Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Using Left Over Foil on Die Cuts

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. My last project prior to this involved foiling using the Spellbinders Glimmer Machine. I heard from some crafters that once you get a hang of it, it can be addicting. Indeed it is. 

I have collected several used foils from previous projects. I was looking for an opportunity to use it and thought of using these left over foil on die cuts. 

I die cut stars from the retired Altenew Halftone Stars die set on teal, brown and cream cardstock. I don't think the color of the cardstock will matter because of the foiling. I had a different plan for my project at the beginning that's why I die cut the stars on colored cardstock. I used a solid foil plate to add foil to the die cuts. I used the Waffle Flower brand but Altenew has a solid foil plate, too. The difference is that Altenew's solid foil plate is smaller. 

I heated the foil on the Glimmer Machine. I placed the foil, shiny side down, directly on top of the solid foil plate. I placed the stars on top of the foil then covered this with a scrap paper large enough to cover the foil. I forgot to do this step on my first foiling so I ended up foiling the plate. No harm done on the plate except for the permanent foil. I placed the spacer and added a shim of thin cardstock then ran this through my die cutting machine. 


In using the foil scraps, I was not only able to make the most of the foil but I transferred the design on the die cuts which you will see on some of the stars. 

For the panel, I trimmed a blue cardstock at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I heat embossed the word celebrate on both panels. The stamp I used is from a retired Altenew stamp set, one of my very first Altenew stamp sets. I used white embossing powder for embossing. 


I adhered the foiled stars on the panel. I stamped a dot using white pigment ink. I initially was using the dot stamp the way that it was intended for it to be used. The dot stamp is from the Altenew Hennah stamp set. To create variation, I flipped the dot stamp, inked it and stamped it on the panel. This added a larger dot than the first dot.

I created these cards to send out since we still received holiday cards. I plan to add a sentiment strip of "Happy New Year" on the bottom of the large sentiment. This card design can be customized for any occasion. You can leave it as is or add a different celebratory sentiment for birthday, retirement, graduation, etc. I stamped Happy New Year on the same colored cardstock using white pigment ink. I poured white embossing powder to the wet ink then heat set it. I die cut this into a strip and adhered it to the bottom of the word celebrate.

The foil is very pretty. The color changes depending on how the light hits it.


I hope you like today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at



Monday, December 29, 2025

Happy New Year!


Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I still needed to send out holiday cards but I don't think it will arrive on time so I decided to create cards to celebrate the the upcoming year. I got my inspiration from the this month's Lunar Year Challenge. 

I used a My Favorite Things number die set to die cut the numbers. The number die cuts an outline and the negative cut. Instead of putting the negative cut aside, I decided to do a two-for-one cards, interchanging the outlines and the negative cuts. 

I used the solid number die as the base of the numbers. I die cut this on black cardstock.


I die cut a red cardstock using a panel die from Catherine Pooler. I backed this with the same gold cardstock I used on the numbers.

I stamped the horse and the hat on watercolor paper using VersaFine Clair. I colored the images with a Marvy Uchida Color In Watercolor Twist Pencils. I used a water brush to pick up the pigment from the pencil then paint this on the images. I die cut the images using the coordinating die. The die cuts a small border around the stamped image. I snipped off the bottom part of the hat die cut so it looks more continuous when adhered to the horse.

Next year is the Year of the Horse which explains the image choice for my card.


I die cut a banner on red carstock using a die from Lawn Fawn. I used a Lawn Fawn alphabet die to spell out my sentiment. Although I have a sentiment stamp with this message, using the alphabet stamps allowed me to follow the curve of the banner. My alphabet stamps are over used that it does not stick to the acrylic block anymore. That can be frustrating especially when you are ready to stamp and an inked letter falls to your panel. Not to forget the effort you put in putting the letters together. Cleaning the back of the letter stamp on a stamp scrubber sprayed with a stamp cleaner will recondition the stick of the polymer. 

I inked the sentiment with an embossing ink. I poured gold embossing ink over the sticky ink then heat embossed it.

