diy christmas cards

Video: How to Make Holly Leaves

Have you ever wanted a custom sized holly leaf for a project, but didn’t have a punch or die for it? Today I’m going to show you how to make your own custom sized holly leaf.

One of our readers, Eloise asked me yesterday to share the dimensions for the leaves on this project, so I took it another step today and made a Creative Tip video Tutorial for you all! Enjoy.

Creative Tip Video –

Measurements –

Cherry Cobbler – 5.5” x 4.25”
Whisper White – 4” x 4”
Always Artichoke – 2.75” wide and 2” wide
Circle Punches – 1” and 1 3/8”
Cool Tools – Sylish Stripes Embossing Folder, Silver Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink and Heat Tool, Blender Pens with Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler Ink.

Close Up Photos:

Finished Project

Holly Leaves and Berries

Close Up

I hope you enjoyed that project! It’s quick, easy and a great one to mass produce.

If you want to learn more techniques to make great cards, try out one of our online classes here. Pictured above is a sneak peek of one of the newest projects in the Thanks Class of the Month Series. See you in the classroom!

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Filed Under: Cards, Christmas, Clean and Simple, Techniques, Tools, Videos Tagged: diy christmas cards, How to use circle punches, making holly leaves, stamping video technique tutorials, stamping video tutorials

48 hours left plus two Sneak Peeks

Written by Ingrid Blackburn 2 Comments

Here’s a little sneak peek at one of the super cute 12 weeks of Christmas projects that will hit inboxes in 48 hours! Do not miss out on 12 weeks of step by step projects, tags, gifts and wrapping ideas! You will not find any of these projects on the blog, so if you are a blog subscriber and you would like to see these projects, make sure you sign up for the creative tips list in the box below!

And be sure to stop by Wednesday for this super cute clean and simple Christmas card! Here’s a sneak peak of that!

Have a fun start to the week!

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Filed Under: Specials, The Creative Grove Tagged: 12 weeks of chrsitmas, christmas card ideas, clean and simple christmas cards, diy christmas cards

Stampin’ Up! Joyful Christmas

Written by Ingrid Blackburn 4 Comments

Do you need a quick but colorful Christmas card? This clean and simple card is powerful with its intense color, yet quite easy to mass produce. Let me show you how.

For me, when I make 100 Christmas cards, I need something that will keep me excited through the process, are you like that? One of the things that I love is the color Cherry Cobbler. I just love it – it makes me happy just to look at it. Do you have a color that just makes you happy too? I’d love to know what colors you absolutely love – tell me in the comment section. Cards like this one with interesting detail keep me fascinated as well. Last month I showed you how I made this clean and simple Regarding Dahlia’s card:

Can you tell how this card is based of that one. When you have a great idea – duplicate it! To make this one, you’ll start with a center image, use a mask to cover it and stamp outward from there.

Tip – be sure to stamp a mask onto a piece of printer paper – not cardstock. The thickness of cardstock will give you a white space and won’t allow you to get your second image to flow into the main image.
Tip – cut your mask on the inside of the line, not on the line and definitely not outside the line. That will give you a gap.

Since the cardstock is so rich, you will want to give your sentiment an opportunity to pop off the color by embossing it in Black. Some glitz and glamour was added using Rhinestone basic Jewels and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (hard to see on the photos as it’s rather light just on the veins.

To help the white poinsettia banner pop, you may wish to matte it onto a piece of Basic Black card stock. To add depth without taking away from the beautiful Cherry Cobbler color you can use Old Olive for the leaves. It doesn’t take away from the images, rather it compliments it and supports it with a neutral rich color.

Tip – stamp your flowers on a larger piece of white and then cut it down to the desired length. That way you don’t stress yourself out with getting it perfectly centered. I began with a 4”x 11” piece that I cut down.
The final strip is 2 1/2” x 5.5” and the Basic Black is 5.5” x 2 5/8”. The Cherry Cobbler is an A2 card – 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”
Tip – If I was mass producing this card, I would pre-cut my Whisper White Strips. I would also perfect one and keep it above my working strip as a master. This would help you as a guide to get each one just right. You can also draw a box on your grid paper to show where to stamp.

The inside panel is just Whisper White with the same images stamped in the corner. Keep it small, just a touch.

It’s a fun card that pops and is easy not only easy to stamp, but gives you that richness that you are looking for. And added bonus – this is rather easy to prep and cost effective.

