SB Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 1 Balloon
December 1, 2024
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Hey there!
Guess what? Spellbinder’s May Club kits are here, and oh my, they’re all about that tropical vibe, and I’m totally loving it.
So, there’s this stencil that’s all swirly and layered. And the wax seal? It’s the cutest, stamping out three tropical plants with a cheerful “hi.”
Then, there’s this 3D embossing folder that makes the most beautiful background ever, filled with philadendrons and flowers.
Oh, and the large die for this month? It lets you create these adorable flamingos, tropical flowers, a dainty little flower, and this massive, hibiscus-like blossom that’s just wow.
More Tropical Paradise
Moving on, there’s also a clear stamp & die set that’s perfect for crafting a tropical scene that’s got both parrots and flamingos.
And the glimmer plate for the month? It’s this amazing, huge blossom with a couple of sweet sentiments to match.
Isn’t that all just awesome?
I’ve got 5 cards to share with you for inspiration.
Tropical Paradise – Wax Seal of the Month Card
The centerpiece of this card is this pretty green Tropical Hi wax seal. It’s imprinted with tropical plants and a friendly “hi” that’s embellished in gold.
I use hints of gold on the card to demonstrate how tropical can make a very elegant card like this one.
1. Create a Card Base For The Tropical Hi Card
To begin the card, we’re going to create an A2 size (4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″) side-folding card base. For tips on how to make a card base, read How to Make a Card Base
2. Stencil A Swirly Tropical Background
Next, you need to tape stencil #1 of the May 2024 Stencil of the Month to an A2 size piece of forest cardstock. After that, we’re going to blend peeled paint Distress Oxide over the stencil. Afterward, we’ll tape the second stencil layer to the cardstock. But, we’re using pigment ink for this one, so we’re going to use a different technique to add the ink. Add a domed foam pad to a mini blending tool and “pounce” it over the stencil openings. In other words, carefully dab the blending tool straight down and then pull it straight up.
Set the panel aside to dry.
3. Do The Die-cutting for the Tropical Hi Card
Next, we’re going to create a soft backdrop for the wax seal with die-cuts. We’re using several (3 of the large ones, 2 of the small one) of the two leaf sprigs from the Sealed Blooming Stems die set cut from a pearly cardstock that has a gold shimmer in it. I use Crafter’s Companion Centura pearl white gold but you can use any white cardstock that you have. And then spray it with a shimmer spray.
4. Create The Wax Seal
To create the star attraction, the wax seal, you’ll need a wax seal starter kit, a Tropical Hi wax seal stamp, and matcha wax beads.
Light the candle and then lower the furnace down over it. While the furnace is heating up set the spoon on top and add 5 wax beads to it. Swirl the wax until it is completely melted. You can do this by moving the spoon with your hand, but I like to use the wood match that I used to light the furnace with.
Quality Techniques
Once the wax is melted thoroughly, lift the spoon off of the furnace and pour the wax in a pool onto the silicone mat. Lightly lower a wax seal stamp down onto the wax using it’s weight to make the impression in the wax. Let cool.
Once the wax has cooled, carefully remove the wax seal stamp from the wax. If the wax sticks on the stamp you can use your hands to remove it.
Wax seals are beautiful on their own, however coloring the impressions adds an extra punch to them. You can do so with a gold metallic marker. Once the marker is dry you can attach the seal with an adhesive circle.
5. Assemble The Tropical Hi Card
To finish the card, we’ll start by trimming the background to 4″ x 5 1/4″. Following that, we’ll arrange the sprigs in a pretty bouquet where the stems will cross over each other at about a third from the bottom. You can use small foam squares to give the bouquet some dimension and liquid glue to fasten the arrangement to the card panel.
Next, wrap some baker’s twine around the card panel three times over where the stems cross. To coordinate with the gold shimmer on the background and in the sprigs and the gold on the seal, I choose twine that has a gold thread in it that i found online. It is helpful to use best ever craft tape to hold the twine in place both on the front and on the back.