I adhered the die cuts to the panel. I adhered this panel to a top folding A2 note card.

I hope you like today's card. Happy New Year to you all!

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day...and year!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at





Saturday, December 27, 2025

Happy Holidays!


Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I finished stitching this two nights ago. I wasn't able to post it on Christmas day. The pattern is from Cozy Christmas 101 Counted Cross Stitch Ornaments...and other Small Motifs published by Maggie Smith. 

Even though the holidays are nearing to an end, I don't think I'll stop stitching patterns with Christmas motifs. It is just very adorable and addicting!

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

 

Thursday, December 25, 2025

A Shimmery Christmas Card, a Blank Page Muse Post

 

Hello! I am back at the Blank Page Muse blog with this card for an alternate take on Christmas theme. I was going for a steampunk design but ended up with a shimmery design for a card. But before I continue with the card, let me greet you all A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope you are enjoying the holiday with your loved ones.


I used stamps from the Blank Page Muse Country Vintage Christmas Rubber Art Stamps Sheet Set. I did some embossing, fussy cutting and die cutting to create the scene. I used shimmer paper on this card except for the curved strip. 


I used a Glad Press 'N Seal to preserve the arrangement of the stockings as I add liquid glue to the back of the cut outs.



I hope you like today's card. Please visit the Blank Page Muse blog for details on the process of how I created this card. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at









Saturday, December 20, 2025

Stitched Monogram Paper Embroidery Hoop Ornament/Tag Take 2


Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I recreated one of my previous projects using a different color scheme. I created this as as a holiday gift to someone dear who supports and patronizes my card making. I stitched the first letter of her family member's name.


Of course, we have to include her dog.


You can find the first version of this project here. I thought I was detailed enough to describe the creation process of these paper ornaments. I forgot to describe how to attach the jingle bells but I eventually figured it out.


Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you like today's project. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.



 

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Trifold Retirement Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I have a co-worker who just retired this month. I was requested to create a card for her. She likes to travel which explains the theme of the card. 

I created this card using supplies from my craft stash. The luggage was cut using the Cricut Machine. I do this if I don't have a die to cut an image. I added eyelets to the luggage details. I fussy cut a patterned paper for the luggage embellishments. I punched one of the cut outs for a postage edge. I used a Martha Stewart custom stamp set to spell out the word retired on the luggage tag.

I put together the sentiment using several dies. 'Let' is from Simon Says Stamp. I did a bit of die cut surgery since the sentiment says Let's Party. 'The' is from Concord & 9th which I trimmed from the word There. 'Adventure' is from Lawn Fawn. And, 'Begin' is from Sugar Pea Designs. The last two dies are alphabet dies. I like alphabet stamps and dies. It allows me to customize a sentiment.

I inked the edges of the patterned paper I used for the panel. I splattered white ink over the panel.



I created this into a tri-fold card to provide a large space for my co-workers to write on. I added additional sentiments to both folds. The die cut sentiments and stamps are from Hero Arts. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

A Pink Christmas, An Alternate Take On Christmas, A Blank Page Muse Post

 

Hello! I am back at the Blank Page Muse blog with this card. For December, the team is doing an alternate take on Christmas theme. I created a mostly pink Christmas card, which is a non-traditional Christmas color. The Blank Page Muse stamps I used on this card are the Beyond the Border Christmas Stamp Set and the Country Vintage Christmas Rubber Art Stamps Set Sheet. I used a pink striped pattern paper from a Valentine paper collection, a very alternate take.


The card is mostly pink except for the sentiment which I embossed in black. I feel that if I made this pink, it will get lost in the busy pink background.



I hope you like today's card. Please visit the BPM blog for details on how I created this card. Thank you and have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

Monday, December 15, 2025

Pink Christmas Card


Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created a one layer card with minimal supplies and stitching. The stamps I used are from Lawn Fawn. I stamped the houses on kraft cardstock. I colored the houses with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. Very easy coloring since I only used two colors, red and brown.

