Seth Apter is back with another Sizzix release, and this time he has 5 new die sets (one also includes a set of sentiment stamps) that are just perfect for mixed media style cards. I always enjoy working with his designs because they can be used for so many themes and are perfect for adding texture and interest to your cards and other crafting projects. For this card I used three of the new sets: one for the background and two to embellish the card. You can find all the details and supply list below. And if you would rather watch the process, there is a link to the video tutorial as well.

Creating the Background

To create the background I started with a panel of Distress Watercolor Cardstock and spritzed it with Scorched Distress Spray. I did not add any extra water during this step. I only sprayed the paper with the ink. I then dried it using a heat tool. I recommend that you make sure the ink and paper are completely dry before moving on to the second step.

Next, I used a dry paint brush to apply Distress Foundry Wax in Sterling here and there across the panel. You are not going for solid coverage. I then spritzed it with water, let it dry, and used a heat embossing tool to heat set the Foundry Wax. The Foundry Wax must be heat set to make it permanent. If you skip that step, it will continue to rub off. So if you wipe over it with your fingers and you are still getting it on them, you need to heat it more. The Foundry Wax should become shiny as it dries and becomes permanent.

Once that was done, I applied Old Paper and Hickory Smoke Distress Oxide directly to the paper. Don't be shy here. Apply a generous amount of the ink. I then gave this layer a spritz of water and dried it with my heat tool. I repeated the process to add a little more Old Paper Distress Oxide, so feel free to do the same if you think it needs more ink.

I call this the Metallic Oxide Technique. It was inspired by a technique Vicki Evans shared called Mixed Metals and Mini Oxides. I put my own twist on it by using Distress Foundry Wax in place of Alcohol Ink Alloys.

The next step is to add the embossing using a metal die normally used for die cutting. I used the new Seth Apter Sizzix Stackers die set. Place the die on top of the background paper and run the panel through a die cutting machine to emboss it. I prefer to spritz the backside of the background with water to help soften the paper and lessen the chances of the paper cracking. You do not want to spray the front side where we just did all of the inking. When it comes to embossing with a metal die, please refer to your particular die cutting machine for the proper sandwich. The key for this technique is to use a silicone pad to prevent the die from cutting through the paper. This allows it to emboss the design into the paper instead of cutting it.

With the embossing completed, I then added some stamping using a script stamp from the Tim Holtz Gothic Tapestry stamp set. I used Black Soot Archival Ink, which is a permanent ink. I recommend using some sort of permanent ink for this step since you are stamping on top of Distress Oxide Ink. To finish it off, I inked the edges with Ground Espresso Distress Ink, spritzed it with water and dried it with a heat tool. The background is now completed and ready for you to embellish.

Embellishing the Card

To embellish the card, I pulled from my Ashgrave Archive collection. I used one of the papers as a base layer behind the background panel. I also die cut the moon and the word "wicked" from Ashgrave Archive papers. The moon is from the Tim Holtz Vault Moonlight Scare die set, and "wicked" is from the Tim Holtz Vault Gothic Portraits die set. I inked the edges with Ground Espresso Distress Ink. I also added a few of the ephemera pieces from the collection to finish off the layers.

The 31 and the tree are both from Seth Apter's new release. The 31 is from the Recount die set, and the tree is from the Free Bird die set. I cut both from Tim Holtz Distress Black Woodgrain paper. That paper is retired, but you can get a similar look by using plain black cardstock and embossing it with a wood grain embossing folder.

Watch the Video Tutorial

Want to see the Metallic Oxide Technique and embossing with dies in action? I walk you through every step in the video tutorial, so you can see exactly how the layers build up and how the die embosses the background without cutting through the paper. You can watch it below or over on my YouTube channel.

I love how Seth's new dies and my Ashgrave Archive papers came together on this one. I hope it inspires you to grab one of your dies and try embossing with it instead of cutting!

Until next time, stay crafty my friend!

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

I'm back with the second Halloween card I created for the Tim Holtz Sizzix Halloween YouTube Live. If you missed the live and are looking for more inspiration, make sure you head to Tim's YouTube channel to check it out. And if you missed my first card, you can find it here. For now, join me as I walk you through each step of creating this card using some of the dies and embossing folders from the latest release. I'm also sharing the older die sets some of you may already have in your stash that you could use to make this card. Now let's get into the making!

The Cobweb Background

To create the background, I embossed a piece of silver metallic cardstock using the Vault Cobweb embossing folder. Next, I painted over the surface with Black Soot Distress Paint, but any black acrylic paint will work. Once the paint was completely dry, I took a Ranger Sanding Disc (a piece of fine grit sandpaper works too) and lightly sanded over the paper to reveal the embossed design.

