Can You See the Illusion? | Easy Eclipse Technique with Nesting Dies | Mintay Papers Week 15

Happy Monday!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Welcome back to another project for the Mintay Papers Challenge!

Today I'm sharing my project for Week 15 – Illusion, and I've created a super simple card with a clever little optical illusion. ✨

For this project, I created an oval-shaped card using nesting dies from my stash and the beautiful 'Holly Jolly' collection from Mintay Papers.

For the illusion effect, I used the Eclipse Technique. By cutting the layers and then raising the central elements with double-sided foam adhesive, the design appears to move through different levels while the patterned image continues across the layers.

And the best part is that you don't need a special die or complicated mechanism to recreate it. You can use this technique with almost any nesting dies and your favourite patterned papers.

✨ The basic idea is simple:

✂️ Choose your nesting dies

📄 Cut your layers

🎨 Use your favourite patterned paper

✨ Cut the central element

📏 Add double-sided foam adhesive

💚 Assemble the layers and create the illusion!

This is a quick and easy cardmaking technique that can be adapted for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, thank-you cards and so many other occasions.

I hope this project inspires you to look at your nesting dies in a completely different way! 😊

Have you tried the Eclipse Technique before? What nesting dies would you use for it? 👇

Happy crafting! 💚✂️✨

#MintayCardChallenge #MintayOneCardAWeek

10-Minute Clean & Simple Card! 🎄 | One Sketch, Endless Possibilities | Mintay Papers

Happy Sunday!

I hope you have a fantastic day!

Welcome back to another project for the Mintay Papers Challenge!

Today I'm sharing my project for Week 14 – Clean & Simple, and this time I wanted to create something quick, versatile and easy to recreate.

I created a 5×7 inch Christmas card using the beautiful 'Winter Time' collection from Mintay Papers, combined with brown cardstock to create elegant frames around the different panels.

But there's something special about this project...

✨ The card is based on a simple card sketch that you can use for ANY occasion!

The layout can easily be adapted by changing the patterned papers, colours, images and sentiment. You could use exactly the same sketch to create:

🎂 Birthday cards

🌸 Thank-you cards

💍 Wedding cards

👶 Baby cards

🎄 Christmas cards

💜 Anniversary cards

🌷 Any other occasion you can think of!

And the best part?

⏱️ This card can be made in LESS THAN 10 MINUTES!

The simple layout makes it perfect when you need a beautiful handmade card but don't have hours to spend creating it.

I love how the clean and simple design allows the beautiful Mintay Papers to do most of the work, while the brown frames add structure and definition to each panel.

Would you use this sketch for a Christmas card, or would you adapt it for another occasion? Let me know in the comments! 😊

Happy crafting! 🎄✂️

#MintayCardChallenge #MintayOneCardAWeek

⭐ Day 12: Easy 3D Paper Christmas Star | DIY Tree Decoration | 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026

Happy Sunday!

Welcome to Day 12, the final day of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in this festive creative journey!

To finish the series, I'm sharing a beautiful 3D paper Christmas star decoration that can be hung on your Christmas tree, used as festive home décor, or added to handmade gift wrapping.

This project is quick, beginner-friendly, and requires only five paper squares measuring 3 x 3 inches. After making a few simple folds and adhering the pieces together, you'll have an elegant dimensional Christmas star that looks beautiful in metallic cardstock but can easily be customised with your favourite festive papers.

I love projects that are easy to recreate and perfect for using up paper scraps, making them ideal for Christmas crafting with family and friends.

Thank you so much for joining me throughout the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026. I truly hope this series has inspired you to try new techniques, create handmade Christmas projects, and enjoy the magic of paper crafting.

If you enjoyed today's tutorial, please give the video a thumbs up, subscribe to my channel, and let me know in the comments:

Which project from the 12-day series was your favourite?

Thank you so much for watching, and happy crafting! 🎄⭐✨

💜Non-Traditional Christmas Card | DIY Pink & Purple Baubles | 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026

Happy Saturday!

I have you have a wonderful day!

Welcome to Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in this festive creative journey!

Today's theme is Non-Traditional Colours, and I created a 5x7 inch handmade Christmas card featuring elegant pink, light purple and dark purple Christmas baubles. Instead of the classic red and green colour palette, I wanted to show that Christmas cards can be just as festive using modern, non-traditional colours.

