Posted by Spellbinders Team on August 18, 2021

Open House Collection - Inspiration with Andrea Shell

Hello! It's Andrea Shell with you today, and I'm delighted to be back guesting on the Spellbinders' blog. I had the pleasure of creating with the gorgeous Open House Collection, and I have three cards to share with you. This collection is so versatile and is perfect for any occasion, from new-home cards to missing-you to Christmas, just to name a few.

Happy For You Open House

For my first card, I chose to make a mini slimline card featuring that beautiful door from the Open House Door Base Dies. I paired it with the Open House Sentiment Steps and Side Panel Die Sets. The design was inspired by a door I found on Google of a home in Charleston, S.C.

I die-cut the various elements from white, colored, foiled, and metallic cardstocks. I backed the openings in the side panels and transom windows with clear acetate before adhering gray cardstock.

I created my background by blending Tea Dye Distress Ink through a brick stencil. I cut a strip of kraft cardstock and adhered it to the bottom of the panel, which I affixed to a white cardbase. Finally, I arranged my die-cut elements onto the front of the card. I wouldn't mind coming home to a door like this everyday!

Hello Open House

My second card again features the Open House Door Base Dies. This time I paired them with the Open House Topiary Dies for a simpler, but just as beautiful door.

When I die-cut the door, I used the window outline dies to create windows in my door. I chose not to add the inserts to my windows, but instead simply backed them with clear acetate and blue cardstock.

For my background I used another brick stencil and applied Rusty Hinge Distress Ink. I trimmed a strip of gray cardstock and affixed it to my background with foam tape before gluing the door above it. I adhered my potted plants with foam squares to create more dimension. I love that the Topiary Dies give you the option to create smaller plants!

Season's Greetings Open House

As I was creating the plants for my second card, I couldn't get the idea of mistletoe out of my head. The Open House Topiary Dies are perfect for creating little balls of mistletoe for your Christmas projects.

I cut the elements for my mistletoe from colored cardstocks and adhered them together. I love how the tree trunk die simulates a ribbon holding up the ball of mistletoe! To showcase my mistletoe, I die-cut a circle from navy cardstock and foiled it with Champagne Glimmer Foil and the Essential Glimmer Circles Plates. I affixed my ball to the circle with foam squares.

I die-cut white cardstock with the Essential Rectangles Dies and embossed it with the Love Stripes Embossing Folder. I matted it with navy cardstock and affixed it to a white card. I heat-embossed a sentiment from the Christmas Wishes set (November 2019 KOM) and die-cut it with the Rectangles Dies. I adhered the circle and sentiment with foam and embellished with gold enamel dots.

Spellbinders Supplies:

Other Supplies

Whimsy Stamps Brick Pattern Stencil, MFT Small Brick Stencil, Tea Dye Distress Ink, Rusty Hinge Distress Ink Thanks for stopping by the Spellbinders' blog today! I hope I've inspired you to check out the gorgeous Open House Collection. To see more of my work, please find me on my blog and on Instagram. Have a wonderful day!

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2 comments

Andre Shell, You are truly a fabulous card maker! I enjoyed seeing examples (par excellence) for various ways to present the Open House Collection. I just bought those dies over the last few months and I love your examples. I’ve realized you are a gifted crafter after taking multiple classes with you in Nashville. Spellbinders has incredible dies to make awesome cards and they are well thought out. I’m glad you prepared this inspiration for others (like me) to use the dies like a pro.

You have really paid attention to detail and color choices. The last card is the first time I have seen anyone use the die set like this and it is simple but elegant! Love the brick background for the door and the way you grounded the door. I agree I would love to come home to such a pretty door as you have created. I really like the style of KOM-NOV19 sentiment; but sadly is not available. Enjoyed the tour and appreciate the work in your projects.