Hey everyone, Stephanie here. Today I want to chat about this cool new die set I’ve been playing with – the Coastal View Window die from Tina Smith. You might know her as Cards and Coffee Time on YouTube. She’s got some great tutorials if you want to check them out.

PRODUCTS IN THIS VIDEO:

Coastal Escape View Dies – https://shrsl.com/4dubn

Up in the Air View Dies. – https://shrsl.com/4dubz

So, this die set is part of a bigger collection with different window styles, stencils for various scenes, and some nice sentiments to go with them. I decided to focus on the Coastal View set for now, but honestly, the whole collection is pretty neat.

When I first got this set, I’ll admit I was a bit overwhelmed by all the pieces. There are so many little elements! I ended up cutting the set out a few times so I’d have plenty to work with. Here’s a little tip I figured out: it’s easier to cut everything from white cardstock first, then color it with markers or watercolors. Trying to line up all those tiny colored pieces can be a real pain.

I used my Copic markers to color most of the elements. The detail on these dies is pretty impressive – even the tiniest fish have little fins and scales. It’s fun to see how they all come together to create a scene.

For my first card, I wanted to do something with a porthole look. You know those views you get on a cruise ship where you can see above and below the water at the same time? That’s what I was going for. I used some craft paper for the frame and distressed it a bit with some ink.

I hadn’t planned on making it a shaker card at first, but once I put the acetate on, it just seemed to fit. I threw in some little beads and diamonds I had from the Dollar Tree. Nothing fancy, but I think it adds a nice touch.

For another card, I used some pre-made alcohol ink papers from Altenew. They’re great for when you want that alcohol ink look but don’t have the time or energy to make your own background. I went for more of an underwater vibe with this one, kind of like looking out a submarine window.

I also played around with an embossing folder from Spellbinders that has a net pattern. It worked really well with the ocean theme. I just inked it up a bit to make it stand out more.

You know, one thing I love about die sets like this is how versatile they are. Even though it’s designed as a window set, you can use the elements to create all sorts of scenes. I made a quick tropical card without using the window die at all.

Living in Vermont, where it’s gray for half the year, making these sunny, beachy cards was a nice change of pace. I’m actually heading to Florida for winter break soon, so I guess I’ve got tropical vibes on the brain!

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been up to lately. If you’re into this kind of thing, definitely check out Tina’s release. It’s been fun to play with. Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for hanging out with me today!