Make Sure It Sticks
Because of the dimension created by the twine, let’s use a 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of white liner sheet to attach the panel to the card base. As a result, the panel will stay fastened securely to the card panel. And finally, we can add the wax seal by attaching an adhesive circle to the back and place it on top of where the sprigs and twine meet.
And, that’s all there is to this lovely serene tropical hi card.
Large Die & 3D Embossing Folder of the Month Card
Check out this pair of sitting white flamingos, facing each other and chilling.
1. Create a Card Base For The Let’s Get Together Card
To begin the card, we’re going to create a slimline (3 3/4″ x 9″) top-folding card base. For tips on how to make a card base, read How to Make a Card Base.
2. Emboss A Tropical Background
To achieve the look of a darker background on your embossed images you will need to add ink directly to the “flat” side of an embossing folder. Following that, place a piece of cardstock inside the embossing folder and run it through your die-cutting and embossing machine. This technique works with white and colored cardstock. To demonstrate, you’ll want to use ink that is darker than the cardstock that you are using so that it will show up well.
For our card, we’re using rustic wilderness distress oxide on peridot cardstock. And, we’re using Scattered Tropics, the May 2024 3D Embossing Folder from Spellbinders.
Lastly, we’re going to decorate the background a bit more. To do so, we’re going to color the pretty little flowers with pink and lemon yellow prismacolor premier colored pencils to make them stand out.
3. Create the Sentiment
Now is the time that we need to put the sentiment together. To do so, we’re going to heat-emboss the Let’s Get Together Soon sentiment from Let’s Get Together Clear Stamp & Die monthly club kit.
To emphasize the sentiment, we’ll heat emboss it with gold embossing powder right at the bottom of the small black rectangle. Tips on how to get high-quality heat embossing results, read Mastering the Basics of Heat Embossing. Set it aside to coo for a minute.
Once it’s cool, take blend your pink blending brush along the bottoms of the words to create a pink shadow.
4. Die-cutting for the Let’s Get Together Card
Next, die-cut as follows:
- Sentiment plus three plain from Snowdrift
- Flamingos (one of each) – Snowdrift
- Beaks & Eyes- Onyx
- “Mouth” Pink Sand
- Small flowers – Fruit Punch
- Small flower centers – Chamomile
- Large flower petals – Fruit Punch
- Large flower center – Beeswax, Chamomile
- Philadendron & fern- Fern
- Large leaf that’s folding over – Rainforest, Fern
5. Assemble The Let’s Get Together Card
To finish the card, we’ll start by trimming the background to 8 1/2″ x 3 1/4″. Following that, layer the sentiments and put tether the flamingos, flowers, and leaf with liquid glue.
Next, we’ll trim a white liner sheet to 3″ x 8 1/4″ and then fasten it to the back of the embossed panel. After that, remove the remaining backing paper and attach the panel centered on the card front
Lastly, decide which pieces should be the farthest back and fasten them to the card front with liquid glue. And then add dimension by layering and using foam squares.
And, that’s all there is to this lovely tropical card to send to someone you miss.
Tropical Paradise – Glimmer Of The Month Card
Wow! Look at how big this beautiful press plate is. Tropical Bloom, This month’s Glimmer plate of the Month covers the entire surface of a 5″ x 7″ card panel! And it is such a pretty tropical floral design.
How To Make the Tropical Thinking Of You Card
Learn how to make this card for anyone who loves bright colors and big flowers. And, we’re using Tropical Bloom, the May 2024 Glimmer of the Month from Spellbinders.
This card is cheery and bright in a very elegant way. And, you can put it together in just minutes.
1. Make The Card Base
The first thing we need to do is to create a white 5″ x 7″ side folding card base. For tips on how to do so read How to Make a Card Base.
2. Hot Foiling For The Tropical Thinking Of You Card
We are just doing simple hot foiling on this project. To demonstrate, we’re using white cardstock. But in keeping with the tropical theme we’re going to use fuchsia hot foil with the Tropical Bloom glimmer plate to create our gorgeous image. Read Mastering the Basics of Heat Embossing for tips on high quality hot foiling or if you aren’t familiar with hot foiling.
