Hero Arts – Nutcracker Slider Card

Welcome to Day 1 of my Nutcracker series using a variety of stamps and die sets to make some nutcracker themed cards. My card today uses products by Hero Arts – Big Mouth Nutcracker Bundle of dies and A Little Nuts stamp set.

Watch the process video below to learn how this card was made.

Cardbase: Cut from white light-to-medium weight cardstock one 4.25 x 5.5-inch rectangle. Also cut one pink 4.25 x 5.5-inch rectangle.

Slider Mechanism: Cut three of the large mechanism from the Big Mouth Slider die set from light-to-medium weight cardstock. Cut one “T” interactive sliding piece from pink. Using the upside-down “U” die cut out an opening as shown in the video above from the center bottom pink panel.

Sentiments: Stamped sentiments are from the Stamp & Cut A Little Nuts set. Inside the mouth is “Hope your holiday is all it’s cracked up to be.” On the card back is a nutcracker and “Let’s have a cracking Christmas.”

Envelope: The panel card fits into an A2 size envelope with a nutcracker and “Peace, Love & Pecans” on the envelope back.

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Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

  • Hero Arts – Dies – Big Mouth Nutcracker
  • Hero Arts – Dies – Big Mouth Slider

Stamps

  • Hero Arts – Clear Stamps & Dies- A Little Nuts

Papers

  • Park Lane – 8.5×11 80 lb. Shimmer Sheets – Gold
  • Recollections – 8.5×11 100 lb. Cardstock – Pink
  • Recollections – 8.5×11 80 lb. Cardstock – White
  • Black, Blue, Brown, Pink, Red and Yellow Cardstock
  • Fraser Papers for William House – A2 Envelope – Genesis Text Milkweed Smooth

Ink

  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black & Rose Bud
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Fine Tip – Blue

Adhesives

Tools

2025 ATC Calendar – DECember

I started a new challenge for 2025 – the ATC calendar challenge. With a group of crafty friends, we are making a new image on a 4.25×5.5-inch calendar card for each month.

December’s card is made with Spellbinders BetterPress Press Plate & Die set called Nutcracker Trio by Simon Hurley. It also uses Dina Wakley Media Better Press Ink in Eggplant, Fir and Ruby.

To see other months’ calendars go to click here.

Watch a video about the making of this calendar and a Christmas card made with these nutcrackers.

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Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please like and leave comments 😊

___________________________________

Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

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Materials Used:


Dies
• Spellbinders – Cutting Dies – Simon Hurley’s Nutcracker Trio


Press Plates
• Spellbinders – BetterPress Plates – 2025 DIY Calendar

• Spellbinders – BetterPress Plates – Simon Hurley’s Nutcracker Trio


Papers
• Spellbinders – BetterPress – 5.5 x 4.25” (A2) Cotton Card Panels – Porcelain & Pebble


Ink
• Spellbinders – BetterPress Ink – Dina Wakley Media’s Eggplant, Fir & Ruby


Adhesives
Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
Fine-Tip Glue Bottle

Tools
• Die Cutting Machine
• Scissors
• Paper Masking Tape


map fold nutcracker card

This card was made for CRAFT ROULETTE #295 whose parameters included a map fold, planter colors,  from the sky element, and three in a row. I used stamps and dies by Hero Arts and Karen Burniston to make this card.

Watch the process video to see how I made this card.

Cardbase: Watch the video to see how the card base was made using digital paper by Carnation Crafts into a map fold card.

Nutcrackers were die cut using Hero Arts’ Fancy Dies Toys.

Sentiments were stamped on white cardstock using Hero Arts’ Stamp & Cut A Little Nuts set and cut out using Karen Burniston’s Greeting Labels die set. Three 1-inch circles were cut and marked with an “X” and a center circle to show where to stop when cutting the tabs. The tabs were folded to be inserted through a 3/4-inch hole in each of the card’s panels that will have sentiments. The oval sentiment labels are then glued onto the unfolded tabs and swiveled to make sure they are not glued to the card base.

Envelope: The card fits into an A2 (4.25x 5.5-inches) size envelope.

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Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please subscribe, like and leave comments on this site and my YouTube channel. 😊

___________________________________

Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

  • Hero Arts – Clear Stamps & Dies- A Little Nuts

Papers

  • Carnation Crafts – Digital Paper – (printed on copier paper)
  • White Cardstock

Ink

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Bone Folder
  • Stamping Platform
  • Stamping Blocks used as paperweights
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Paper Masking Tape

Lighted Christmas Wreath Card

This lighted wreath card will brighten someone’s day. It was made with dies and stamps from Karen Burniston’s Fall releases and include the Pine Cones, Greeting Labels and Dog and Cat Playful Add-Ons die sets along with Christmas Wishes stamp set.

Watch the process video to see how I made this card.

Cardbase: Using a purchased A6 cardbase and envelope, adhere decorative paper to the card front. Save strips of decorative paper to decorate the card front and back.

Lighted Wreath: Use a battery powered circle light to build the wreath onto. Cut 12-13 small pine branches from the Pine Cones die set from green cardstock. (I found that adding shims and using a metal die-cutting plate worked the best with my die-cutting machine to get crisp cuts.) Cut from light brown thin cardstock three of the small pine cone backs and three small pine cone fronts. Follow the video above for assembly suggestions and how to make a large red bow to cover the battery and push button using the Dog and Cat Playful Add-Ons set.

Sentiments: All the sentiments of “Merry Christmas” and “Wishing you twinkly lights and cozy nights” are part of the Christmas Wishes stamp set and cut out using the Greeting Labels set.

Envelope:  The card fits into an A6 (4.75x 6.5-inches) size envelope.

___________________________________

Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please subscribe, like and leave comments 😊

___________________________________

Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

Papers

  • Bazzill – 8.5×11 Textured Cardstock – Rain Forest
  • Graphic 45 – 8×8 Double-Sided Cardstock – Joy to the World – Hallelujah!
  • Light Brown, Red and White Cardstock
  • Park Lane Paperie – A6 Cardbase and Envelope – Ivory

Ink

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Platform
  • Stamping Block
  • Scissors
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Sponge Dauber
  • Paper Masking Tape
  • We R Memories – QuickStick

Miscellaneous

  • Pear Blossom Press – Halo Light Combo

A Snowy Pines Card

It’s Sneak Peek Week for Karen Burniston’s November 2025 Release of new dies and stamps.

Today’s card uses a new die and a new stamp set – Pine Cone and Quiet Forest. It also uses the previously release dies of Pattern Plate – Swirls and Snow Charms. The new dies and stamps will be available for pre-order starting November 24, 2025.

Cardbase: I cut an 8.5×11 sheet of white 65lb. cardstock in half to create two 5.5×8.5-inch rectangles that I fold in half to make side-fold A2 cardbases. Cut one cardbase into two 4.25×5.5 panels.

Swirls Background: Tape a white 4.25×5.5 panel of cardstock to the Pattern Plate – Swirls die and using the embossing sandwich for your die cutting machine, and emboss the pattern into the cardstock. Color the swirls with a glitter marker of icy blue. Trim panel down to 4×5.25-inches. Glue panel to card front.

Pine Cones: Watch the video above to see how I made the pine cones using Karen Burniston’s Pine Cone dies.

Skates and Snowflakes: The skates and snowflakes were cut out using the Snow Charms die set. The three skate dies were cut from white cardstock and colored with markers before gluing together. The snowflakes were cut from white gold shimmer cardstock.

Sentiments: All the sentiments come from the Quiet Forest stamp set and are cut out with the Greeting Labels die set.

Envelope: The card fits in an A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) size envelope with a snowflake glued to the back flap.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

  • Karen Burniston in cahoots with Riley and Company – Clear Stamps – Quiet Forest

Papers

  • Bazzill – 8.5×11 Cardstock – Rain Forest
  • Recollections – 8.5×11 65 lb. Shimmer Cardstock – White Gold
  • Brown and White Cardstock
  • A2 Envelope – White

Ink

  • American Crafts – Metallic Marker – Silver
  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink- Vintage Photo
  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Sakura – Gelly Roll Pen – Medium – White
  • Scrapbook.com – Shimmer Glitter Brush Marker – Frosty Blue
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Chisel Tip – Black
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Fine Tip – Red

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Bone Folder
  • Score Board
  • Stamping Platform
  • LDRS – Stampendable Stamping Tool
  • Stamping Blocks used as paperweights
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • We R Memories – QuickStick

Miscellaneous

  • Red & White Bakers Twine

Square Book Binding Pop-Up Christmas Card

This card was made for CRAFT ROULETTE #293 whose parameters included a book binding card, sandwich shop colors,  music element, and wrap(s)(ing). I used stamps and dies by Karen Burniston to make this card.

Watch the video below to learn how this card was made.

Cardbase: I started with a purchase A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) cardbase in kraft brown cardstock. Score 1/4 -inch to the right of the card fold. This will become the book binding. Tie a red ribbon around the card at the book binding section. Glue ribbon into the binding section and glue section shut. Cut four panels from plaid cardstock using the second largest die from the Rectangles – Crosshatch set. Two 1×5.5-inch red strips were added to the cardbase edges to cover over the pivot panels that stuck out of the closed card.

Back of card

Pivot Pop-Up: Watch the assembly video for the Evergreen Pivot Panels located at the bottom of the linked page. decorate the panels flat before installing into card. Install as directed in video.

Trees and Snowflakes: Cut at least ten trees from the Evergreen Pivot Panels set. Wrap five trees with twine and tinsel as shown in video above. Cut from thin red and yellow papers the stars and bows in the same die set. Cut eight snowflakes from pearlescent vellum. Six trees will be used on pivot panels, two trees on card front and one tree on card back. The final tree goes on the envelope back flap.

Sentiments: The “Have a tree trimming, carol singing, laughter ringing Christmas” and “Fa la la la la la” sentiments were stamped in black ink using the Season of Cheer stamp set and cut out using the smallest fancy label die in the Rectangles and Labels – Crosshatch and the banner label in the Lorna Label Pop-Up sets. Two small fancy labels were cut from white using the Rectangles and Labels – Crosshatch set for writing a personal message.

Envelope: The card fits into an A7 (5x 7-inch) size envelope with a tree glued to the back flap.

___________________________________

Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please subscribe, like and leave comments 😊

___________________________________

Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

Papers

  • Keep It Simple – 12×12 inch Double-Sided, Coated Cardstock – Lucky Day Collection
  • Lawn Fawn – 8.5×11 Pearlescent Vellum
  • The Paper Studio – 12×12 Crinkle Paper – Green
  • Red and Yellow Upcycled Paper Envelopes
  • White Cardstock
  • Target – A2 Cardbase – Kraft Brown
  • A7 Envelope – Ivory

Ink

  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Bone Folder
  • Score Board
  • We R – Precision Press Mini – Stamping Platform
  • Stamping Blocks used as paperweights
  • Scissors
  • Paper Masking Tape
  • Tweezers
  • We R Memories – QuickStick

Miscellaneous

  • Red Gross-Grain Ribbon 1/8-inch wide
  • Target – Holiday Trim – Tinsel Tree
  • Red and White Baker’s Twine

Stampin’ Up Gingerbread Man Card

Warm gingerbread smells wonderful on a cold Autumn day fresh from the oven. This card tries to capture that yummy feeling of holiday baking using the new dies and stamps from Stampin’ Up.

Watch the video below to see how the card was made.

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Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please subscribe, like and leave comments 😊

___________________________________

Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

  • Stampin’ Up – Stampin’ Cut & Emboss – Gingerbread Man

Stamps

  • Stampin’ Up – Photopolymer Stamps – Gingerbread Man

Papers

  • Rainbow Splash – 8.5×11 100lb Cardstock – Carmel

Ink

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Platform
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Scissors
  • Heat Gun
  • Kat Scrappiness – Anti-Static Tool
  • Paper Masking Tape

Sleigh Bells Pop-Up Christmas Card

There’s a new mini release of five new stamp sets from Karen Burniston. For this card I’ve used the new Christmas Wishes sentiment stamps along with previously released die sets – Sleigh Pop-Up, Christmas Animals, Oval Frames Pop-Up, Gnome and Santa, Labels -Crosshatch, Squares- Crosshatch and Church & School Tiny House Add-Ons.

Watch the video below to learn how I made this card.

Cardbase: Start with an 11×4.25-inch rectangle of kraft colored cardstock. Score and fold at 5.5-inches to form an A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) side-fold card. Cover the four panels with decorative papers.

Card Back

Santa, Reindeer and Sleigh: Watch the assembly videos at the bottom of each of the dies’ linked pages. Santa was made using the Gnome and Santa die set and has the possibility to have his face stamped using the new Fun Faces stamp set. The reindeer were made using the Christmas Animals die set and made on the reverse side of normal die cut. (See the video above to learn how the harness was made.) Using just the sleigh die from the Sleigh Pop-Up, cut once in white and again in silver, Use the stencil die to emboss the sleigh body. Trim off the runner on the white embossed piece and ink with red. Place the red sleigh body slightly offset on top of the silver to give sleigh some dimension.

Pop-Up Platform: Use only the largest die in the Oval Frames Pop-Up set to cut from cream cardstock. train the folds as directed in the die’s assembly video (located at the bottom of the linked page.) Using a glitter paste, add a thin coat to the main platform and let dry before gluing the sleigh onto it. Follow the steps in the video above for the order to glue the various pieces into the card.

Card Front

Sentiments: All the sentiments were stamped in black ink using the Christmas Wishes stamps set. They were cut using the smallest plain die from the Labels -Crosshatch set. For the card front a square decorative paper background and two silver bells were made using the Squares – Crosshatch and Church and School Tiny House Add-Ons die sets.

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Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please subscribe to the email notices, like and leave comments 😊

___________________________________

Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

Papers

  • Stamperia – 8×8-inches Double-Sided Paper – Classic Christmas
  • Stampin’ Up – 8.5×11-inches Cardstock – Tea Room
  • Stampin’ Up – 12×12-inches Specialty Designer Series Paper – Season of Elegance
  • Black, Browns, Kraft, Pink, Red, Silver and White Cardstock

Ink

  • Cricut – Metallic Marker – Medium Tip 1.0 – Silver
  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • OLO – Marker – RVO.1 – Cotton Candy
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink – Lumberjack Plaid
  • Sakura – Gelly Roll Pen – Medium – White
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Fine Point – Green
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Ultra Fine Point – Black

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Platform
  • LDRS – Stampendable Stamping Tool
  • Stamping Blocks used as paperweights
  • Palette Knife
  • Scissors
  • Altenew- Small Blending Brush Set (Flat Bristles)
  • Paper Masking Tape

Miscellaneous

  • Red and White Baker’s Twine – 12-inches
  • Nuvo – Glimmer Paste – Moonstone

Day 7 – Week of Good Cheer Christmas Cards

This is Day 7 in the Week of Good Cheer Christmas Card series featuring cups and mugs of winter cheer as beverages. Today’s card features Trinity Stamps’ Trini-Tea Cup Card die set made up as a Santa mug of cocoa. (GIVEAWAY opportunity near end of post.)

Watch the video below to see how the card was made.

Cardbase:  I started with an 8.5×11-inch sheet of red cardstock of at least 80lb. weight and cut out the shaped card base using the Trinity Stamps’ Trini-Tea Cup Card die set.

Santa:  Santa is created using a Spellbinders’ set of scalloped circles and an i-Crafter’s set of nested circle dies. Watch the video above to see how it was made. The mustache, eyes, mouth and eyebrow come from the Spellbinder’s Cocoa Wonderland die set.

Sentiments:  The die-cut sentiments of “Christmas Greetings” and “ho, ho, ho” are from Karen Burniston’s Small Script- Christmas die set. Another Karen Burniston product, her Winter Hugs stamp set, was used to stamp “Stay warm and drink Hot Cocoa” in brown ink on the catalog (6×9-inches) envelope’s back flap.

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Thank you for experiencing this blog post.

I hope this inspires you and makes you smile.

Please subscribe to the email notices, like and leave comments 😊

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GIVEAWAY

I’m cleaning out my dies and stamps and will be giving away crafting bundles to 8 lucky crafters who follow, subscribe and comment on my Week of Good Cheer Christmas Cards posts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and my website. (If you comment on all 4 platforms, each day, you have over 28 opportunities to be picked for a crafting bundle.)

Tell me why you like each cup or which is your favorite cup. Winners will be picked by September 2, 2025.

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Disclaimer: Karen Burniston products are provided free of charge by the manufacturer for review and use. All other items were personally purchased. Compensated affiliate links used where or when possible, meaning I will receive a small percentage commission from these manufacturers at no cost to you. This will allow me to add more content to my YouTube channel and help out a lot. Thank you.

Materials Used:

Dies

Stamps

Papers

  • Astrobrights – 8.5×11-inches 65lb Cardstock Grocer Kraft
  • Fun Stampers Journey8.5×11-inches Cardstock – Cranberry Bliss
  • White Cardstock

Ink

  • Nuvo – Aqua Shimmer – Glitter Gloss
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker –Fine Tip – Pink
  • Stampin’ Up – Stampin’ Blends – Dark Copper Clay
  • Sunbird Spark – Velvety Dye Ink – Canyon

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Scissors
  • Scrapbook.com – Mint Paper Tape
  • Riley and Company – Pick & Poke Tool
  • Microfiber Cloth