Online Stamping Classes

Do you want to learn how to make creative scenery cards or Christmas Cards? Try our Brayer 101 – Introduction to Creative Scenery online class or the Class of the Month – Festive Flurry. You’ll learn how to master this technique using a brayer to create unbelievable scenes that will leave you feeling like an artist or make the coolest cards that will leave your friends and family stunned. Find out more here.

Stamps – Joyful Christmas Ink – Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Versamark Paper – Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Whisper White Cool Tools – Heat Gun, Black Embossing Powder Finishing Touch – Pearl Basic Jewels, 2 way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds

Filed Under: Cards, Christmas, Clean and Simple Tagged: clean and simple christmas cards, diy christmas cards, Joyful Christmas stamp set, online stamping classes, stampin up holiday catalog, stampinup

Non-traditional Festive Flurry

Written by Ingrid Blackburn 2 Comments

Today marks the opening of the Festive Flurry – Class of the Month in the classroom. So I thought I’d make you a clean and simple non-traditional card using this stamp set! If you like this card – check out the class here.

Creative Tips –

To pick non-traditional colors, use your color coach for inspiration. Here you see a combination of Sahara Sand, Pear Pizazz and Early Espresso. It’s quite contemporary in feel.
Since this card is a straightforward clean and simple card, you can add some depth by popping up the large snowflake and card front on Stamping Dimensionals.
The three snowflakes on top were stamped in white, one in each color, with the largest (3rd largest snowflake) stamped in Pear Pizazz and then rock n rolled in Early Espresso.
You can give a little added fill without competing with the card by adding snowflakes of various size in Pear Pizazz on the Pear Pizazz card stock.
If you want to add a little sparkle – use your two way glue pen and some Dazzling Diamonds to make the centers of the snowflakes shine.
To keep with the contemporary feel of the card, this greeting from More Merry Messages is perfect! You’ll only find it in my online stamp store – not the holiday catalog.
To cut the snowflakes out perfectly, use the matching Festive Flurry Collection Framelits or get them as a bundle with the stamp set and save 15% here.

Just released today!

Click Here to see what it’s all about!

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Stamp Sets – Festive Flurry (131781c, 131778w), Festive Flurry Bundle (133285c, 133284w), More Merry Messages (126402c, 132400w) Paper – Sahara Sand, Pear Pizazz, Early Espresso, Whisper White Ink – Pear Pizazz, Early Espresso Cool Tools – 2 way glue pen, Festive Flurry Framelits (132193) The Perfect Finish – Stampin’ Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds

Filed Under: 10 Minutes or Less, Cards, Christmas, Clean and Simple, Masculine Tagged: diy christmas cards, festive flurry bundle, festive flurry classes, non traditional christmas cards, online stamping classes, stampin up christmas cards

Mojo Color Me Christmas

Written by Ingrid Blackburn Leave a Comment

Do you like to color? Then the Color me Christmas set is for you! Today for the Mojo Monday challenge I played with some of my favorite new items from the new Holiday Catalog that went live last Thursday. Did you get your free copy?

This weeks sketch had some simple elements that came together rather quickly. I think you will find that you can use this design for any card situation and will use this go to sketch quite frequently. Here is the sketch and my result. Enjoy the Creative Tips for you on these products below.

Creative Tips –

One of my top 5 items from the Holiday Catalog are the new Expressions Thinlits Dies. Here you can see how I made the word Merry with the new Gold Foil paper that you will absolutely love!
For some fun backgrounds, you can see that I paired the Cherry Cobbler card stock that was run through the Big Shot with the new Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder and the fun Designer Series Paper (DSP) from the Season of Style DSP Stack.
You will love the Two new Season of Style DSP Stacks because you finally have 24 – 4 1/2” x 6 1/2” sheets each of two designs. That’s 48 sheets total! Perfect for your Holiday Cards!!
To pull all the colors together you can see that I chose to work with the two most basic neutrals in the DSP stack – Chocolate Chip and Whisper White. These neutrals help to make this card pop for you visually.
The Color me Christmas stamp set was stamped in StazOn Jet Black before being water colored with Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip and Crushed Curry. To make this go by quicker, you will want to use the Aqua Pens.
You will find that you do not need Watercolor Paper for small little items like this if you control how wet your brush is. Of course if you have difficulty doing that, definitely try the watercolor paper out! I used Whisper White for my little tree.
The tree was cut out using Paper Snips and you will want to make sure to leave a little white on the edge . This will help pop the image on it’s background as it provides your eye with the color contrast it needs to be seen.
At first I had a piece of retired Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon that I was going to use. Then I thought – where are you going to find that? So I made my own Faux Grosgrain using – yup, you guessed it – the Gorgeous Grunge Stamp Set! I am going to make sure that each and every one of you have this must have stamp set before you know it!
Isn’t this tree look just like a purchased die cut? Can you believe that you can make this over and over again customizing it exactly how you want it? I just love this set.
For a little character and finishing touch to the card, you can see that I added some paper piercing. You will want to use both the Essentials and Occasions Paper Piercing Packs.
And of course for some drama, the tree and card front are popped up on Stamping Dimensionals.

