HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Luxe Rhinestone "Ho Ho" Card. Photo by Ed Rudolph.
Each year holiday cards are sent to friends and family by the millions through the U.S. Postal Service.
The idea of a holiday card began in the 1830's when an Englishman named John Calcott Horsley began to make small cards featuring Christmas scenes and a holiday verse. Simultaneously in America, R.H. Pease was manufacturing Christmas cards in Albany, New York, as well as Louis Prang, a German immigrant, in 1850.
Make this year's holiday correspondence a real showpiece by crafting your cards with one of these ideas below, which include an embossing technique for a beautiful blue snowflake card, decorative cuts on a poinsettia card, or shimmering accents on a Hanukkah card.
The great thing about this card is that you don't need to cut a straight line or a "pattern-perfect" shape for best results. In fact, the more randomly cut that the poinsettia layers are when making this card, the better! The key to this card is finding paper with similar red tones and an array of varied patterns that will all come together to make one striking design.
Preparation
Materials:
- 1 sheet red cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- Scissors
- 5 sheets designer patterned scrapbook paper in varying shades of red
- Double-stick tape
- Poinsettia image (search poinsettia images on line)
- Tack
- 1 red or silver mini brad
- Red self-adhesive rhinestone accent
Steps
- Fold red cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease). Trim the card to a square measuring 5 ½ inches.
- Cut a 5-inch square from a sheet of the patterned paper and use double-stick tape to attach it to the front of the card.
- Find a poinsettia image on line or in a magazine that suits your taste and has about a 5-inch diameter. Or you can draw one using the photo of this card as reference. Cut out the image making sure to cut nice pointed petals.
- Trace the poinsettia image on a sheet of the patterned paper and cut it out. Trace 2 more poinsettia images on to sheets of the patterned paper and cut them out slightly smaller than the one prior. Make a 2-inch diameter poinsettia for the center of the flower. Bend each petal on the poinsettias lengthwise to give the flowers a more natural shape.
- Layer the poinsettias, with the largest on the bottom to the smallest on the top, and arrange them so the petals on each flower are visible (refer to photo).
- Position the flower on the front of the card. Poke a tack through the center of the flower layers and through the front of the card. Insert the mini brad and bend back the prongs on the inside of the card to secure.
- Add the red rhinestone or a similar accent on top of the brad as a final touch.
Tiny beads or glass marbles can create a stunning pave' on the front of cards or on gift boxes. For this Hanukkah card, I cut out a Star of David from a sheet of double-sided adhesive and then pressed the star into a bed of little beads. Try this technique with simple shapes such as a star, heart, circles and squares.
Preparation
Materials:
- 1 sheet nice white cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- Blue paper (complementary color to beads)
- Scissors
- Double-stick tape
- Peel-n-Stick double-sided adhesive sheets, super-strength
- Blue seed beads or tiny glass marbles
- White letter stickers
Steps
- Fold white cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease).
- Cut an 8 ½ x 2-inch strip of blue paper. Use double-stick tape to apply the strip along the inside back flap of the card aligned with the right edge. Trim 1-inch off the front flap of the card along the right edge to allow the blue strip to show when the card is closed.
- Draw a small Star of David on to the backing paper of the Peel-n-Stick adhesive sheet. Cut out the star. Peel off one side of the backing paper. Place blue beads or marbles in a small saucer. Press adhesive side of star into beads until coated. Use your fingers to neaten up beads into the star shape and fill in the beads within the design.
- Peel off remaining backing on star and apply it to the front of the card. Use letter stickers to spell out "Happy Hanukkah" on the top of the card.
Candy cane crafts top the list in my house! They're easy, not too messy, and really cute as antlers on this reindeer card. Make these fun cards with your kids to give to their teacher, grandparents or friends.
Preparation
Materials:
- Red, brown, white and black cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- Striped and holiday-themed scrapbook paper (complementary color to cardstock)
- Scallop edge scissors
- Scissors
- Double-stick tape
- Gluestick
- 2 candy canes
- 1 red gumdrop
- White glue
Steps
- Fold the red cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease).
- Fold the striped paper in half to make a card that is about 1/2-inch less in length and width than the red card. Trim along the striped card opening with scallop edge scissors. Slip the striped card onto the red card (refer to photo) and attach them together with double-stick tape.