To create the baubles, I used small nesting cutting dies and added decorative patterns with acrylic markers, making each ornament unique. One of the things I love about this design is how easy it is to customise—you can adjust the card measurements and use any nesting dies you already have in your craft room to create your own version.

Whether you're looking for fresh Christmas card ideas, modern festive colour combinations, or an easy bauble card tutorial, I hope this project inspires you to try something different this holiday season.

If you enjoyed today's tutorial, please give the video a thumbs up, subscribe to my channel, and let me know in the comments:

Do you prefer traditional Christmas colours or non-traditional colour palettes?

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting! 🎄💜✨

🎄Day 10: How to Make a Diamond Twist Pop Out Christmas Card | Interactive Fancy Fold Tutorial

Happy Friday!

I hope you have a fabulous day!

Welcome to Day 10 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive celebration!

Today's theme is Diamond Twist Pop Out, and I created a beautiful 6x6 inch interactive Christmas card that surprises the recipient with a stunning pop-out diamond fold when opened.

Fancy fold cards are one of my favourite ways to add movement and dimension to handmade cards, and this design looks impressive while being easy to recreate by following the step-by-step tutorial.

Whether you're making Christmas cards for family, friends, or simply looking for new interactive card ideas, I hope this project inspires you to try something a little different this holiday season.

If you enjoyed today's tutorial, I'd love it if you gave the video a thumbs up, subscribed to my channel, and shared in the comments what your favourite fancy fold card is.

Thank you so much for crafting with me, and I'll see you tomorrow for Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026!

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting! 🎄✨

❄️Day 9: Snowglobe with snowflakes

Happy Thursday!

I hope you have a fabulous day!

Welcome to Day 9 of my Christmas cardmaking series — Snowflakes! 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today I’m creating a quick and festive shaker snowglobe card using the beautiful Holly Jolly paper collection by Mintay Papers. This design is full of Christmas charm, yet simple enough to make when you need a handmade card in a hurry.

The finished card measures to fit a standard 6x6 inch envelope, making it perfect for gifting or sending to someone special during the holiday season. Inside the shaker window, the falling snow creates a magical winter scene that captures the joy of Christmas.

Thank you for joining me for another day of Christmas creativity! I hope this project inspires you to create your own snowy shaker cards. ✨

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a comment — I’d love to know what Christmas card you are making this year!

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting!

🎄Day 8: Christmas Multiple Stepper Card | Easy Fancy Fold Tutorial | Christmas in July 2026

Happy Wednesday!

Welcome to Day 8 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Fancy Fold, and I created an elegant Christmas Multiple Stepper Card that folds flat for posting but opens into a beautiful dimensional display. Fancy fold cards are always a wonderful way to add a little extra surprise, and this design is easier to make than it looks!

In this step-by-step tutorial, I'll show you how to create the card base, assemble the multiple stepper sections, and decorate your project with festive Christmas elements. I used 'Holly Jolly' collection by Mintay Papers.  Whether you're new to fancy fold cards or looking for fresh Christmas inspiration, I hope you'll enjoy making this design.

Thank you so much for joining me for another day of the series. If you enjoyed today's project, please give the video a thumbs up, subscribe to my channel, and let me know in the comments which Christmas fold is your favourite.

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting, and I'll see you tomorrow for Day 9! 🎄✨

Day 7: Festive box #12DaysOfChristmasInJuly2026

Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Festive Box, and I created a charming Christmas Tree Gift Box that is both decorative and practical. Best of all, this project is made without using any cutting dies, making it easy to recreate with just a few basic crafting tools.

In this tutorial, I'll guide you through each step, making it easy to create your own Christmas tree box and customise it with your favourite papers and embellishments.

I hope this project inspires you to create handmade gift packaging that is just as special as the gift inside.

If you enjoyed today's project, I'd love it if you gave the video a thumbs up, subscribed to my channel, and joined me tomorrow for Day 8 of the series.

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting! 🎄✨

🎄Day 6: Interactive Diorama Card

Happy Monday!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Welcome to Day 6 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Diorama Card, and I created a festive 8 × 6 inch interactive Christmas card featuring a traditional winter scene filled with classic Christmas colours and timeless holiday elements.

To make the design even more magical, I added two moving elements inside the diorama—a cheerful Santa and a pair of Christmas bells. Their gentle movement brings the scene to life and adds an extra touch of festive fun. The card also features a front aperture that invites you to look inside and discover the dimensional winter landscape.