It’s cute, right? That tree is really becoming one of my favorite new images. I can’t wait to stamp now with the rest of this set. Be sure that you tune in tomorrow! Have a great start to your week.

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Stamp Sets – Color Me Christmas (131745c, 131742w), Gorgeous Grunge(130517c, 130514w) Paper – Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Season of Style Designer Series Paper Stack, Gold Foil Ink –Cherry Cobber, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, StazOn Jet Black Cool Tools – Stylish Stripes TIEF Folder, Paper Piercing Tool, Essentials Mat Pack, Stampin’ Pierce Mat , Occasions Mat Pack, Expressions Thinlits Dies, Aqua Painters The Perfect Finish – Stampin’ Dimensionals

Filed Under: Cards, Challenges, Christmas, Clean and Simple Tagged: CAS, Christmas Cards, clean and simple cards, diy christmas cards, MOJO305, new expressions thinlits, online stamping classes, SUO, watercoloring technique

Evergreen Snowy Hillside Redo

Written by Ingrid Blackburn Leave a Comment

My friend and fellow CG Crew member Aleida was over yesterday for a much needed afternoon of stamping. She wanted to make a fun card that would teach her a little something, yet give her a great Christmas card that wasn’t too difficult to mass produce. We had the new Expressions Thinlits in our hands and this card popped into my head. Off we went with a slightly new take on this fun snowy card.

Creative Tips –

I stamped the large Evergreen solid image in various heights using a torn mask for my hillside. First I stamped in Versamark ink and then I used Wild Wasabi.
To give my trees a glossy look and protect them from the brayer, I embossed all my trees in Clear Embossing powder.
Once I had my skyline done I wanted a larger trees up close that I could decorate. I tore another mask and stamped one more Wild Wasabi Tree.
I created a mask for the sun. Then I used the skyline mask and sponged over my trees in Soft Sky.
To accentuate the ridge, I used the reverse mask to sponge a light edge for the snow in Pool Party.
To create the snow drifts, I used the same mask, but alternated it’s direction.
I sponged in the sun using Crushed Curry
For my tree decorations, I used Pearl Basic Jewels.
I cut out the word Merry in Cherry Cobbler using the new Expressions Thinlit Framelits – available in the new Holiday Catalog on August 1st.
I matted the entire scene on a piece of Early Espresso card stock.
For a finishing touch I stamped a tree on the inside panel as well.

Aleida LOVED the card, it was fun to make and actually much faster than I anticipated. Maybe because it was like my first, view that post here, but a bit different. I could easily mass produce these, and their cost effective too!

Don’t miss out on this great special! Order six? You’ll get two for free. Nine? You’ll get three for free. Check out our Designer Series Papers in the annual catalog pages 151, 153, and 154.

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Stamp Sets – Evergreen (127973) Paper –Whisper White (107330), Early Espresso Ink – Wild Wasabi (126959), Soft Sky (131181), Crushed Curry, Pool Party, Versamark (102283) Cool Tools – New Heat Tool (129053), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Stampin’ Sponges The Perfect Finish – Pearl Basic Jewels(119247), Expressions Thinlit Framelits

Filed Under: Cards, Christmas, Techniques Tagged: creative scenery, diy christmas cards, Expressions Thinlits, masking, online brayer class, online stamping classes, Stampin' Up!

Evergreen Snowy Hillside

Written by Ingrid Blackburn 10 Comments

I was feeling in an Evergreen tree mood this morning. I wanted to create a hilly snow scene since we’re having another scorching hot day here in Florida today. Sometimes you just want to feel the cold! I hope you like my little piece of mountain heaven.

Did you know that there are six holiday stamp sets that you won’t find in our physical catalog, but rather online only. Be sure to check out stamps that are available only online too! Check out our exclusive online stamps here

Creative Tips –

I stamped the large Evergreen solid image in various heights using a torn mask for my hillside. First I stamped in Versamark ink and then I alternated between Wild Wasabi and Pear Pizazz.
Once I had my skyline done I wanted two larger trees up close that I could decorate. I tore another mask and stamped two Wild Wasabi Trees.
To give my trees a glossy look and protect them from the brayer, I embossed all my trees in Clear Embossing powder.
I used the skyline mask and brayered over my trees in Soft Sky and Marina Mist.
To accentuate the ridge, I used the reverse mask to sponge a light edge for the snow.
To create the snow drifts, I used the same mask, but alternated it’s direction.
For my tree decorations, I used Pearl Basic Jewels.
I used my new Hexagon Punch for the perfect banner end with my greeting. My greeting is also stamped in Versamark and Cherry Cobbler. This way it really pops when embossed with Clear Embossing Powder.

