Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

two stems and berries

Eggplant Sparkle Gift Set with Simon Says Stamp DieCember!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! I have some sparkling holiday inspiration to share with you today using some newer goodies from the Simon Says Stamp DieCember release. I adore die cutting, putting saturated colored cardstock color palettes together with lots of sparkles and foam tape for tons of dimension on each layer. I was so happy to see the new cardstock colors in the DieCember release, with incredibly vibrant hues that also die cut splendidly. I used the new Whirl Nordic Plate detailed cover plate die to create this intense and dramatic, sparkling, monochromatic eggplant gift set. Let’s get started with the details!


*I have gathered links to all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience, using affiliate links. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

There are very few color palettes I love more than a dramatic and bold monochromatic color scheme. I have said before: putting together monchromatic cards is like putting pieces of a puzzle together; you have to search your stash to see which elements in the same color family can be layered together to create a unique and visually interesting project. I paired the new Eggplant cardstock with the previously-released Eggplant Glitter Cardstock to create this super saturated card and gift bag set!

For my first project, I used the Whirl Nordic Plate to adorn the most perfect little gift bag! I die cut the Gift Bag Die from the new Simon Says Stamp Eggplant Glitter cardstock, then measured a panel of Eggplant Glitter Cardstock to fit the front panel perfectly. I ran the smaller glitter panel through my die cutting machine using the new Whirl Nordic Plate and added it to the front of my assembled gift bag, creating a gorgeous tone-on-tone glittery gift bag!

After I had finished adorning the gift bag with the glittering patterned die cut, I added a Perfect Bow die cut from the same Eggplant cardstock to make it extra festive! I put some pretty rose gold tissue paper inside the bag, then decided to accent the pattern even further with some coordinating Lilac Pawsitively Dazzling Gems. (Those Lilac gems are really a chameleon; they can work with so many different color palettes!) Isn’t this such a perfect gift bag for smaller gifts, like cosmetics, jewelry, hand sanitizer/lotion, and gift cards?

For my second project, I used the same Whirl Nordic Plate die to create a beautifully sparkling background for my holiday card! I die cut the image from the SSS Eggplant Glitter cardstock and adhered it to an A2 panel of SSS Eggplant cardstock using liquid adhesive. I also used the same Eggplant cardstock to die cut the flowers from the new Woodland Floral Frame Embossing Folder +die set. I die cut the flower images first, then lined them up in the appropriate spot on the embossing folder and ran it through my die cutting machine to create exquisite dimension and detail! I used some super sparkly handmade glitter watercolors to add some glittery dimension to the edges of the petals and the center of the flowers.

To create a holiday bouquet, I used the same Eggplant cardstock to die cut the holly sprig from the Two Stems and Berries die set, cutting the berries themselves from some pearlescent white cardstock. For the greeting, I stamped the bold “Merry Everything” sentiment from the Good Cheer stamp set onto some more Eggplant cardstock using Simon Says Stamp White Pigment ink and added Hero Arts Iridescent Purple embossing powder over the top to create a gorgeous iridescent shimmer for my sentiment. I die cut the sentiment using the coordinating die, then began arranging my die cuts on top of the glittery background. I adhered the sentiment with foam adhesive, then arranged the glittery embossed floral die cuts in the corner, tucking the leaves and berries behind them. Finally, I added a few Opal Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for even more sparkle, as well as to complete the “rule of three” for my shimmering white accents!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! It doesn’t seem possible that Christmas is this week, much less that 2025 is just around the corner. Some days, I feel like I’m still processing 2020! Unreal! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Noel + A Peaceful Christmas Bird

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

HI friends! I am back with another project using a few of the beautiful new dies from Simon Says Stamp’s DieCember release! After creating projects with tons of color, I thought I’d shift gears a little and create a serene project with lots of greenery and muted colors. I thought that the lines on the new Snowbird die looked like leading from stained glass, so I decided to pair it with some vellum and greenery to create a little scene, almost like a stained glass ornament in a Christmas tree! Let’s get started with the details.

I began by die cutting the new Snowbird die from brown glitter cardstock. I then adhered it to some vellum using liquid adhesive and used my sharp scissors to cut around the edges, creating a solid background for my detailed glitter bird die cut. To embellish the little “branch” upon which my bird was nestled, I die cut the Pointy Pine Needle Sprigs dies from some Water Sprite mirror cardstock from Tonic, as well as the holly leaves and berries from the Two Stems & Berries die.

For the background, I ran a panel of white cardstock through my die cutting machine using the beautifully detailed Holly and Pine Embossing Folder. After I had created the embossed panel, I used Artichoke and Kale inks from Pawsitively Saturated Ink Trio # 21 with a blending brush to add lush green color to the background. I blended after embossing, rather than before, and that helped to enhance some of the embossed details so much more!

For the greeting, I had embossed the beautifuly sentiments from the Elegantly Modern Christmas hot foil plate set with Espresso Bean hot foil from Spellbinders, then used the Pinkfresh Studio Solid Hot Foil Plate to hot foil the negative space on the leftover foil, getting two sentiments from one piece of hot foil! I die cut the greeting with the coordinating die and nestled it amongst my bird and foliage arrangement. The final touch was to add a few Opal gems for a subtle hint of sparkle amongst the texture and shimmer!

Well, that’s all for my project today. I am mourning the fact that I only have 18 more days of industry-sanctioned crafty time ahead of me, though I will certainly keep going with my Songs of the Season series in the New Year to lessen the blow of putting away my holiday supplies. If you’re creating holiday cards, are you nearing the finish line? I have my photo cards in hand (which seems like cheating for a cardmaker), but I haven’t mailed them out yet. Not enough hours in the day, especially with sick kiddos and Christmas all happening simultaneously!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!