There’s something really special about finding a finished card sitting on your desk and realising it never made it onto the blog. This bright and cheerful card has been patiently waiting for its moment — and honestly, it couldn’t be more perfect as my first post for 2026.

This card is all about starting the year with colour, confidence, and creativity.

Party Alphabet Dies + Ombre Blending

The star of this card is the bold sentiment created with the Stampin’ Up! Party Alphabet Dies. These large letters are such a fun design element — especially when you want to keep the rest of the card clean and uncluttered.

To bring them to life, I used an ombre colouring technique with Stampin’ Blends, blending from soft yellow through to warm coral tones. This gradual colour transition adds movement and energy, making the sentiment feel playful without overwhelming the card.

Big letters don’t have to mean bulky cards — using colour instead of layers is a great way to keep things light and modern.

Clean White Space That Lets Colour Shine

One of my favourite things about this card is the white background with subtle texture. Keeping the base simple allows the bright letters to take centre stage and really pop.

A lightly textured white panel is such an underrated design choice — it adds interest without stealing attention from your focal point. If you ever feel like your cards are getting “too busy,” this is a great reset technique to try.

Mixing Dies + Stamps for Smaller Sentiments

To balance out the large alphabet dies, I added a smaller stamped sentiment using the Sweet Blooms Stamp Set. Mixing bold die-cut words with delicate stamped phrases is an easy way to create visual contrast and keep your design feeling intentional.

The Charming Day Dies were also used to add soft floral accents around the sentiment, tying everything together while keeping the focus on the letters.

✨ Quick heads-up: The Charming Day Dies are currently available in the Last Chance section, so once they’re gone, they’re gone. If you love versatile florals that work across seasons, this set is definitely one to grab while you can.

Why this style works so well
This card is a great reminder that:

• Large alphabet dies aren’t just for scrapbooking, make them a card feature!
• Colour blending can replace layers and bulk
• White space is a powerful design tool
• You can stretch your supplies by mixing dies and stamps from different sets

It’s a simple layout with a lot of impact — and one that’s easy to adapt for birthdays, celebrations, encouragement cards, or even scrapbook titles.

A Fresh Creative Year Ahead

I love that this card gets to open the creative chapter for 2026. It feels bright, optimistic, and full of possibility — which is exactly how I want this year to feel in my craft room.

If you’ve been looking for a way to use bold products in a clean, approachable way, I hope this project inspires you to give it a try.

Thanks for starting the year crafting with me — I can’t wait to share what’s coming next 💛

These are two upcoming amazing events with The Stamping Lounge run by myself, Maheswari Rajaguru and Rochelle Laird-Smith. Our Mini Catalogue Launch party is happening on the 11th of January – come and see all the new products, be part of the community, play games and take part in nine card classes!
We also have our upcoming Cute as a Bug Virtual retreat which is open no matter where you are in the world! Take part in eighteen classes using the Cute as a Bug suite and get lifetime access! Click the images or links to find out more and enrol OR sign up to The Stamping Lounge membership to get access to to the mini catalogue launch party and more which are included in the membership (retreat sold separately)

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supply list for party alphabet card

Product List