2 mixed media cards, a soft and a vibrant shaker | Carousel Die from Altenew

Sometimes a product just sparks ideas immediately, and this Creative Cuts Wondrous Ride Layering Die Set was exactly that for me. I created two mixed media backgrounds and let the mood of each background guide the rest of the design.

For the blue card, I went for a softer and more dreamy look. I built up the background with different stencils and subtle stamping, adding texture while keeping everything calm and layered. The vellum oval softens the carousel horse beautifully and gives the whole card an almost magical feeling.

For the second card, I followed a completely different direction. The warm red and orange tones created a much more vibrant and energetic base, and that is where the idea for a shaker came in. I don’t always plan these things, but this just felt right — like the movement of a carousel captured in the card.

For both cards, I softly ink blended the horse using Misty Morning to add a bit of shadow and dimension.

It always amazes me how one die set can lead to such different results, simply by changing color, texture and composition.