The Skeleton and Spider

Next up, I created the skeleton using the Vault Frights Bones die set. If you have the original Mr. Bones die set, you could use it. The only difference is that the skeleton in the Vault set is slightly smaller. I cut all of the pieces from Distress Watercolor Cardstock, then ink smooshed the base layer with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and the second layer with Lost Shadow Distress Ink, and left the top layers white. I assembled all of the layers and inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.

The spider is from the Vault Laboratory die set and is cut from a piece of Distress Watercolor Cardstock that I sprayed with Black Soot Distress Spray Stain.

The Sentiment

Next up, I die cut the sentiment pieces. Eek is from the Vault Frights Bones set, but you could also use the larger one from the Bold Frights die set or a different sentiment entirely. I die cut both layers from Distress Watercolor Cardstock, then spritzed the top layer with Wilted Violet Distress Spray Stain and ink smooshed the bottom layer with Lost Shadow Distress Ink. Once I assembled the layers, I inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink.

The final bit of die cutting is the word beware from the Vault Classic Halloween Handwriting set, which I cut from a piece of silver metallic cardstock. If you're lucky enough to have the original Halloween Handwriting, this new set is exactly the same size. This is definitely one of those sets I'm so happy was re-released because I can now have it in my collection!

Why Mr. Bones Needed Something Behind Him

Last but not least, I created the piece behind the skeleton. You may wonder why I did that. Well, if you're following along and have the background completed and all of the other pieces die cut and assembled, lay the pieces on the background and ask yourself a couple of questions. How well can you see them? Does Mr. Bones look like he's floating in the air?

I personally couldn't see my die cuts very well. They got lost in that cool textured background, and yes, he was definitely floating in the air! The trick was to create something to go behind it all, an area that was less detailed and textured where everything could be grounded.

I began by stamping an image from the Tim Holtz Mini Halloween 05 stamp set onto a piece of Distress Watercolor Cardstock using Black Soot Archival Ink. I placed it behind my images and realized it was still too busy. The solution? A piece of vellum! I tore the left-hand side of the stamped piece to give it a little distressed effect and inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. I then cut a piece of vellum slightly larger than the stamped piece, tore the same edge, and inked the edges and lightly over the surface. Once I laid the vellum on top, the stamped image was less noticeable but still added a little interest to the design. And now Mr. Bones is back as the focal point he should be, and he's no longer floating away!

Side note: If you're using the larger, original Mr. Bones die set, you might want to create a slightly larger stamped piece to go behind him. Feel free to use any Halloween themed stamp you have, but something with a smaller design won't compete with the size of the die cuts.

Thanks for stopping by to learn how this Halloween Eek Card came together. I hope you enjoyed the process and maybe learned a couple of new tricks and treats along the way! If you make your own version, I'd love to see it. Share it with me on Instagram or tell me about it in the comments.

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create these cards. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Tim Holtz has brought back some real vintage favorites in the Sizzix Christmas 2026 release, including embossing folders and die sets pulled straight from the vault. I couldn't resist pairing a few of them together, and the result is this Believe Christmas Card. The Santa is easily one of my favorite Santas ever. That face! Those little glasses! Isn't he just adorable?!

Beyond how cute he is, this card is also where I want to show you a technique I'm loving right now. That faux watercolor look on the blue panel didn't come from paint at all. I inked the embossing folder itself before running the paper through, then sprayed it with water afterward to let the ink flow and move into the design. It's an easy way to get real watercolor texture with none of the painting skill required, and it works with any embossing folder you already own.

If you are interested in any of the supplies I've used to create this card, you can find the full list at the bottom of this post.

Faux Watercolor Effect

For the red dotted background, I inked the top of the Vault Dots Embossing Folder with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink, then lightly spritzed the back of a piece of Distress Watercolor cardstock with water before running it through the die cutting machine. The water helps soften the paper for a better embossed design. The result is a polka dot panel with ink sitting in the recessed lines and the raised design left clean.

For the blue panel, I used the same starting technique, inking the Vault Season's Greetings folder with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink and spritzing the back of the paper before embossing. This time I took it a step further and sprayed the embossed paper with water afterward, which lets the ink flow and move across the surface. That extra step after embossing is what gives the blue panel its soft, watery swirl.

Building the Postage Panel

Once the blue panel dried, I die cut it into a postage stamp shape using one of the Stacked Postage dies. This set has been retired for a while, but any rectangle die with a scalloped or perforated edge will give you the same look. I inked the edges of both the red dotted background and the postage piece with Ground Espresso Distress Ink, then added a line of machine stitching around the postage piece to tie it into the background.

Making the Santa

For Santa, I used the Vault Letter to Santa die set and cut every piece from Distress Watercolor cardstock. I inked the hat and the berries with Aged Mahogany and Festive Berries Distress Ink, the leaves with Rustic Wilderness and Peeled Paint, the face with Tea Dye, and the cheeks with Spun Sugar. The eyes are cut from black cardstock and the spectacles from gold. I adhered all the layers together with liquid adhesive before attaching the finished Santa to the card.