I die cut the houses using the coordinating die. 


I stamped the word joy on white cardstock using a very light ink. I carefully poked holes on this following the outline of the stamped sentiment. I added stitching to these poked holes using a red metallic thread. I did a french knot to the tittle of the j. I die cut the stitched sentiment using the coordinating die. Yes, another bold move. Luckily, no stitch was undone.

For the sentiment, I stamped this on kraft cardstock. using Versamark ink. I poured red embossing powder to the sticky ink and heat set it. I cut this into a wide strip. I added details to the top and bottom edges with a x stitching details.

I cut a pink cardstock at 4 1/4 x 11 1/2". I scored this at 5 1/4" on the long side. I added details to the front using a dye from The Greetery. 

I adhered the sentiment strip on the front of the note card. I adhered the houses with a foam tape. I adhered the stitched sentiment to the panel.


I hope you like today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at




Friday, December 12, 2025

12 Days of Christmas Cross Stitching Template-Day 12

Hello! Welcome back to day 12 of my blog series of 12 Days of Christmas Cross Stitching. It is the last day! If you have been with me all these 12 days, thank you very much. If you just joined me, just hit old post on the bottom because there are 11 stitched patterns to see before this.

Although the original stich pattern is an advent calendar, due to lack of time, I settled with stitching the first 12 and stitch the rest for next year. 

My take aways doing this project is that I could have substituted some colors with another kind of embroidery floss (metallic, glittered or variegated) since I have some of it in my thread stash. It will also be nice if I can do a reel each time I stitch. In that way, I can share to you my awe each time an image comes to form after continued stitching. It is like Christmas morning. 


Thank you for visiting my blog. I trully appreciate your time especially these times of hustle and bustle. As early as now, let me greet you a very Merry Christmas. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Stitch pattern by Dorigo Michela for Crocette a gogo

Embroidery floss: DMC 6 strand

Paper: Neenah Desert Storm 100 lb

Piercing die: Waffle Flower 

Thursday, December 11, 2025

Binding Project for a Retiree


Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project is a retirement gift. My co-worker, Lea Anne, is very nice to hand out retirement cards for our work group to fill up for Jill, the retiree. I volunteered to bound the cards and jazz it up to make it more special.

I used the We R Makers Multi Cinch Binding Machine to punch the holes. I don't have Cinch Binding Wires. I only have the Zutter brand. Although the Zutter binding wires thread through the holes, it is not compatible with the Cinch machine when it comes to pressing the binding wires. Good thing, I still have my Zutter Binding Machine to press the wires.


I stamped a Honey Bee Stamps floral background stamp on the back of the cards and the inner cover of the book. I heat embossed this image on the front with gold embossing powder. You might notice on the photo that mybinding is not perfect. The wires got messed up after I attempted to use it on the Cinch.


I die cut the letters to spell out the retiree's name using dies from Spellbinders. It is a stitching die so I added stitching to the holes. I used DMC Variegated floss for the stitching. I substituted the teetles of the letters j and i with flowers from My Favorite Things. The recipient loves to garden so this will tie in with the floral stamped background. 

I hope you like today's project. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this project at





 

12 Days of Christmas Cross Stitching-Day 11

 

Hello! Welcome back to day 11 of my blog series of 12 Days of Christmas Cross Stitching.

For this pattern, I must have incorrectly counted the stitches. The tree ended up near the bottom of the stitching panel. I just zoomed in on the tree that's why you are not able to see it. 


I am nearing the end of this blog series. As early as now, I would like to thank you for checking in and seeing what is the stitched pattern of the day.

Please come back for Day 12. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Stitch pattern by Dorigo Michela for Crocette a gogo

Embroidery floss: DMC 6 strand

Paper: Neenah Desert Storm 100 lb

Piercing die: Waffle Flower 

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Scenic Christmas Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created a card using Craft Consortium Candy Christmas chipboard ephemera from a mystery box I bought a while back. I created a snow scene and added embossing paste to the background for some textured snow look. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.