Color Confidence With Layering Dies

Happy New Year friends! It's Mindy Eggen. Layering dies is a great way to build realistic florals, and today I’m sharing how I created a soft, cheerful card using the Craft-A-Flower: Buttercup Bunch Layering Die Set from Altenew. I relied on the layering guide included in the die set and also searched Pinterest for real buttercup photos to help guide my color choices. Combining both made the process easy and stress-free.

This die set uses Altenew’s popular keyhole system, and each flower has its own unique keyhole. Even the stems include matching keyholes that correspond perfectly with their coordinating flowers. This makes lining everything up intuitive and eliminates guesswork.

For the petals, I die cut Buttercream cardstock, used Warm Sunshine cardstock for the inside flower layers, and Honey Drizzle cardstock for the centers. I added a bit of depth to the Buttercream petals by lightly ink blending with Honey Drizzle Fresh Dye Ink using a Mini Blending Brush. This subtle shading helps define the layers without overpowering the soft base color.

All of the stems and leaves were die cut from Parrot cardstock. To add dimension and contrast, I ink blended the leaves with Shadow Creek Fresh Dye Ink, concentrating the color toward the base for a more natural look.

For the background, I stamped the canvas design from the Craft Your Life Project Kit: Stitched With Love using Morning Frost Fresh Dye Ink. This adds subtle texture and visual interest while still allowing the florals to remain the focal point of the card.

I didn’t use all of the flowers included in the set—one of the things I love most about layering dies is the ability to pick and choose the elements that work best for your design. Once I was happy with the placement, I glued the flowers together to create one cohesive floral bundle and adhered it to the card front with foam tape for added dimension.

The sentiment fits perfectly in the top right corner and comes from the Build-A-Garden: Happy Blossoms stamp set with its coordinating die. I stamped it in Obsidian Pigment Ink, die cut it, and popped it up with foam tape to complete the card.

Layering dies don’t have to feel intimidating. By starting with the included layering guide, pulling inspiration from real flowers, and trusting Altenew’s keyhole system, it’s easy to create dimensional florals that feel polished and intentional. The Buttercup Bunch Layering Die Set offers plenty of flexibility, making it simple to customize each project while letting thoughtful color choices and subtle backgrounds do the work.