Hello, friends! Today, I’m excited to take you behind the scenes of one of my favorite die sets from my new City Holiday collection with Spellbinders — the City Holiday (or as I like to call it – Apartment Building) Die Set.
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This set is incredibly special to me because it was inspired by the historical building I currently live in, located in the heart of Ternopil, Ukraine. Built in 1912, it’s one of the few original structures that survived the wars. What made me fall in love with it were the beautiful arched windows — tall, elegant, and full of character — and that’s what inspired the design of this die set (and truthfully, the whole collection!).
HOW TO USE YANA’S CITY HOLIDAY DIE
Watch the video below or on my YouTube channel:
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CITY HOLIDAY DIE OVERVIEW
This die set was designed to be versatile and detailed, allowing you to create charming cityscapes with lots of personality. Here’s what it includes:
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A main building facade with debossed arched windows, a door, and a panoramic window.
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Separate dies to create the roof, snow, windows (with interchangeable window treatments), doors, a panoramic storefront window, and embellishments like bricks, wreaths, gifts, curtains, and more.
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Even a little cat and dog, so you can build a cozy holiday story right in your scene!
You can assemble your buildings as shown in the guide, or mix things up! For one of my cards (see below), I moved the door to the center and swapped the panoramic window for extra arched windows — there’s no wrong way to design your city.
TIPS FOR ASSEMBLING
This is a die set to enjoy when you have some extra crafting time. There are lots of small elements, so it’s perfect for a cozy weekend session or a movie night with your die-cutting machine. A few helpful notes:
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I store all my dies in Spellbinders Craft Stacks with magnetic inserts — super practical for keeping everything neat.
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Use foam adhesive to add dimension — I especially love popping up the windows and treatments to give the façade more depth.
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Use colored cardstock to reflect different times of day — sunset, nighttime, or festive warm lighting inside windows.
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The brick dies are a fun option to add historical texture — totally optional, but worth the extra step if you want to add character.
You can build your apartment building as a:
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Shaped card — perfect for a standout look!
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A2 card front — the full building fits beautifully
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5×7 card — add space around the building for sky or snow
Mix and match sentiments, embellish with wreaths, or place gift boxes and trees inside the windows. The possibilities are endless!
This die set is close to my heart — not just because it’s inspired by my home, but because it gives you the chance to tell a little story through your cards. Whether you’re adding festive details to every window or keeping it simple with a cozy winter vibe, I hope you find as much joy in using this set as I did designing it.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available, I use compensated affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Spellbinders City Holiday Etched Dies Shop at: SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Christmas Cheer Sentiments BetterPress Plate & Die Set Shop at: SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil System (Platinum) Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK | AMZ |
 Spellbinders Platinum 6 Machine With Universal Plate System Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK | AMZ |
 Spellbinders Brushed Black Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Gold Assortment Treasured Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil Roll – Gold Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK | AMZ |
 Spellbinders Wild Berry ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Terra Cotta ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Indigo ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Oceanside ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Fern ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Rainforest ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Chiffon ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Poppy ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Craft Stax Large Tray Set Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Craft Stax Medium Tray Set Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Craft Stax Combo Tray Set Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Craft Stax Magnetic Panels Large Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Craft Stax Magnetic Panels Medium Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK |
 Bearly Art Mini Precision Craft Glue Shop at: SSS | SB USA | AMZ |
 White Foam Squares Shop at: SSS | PFS | SB USA | SB UK | AMZ |
 Sakura Classic White Bold Line 10 Pen Shop at: SSS | AMZ |