It’s a simple little card, but cute. I love the wintery feel of it and I could easily mass produce these for the holidays!

To Shop 24/7 in the Creative Store – Click here!

Stamp Sets – Evergreen (127973), Greetings of the Season (128033) Paper – Whisper White (107330), Crumb Cake (120953) Ink – Wild Wasabi (126959), Pear Pizazz (131180), Soft Sky (131181), Marina Mist (126962), Versamark (102283) Cool Tools – New Heat Tool (129053), Clear Embossing Powder (109130), Brayer (102395) The Perfect Finish –Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Pearl Basic Jewels (119247)

Filed Under: Brayer, Cards, Christmas Tagged: creative scenery cards, diy christmas cards, evergreen stamp set, holiday cards, holiday greeting stamps, Stampin' Up!, stampinup

Mojo Mosaic Madness Christmas

Written by Ingrid Blackburn 9 Comments

When I saw the Mosaic Madness stamp set for the first time, my very first thought was “That will make awesome Christmas cards!” I’m actually shocked that it took me this long to make you the first Christmas Card for the upcoming holiday season. The Mojo Monday sketch for today took me right to Christmas, and I found it was quite easy to come up with a sketch for this project. And here it is – I hope you love it!

Creative Tips –

My first thought when I saw the Mojo298 sketch was Cherry Cobbler, which lead to Christmas, which led to Pear Pizazz. Looking at the sketch, I knew I wanted to use the new Regals Designer Series Paper Stack and although it’s in white, I find that I’m combining a lot of Very Vanilla and Whisper White for a rather cool look.
I didn’t want the Pear Pizazz to overtake the card, nor the Cherry Cobbler, and I find the color proportions in this particular sketch are spot on.
I used the Early Espresso to provide a 1/16” matte for my larger pieces and the Very Vanilla to give just the right amount of neutrality to tone down the card.
Once I had my Mosaic Madness pieces stamped and cut out, I popped them up using Stampin’ Dimensionals onto a piece of Crumb Cake that I embossed using the new Beautifully Baroque Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (TIEF). I made sure to attach a piece of Linen Thread to ‘hang’ the ornament from the top of my card.
I added a small popped up banner using the greeting set Petite Pairs. This set covers the whole year, and is on sale for 25% until the end of June! It’s a great set because it has a saying for the front and inside of the card for each one. Check out this video tutorial for Banner Flags
The card needed a little something in the background, so I added the light lines using the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set in Pear Pizazz. I can’t stop using this set!
I’m not a bow person, so I added a Cherry Cobbler flat knot using the 1/2” Seam Binding Ribbon.
I added a little more dry embossing to the Very Vanilla strip using the Beautifully Baroque TIEF and my Big Shot.
For a finishing touch, I added the three sizes of our Pearl Basic Jewels to the banner and two ornaments.

This is a great color combination and I love the end result. I can’t wait to see what you do with this sketch.

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To Shop 24/7 in the Creative Store – Click here!

Stamp Sets – Mosaic Madness (130249c, 130246w) Bundle (132733c, 132734w), Petite Pairs (122497c, 128706w) Ink – Cherry Cobbler (126966), Pear Pizazz (131180) Paper – Very Vanilla (101650), Crumb Cake (120953), Pear Pizazz (131201), Early Espresso (119686), Regals DSP Stack (130139) Cool Tools – Mosaic Punch (131267), 1” Square Punch (124094) Beautifully Baroque TIEF (130917) Finishing Touch – Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Pearl Basic Jewels (119247), Cherry Cobbler 1/2” Seam Binding Ribbon (120992)

Filed Under: Cards, Christmas, Mojo Monday Tagged: diy christmas cards, Mojo298, online stamping classes, Order Stampin Up Online, stampin up christmas cards, stampin up classes, stampin up demonstrator

Video: How to Make Holly Leaves

48 hours left plus two Sneak Peeks

Stampin’ Up! Joyful Christmas

Non-traditional Festive Flurry

Mojo Color Me Christmas

Evergreen Snowy Hillside Redo

Evergreen Snowy Hillside

Mojo Mosaic Madness Christmas

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