Hello crafty friends! It’s Yana here, and today I wanted to do something a little different.
Instead of a full, start-to-finish cardmaking tutorial, I’m sharing a closer look at one specific die set that truly surprised me – in the best way possible. This is a quick dive into the Sunny Stems Small Die of the Month for January 2026 from Spellbinders, and why it completely changed my mind once I started creating with it.
Like this project? Pin it and save it for later | Curious about my project photography? Click for details.
A Quick Note About Spellbinders Clubs
If you’re new to Spellbinders Clubs, here’s a quick refresher:
Spellbinders Clubs are monthly subscription programs with no long-term commitment. You can join or cancel at any time, and you don’t have to sign up for a full year. If you love a particular design, you can join that month only.
For January, the Small Die of the Month is called Sunny Stems, and it’s available to join until the 27th of the month. As always, the earlier you join, the sooner your kit ships, and occasionally, club designs can sell out.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
Watch the video below or on my YouTube channel.
First Impressions (and a Change of Heart)
I’ll be honest: at first glance, Sunny Stems didn’t immediately scream “Yana style.” But once I sat down and made a card with it, I saw the cleverness and versatility of the design – and that’s when it really won me over. This die set has two main components, and together they offer a ton of creative flexibility.
Part One: The Radiating Shape
The first part of the set allows you to create a bold, radiating shape – almost like a stylized sun or a burst of petals. In my project, I used it to create a shaped card base, but it doesn’t have to be a card base at all. You could also use it as:
-
A layered focal point
-
A decorative background element
-
A dimensional frame
Each “ray” can be customized individually, which opens up so many possibilities:
-
Alternate colors
-
Ink blending for subtle variation
-
A full rainbow design
-
Sentiments placed in each ray or just in the center
It’s one of those designs that really encourages you to think outside the box.
Part Two: The Flowers (Because We Can Never Have Too Many)
The second part of Sunny Stems includes four different flower designs, complete with separate stems, leaves, and centers. All of the elements are individual pieces, which means you can:
-
Mix and match flowers and stems
-
Use flowers with or without leaves
-
Change the size and look by layering differently
-
Customize the style to fit any card theme
If you’ve seen my Crafty Advent Calendar videos, you might notice that some of these flowers feel familiar. While they’re not exact matches, the delicate stamens and petal shapes remind me of those illustrated floral designs – which I absolutely love.
The Card I Created
For my sample card, I went with a soft yet striking color palette:
-
Oceanside cardstock for the background, with a touch of Nautical ink blending
-
Peridot for the stems
The sentiment, “I hope this card brightens your day,” comes from the Clear Stamp & Die of the Month (January 2026), and I finished everything off with green Color Essentials gems for a bit of sparkle.
The contrast between the bold background and the light, airy florals makes the design feel cheerful, fresh, and dimensional.
Final Thoughts
Sunny Stems is a perfect example of a die set that reveals its full potential once you start using it. What initially felt outside my comfort zone quickly became a favorite once I explored its possibilities.
If you enjoy:
-
Shaped cards
-
Modular dies with lots of flexibility
-
Florals you can customize endlessly
…this is definitely a set worth checking out.
I’ve linked the Spellbinders Small Die of the Month (January 2026) below, along with a full supply list from my project. I hope this little peek inspires you to look at your dies – and maybe even new club kits – a bit differently.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I’ll see you again soon with more crafty inspiration!
Happy crafting!
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 Small Die Of The Month Membership Shop at: SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders 2025 Crafty Advent Calendar Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Clear Stamp & Die of the Month Club Shop at: SB USA | SB UK |
 Spellbinders Alabaster ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Oceanside ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Peridot ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Saffron ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Beeswax ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Blush ColorWheel Cardstock Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Craft Stax Large Tray Set Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Craft Stax Medium Tray Set Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Spellbinders Craft Stax Combo Tray Set Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Craft Stax Magnetic Panels Combo Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Craft Stax Magnetic Panels Large Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Craft Stax Magnetic Panels Medium Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Hero Arts Nautical Core Ink Pad Shop at: HA |
 Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black Ink Shop at: SSS | AMZ | PFS |
 Spellbinders Green Mix Color Essential Gems Shop at: SSS | SB USA | SB UK | PFS |
 Glassboard Studio Scrapbook Magnetic Glass Craft Mat Shop at: GBS |
 Glassboard Studio Super Strong Magnets Shop at: GBS |
Glassboard Studio Glass Craft Mat – Code YANA15 Shop at: GBS |