Finishing the Sentiment

For the sentiment, I cut each letter of the word believe from the same die set, once from white cardstock and once from gold, and layered them together for a little dimension before adhering them to the card. I finished by adhering everything to a white card base and inking the edges with Ground Espresso Distress Ink.

Whether you try this exact card or reach for a completely different embossing folder, I hope this gives you a new way to add color and texture without picking up a paintbrush. I'd love to know what folder you'd try this with first.

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create theis card. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here: https://www.17turtles.com/p/affiliate-and-product-disclosure.html. Thank you so much for your love and support! 

Nothing says Christmas quite like a little vintage joy, and that's exactly what I felt making this Christmas card with the Tim Holtz Sizzix Christmas 2026 release. It's packed with dies that have come back from the vault (retirement, that is), released either as the original Vault versions or reimagined into something new. There's also a great assortment of rereleased embossing folders in the larger A5 and A6 sizes. I love adding texture, and nothing does that better than an embossing folder. If you missed the originals, now is the time to grab the ones you love!

The Embossed Background

I started by embossing white cardstock with the 3D Tree Rings Embossing Folder. Then I lightly inked over the raised design with a blending brush and Pumice Stone Distress Ink. To finish the edges, I added a touch of gold with a Gold Leaf Embossing Pen.

The Wreath and Poinsettias

Next, I die cut Distress Watercolor cardstock using the wreath from Vault Festive Wreath and the poinsettia and evergreens from Vault Holiday Classic. I sprayed the die cuts with a mix of Distress Spray Stains in Forest Moss, Rustic Wilderness, Bundled Sage, Peeled Paint, Aged Mahogany, Festive Berries, Pumice Stone, and Ground Espresso. I also used Fossilized Amber Distress Ink to color the poinsettia centers. Then I layered the pieces to build the wreath.

The Sentiment

For the sentiment, I die cut the word joy from black kraftstock using the Vault Holiday Tidings die set. I die cut the word Christmas from gold cardstock using the Classic Holiday Handwriting die set. I lightly sanded the edges of both with a Ranger Sanding Disc to give them a distressed look.

The Ticket

The last piece is a ticket from the Tim Holtz Traveling Friends stamp set. I stamped it onto Distress Watercolor cardstock, ink smooshed it with Old Paper Distress Ink, fussy cut the image, and inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. Then I adhered all of the layers onto the embossed background and mounted it on a piece of red cardstock.

Whether you're rebuilding a favorite vintage Christmas look with the Vault dies or trying an embossing folder for the first time, I hope this card gives you something to play with. I'd love to hear which piece from this release is on your list.

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create this card. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Hello there! Today I'm sharing something a little different for me — a fun fold card. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I made anything other than a regular card, but after trying this out, I can easily say I'm team fun fold now. It's such a fun way to showcase multiple patterned papers on a single card and use up some of that patterned paper we all love! And the best part? You really don't need much to make it happen: just some paper, a paper trimmer, and a scoreboard.

About the Fold

I came across the Double Open Fun Fold while researching new techniques to try, and I loved that it wasn't something I'd made before. It opens in two directions, giving you several panels to layer patterned paper across — which made it the perfect excuse to dig into my Ashgrave Archive collection and really let those patterns shine.

Watch the Full Video

I made a full video walking through how to score and assemble this fold from start to finish, how I layered patterned paper across each panel, and how I finished it off with some simple embellishing. I'd love for you to watch it!

 WATCH THE VIDEO 

Get the Measurements

If you'd like to make one yourself, I've put together a free printable PDF with all the measurements you'll need.

 GET THE FREE MEASUREMENTS PDF 

Join Me at the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit!

I also wanted to share a fun free event I'm teaching at this year — the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit, happening October 2nd through 4th. It's completely free to attend, and 14 of us are each showing you how to make a beautiful card using just 5 supplies or less. I'll be teaching on Techniques day with an embossing surprise you won't want to miss!

 GRAB YOUR FREE SUMMIT TICKET 

I hope this card inspires you to try a fun fold of your own, even if — like me — it's been a while since you've stepped outside your usual card style. Sometimes the techniques that feel a little intimidating turn out to be the most fun once you actually give them a try.

Supplies

Below you will find links to the supplies I used to create this card. When you shop through these links—whether you purchase that exact item or something else entirely—you're supporting me at no extra cost to you. The commission I receive helps me cover the costs of my blog and other expenses, and allows me to continue providing you with FREE inspiration and tutorials. If you want to learn more, you can see my full affiliate and product disclosure statement here. Thank you so much for your love and support!