Hello there! I am glad you are here! For inspiration today, I utilized the Spellbinders Small Die of the Month for June 2019. This set includes ten dies which stack together to create either a circle, hexagon, or petals. I absolutely love these dies and had a blast crafting with them today.
I chose four colors of Gina K cardstock and die ink for my cards: Lemon Drop, Lovely Lavender, Sea Glass and Lucky Clover. My family and I just returned from visiting family and I wanted to send some Thank You cards, so I utilized the Altenew Many Thanks stamp set for my sentiments. Card bases are A2, cut from Neenah Solar White 110lb, with the exception of one card base cut from Gina K Sea Glass cardstock.
First, I began to die cut. And die cut. And die cut. There were many small bits left over the the brush end of the Spellbinders Tool ’n One definitely came in handy. I wanted to vary my layered dies, so I mixed colors for the petals and circles, but kept the hexagons monochromatic. Out came the glue and assembly began.
I utilized the Glue Sponge for gluing between the layers. It was my first time using it, and I must say it was a little temperamental. Super easy to use, just tap my die cut on the top of the sponge and a light layer of glue is applied. The problem lies in the glue settling to the bottom of the container leaving the top of the sponge no longer tacky. Though the problem is easy to fix – just replace the lid, tip the container over, and allow the glue to soak to the top of the sponge – it just takes time. I didn’t feel like waiting, so I pulled out my trusty Gina K Connect Glue and I was back in business. As the glue sponge was thoroughly soaked with glue again, I would return to using it (as it is super quick and easy), then would repeat the cycle as the sponge would lose tackiness again. Overall, not a huge deal. I like the ease of the Glue Sponge when it is saturated, but am also fine relying on the Gina K Connect Glue in the meantime.
With all the die cuts layered and drying, I decided to ink blend a few backgrounds onto some Neenah 80lb Smooth Solar cardstock. I pulled out my Tim Holtz Distress Retractable Blending brushes, but after a couple cards I switched over to my Mini Ink Blending Tools (I can achieve a smoother blend with the blending foam pads over the bristles of the brushes). I pulled out a stencil and after spraying some Pixie Spray on the back it had a light tack that held the stencil perfectly to the card base, yet still pulled off easily when I was done with ink blending.
For the diagonal ink blended background, I cut it into quarters on the diagonal. I then utilized opposite sections for two cards. For the first, I cut a 5.25” x 4” panel of Neenah 80lb Smooth Solar and lightly sprayed with Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. This spray adds a delicate sparkle to the paper giving it a light sheen in the light. I added three of the circle die cuts in a straight line horizontally and stamped my sentiment with Delicata Pigment Ink in Silvery Shimmer.
For the second card using the remaining cut background pieces, I created another horizontal layout. I placed the die cut petals in a circular pattern, then used a Thin 3D Foam Square to pop up a circular die cut in the center. I stamped my sentiment on a left over piece of cardstock already sprayed with the Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. After trimming the overhanging petals, my second card was complete.
I decided to keep my other two ink blended panels whole, but wanted to add a little pizazz to the solid inked piece. Out came my Lawn Fawn Just Stitching Double Rectangles dies. I selected two of the frames and taped to my panel before running through my Big Shot. These dies are great because they only puncture the stitching marks, they don’t actually cut the rectangles. A double row of double stitching was exactly what this panel needed. I cut down another panel of Neenah 80lb Smooth Solar I had sprayed with Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and added a layer of craft foam to the back to add some dimension. I stamped my sentiment in Sea Glass then glued on my monochrome hexagons. Adding colored jewels finished this card.
I opted for my next card to be super simple, yet elegant. I glued my four remaining hexagon die cuts directly to a card base and added a simple sentiment using my Hero Arts INTENSE Black Ink Pad. The layered die cuts really grab attention and make this simple card look fantastic. Despite the simple nature of it, it’s one of my favorites of the bunch.
The last card utilized the ink blended card base. I cut a 1.5” x 1.5” square from Neenah 80lb Smooth Solar cardstock and glued the remaining four circle die cuts, letting three quarters of each circle overhang. I popped up the panel using some craft foam, then added my sentiment with scotch foam tape. Voila!
These Spellbinders Small Die of the Month – June 2019 die cuts are awesome, and so versatile. I opted to layer each shape using all the available pieces, but they would also look great with fewer layers, or even as individual pieces. The kit is part of a subscription service, so I recommend looking into it to see if the program works for you and your budget. As a member to one of Spellbinders subscription clubs, you have access to past club kits at a discount, so definitely check out what they have available. I feel it’s a great value for the price and a great way to build your die collection.
On that note, thanks for stopping by! Keep Calm and Craft On!
