Hi, Crafty Friend!

Some of the most useful products in your craft room probably aren’t the ones you bought for one specific card.

They’re the ones sitting within easy reach because you use them for everything.

The Stacklet that gives your focal point just the right frame. The masking stencil that lets you add color exactly where you want it. The cutting or piercing plate that turns a plain cardstock background into the perfect supporting detail.

Those hardworking staples are taking center stage because Back to Basics is HERE!

We think the dependable tools deserve a little attention, so we’re celebrating the release with savings throughout the Back to Basics collection!

From September 15th at 9 AM CT through September 22nd at 9 AM CT:

✨ Save 10% on NEW and pre-released Back to Basics products

✨ Save 20% on pre-existing Back to Basics products

No coupon code is required. Eligible savings will be automatically applied.

That means it’s not only a great time to discover something new. It’s also your chance to go back for the Stacklet, cutting plate, or other dependable staple you may have passed up before.

See What Your Basics Can Do!

Sometimes you don’t need another complicated technique to make your cards more interesting. You just need the right tool in the right place.

Throughout this release, we’ll be sharing plenty of inspiration to show you how these foundational products can change a design through layering, texture, dimension, framing, and more.

Pay attention to the details in each project. Look at how the layers help establish the focal point, how subtle texture brings a background to life, or how masking adds dimension without adding bulk.

Then take those ideas back to your own craft space and make them yours.

TE Creative Team member Emily Mydlowski shows just how much impact a great frame can have! The subtle pierced detail gives her crisp white and aqua layers a polished finish while creating the perfect home for bold florals, patterns, and sentiments. It’s a great example of how a dependable basic can pull together lots of color and pattern without competing for attention.

For TE Creative Team member Jill Hawkins proves the right frame can do much more than finish an edge! Her pierced rectangles using All Planned Out 5 Die Set gives this spooky scene structure while creating separate spaces for the moonlit silhouettes above and a candy-filled shaker below. It’s a clever reminder to look beyond the obvious and ask, “What else could this basic do?”

TE Designer Heather Nichols takes the idea of crafty basics quite literally with this sewing-inspired pair! Pierced frames become part of the design as she stitches colorful borders with embroidery floss, surrounding spools, buttons, and plenty of playful details. We love how she shows that a foundational die doesn’t have to stay in the background—sometimes the basic can become part of the technique!

TE Creative Team member Amy Kolling‘s elegant holiday card is all about subtle texture. Pierced details around the oval frame draw your eye straight toward her nutcracker, while the delicate pattern inside gives the soft blue background a little extra dimension. The nearly all-white outer background gets texture of its own, proving that even the quietest details can make a big difference.

TE Creative Team member Melody Rupple card shows that sometimes a backgrounds just needs a little something! The woven texture adds interest across the neutral scalloped panel while allowing those colorful dimensional flowers to remain the star. It’s a beautiful example of using a basic to add detail without adding distraction.

TE Designer Lori Craig turns pierced details into actual stitches on this sweet sewing-themed card! The open border gives her a ready-made guide for adding colorful thread around the focal panel, while the textured outer layer adds another subtle detail without overwhelming the design. Texture upon texture makes this basic anything but boring

TE Creative Team member Deby Bauer layers subtle texture beautifully on this soft floral design. The pierced oval creates a defined focal area for her flowers and sentiment, while the delicate texture across the pink background keeps all that open space from feeling flat. Nothing has to shout for attention—the basics simply help every part of the design feel intentional.

Give Your Little Bits Some Personality!

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See how one hardworking basic can turn into four completely different card designs! Join Taylor LIVE today at 10 AM CT as she puts All Planned Out 7 Die Set to work and shows just how versatile this clever layout die can be.

Taylor will show you how to:

✂️ Cut four A2-sized panels to create 16 interchangeable pieces

🧩 Mix and match those pieces to build four coordinating card fronts

🌷 Combine colors and patterns so each card feels unique while still working as a set

💌 Then you can finish each design with sentiments and focal points, then send all four or bundle them into a handmade card set to gift