Spring Smiles Ahead

Hello crafty friends! It’s Lisa Tilson, and I am thrilled to be back on the Spellbinders blog with you today. I’m here to share a step-by-step tutorial using the In Bloom Egg Etched Dies from the Simon Hurley Happy Spring Collection. I am going to be doing one of my favourite techniques – die cut inlay. This is one of the first die-cutting techniques I was taught back when I started cardmaking many moons ago! It is still a favourite and often a go-to technique. It’s like doing a mini jigsaw, and I find it very therapeutic. Due to the nature of die cutting from several colours of cardstock, like I do today, you will have spare die cuts which can be used on other cards. It’s a win-win!

So let’s get started with our card for today.

For all my die cutting, I am using the Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine with my 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

Your cardstock/die will be inserted between the two cutting plates with the die sitting on top of the cardstock.

Start off by taking the In Bloom Egg Etched Dies detail die and die cutting it from panels of Wild Berry, Tutu, Blush, and Rainforest ColorWheel Cardstock. I almost always tape my die to my cardstock using Best Ever Craft Tape so that it doesn’t move around when passing through the machine. For a detailed die like we are using today, I will often run it through my machine four times, rotating it as I go. If you find you are not getting a good cut, insert one or two paper shims, and this will help.

Next, cover a panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock with White Liner Adhesive Sheet. Tape your die on top and run it through your die-cutting machine.
Also, die-cut the detailed die from a panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock. You will not need the outline die for this part.

The picture above shows what you will have at the end of this section of die cutting.

Using your Tool ‘n One, pop out all of the pieces from the white detailed die cut. Keep these for future projects!
Peel back the adhesive sheet from the plain egg panel and adhere the detailed panel on top.

It’s now time to start inlaying your leaves and flowers. I started by removing all the green leaves from their panel, and then using tweezers, I placed them into their respective openings. As you have an adhesive sheet underneath your openings, each die cut will be held securely in place. I find it easier to remove and place one die cut at a time rather than popping them all out and then working out which bit goes where. This is especially helpful when you have small leaves of varying sizes!

Now remove three of the flowers from your Wild Berry panel and pop them in place.

Repeat this using three Blush

Finish by adding in your three Tutu You will have lots of spare pieces at this point. Don’t waste them, keep them, and use them on another project.

Adhere all the tiny dots into their openings. I was not very prescriptive here! I just randomly popped in different coloured dots here and there. You could also die-cut these from a panel of glitter cardstock – that would be really pretty! You could even add gems here if you wanted some extra sparkle!

Next, take another panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock and, once again, die cut the outline egg die from it.

After die cutting it, cut a tiny slither off the bottom of it. This panel is going to be used as the back panel of your card, and it will help it stand up when finished.

Pop it into your scoring tool and score a small line towards the top of the egg.

Add some double-sided tape onto the tiny section above the score line. This is going to create a hinge mechanism. Make sure you use a strong adhesive for this part.
Remove the backing tape from the double-sided tape and adhere your inlaid panel down on top.

The picture above shows how the final card will look once you stand it up. It’s a very easy way of making a circular/oval-shaped card stand up on its own. It won’t need to lean against anything on a shelf.

For my sentiment, I am using the Spring Canopy Glimmer Hot Foil Set. This was the February 2025 Glimmer of the Month Kit, and it contains a variety of Spring/Easter sentiments. I selected a sentiment and adhered it onto a panel of Raven ColorWheel Cardstock with some Matte Gold Glimmer Hot Foil beneath it.
Make sure that your foil is pretty side up and your plate is face down.
I taped my sentiment to hold it steady and waited for my Glimmer Hot Foil System to heat up.

When you see the green light (Platform Ready) light appear below the red light (Power), it is time to place your cardstock onto the platform. The sentiment plate must be directly on top of your heated-up platform.
Pop on your two additional plates at this point (the green and clear plates that come with your machine). The green plate should be under the clear plate.
Press the timer button, and it will start flashing.

When the timer button stops flashing, remove your platform and run it through your Platinum 6 Die Cutting Machine. You don’t need any other plates at this point. Just the platform you have removed from your Glimmer System.

Now remove your foil and take a look at your beautiful sentiment! This never gets old for me. I was late to the party with foiling and only started about five years ago. I absolutely love a foiled sentiment!

Trim your sentiment to size using the Guillotine Paper Trimmer.

Add some Black Foam Squares onto the back of your sentiment and adhere it onto your panel.

Finish by adding some Spectrum AB Color Essential Gems into the centres of the flowers.

That brings us to the end of my card using this pretty die set. I hope it gives you an idea of how to play with this die. 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 joining me here on the Spellbinders blog today. I hope that you have a great day!

Spellbinders Supplies:

Other Supplies

Embellishment Wand, Clear Double-Sided Tape (3mm width)

Spring Smiles Ahead – Die Cut Inlay Technique Step-by-Step Tutorial