Strawberry Cards with Stenciled Backgrounds & Watercolored Die Cuts | Featuring Simon Hurley create.

1 day ago
3 min read

I’m so excited to share today’s project, created as part of a special opportunity with Ranger Ink. I was honored to be invited to join a small group of creators working with Simon Hurley create. products, and these cheerful strawberry cards were such a fun way to play with color, stenciling, and texture.

These cards combine stenciling, ink blending, and watercolor die cutting for a fresh, playful design that’s perfect for thank-you cards, love notes, and happy mail. I especially love projects like this because they look detailed but are still very achievable—and easy to mass-produce once your supplies are out!

Today I’m sharing how I created these diagonally layered A2 cards using Simon Hurley create. Stellar Ink, layering stencils, background stamps, and coordinating strawberry dies.

Project Overview

For these cards, I created:

A stenciled strawberry background
A tone-on-tone leafy background
Watercolored strawberry die cuts
A diagonal layered design with scalloped trim
Two sentiment options:
- Thank You Berry Much
- I Love You Berry Much

Supplies Used

Inks (Simon Hurley create. Stellar Ink):

Stupid Cupid
Love Bomb
Later Gator
Ivy League

Other Simon Hurley create. Supplies:

Watercolor Cardstock (110 lb)
Stark White Cardstock (110 lb)
Very Berry layering stencils
Berry Best stamp die & coordinating dies
Dotted Leaves cling background stamp
Solar Spray – Cross My Heart
Solar Spray -- Trust Fund
Blending brushes

Other Supplies:

Water + paintbrush
Scalloped border die
Black cardstock (mat)
Red cardstock (mat)
A2 white card bases
Black ink for sentiments

Step-by-Step: Background Panels

1) Create the strawberry background

To create the strawberry background, I used a strawberry layering stencil set. I started by blending Stupid Cupid through the first stencil onto white cardstock, then added Love Bomb with the second stencil to give the strawberries more depth and dimension. I lightly spritzed the strawberries with Solar Spray – Cross My Heart for a soft, speckled texture. Next, I blended Later Gator through the third stencil for the leaves, followed by Ivy League with the final stencil to add the stems and seeds. I set the finished panel aside to finish drying.

2) Create the leafy background

For the green panel, stamp the Dotted Leaves background in Later Gator over green cardstock. This tone-on-tone look adds interest without overpowering the design.

Step-by-Step: Watercolored Strawberry Die Cuts

3) Die cut and watercolor the strawberries

Die cut strawberries from watercolor cardstock. Add Stupid Cupid and Love Bomb to your work surface, then activate with water using a paintbrush. Apply the ink to strawberries, letting the ink move naturally for a soft, organic look.

Once dry, add subtle splatter with Cross My Heart Solar Spray if desired.

4) Paint the leafy tops

Die cut the leafy tops and paint them with Later Gator, adding Trust Fund Solar Spray for subtle texture.

Step-by-Step: Card Assembly

5) Create the diagonal layout, mat, and assemble

Trim both background panels and cut them on a diagonal. Mix and match the strawberry print with the leafy panel to create two coordinating card fronts.

Adhere the panels together along the diagonal seam, then layer the piece onto black cardstock, followed by red cardstock, and finish by mounting it onto a white A2 card base.

6) Add scalloped trim

Die cut a scalloped border from red cardstock and glue it along the diagonal seam. This small detail really helps frame the design and ties in beautifully with the strawberry colors.

8) Stamp the sentiments

Stamp sentiments directly onto the green panels using black ink:

“Thank you berry much”
“I love you berry much”

Stamping directly on the background keeps the design clean and cohesive.

9) Add the finishing strawberries

Foam-mount one or two watercolored strawberry die cuts to each card for dimension and a final pop of interest.

Final Thoughts

These strawberry cards are bright, fun, and perfect for so many occasions. I love how the diagonal layout keeps the design feeling modern while still letting the stenciling and watercoloring shine. This is also a great project for making multiples—just switch up the sentiments and you’re set!