And, while you have your hot foiling system out, go ahead and hot foil the sentiment as well on a scrap of white cardstock.
3. Stencil For Coloring
Now that we have the image foiled, we’re going to use a stencil to color it. And, we’re using bright and vibrant colors in keeping with the tropical theme. If you want to use the same ink as the card in the photo, we’ll use Altenew Fresh Dye Inks in the following order:
Flower
- Buttercream
- Mid-Yellow
- Snapdragon
- Cherry Sweet
Stem
- Firefly
- Shadow Creek
So, you’ll start with the lightest color, and gradually blend in the remaining colors finishing with the darkest. And, the darkest should be where the deepest shadows are on the flower and stem. Additionally, use a bit of mint tape (or whatever you use for masking) to keep from blending dark into spaces that you want to remain lighter or a different color.
4. Assembly
Assembly is quick with this card.
Trim a piece of brushed black cardstock to 5″ x 7″ and attach it to the card base. Click HERE for tips on how to get the color panel attached squarely. Following that you’re going to use a tape runner to fasten the foiled card panel centered on the card front.
Finishing The Sentiment For The Tropical Thinking Of You Card
And finally, we’re going to fussy-cut around the sentiment. And then, to tie the sentiment in with the flower we’re going to layer it up with three colors of cardstock that match it. To do this, using a pencil lightly draw a line around the sentiment you just cut out on a scrap of chamomile cardstock. Afterward, fussy-cut about 1/8″ from the line. Next, do the same thing with a scrap of beeswax, but this time use the chamomile piece you just cut for a guide. And when we’re done we’ll use the beeswax shape we just cut out as a guide on a scrap of poppy field cardstock.
To finish the card, we’ll attach all the layers together with liquid glue and then fasten it onto the card front.
Tropical Paradise: Clear Stamp & Die of The Month
The detail that this stamp, Let’s Get Together, has is incredible. I use it with the coordinating die to create a tropcial card with a flap that opens on the front to reveal a surprise message.
And, the Clear Stamp & Die Club kit coordinates beautifully with other kits from this month like the large die.
How To Make the Surprise Hello Card
The element of surprise is always fun in a card. We use a tri-fold design to create the surprise hello for our card.
1. Create a Card Base For The Surprise Hello Card
To begin the card, we’re going to create an A2 size (4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″) side-folding card base. For tips on how to make a card base, read How to Make a Card Base
2. Do The Die-cutting
Next, we’re going to create a soft backdrop for the stars of the show, the parrots, with die-cuts. We’re using several (3 of the large ones, 2 of the small one) of the two leaf sprigs from the Grand Tropical die set cut from various tones of green cardstock.
3. Stamp and Color the Main Attraction
Using a crisp black ink such as VersaFine Clair Nocturne, stamp the tropical parrot images from the Let’s Get Together stamp set on X-Press-it cardstock.
Using alcohol markers, color the designs.
Here are the OLO Marker Colors that I used:
- V04
- RV04
- R0.5
- R0.4
- R0.3
- R0.2
- R0.1
- V04
- RV04
- R0.5
- R0.4
- R0.3
- R0.2
- R0.1
- OR2.5
- O2.4
- Y2.3
- Y2.0
- YG8.7
- YG2.2
- YG2.5
- YG2.1
- G1.6
- G1.7
- G1.4
- G0.4
- BG0.7
- BG0.4
- B2.6
- B2.4
- B0.7
- B0.6
- B0.5
- C-G9
- C-G7
- C-G5
3. Create the Sentiment
To do so, we will heat-emboss the Hello sentiment from the All the Sentiments Stamp and Die set.
To emphasize the sentiment, we’ll heat emboss it with gold embossing powder onto a piece of white cardstock. For tips on how to get high-quality heat embossing results, read Mastering the Basics of Heat Embossing. Set it aside to cool for a minute. And, then use the coordinating die to die-cut it.
4. Assemble the Card
Put the card together as follows.
- Trim a color panel to 3 3/4″ x 5″
- Die-cut the greenery background from rainforest and peridot cardstock
- Use the coordinating dies to die-cut the colored stampings
- Also, use the larger of the two dies to die-cut the shape from a foam sheet.
