Sweet & Zesty Window Card Idea with Pixi Dust Designs Dies | Video Tutorial

If you’ve ever wanted to bring the feeling of summer into a card design, today’s project might just be your new favorite. I was inspired by this month’s Pixi Dust Designs July Card Sketch and knew immediately I wanted to do something light, bright, and bursting with sunshine. I’ve been reaching for the Strawberry Lemonade Die Set quite a bit lately, and when I paired it with the Lemonade Jar Die Set and the Clouds & Grass Slimline Dies, everything just clicked. I ended up creating a playful window card with a surprise peek inside—and it’s a sweet little reminder that sometimes the best designs start with a simple sketch and a single fun idea.

I don’t know about you, but when it’s hot outside and I’m craving something new at my craft desk, I always lean into color and interactivity. That’s where this card comes in—bright, layered die cuts, a fun window element, and just a hint of whimsy with the shaker bits and fruity details. It’s such a fun way to stretch your dies and shake up your cardmaking routine.

Sweet & Zesty Window Card Idea with Pixi Dust Designs Dies

A Sketch Can Spark It All

I used this month’s Pixi Dust Designs Sketch as my jumping-off point. Sketches are truly underrated when it comes to unlocking creativity. They offer structure but still leave plenty of room to play with your products in a new way. For this card, I took a standard top-folding A2 base (cut from Neenah’s Ultra Thick cardstock), and adapted the sketch to include a shaped window—something I don’t do often, but now I’m asking myself why not!

A little tip: When you’re adapting a sketch to fit dies you already have, think about shapes and placement, not exact products. In this case, I used the largest solid glass from the Strawberry Lemonade Die Set to create the opening, and I loved how it turned out. The sketch didn’t call for a window, but adding one made everything feel so much more dynamic and dimensional.

Creating a Decorative Frame with Edge Dies

To build the front panel, I reached for a cheerful yellow from the Sprinkles 6 x 8 Smooth Cardstock Paper Pad (available at Scrapbook.com) and die cut both edges with the cloud border from the Clouds & Grass Slimline Die Set. This is one of those tricks I use a lot when I want to give a card front a little extra flair without overwhelming the design. That scalloped cloud edge instantly softens the card and gives it a breezy, summery vibe.

Here’s a pro tip: To create a mirrored border on both sides of your panel, just flip your die and cut again on the opposite side. You’ll get a beautiful, balanced look that feels polished and intentional.

Lemonade Layers that Pop

Now for the fun part—layering all those delicious die cuts. I used a mix of colors from both the Sprinkles and Candy 6 x 8 Smooth Cardstock Pads, picking out pinks, yellows, oranges, and even a little minty green. There’s just something joyful about building a die-cut drink with all the extras—ice cubes, fruit slices, a straw, and even a cocktail umbrella.

One thing I always try to do when working with layering dies is to prep all the pieces before I start gluing. It saves me from getting too deep into one section only to realize I missed something. I used liquid glue here for control and flexibility, especially around the tiny pieces. And speaking of tiny pieces—don’t sleep on those ice cube dies. I cut mine from white scraps and they gave the drink such a realistic pop. They might seem small, but they make a big difference when you're trying to build depth.

Once everything was layered, I tucked the completed drink just behind the window, attaching it to the inside panel of the card. Then I decorated the outside of the card with more fruit slices and the layered umbrella and straw to pull it all together.

Sentiments & Finishing Touches

I really wanted this card to say summer as much as it looked like summer, so I combined two of my favorite sentiments: “Fresh” from the Strawberry Lemonade Die Set and “lemonade” from the Lemonade Jar Die Set. I cut them both from bold coordinating cardstock and layered them together on the front panel to finish off the design.

To bring it all to life, I added a few highlights with a white gel pen—just little reflective marks here and there on the fruit and glass. This is a quick and easy trick that makes everything look more dimensional and playful. Then, for that final zesty touch, I sprinkled on a few lemon slices and tiny stars from the Lemon Shaker Bits mix. These little elements add movement and texture, and they catch the light in the prettiest way when you open the card.

A Fun Summer Design with Lots of Possibilities

This card was such a joy to make, and I love how it feels like a little piece of summer in paper form. If you’ve got the Strawberry Lemonade and Lemonade Jar die sets from Pixi Dust Designs, I definitely recommend trying a peek-through window layout like this. And if you haven’t used edge dies in a while, grab your Clouds & Grass Slimline Dies and give them new life—they’re not just for scene building.

You could easily adapt this design for other drinks or themes—think holiday cocoa, spooky potions for Halloween, or even a tropical smoothie for a birthday card. Just switch up the colors, elements, and shaker bits to match your vibe.

Want to see this card come together? I walk through all the details in the video tutorial, and I share a few extra tips along the way. I hope you’ll check it out and give this design a try. It’s a great way to bring some sunshine and creativity to your craft space.

Sweet & Zesty Window Card Idea with Pixi Dust Designs Dies Video Tutorial:

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(Wondering what I used in this video? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible). As always I appreciate your support of my videos!

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Stampin'

Rick Adkins

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