Cards and Tags are still popular at Christmas Time. Some card makers start making their Christmas cards in July. I am not one of those card makers! Some make 20 or 30 or even 50 of the same card then send them on out. Some card makers like to make five or six of each design and make several different designs. The easiest way to make lots of Christmas cards is to buy a pad of patterned paper, cut and stick. Choose a simple sentiment and go for it.
If you are searching for some Christmas Card inspiration, you might want to check out these videos... they certainly helped me work out what to do.
Last year, I got a bunch of Christmas stamps and a few dies and just made a few cards as I felt the need. I think I ended up making about 10 or 12 cards. However, as it got closer to Christmas and I got better at pulling together Christmas cards, my mother started thinking of people to whom she wanted to send cards. This meant that I would put away all my Christmas stamps and then have to pull them all out again. The struggle was real!
This year, I decided that I would design one or two simple Christmas cards that would be easy to mass produce. I told my mother that I was making 20 cards this year and if we ran out, she would have to use some cheap packet cards we bought at the discount store a few years ago. I am not making last minute cards. You ready to see the magic?
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| The winning design for my bulk set of cards. |
Time to start creating. I cut all my cardstock.... enough for 25 cards - just in case I messed up. I created a mask and started ink blending all my Christmas Trees- I did 20 card panels like this. When I finished ink blending each panel, I brushed some Perfect Pearls pigment powder over the triangle, before removing the mask and going to the next panel.
Next, I stamped the sentiments on the front. Using my stamping tool made this so easy and quick. I used Rockin' Red ink from Catherine Pooler to stamp my sentiments (which were from Kaisercraft). Next was more ink blending around the border. Then, time to emboss all the panels using an embossing folder - 20 card panels, one after another = tired elbows. Before putting away the Cuttlebug, I die cut 40 little stars. Actually, to tell you the truth, I asked my Mum to do the die cutting and embossing. Considering that she will use most of the cards, she was happy to help. Then I stamped sentiments on the inside of the cards. Finally, they were ready to assemble.
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I used post-it tape to mask off a triangle just
off-centre. I used the squares on the tape to
make sure the triangle was straight.
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As you can see, I used Lime Rickey and Grass Skirt inks
from Catherine Pooler Designs to make the tree shapes.
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Embellishing these cards was the most fun part! You can add sequins, twine or washi tape on the card to go behind the card panel. Use glitter, enamel dots, Nuvo Drops, glossy accents or whatever you have. I simply stuck my stars onto the top of each tree. I played with placement of sequins on a few cards, but in the end I decided I liked them without the extra stuff.
Mum loves these cards and so do I! It's hard for us to find a design that we both like so much.
Just to be on the "safe side", I made a few other cards. I wanted to try some designs that I saw on Pinterest and I wanted to try out some techniques that I was sure would look gorgeous with Christmas supplies. There will be a bonus post for you in a few days, showing you the other cards I made. Here's a sneak peek.
Have a Crafty Day
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| So much for my tidy workspace! Lol. |
Just to be on the "safe side", I made a few other cards. I wanted to try some designs that I saw on Pinterest and I wanted to try out some techniques that I was sure would look gorgeous with Christmas supplies. There will be a bonus post for you in a few days, showing you the other cards I made. Here's a sneak peek.
