Die Cutting Dioramas With Tunnel Scapes

Hello there, Michelle Short here and I am delighted to be back on the Spellbinders blog using the Tunnel Scapes collection. This is such a fun collection that focuses on creating scenes with dimension, kind of like mini dioramas but more on the 2D side, rather than the 3D side. These cards can get pretty dimensional if adding foam tape in between all the tunnel layers, but they would still look great without the foam tape, or with less layers if you didn’t want them to be so bulky. I used thin foam tape for mine so that I still got the dimension but with slightly less bulk.

UNDERWATER TURTLE

For my first card, I created an underwater scene. I love the shape of these tunnel pieces, they are perfect for water, but can also be used with other designs too, which I will share later. For this card, I paired the Underwater Tunnel Scapes Etched Dies with Underwater Marine Life Etched Dies. To make this card:

• Die cut the largest size of tunnel from the Underwater Tunnel Etched Dies set on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of white cardstock.
• Die cut the middle-size tunnel die on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of Island Blue Cardstock.
• Die cut the small size tunnel die on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of Splash Cardstock.
• Cut a panel of Cosmic Sky Cardstock to 4.25” x 5.5”.
• Adhere the layers together (one on top of another) using thin foam tape to get the tunnel look.

• Adhere the pieces to an A2-sized white card base with tape runner adhesive.
• Die-cut seaweed from Underwater Tunnel using Peridot and Rainforest Using a Blending Brush, add ink blending using green ink to the bottom of the seaweed.
• Die cut turtle from Underwater Marine Life using Waterfall, Teal Topaz, and Lagoon
• Using a Blending Brush, add ink blending to the body and legs with teal ink.

• Adhere turtle together using Bearly Art Glue.
• Pop seaweed pieces behind the first white layer on the card and adhere in place using Bearly Art Glue.
• Adhere turtle using foam squares.
• Stamp sentiment from Typewriter Adventures Sentiments onto Onyx Cardstock using Clear Embossing & Watermark Ink.
• Apply White Embossing Powder and heat set. Cut into a strip.
• Adhere to card using foam squares.
• To finish, embellish with Dimensional Clear Enamel Dots and add an Onyx Color Essentials Gem to the turtle’s eye.

TIP: Whilst I am using the negative pieces of the tunnel dies for my cards today, keep the positive pieces to use on other cards, they are great for backgrounds!

PAINTED SMILES

My next card uses the Rainbow Slice Tunnel Etched Dies. This is another fun set that can be used in lots of different ways. I combined it with the Artful Brush Etched Dies, so it looks like the brush is painting the tunnel shape. To make this card:

• Die cut the largest size of tunnel from Rainbow Slice on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of white cardstock.
• Die cut the next size down tunnel die on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of Purple Mist Cardstock.
• Die cut the next size down tunnel die on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of Lilac Blossom Cardstock.
• Cut a panel of Royal Amethyst Cardstock to 4.25” x 5.5”.
• Adhere the layers together using thin foam tape.

There is another tunnel in this set (the smallest size), but I decided to just use the three largest layers for my card today. Experiment with different layers, depending on your design!

• Adhere the pieces to an A2-sized white card base with tape runner adhesive.
• Die cut Artful Brush using Dune Cardstock, as well as Brushed Silver for the metal piece. Cut the bristles three times from Alabaster Cardstock.
• Using Blending Brushes, add ink around the edges of the handle with brown ink and add purple ink to the tips of the bristles.
• Adhere paint brush together using Bearly Art Glue and then adhere to card using thin foam tape. Cut off the top part of the brush in line with the top of the card using Pro Shears.

• Die cut leaves and foliage from Rainbow Slice using Peridot and Rainforest
• Die cut flowers from Rainbow Slice using Snowdrift, Lilac Blossom and Royal Amethyst Die cut the flower centres from Beeswax Cardstock.
• Adhere flowers and leaves to card using thin foam tape and Bearly Art Glue.
• Stamp and heat emboss sentiment from Typewriter Adventures Sentiments onto Onyx Cardstock. Cut into strip and adhere to card with thin foam tape.
• To finish, embellish with Silver Mix Color Essentials Gems.

PERCHED BIRDS

For my last project, I wanted to show how you can use the Underwater Tunnel Etched Dies but in a different way and completely change the look of your scene. This time I am combining them with the Perched Birds Etched Dies. To make this card:

• Die cut the largest size tunnel from the Underwater Tunnel Etched Dies set on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of white cardstock, at an angle, so that it is hanging off the edge of the panel.
• Die cut the middle size tunnel on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of Rainforest Cardstock at the same angle as the first panel.
• Die cut the same size of tunnel die again but this time on a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of dark green cardstock. Rotate the die before die cutting to the opposite position of the previous layer but keep the die at the same angle as the other two layers.
• Cut a panel of Onyx Cardstock to 4.25” x 5.5”.
• Adhere the layers together using thin foam tape.

• Die-cut branches from Perched Birds from Latte Cardstock. Die cut the leaves from Peridot and Fern
• Die cut birds from Waterfall, Teal Topaz, Beeswax, and Onyx (for the eyes) Cardstock.
• Assemble branches by adhering leaves on top using Bearly Art Glue. Pop them behind the layers on the card and adhere using Bearly Art Glue.

• Adhere birds together using Bearly Art Glue and then adhere to card using thin foam tape.
• Stamp and heat emboss sentiment from Typewriter Adventures Sentiments onto Onyx Cardstock. Cut into strip and adhere to card with thin foam tape.
• To finish, embellish with Peridot Color Essentials Gems.

These cards really are very fun to make! I love that the sets all work well together, so you can mix and match and create different scenes. I hope you have enjoyed seeing my cards today and I have inspired you to create dimensional scenes using the Tunnel Scapes collection. Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Other supplies

Thin foam tape, Mowed Lawn Distress Ink, Altenew Galactic Stream Ink, Wilted Violet Distress Ink, Altenew Mocha Ink, Concord & 9^th Evergreen Cardstock.