Every year I say I’m going to get my Christmas cards done early and I always seem to end up racing around at the last minute to pull it together. How about you…are you prepared in advance or last minute like me?
We always send a photo card and I like to combine my love of photography and stamping. In the past I have made an easel card I shared HERE and used Paper Pumpkin refill kits (see below for photo). This year my daughter put together this photo collage. My husband likes to add a personal message on some of his so this is what I came up with at the last minute.
The photo card measures 4 x 8 so I cut my cardstock 4 1/8 x 10 5/8 and scored it at 8 1/8. I added a layer of black cardstock on the front flap to tie in the colors from the card. I used the oval from the Stitched Shapes Framelits with the Holly Berry Stamp Set and new watercolor pencils (available January 4th in the new occasions catalog) to embellish the front flap on my card. I am in love with these watercolor pencils!!! You will want to put them on your MUST HAVE list!!! They make it so quick and easy to create a work or art. I simply colored with the old olive pencil then brushed over it with my blender pen. Check out these before and after pictures.
Here’s a video from Stampin’ Up! highlighting how to create with these new watercolor pencils using different paper with the aqua painter or blender pen.
I used classic ink (rather than the archival) with the blender pen and had no problem with the ink bleeding. You can use cardstock with the blender pen but you need to use watercolor paper or shimmer paper when you use the aqua painter. I added some red pearls leftover from a past paper pumpkin kit for berries. You can make your own using a red sharpie marker to color Pearl Basic Jewels or Rhinestones. I used red ribbon to make a bow and attached it with a mini glue dot. I popped up the stitched layer with Stampin’ Dimensionals and stamped my envelope to match.
Stamp Set: Holly Berry Happiness Ink: Gumball Green (retired), Real Red (on envelope) Papers: Gumball Green (retired), Basic Black, Whisper White Tools & Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pen, Real Red Ribbon, Pearl Basic Jewels, Red Sharpie Marker, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals
Do you have the new Occasions catalog? If you are not currently working with another demonstrator, I would love to be your creative coach. Email me if you would like me to send you the new catalog and Sale-A-Bration brochure. It’s time to get that wish list ready! For every $50 you spend from January 4th – March 31st you earn FREE product (in addition to my thank you gift)!
Have a wonderful day!
Just Stampin’
Jeanie
As promised, here’s a past Christmas card made using My Paper Pumpkin kit.
Contact me to find out how you can become a Paper Pumpkin Player and start your monthly subscription.
Love your Christmas cards
Beautiful card and family! Your placement of pictures is perfect! Thanks for sharing.
Awesome idea for a picture card! Love it! And yes, I am totally like you, grand ideas of getting cards out early and then I race at the last minute. Some still have to go in the mail!!!! Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!!!!
UGH . . . I am always behind with my Christmas Cards. I really cannot make them any earlier than the beginning of December, if that. I also got cards from three people I didn’t send to and that makes me feel sad. I’m thinking of coming up with a Happy New Year card for a few “last minute” people. Oh, I also have birthdays December 24, 26 and 27 . . . . and nope, not one got a BD card yet! Jeanie, I love your photo cards, both are very pretty.
🙂
I LOVE your idea of making Happy New Year cards for those last minute cards from people we sometimes forget! A work of genius! Definitely going to prepare myself for that next year. Much better than sending out a late Christmas card. This way they just think you never got to Christmas cards and sent New Year cards instead. One year that actually happened and I really enjoyed not stressing about it ahead of time. I just worked on our photo card after Christmas and sent them out for New Year’s.
Fabulous card, Jeanie!