- Cut out a reindeer head from the brown cardstock. Cut out his eyes from the white cardstock. Cut out his pupils and mouth outline using the black cardstock. Cut out the inside of his ears using holiday-themed scrapbook paper (Tip: Refer to our photo, a Christmas coloring book, or on line for a reindeer image to copy). Assemble the reindeer's features using double-stick tape or glue stick.
- Place the reindeer's head on top of the card to figure out where the candy cane antlers will look best. Lay the card on a flat surface and glue the candy canes on to the card. Use double-stick tape to attach the reindeer head on top of the candy canes. Glue the gumdrop on the reindeer's nose.
- Allow glue to dry completely before setting the card upright or mailing it. Deliver this card by hand or mail it in a padded enveloped and write "please hand stamp" on the outside to keep the candy canes from breaking.
Embossing is a fairly easy technique to do at home that produces gorgeous results as with the white snowflake on the front of this card. Check out your local craft store for an embossing heat tool, usually around $20, and the many colors of embossing powder you can use to give your cards a professional look.
Preparation
Materials:
- Large snowflake rubber stamp (simple patterns with thick lines are best for embossing)
- Embossing inkpad
- 2 sheets blue heavyweight paper or cardstock
- White embossing powder
- Thin artist's paintbrush
- Embossing heat tool
- Decorative edge scissors
- Scissors
- 1 sheet blue and white snowflake design paper (complementary color to cardstock)
- Scrap piece of corrugated cardboard
- Blue and white patterned ribbon
- Snowflake stickers
- Adhesive rhinestones
Steps
- Ink up rubber stamp with embossing ink and stamp snowflake pattern on to blue paper or cardstock. Sprinkle embossing powder over wet ink. Tap off excess powder so it is only in the ink and there are no specks on any other part of the paper. Use an artist brush if necessary to brush off excess powder (Tip: Shake off powder on to a piece of paper so you can put it back into the powder container and reuse it.)
- Read the manufacturer's instructions for the embossing heat tool before using it. Turn on the heat tool and hold it about 5 inches above the powder. Within 5 to 10 seconds the powder should "melt" into the embossed design. Continue over other areas of the snowflake until done. The embossing tool and process is an "adult only" craft and not for the kids!
- Use decorative edge scissors to create a square border around the embossed snowflake (refer to photo).
- Fold a sheet of blue paper or cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease). Cut the card into a square shape about 1-inch longer and wider than the embossed snowflake paper. Trim along the right side of the blue card's opening flaps with decorative edge scissors.
- Cut the blue and white snowflake design paper into a square that is about 1/2-inch less in length and width than the front of the blue card. Center the square on the front of the card and attach it to the card with double-stick tape.
- Set off the embossed snowflake paper by raising it off the card's surface. Cut the corrugated cardboard into a square that is half the size of the embossed snowflake paper. Attach the cardboard to the back of the embossed snowflake paper with double-stick tape. Then, center it on the front of the card and use double-stick tape on the back of the cardboard to attach it to the card.
- Accent the card with snowflakes stickers and an adhesive rhinestone in the center of the embossed snowflake. Add ribbon along the folded edge for a pretty touch (Tip: The ribbon in the photo is self-adhesive and from Martha Stewart's product line).
This whimsical card is a great way to send a holiday note that can also function as a decoration by stringing them up on a mantle or windowsill. Simply write a message on the back of the paper balls and put them in an envelope to send through the mail.
Preparation
Materials:
- 3 to 5 sheets different patterned scrapbook paper (complementary colors)
- Scissors
- Aluminum metal sheets, lightweight (available at most craft stores)
- Thin wire
- Tape and double-stick tape
- Thin ribbon
- White Letter stickers
Steps
- Cut out ornaments in varying shapes and sizes from patterned scrapbook paper. Be sure to make a paper neck on each ornament.
- Cut out 1-inch squares from metal sheets to make silver ornament tops. Fold over an edge of the squares 1/4-inch to make a finished top edge. Trim the bottom edge with scallop edge scissors (refer to photo). Trim sides if necessary to make the silver ornament top proportionate to the paper ornament. Tape silver tops to necks on paper ornaments.
- Cut 2-inch lengths of thin wire to make ornament hooks. Loop wire and attach to back of silver ornament tops with tape.
- Thread ribbon through wire loop on ornaments, one at a time, and tie a knot to secure. Continue threading and knotting ribbon at each loop, spacing ornaments an equal distance apart. Be sure to leave excess ribbon at either end of the ornaments to use for hanging.
