone iridescent sparkle paste
• Stencils
• Glue

Other Products Used
• Simon Hurley Astro Paste in Phoenix Feather
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Simon Hurley Polka Dot Assortment Layering Stencil
• Simon Hurley Birthday Party Stamps and coordinating dies
• PVA Adhesive
• Foam Tape

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE USED TO RECREATE SOMETHING SIMILAR

Any Inks, any combination of dies!

To learn how to create your own Birthday card,  click here!

Happy New Year Card for 2026!

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By Tracy Fear

Happy New Year!

Let’s celebrate with one of our newest VersaFine Clair inks, Hawthorn Rose. This is a beautiful red-violet color that pairs beautifully with gold!

Tracy

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 60 Minutes


Art Supplies
• Die cutting machine
• 100lb white paper
• A2 Card Base
• Foam Squares
• Dies
• Gold sparkle embossing powder
• Irridescent sparkle embossing powder
• Glue

Imagine Products

• VersaFine Clair in Hawthorne Rose
• VersaMark Ink

Other Products Used

• Brutus Monroe Embossing powders in Gilded Metallic and Fairy Dust
•Embossing Powder
•Multiple Sizzix dies from several sets
• PVA Adhesive
• Foam Tape

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE USED TO RECREATE SOMETHING SIMILAR

Any Inks, any combination of dies!

Watercolor a Festive Christmas Door with VersaMagic

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By Jessica Lin

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1.5 hours

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here and I am so excited to share today’s project with you. Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year and I love making Christmas cards. I decided to build a doorway scene today using Stampin’ Up’s At Home with You stamps and dies. After die cutting, the door actually opens, making this a special and interactive Christmas card.

Step 1:
The stamp set I am using today is At Home with You from Stampin’ Up. It features a door and various elements that are great for building specific scenes for different occasions such as Christamas, Thanksgiving, or birthdays. I stamped several images with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink. It’s a pigment-based ink that is waterproof and great for being the outlines of watercolored images.

Step 2:
After die cutting the stamped images with coordinating dies, it’s time to watercolor. I decided to use VersaMagic Red Magic, Red Brick, and Delicata Ruby Red for the door. I pressed some ink onto an acrylic block and watercolored with a waterbrush.

Step 3:
For the door frame, I watercolored with VersaMagic Gingerbread and Jumbo Java.

Step 4:
Then I added VersaMagic Mango Madness to the window and the candle. Don’t forget to color the door knob, too! I used VersaMagic Niagara Mist with a hint of Aspen Mist. The candle shade is colored with the same colors as the door knob.

Step 5:
Finally, for the plants and wreaths, I watercolored with VersaMagic Hint of Pesto, Delicata Emerald Green and Ruby Red. Delicata ink pads are shimmery and add the perfect touch of Christmas spirit to these images. I wish you could see the shimmer in person!

Lastly, I colored the planter with VersaMagic Wheat ink pad.

Step 6:
Since we are building a front door scene, I embossed the background cardstock with Stampin’ Up’s Brick & Mortar embossing folder. I love the realistic brick textures of this embossing folder; it’s one of my all-time favorites.

Step 7:
Then I added a piece of 4’’ x 1 ½’’ wood patterned paper as the foreground. I also added yellow patterned paper to the inside of the door; this door die actually cuts around the door frame so that the door can open! Isn’t it a fun, little mechanism?

Step 8:
You can then add a Christmas greeting that will be revealed when you open the door. I decided to keep it simple and stamped a “Merry Christmas” sentiment with VersaMagic Nocturne ink pad.

Step 9:
The At Home with You stamp set also comes with a door mat image. I stamped it several times on burlap paper with VersaMagic Nocturne ink pad.

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Stampin’ Up! – Stamps & Dies – At Home with You
  • Stampin’ Up! – Embossing Folder – Brick & Mortar
  • Waterbrush
  • Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock