UllyCatDesigns

BetterPress-Nutcracker Christmas Card

| ullycatdesigns

Welcome to Day 5 of my Nutcracker series using a variety of stamps and die sets to make some nutcracker themed cards. My card today uses products by Spellbinders – Simon Hurley’s BetterPress press plates & dies set Nutcracker Trio and Dina Wakley Media’s BetterPress inks of Eggplant, Fir and Ruby.

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

Cardbase: I used a purchased kraft paper A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) cardbase and matching envelope.

Nutcrackers & Plaid Background: The plaid background was created using the Spellbinder’s BetterPress of the Month – Design A Plaid press plate set using red and green ink. The nutcrackers and sentiment are from Simon Hurley’s Better Press press plates & dies set Nutcracker Trio printed in purple, red and green. The inside sentiment banner is from the Design A Plaid set.

Envelope: The panel card fits into an A2 size envelope with a nutcracker and “fa la la la la la la la la” on the envelope back using Karen Burniston’s Season of Cheer and Hero Art’s Nutcracker stamp.

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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:

Press Plates & Dies

  • Spellbinders – Simon Hurley’s BetterPress Press Plates & Dies – Nutcracker Trio
  • Spellbinders – BetterPress of the Month Press Plates & Dies – Design A Plaid

Stamps

Papers

  • Spellbinders – BetterPress – 5.5 x 4.25” (A2) Cotton Card Panels – Porcelain & Pebble
  • Target – A2 Cardbase and Envelope – Kraft

Ink

  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Spellbinders – Dina Wakley Media’s BetterPress Ink – Eggplant, Fir and Ruby

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Spellbinders – BetterPress Letterpress System
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Blocks used as paperweights
  • Spellbinders – Best Ever Craft Tape

Spellbinders – Dancing Nutcracker Card

| ullycatdesigns

Welcome to Day 4 of my Nutcracker series using a variety of stamps and die sets to make some nutcracker themed cards. My card today uses products by Spellbinders – Dancin’ Nutcracker Fritz and Happy Holidays die sets and Honey Bee Stamps Soulful Season 3D embossing folder as well as Hero Arts’ A Little Nuts stamp set.

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

Cardbase: Emboss a 5.5-8.5 piece of white 65lb. cardstock using the Honey Bee Stamps Soulful Season 3D embossing folder following the directions in the video above. Trim down to a 5×7-inch panel. Glue to the front of an A7 (5×7-inch) cardbase. (I used a purchased cardbase and envelope.)

Nutcracker & Drum: Referring to the image of the nutcracker on the packaging for the Spellbinders Dancin’ Nutcracker Fritz die set, cut out all the pieces using your own color scheme. Cut a black strip to go behind the face for the eyes. (I cut two drums – one for the front and one for the card back along with drum sticks.) Assemble nutcracker and drums as shown in video above.

Sentiments: Using the Spellbinders Happy Holidays die set, cut from red paper. (I upcycled a red envelope.)

Envelope: The panel card fits into an A7 size envelope with a nutcracker and “Nutcracker is my favorite season” on the envelope back using the Hero Arts’ A Little Nuts stamp set and blue ink.

___________________________________

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

  • Spellbinders –Cutting Dies – Dancin’ Nutcracker Fritz – S5-644
  • Spellbinders –Cutting Dies – Happy Holidays – S2-330

Embossing Folders

  • Honey Bee – 3D Embossing Folder – Soulful Season

Stamps

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

Papers

  • Spellbinders – 8.5×11 100 lb. Cardstock – Cosmic Sky
  • The Paper Studio – 8.5×11 65 lb. Cardstock – White
  • Gold Mirror Cardstock
  • Black, Pinks,Red and Yellow Cardstock
  • Park Lane Paperie – A7 Cardbase and Envelope – White

Ink

  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Paris Dusk
  • Pigma – Mircon 01 Fine Tip Pen – Black
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink- Lost Shadow
  • Stampin’ Up – Stampin’ Blends Marker – Dual Tip – Light Copper Clay
  • Sakura – Gelly Roll Pen – Medium – White

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Platform
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Sponge Blending Tool
  • Tweezers
  • Spellbinders – Mighty Mister Spray Bottle
  • We R Memories – QuickStick

Miscellaneous

  • Large Eyed Needle
  • Vivant – Cord/Thread – Gold

Trinity Stamps – Nutcracker Slider Card

| ullycatdesigns

Welcome to Day 3 of my Nutcracker series using a variety of stamps and die sets to make some nutcracker themed cards. My card today uses products by Trinity Stamps – Nutcracker Cup Character, Take-Out Coffee Cup Shaped Card and Sundae Swirl Alphabet dies sets and Hero Arts’ A Little Nuts stamp set.

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

Cardbase: Using the large die from the Take-Out Coffee Cup Shaped Card, cut out a card base from a 7.5×5.5-inch piece of black cardstock.

Nutcracker Front: Referring to the image of the nutcracker on the packaging for the Nutcracker Cup Character die set, cut out all the pieces using your own color scheme. (I used black for the eyes, teeth, hat bill/visor and belt, flesh color hands and nose, blue for sleeves, gold for belt buckle, sleeve cuffs, epaulets and button cording, red for jacket and hat, copper brown for hair, eyebrows and mustache, and yellow for the feather in hat.) Cut a white square to fit the back of the teeth. Cut from Flesh color, a cup holder using the die in the Take-Out Coffee Cup Shaped Card set to use as the face. Assemble as shown in video.

Sentiments: Using the Sundae Swirl Alphabet die set, cut from red the words “Happy Holidays” and glue together as directed in the video above. Cut from white a cup holder using the die in the Take-Out Coffee Cup Shaped Card set.

Envelope: The panel card fits into an A2 size envelope with a nutcracker and “Nutcracker is my favorite season” on the envelope back using the Hero Arts’ A Little Nuts stamp set.

___________________________________

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

  • Trinity Stamps – Dies – Nutcracker Cup Character
  • Trinity Stamps – Dies – Sundae Swirl Alphabet
  • Trinity Stamps – Dies – Take-Out Coffee Cup Shaped Card

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 – Flesh
  • Recollections – 8.5×11 80 lb. Cardstock – White
  • Stampin’ Up – 8.5×11 80 lb. Cardstock – Copper Clay
  • Black, Blue, Red and Yellow Cardstock
  • Fraser Papers for William House – A2 Envelope – Genesis Text Milkweed Smooth

Ink

Adhesives

Tools

  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Stamping Platform
  • Stamping Block
  • Blending Brush
  • Pencil
  • Tweezers
  • Riley and Company – Pick & Poke Tool
  • We R Memories – QuickStick

Miscellaneous

  • Trinity Stamps – Sparkle Spots Embellishments – Sampler

Concord & 9th Nutcracker Cards

| ullycatdesigns

Welcome to Day 2 of my Nutcracker series using a variety of stamps and die sets to make some nutcracker themed cards. My card today uses products by Concord & 9th along with stamps from Scrapbook and Cards Today‘s Christmas in July – Jolly Holiday 2024 event.

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 11-inch rectangle and folded in half to form an A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) cardbase. Cover with outer two panels with patterned paper. (Do this for card 1 or card 2. For the blue card 1, use the smaller oval die in the Nutcracker Dies set to cut a window aperture into the card front. Save cut-out oval and glue to card inside to fit into the window. Use both oval dies to cut out a red frame and glue to front of card around the window. I also adhered clear glitter to the inside oval using Glossy Accents.)

Nutcrackers: Follow the video above for assembly or look at packaging for ideas. (I used the coordinating enamel shapes for the hat feather, belt, shoulder epaulets and boots, but there are dies to cut these pieces as well.)

Sentiments: Using the banner and word dies included in the Nutcracker Dies, cut a banner from white cardstock and either “merry” or “JOY” from colored or patterned paper and glue to banner. Add to the card front. Decorate with holly or leafy stems from the die set or use enamel holly leaves and berries. Inside the green card 2, stamp “everything” in black to match the die-cut “merry” from the card front. Then, using ink to coordinate with the card front paper, stamp a pine branch on the top inside panel and in black on the outside back panel. The stamps I used were from Scrapbook and Cards Today‘s Christmas in July – Jolly Holiday 2024 event.

Envelope: The cards fit into an A2 size envelope with “Fill your heart with joy” stamped on the back flap in coordinating ink.

___________________________________

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

  • Concord & 9th – Dies – Nutcracker Dies

Stamps

  • Scrapbook and Cards Today‘s Christmas in July – Jolly Holiday 2024 event – Clear Stamps

Papers

  • Concord & 9th – 8.5×11 Cardstock – Sea Glass
  • Graphic 45 – 8×8 Double-sided Paper – Let It Snow
  • My Mind’s Eye – 6×6 Paper Pad – Jingle All The Way
  • Black, Blue, Pink, and Red Cardstock
  • Fraser Papers for William House – A2 Envelope – Genesis Text Milkweed Smooth

Ink

  • Concord & 9th – Premium Dye Ink – Tidepool
  • Memento – Fade Resistant Dye ink – Tuxedo Black & Rose Bud
  • Sharpie – Permanent Marker – Fine Tip – Green

Adhesives

Tools

Miscellaneous

  • Concord & 9th – Enamel Stickers – Nutcracker Shapes
  • Ranger – Tim Holtz Distress – Rock Candy Clear Glitter

Hero Arts – Nutcracker Slider Card

| ullycatdesigns

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.

___________________________________

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

  • 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

What’s New Kitty Cat

| ullycatdesigns

It’s time for the Karen Burniston Design Team December 2025 Challenge whose theme is SONG LYRICS. I made an A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) card using the new die and stamp sets – Playful Pop-Up, Dog and Cat Playful Add-Ons, Cat Borders, Greeting Labels and Cat Sayings along with other Karen Burniston dies.

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

Cardbase: I cut a 5.5×8.5-inch rectangle from orange 100lb. cardstock. Then I scored and folded in half to create a 4.25×5.5-inch A2 side-fold cardbase. Using the largest die in the Rectangles – Crosshatch die set, cut four panels of decorative paper to cover the four card panels. (I ended up cutting three panels and using a large scrap of the decorative paper for the card back.)

Sentiments: Word surgery (i.e. – Die cut words being cut apart and glued back together to form new words) was involved to make the custom words for this card’s front. “What’s” is made from the “W” from the Go Wild die set and the “hat” from the word “Christmas” in the Merry Christmas die set. “New” is from the Happy New Year die set. Word Set 4 -Just A Note used the words “up” and “to say” as well as the words “Blessings” and “color” from Word Set 7 – Autumn, to make the words “pussy cat.” The three “WHOA” inside used the Mini Alphabet and Numbers set.

The stamped sentiments “Happy Purr-thday” and “HOME is where the CAT is” are from the new stamp set Cat Sayings. They were stamped in black ink on white cardstock and die cut using the Greeting Labels and Hearts – Crosshatch die sets. Cut an oval for a personal message to go on the inside.

Paw Print Border: Using the Cat Borders die set, cut one paw print die from black cardstock and one paw back die from pink cardstock. glue the two pieces together. Trim border to fit the card front as shown in the photos and video. Use the extra paw prints to decorate inside the card.

Playful Pop-Up: Cut one of the large die, one of the face plate and one of the “K” shaped mechanism in the Playful Pop-Up set from black cardstock. Assemble as show in the video above.

Cat: Using the Dog and Cat Playful Add-Ons die set, cut from black, the large cat ears, paw arms, nose/mouth, and small oval eyes. From pink cardstock cut, the small cat ears, nose, tongue and paw back pieces. From white cardstock cut one set of large oval eyes and one set of whiskers. Assemble and install as show in the video. Use a white gel pen to add the eye and nose highlights. I

Envelope:  The card fits into an A2 (4.25×5.5-inch) size envelope whose back flap was stamped “Hope your day is PURR-fect!” from the Cat Sayings stamp set.

___________________________________

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

  • Karen Burniston in cahoots with Riley and Company – Clear Stamps – Fall Phrases

Papers

  • Ms. Sparkle & Co. Paperie – 5.5×7.5 Single -Sided Paper – Rainbow
  • Recollections – 8.5×11 100 lb. Cardstock – Orange
  • Black, Pink and White Cardstock
  • Fraser Papers for William House – A2 Envelope – Genesis Text Milkweed Smooth

Ink

Adhesives

Tools

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

2025 ATC Calendar – DECember

| ullycatdesigns

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.

___________________________________

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

| ullycatdesigns

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.

___________________________________

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

| ullycatdesigns

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.

Card 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