2022 Christmas Cards

  Hi Y'all!

Another year has quickly passed and it's once again the Christmas season!

I gained inspiration for my handmade cards 

from a fellow paper artist, Sandi Clarkson.

Papers & all embellishments were purchased before the end of 2021, 

as I usually plan next year's cards in the previous year.

I worked on the cards off and on throughout 2022;

completing each step consecutively on all of the cards until completed. 

I make around 25 cards each year.

This really takes time and effort to create them. 

Some steps in the creation process are tedious, while others are quick.

I'm happy that this year's cards had a bit of both for a challenge!

I'll begin with what I named Deer1 - 

Next is Deer2 - 

And Deer3 - 

As you've noticed, each card is the same design,

with only the deer being different. 

They came in 3 designs in the pack, 

so that's what I used.

Each raw chipboard deer is colored 

by dabbing a natural sponge on a gold ink pad, 

to produce a distressed look.

I computer printed the inside sentiment & the scroll below it. 

Cute pre-made bows & a decorative strip make this look like a Christmas gift!

The poinsettia flower on each card is die cut and glued together. 

Gold beads in the center act as stamen.

Here is a close up of the berries & holly leaves. 

Each leaf is carefully heat embossed and

tiny red rhinestones serve as the berries.

Every card I made has my signature stamp on the back.

I LOVE the process of creating my very own Christmas cards each year 

because when the end result is achieved, 

I know & understand the whole background creation process.

That's very rewarding for me!

In case anyone is wondering what the cost is to make Christmas cards,

well that depends on how much embellishing you decide to do.

I personally use premium papers, usually from Maja Design. 

The paper has to be thick and strong to hold all of the embellishments.

My yearly cards usually cost me $4-$5/card to make. 

So I spend around $100-ish each year

 making these for my closest friends, family and great neighbors. 

Thanks so much for visiting!

Lisa

Products used:

Maja Design - "Happy Christmas" paper collection

Santa is Busy (main card)

Santa is Busy - backside (strip on bottom for inside the card)

Snowflakes (poinsettia flower)

Twinkle (poinsettia flower)

Joy (the strip on the front behind the deer)

Creative Embellishments dies

Holly & Berry Frame

Jumping Deer

Impression Obsession Die - Poinsettia

Media

Ranger - Tim Holtz Distress Ink - "Tea Dye"
(for the holly & berry frames)

Craftsmart Dye Ink - "Pine"
(edge inking of strip on front of card
and signature stamp on back of card)

Tsukineko Pigment Ink - Delicata "Golden Glitz"
(applied with a sponge on the deer)

Lindy's EP - Tannenbaum Green Gold
(for holly leaves)

Liquitex Professional White Gesso

Tsukineko VersaMark watermark pen

Want2Scrap - Baby Red Rhinestones

(for the Berries)

Tools

Fiskars Portable 12" SureCut Paper Trimmer

Martha Stewart - Scoring Board

Martha Stewart Hot Glue Gun

Adhesives

Nuvo - craft glue

Scor-Tape Sheets

Scor-Tape 

Elmer's Adhesive Foam Tape

2020 Christmas Cards

For my 2020 Christmas cards, I chose the gorgeous 

Maja Design collection "Holiday in the Alps"!

I created two styles....

First & favorite is the Old World Santa

 in beautiful cranberry, beige & brown.

He has the gentlest eyes!!!!

The inside sentiment is computer printed

in a coordinating cranberry-burgundy color,

using the stunning font called "Respective".

This card is made from the page named "Santa Claus".

It's absolutely amazing how perfectly it comes together 

when cut, scored and folded into 5" x 7" size. 

The front of the card is layered with a distressed 

Maja Design solid Cranberry paper;

followed by the page "Winter Ephemera"

card cut-out of Santa on adhesive foam sheet.

Then came the gesso splatter, 

to mimic falling snow.

Impression Obsession's Poinsettia dies are the absolute perfect size for cards!

Fully put together, they measure 1-1/2" in diameter.

As you can see, 

I used the same fabulous plaid paper as the main card

and also Maja Design solid cardstock "Pine Cone".

4mm Brown beads are hot glued in the center.

Here are the products used for the Santa card:

Maja Design - Holiday in the Alps & Monochrome papers

"Santa Claus"

"Ephemera"

Shade of the Alps "Cranberry"

Impression Obsession die

"Poinsettias"

Scrapbook.com Foam Adhesive Sheets

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now the other card I created really speaks 'magical' for sure!!!

I just LOVE these blues & browns together!

This page is Maja Design's "Winter Night". 

Following the same steps as the Santa card, 

I began by printing the inside sentiment in Navy Blue color.

This page folds perfectly for a 5 x 7 size.

Layering is with the Maja Design distressed card stock color "Frost";

Maja Design "Winter Ephemera" deer card cut-out on adhesive foam sheet;

 and lastly, gesso is splattered to mimic falling snow.

The last step is embellishing with a set of snowflake dies!!

Six are in the set and they are small enough for cards.

I used Recollections "Silver Shimmer" paper to cut them out.

Here are the products used for the deer card:

Maja Design - Holiday in the Alps & Monochrome papers

"Winter Night"

"Ephemera"

Shade of the Alps "Frost"

Art Impressions dies

Scrapbook.com - Foam Adhesive Sheets

Well, another year is coming to a close!

May you all have a very blessed Christmas

and a healthy, happy & prosperous New Year!

Good riddance to 2020 and may God see us through 2021

 with a renewed sense of love, fellowship & togetherness!

Lisa