How to Make a Birthday Card with Color Block Accent Arches and Darling Dog Dies

Hello crafty friends! It’s Lisa Tilson here with you today. I am thrilled to be back on the Spellbinders blog to share a card featuring the Color Block Accent Arches, which are part of the Just Add Cake Birthday Cardmaking Kit Add-Ons. I am going to be taking you through this card with a step-by-step photo tutorial. It’s a fun card to make!

Happy Birthday

For all of the die cutting, use the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine with the die cutting sandwich as follows (from bottom to top):

• Plate A – Platform Base
• Plate B – Platform Top
• Plate C – Cutting Plate
• Plate C – Cutting Plate

The cardstock/die will be inserted between the two cutting plates with the die sitting on top of the cardstock, cutting side down. For the letterpressing, use the BetterPress LetterPress System, which works in conjunction with the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

Creating The Background

1. Die cut the largest arch from Essential Arches Etched Dies from 80lb white cardstock.
2. Die cut the largest arch from Color Block Accent Arches from Waterfall ColorWheel Cardstock.

Note: the dies are shown face up to make it easier for you to see what is being die cut. To die cut them, flip the dies over so the cutting side is directly on the cardstock and tape them in place using Best Ever Craft Tape.

3. Put the dies/cardstock in between the two cutting places and run them through your Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

4. Die cut the second largest arch from Color Block Accent Arches from Seaside ColorWheel Cardstock.
5. Die cut the fourth largest arch from Essential Arches Etched Dies from 80lb white cardstock.

6. Put Bearly Art Glue onto the back of the Waterfall and Seaside arch die cuts.

7. Adhere them onto their respective white bases.

8. Put liquid glue onto the back of the smallest white arch stack.

9. Adhere that onto the larger arch, making sure to leave an even gap around the edge.

Die Cutting and Assembling Darling Dog

1. Taking the Darling Dog Etched Dies, die cut the head, body, and ear sections from Fawn ColorWheel Cardstock.
2. Die cut the two paw pieces from Blush ColorWheel Cardstock (these will sit behind the paws when you come to assemble the dog).
3. Die-cut the inner ears, fur pieces, and muzzle from Alabaster ColorWheel Cardstock.
4. Die cut the envelope, headband, nose/eye die from 80lb white cardstock.
5. Die cut the hearts, ribbon, and medal from Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock.

TIP: Store all of your dies and die cuts in a Craft Stax so you keep everything in one place and don’t lose those teeny tiny pieces! Note: some of these dies will be cut a second time, but from different coloured cardstock. At the end, you will end up with some die cuts you won’t use.

6. Die-cut the medal die from white cardstock.
7. Die cut the nose/eye die from Raven ColorWheel Cardstock.
8. Die-cut the mouthpiece from Poppy ColorWheel Cardstock.

9. Temporarily adhere your Fawn colored die cuts onto a piece of scrap paper, and using a blending brush, add Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink around the edges of all of the die cuts.

10. Temporarily adhere your Alabaster colored die cuts onto scrap paper, and using mini and medium blending brushes, apply Antique Linen Distress Ink around the edges.

11. Using a Tool ‘n One, pop out the pieces in the paw and then add tiny dots of Bearly Art Glue around the back of the paw. Adhere the two pink paw die cuts.

12. Add small dabs of glue to the head die cut and adhere the inner ear pieces.

13. Add liquid glue to the back of the larger ear pieces and then adhere them next to the inner ear pieces.

TIP: You will see that there are etched lines on your die cut, which will help you with placement.

14. Add liquid glue to the muzzle section on the head and adhere the muzzle die cut on top.

15. Adhere the two white eyes.

16. Turn the head over and add small dabs of glue around the eyebrow sections. Adhere your two cream eyebrow pieces.

17. Adhere the cream fur to the body.

18. Add a small line of liquid glue along the top of the body and adhere the head on top.

19. Adhere the bit of fur at the top of the head.

20. Adhere the black nose and mouth pieces.

21. Adhere the tiny red die cut onto the end of the tongue.

22. Add two small dabs of glue onto the white eyes and adhere the little black eye pieces.

TIP: A pick-up tool will help with placing those very small die cuts. Use tweezers for larger die cuts.

23. Adhere the purple heart onto the white envelope.

24. Adhere the two purple hearts onto the headband.

25. Adhere the white circle die cut onto the purple ribbon.

26. Adhere the white star surround die cut followed by the tiny purple star!

27. Cut the balloon and string from Classic Mouse Love Etched Dies. Cut the balloon from Lilac ColorWheel Cardstock and the string from white cardstock.

28. Add a small dot of glue to the bottom of the balloon and adhere the string.

Pressing Your Sentiment

1. Take the Always and Forever Sentiment Strips Press Plate and Die Set and place it onto the magnetic platform of the BetterPress Letterpress System.
2. Adhere a panel of A2-panel of Porcelain BetterPress Cardstock to the underside of your platen (clear top plate) using small pieces of yellow tape.
3. Ink up the plate using BetterPress Black Ink.
4. Pop the platen back onto the magnetic platform.

5. Run the sandwich through the Platinum SIX Die Cutting Machine.

6. Tape the coordinating die set onto the panel of pressed sentiments and run it through the die cutting machine.

Assembling The Card

1. Adhere your arched stack to a white note card using liquid glue.

2. Adhere the headband, envelope, balloon string, and medal onto your dog using liquid adhesive.

3. Put some White Foam Squares onto the back of the dog and the balloon, and remove the backing paper.

4. Adhere the dog down onto your arched panel. Temporarily place the sentiment onto the bottom of the panel so that you can see where your dog needs to be placed.

5. Put some small White Foam Squares onto the back of the sentiment, remove the backing paper, and place it down onto the panel under the dog.
6. Give yourself a high five! You are done!

Although this card has a lot of steps, it really is mostly die cutting and sticking things back together! I hope this step-by-step tutorial will help guide you through the fun of creating a card with lots of interest and dimension! If you would like to see more of my cards, I would love to have you join me over on my blog, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. In the meantime, thank you so much for being with me here on the Spellbinders blog today. I hope that you have a great day!

Other Supplies

Neenah 80/110lb Classic Crest Solar White Cardstock, temporary adhesive, embellishment wand/pick up tool, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink Mini, Antique Linen Distress Ink