- Trim a piece of heavy-weight cardstock to 5 1/2″ x 6″ and, score it at 3″ along the 6″ side. When you fold at the score you end up with a piece that is 3″ x 5 1/2″.
- Use the large die to cut through both thicknesses leaving the scored side free Now you can trim the back side of the folded piece to 1/2″.
- Fasten the foam sheet to the back of the large colored piece. then, fasten the scored white piece to the back side of the foam sheet making sure that the 1/2″ flap is on the left hand side and folded towards the back.
- Add adhesive tape to the inside of the 1/2″ tab and slide the fern color panel in to meet the scored edge. You end up with a large thick flap that opens to the left
- Fasten the color panel centered on the card base with a tape runner.
- Arrange the greenery and the small colored detail piece. Fasten everything down with liquid glue once you’ve decided on your arrangement.
- Lastly, attach the sentiment with liquid glue.
Tropical Paradise: Stencil of the Month
Tropical can be groovy with the right colors! The layered stencil that comes in Spellbinders Stencil of the Month club kit is versatile with using unique colors to create beautiful backgrounds. These pink flamingos think it makes a perfect place to hang out.
Steps To Make the Tickled Pink Card
1. Create a Card Base For The Tickled Pink Card
To begin the card, we’re going to create an A2 size (6″ x 6″) top-folding card base. For tips on how to make a card base, read How To Make a Card Base.
2. Stencil The Swirly Background
Tape half a sheet (5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″) of waterfall cardstock to stencil #1 of the May 2024 Stencil of the Month, Tropical Spray. After that, we’re going to blend peeled paint Wilted Violet Distress Oxide over the stencil. Blend clockwise and then counter-clockwise in a circular motion over the whole stencil. As a result we are able to get ink into all the nooks and crannies of the stencil.
Afterward, we’ll tape the second stencil layer to the cardstock. Look through the stencil to make sure that it is aligned correctly over what we just got done stenciling. Additionally, this time we’ll use Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide to blend over the stencil.
Set the panel aside to dry.
3. Create the Sentiment
Now is the time that we need to put the sentiment together. To do so, we’re going to heat-emboss the Tickled Pink sentiment from Let’s Get Together Clear Stamp & Die monthly club kit.
To demonstrate how, we’ll begin by stamping the sentiment onto a scrap of snowdrift cardstock with puffy heart fresh dye ink. Then, to emphasize the sentiment, we’ll stamp the sentiment again using watermark ink. And then, we’ll heat emboss it with Spellbinders clear embossing powder. Tips on how to get high-quality heat embossing results, click HERE. Set it aside to cool for a minute.
4. Die-cutting & Assembling The Tickled Pink Card
Next, die-cut as follows:
- Sentiment plus three plain from Snowdrift
- Flamingos (one of each) – Pink Sand
- Legs – Fruit Punch
- Beaks & Eyes- Onyx
- “Mouth” – Snowdrift
Take blending brush that has bright pink ink on it and blend a little on the flamingo’s head, neck, chest, and tail feathers. Now, using liquid glue and a reverse tweezers, assemble the flamingos. And finally, to draw your eye to them, we’ll make their feathers sparkle by adding some prisma glitter to their feathers using a Quickie glue pen.
5. Assemble The Tickled Pink Card
To finish the card, we’ll trim the stenciled panel to 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″. And then, we’ll fasten it to the card front using a tape runner.
Next we’ll give the flamingos a little bit of dimension by popping them up with foam squares. HINT: I like to cut the 1/2″ squares into strips or smaller squares. This works great for skinny shapes like the birds necks and their beaks and feet.
Finally, we’ll layer the sentiment die-cuts with liquid glue and then attach it to the card front.
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ABOUT AUTHOR
Teri Duncan
Teri has over 30 years of experience as a cardmaker. Her work has appeared in Spellbinders Paper Arts’ blog as well as with some of their products and on Altenew’s blog. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, stained glass, and teaching. She and her husband live in Crystal River, Florida with their three dogs and a cat.
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