Just Because – Smiles: A Playful Card Using Spellbinders Day 19

Spellbinders Advent Calendar Day 19 – A Sentiment Stamp Set for Year-Round Crafting

Spellbinders Day 19 – Sentiments That Work Beyond the Advent Calendar

One of the things I appreciate most about the Spellbinders Advent Calendar is how thoughtfully it is put together. Day 19 delivered a sentiment stamp set that is not only perfect for projects created with the Advent Calendar, but versatile enough to use all year long with items already in your stash.

This kind of product is always a win in my book—something that continues to earn its keep long after the countdown is over.

A Sentiment That Made Me Smile

For today’s card, I featured the “you make me smile” sentiment. As soon as I saw it, I knew exactly what image I wanted to pair it with—the dog from Day 1. That little pup just makes me smile every time, so it felt like the perfect match.

Assembling the Dog Image

I started by cutting and assembling the dog from Day 1 using scraps of black, white, red, and purple cardstock. Using scraps is one of my favorite ways to stretch supplies, especially when working with die-cut images that don’t require large pieces of cardstock.

Creating a Grounded Focal Panel

To ground the image on the card, I cut two ovals using the Essential Stylish Ovals Die Set. One was cut from white cardstock and the other from Spellbinders ColorWheel Teal Topaz cardstock.

The Teal Topaz oval was embossed using the Party Spots Embossing Folder. I layered the two ovals together, slightly offset at an angle, and adhered the dog image to the top of this grounding panel.

Building the Card Base

For the main panel, I cut another piece of Teal Topaz cardstock to 4 x 5.25 inches and embossed it using the Dimpled Embossing Folder. I chose to use the debossed side of the panel for added interest and texture. This panel was then adhered to a white A2 card base.

Stamping and Placing the Sentiment

To coordinate with the Teal Topaz cardstock, I used Oceanside ink from Concord & 9th—my closest color match. I stamped the sentiment onto white cardstock and trimmed it to approximately ½ inch wide by about 3 inches long.

When trimming the sentiment, I left about an inch of white space on the front side and trimmed closer to the words on the opposite end. This allowed the sentiment to extend out from one side of the card for a bit of visual movement.

Pro Tip: Swatch Your Supplies

Swatching your products—inks, cardstock, markers, paints, and more—makes color matching across your stash so much easier. It does take some time upfront, but it has saved me countless hours in the long run and is absolutely worth the effort.

Final Assembly

For the final assembly, I added foam tape to both the sentiment strip and the oval grounding panel to give the card dimension. The dog image was adhered toward the top of the card, leaving room below for the sentiment to tuck neatly underneath.

This card came together fairly quickly, but it truly makes me smile—and I know it will bring a smile to the recipient as well.

Let’s Chat

Do you have a favorite sentiment that you find yourself reaching for over and over again when creating “just because” cards?

Supply List

Spellbinders Advent Calendar Day 1 – Dog Die (Sold Out)
Spellbinders Advent Calendar Day 19 – Sentiment Stamp Set (Sold Out)
Essential Stylish Ovals Die Set – Spellbinders
Party Spots Embossing Folder – Spellbinders (The Birthday Celebrations Bundle)
Dimpled Embossing Folder – Spellbinders
Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstock – Teal Topaz
White Cardstock
Concord & 9th Oceanside Ink
Foam Tape
Die Cutting Machine
Liquid Adhesive

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