I love creating interactive cards that surprise and delight, and I hope this project inspires you to try making your own Christmas diorama card.

If you enjoyed today's project, please give the video a thumbs up, subscribe to my channel, and let me know in the comments what interactive element you would add to a Christmas card.

Thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you tomorrow for Day 7 of the series.

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting! 🎄✨

🎄Day 5: DIY Christmas Tree Shaker Card | No Dies Needed | Christmas in July 2026

Happy Sunday!

I hope you have a fantastic day!

Welcome to Day 5 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Shaker Card, and I decided to create a festive Christmas tree shaker card using a template I designed myself. Instead of using cutting dies, I carefully cut the shaker window by hand with a craft knife, making this project easy to adapt to any shape or size.

To make the Christmas tree stand out against the dark gnome patterned paper, I added a layer of beautiful gold metallic cardstock. The shaker features two separate apertures—one filled with sparkling gold angels and the other with turquoise snowflakes—creating plenty of movement, colour, and festive sparkle.

I hope this project inspires you to create your own custom shaker cards and experiment with different shaker fillings and handmade templates. Thank you so much for watching! If you enjoyed today's project, I'd love it if you gave the video a thumbs up, subscribed to my channel, and joined me tomorrow for Day 6 of the series.

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting!

🎄Day 4: Christmas Floral

Happy Saturday!

Welcome to Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Christmas Floral, and this project is especially close to my heart.

For this handmade Christmas card, I created soft metallic baubles decorated with beautiful Polish folk flowers, inspired by the traditional floral designs that were once hand-painted on Christmas ornaments in Poland. Folk art has always been an important part of my life, and I wanted to celebrate that heritage by combining it with my love of cardmaking.

I hope this project inspires you to look to your own traditions, memories, and culture when creating handmade cards. Sometimes the most meaningful inspiration comes from the stories we carry with us.

Thank you so much for watching! If you enjoyed today's project, I'd love it if you left a comment, gave the video a thumbs up, and subscribed for more Christmas inspiration throughout the series.

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting, and I'll see you tomorrow for Day 5! 🎄🌸

🎄 Day 3: Full of Sparkles #12daysofchristmasinjuly2026

Happy Friday!

Welcome to Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona) with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Full of Sparkles, and I wanted to create something festive with plenty of shimmer. I designed a shaped window card entirely without using any cutting dies, proving that you don't need lots of fancy supplies to make a unique Christmas card.

To add that magical holiday touch, I used sparkle paste, which catches the light beautifully and gives the card a lovely festive sparkle. It was so much fun creating this project, and I hope it inspires you to try making shaped cards with supplies you already have.

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Thank you for visiting today, and I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for Day 4 of the series. ✨🎄

Happy crafting!

🎄Day 2: Easy Watercolour Christmas Mug Card | Shaped Christmas Card

Happy Thursday!

Welcome to Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Shaped Card, and since July is also Watercolour Month, I decided to combine both by creating a handmade Christmas mug-shaped card using watercolour techniques.

My inspiration came from a beautiful ceramic mug I bought in Bolesławiec, Poland, a town famous for its traditional hand-decorated pottery. I loved the cozy shape and classic design, so I transformed that inspiration into a festive Christmas card perfect for the holiday season.

I hope this project inspires you to mix everyday inspiration with your cardmaking and to start creating for Christmas a little early. If you enjoyed today's project, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and come back tomorrow for Day 3 of the series!

Here are the prompts for #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

1. Sweet Christmas

2. Shaped Card

3. Full of Sparkles

4. Christmas Floral

5. Shaker Card

6. Diorama

7. Festive Box

8. Fancy Fold

9. Snowflakes

10. Pop Out Card

11. Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

12. Tree Decoration

Happy crafting!

Day 1 - Sweet Christmas #12DaysofChristmasinJuly2026

Happy Wednesday!

Welcome to Day 1 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July 2026 collaboration hosted by Monika (PaperMona), with Katarina joining in the festive fun!

Today's theme is Sweet Christmas, and I created two quick and easy handmade Christmas cards shaped like a plate filled with delicious gingerbread cookies. These cards are simple to make, full of holiday charm, and perfect for sending sweet Christmas wishes to family and friends.

I hope today's project inspires you to start your holiday crafting early. Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to come back tomorrow for Day 2!

Happy crafting!