- Add letter stickers on front, as I did with the words "fa, la, la," and write a personal message on the back of some or all ornaments.
- Gather the ornaments and put them in an envelope to send through the mail.
One of my favorite design pairings is that of stripes and shapes in complementary colors. Many scrapbook manufacturers create paper in compatible color tones to allow for different patterns to match up into one fabulous creation. The olive, blue, black and taupe colors in this card's paper give it a vintage feel, and the orange accents along with the misshapen balls modernize the design.
Preparation
Materials:
- 2 sheets designer patterned cardstock with bold shapes (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- 1 sheet striped scrapbook paper (complementary color to patterned paper)
- Scissors
- Double-stick tape
- Self-adhesive ribbon or trim in complementary colors
- Snowflake paper punch
- White paper
- Gluestick
- Self-adhesive rhinestone accents
Steps
- Fold 1 sheet of designer patterned cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease).
- Cut the striped paper to fit the bottom half on the front of the card. Attach it to the front of the card with double-stick tape.
- Mask the seam where the 2 papers meet by applying a strip self-adhesive ribbon or trim across the card (refer to photo).
- Cut out a shape from the second sheet of patterned cardstock, like I did with the blue ball that is on the striped bottom half of the card. Attach the shape off-center on the striped part of the card with double-stick tape.
- Punch out snowflakes from white paper (Tip: I used a Martha Stewart brand snowflake paper punch). Use gluestick to attach the snowflakes to the front of the card. Add a finishing touch of rhinestone accents where appropriate within the pattern on the paper.
The technique of swirled paper, as with the snowman on the front of this card, is called "quilling." Thought to be a favorite of Marie Antoinette's, this paper craft is performed simply by twirling strips of paper around a toothpick, needle or similar item. I think the real art of quilling lay in the way the paper coils are glued and assembled on the final product.
Preparation
Materials:
- 1 sheet black designer patterned cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- 1 sheet silver and white scrapbook paper
- Scissors
- Double-stick tape
- White self-adhesive trim or ribbon
- Paper trimmer (optional)
- White paper
- Black paper
- Toothpicks
- White glue
- Oval vellum tag
- White letter stickers
- Mini silver brad
Steps
- Fold black designer cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease). Note this card is in a "landscape" format and opens from the bottom up (refer to photo).
- Cut the silver and white scrapbook paper to fit the right half on the front of the card. Attach it to the front of the card with double-stick tape.
- Mask the seam where the 2 papers meet by applying a strip of white self-adhesive trim down the front of the card (refer to photo).
- Cut 1/4-inch wide strips of white paper to quill. You'll need 3 strips to make the snowman on the front of the card. Trim the strips to the lengths: 10 inches, 7 inches, and 4 inches. (Tip: Use a paper trimmer for super straight cuts).
- Fold the strips in half lengthwise making them 1/8-inch wide. Start with the 10-inch strip. Tape an end of the strip to a toothpick or your quilling tool and wind the strip into a tight coil. Remove the tape and loosen the coil a bit as you fashion the swirls into your desired pattern for the bottom circle of the snowman. Replicate what I've done in the photo or create your own pattern.
- Dip the tip of another toothpick in white glue and apply glue in between coils and on the ends of the strips to keep it all together. Use glue on the underside of the coil to attach it to the left side on the black paper on front of the card. Repeat the process with the other strips of paper using the 7-inch strip for the middle snowman circle and the 4-inch strip for the snowman's head.
- Cut a 1/4-inch wide strip of the black paper and fold it lengthwise to 1/8-inch wide. Fold the strip to form the outline of the snowman's top hat proportionate to his head (refer to the photo). Trim the ends of the black strip as necessary. Apply glue to the underside of the hat and attach it to the card on the snowman's head.
- Spell out "Snow" using letter stickers on the vellum tag. Attach the tag to the right half of the card on the silver and white paper by inserting a mini silver brad through the top of the tag (Tip: Use a tack to make a pilot hole through the paper layers). Bend back the prongs on the brad inside the card to secure.
Send a holiday scent through the mail by applying a stencil made of spice on the front of the card. The little gingerbread man on this card was made by cutting out his shape from a sheet of double-sided adhesive and then sprinkling cinnamon on it. Try this idea with the kids!
Preparation
Materials:
- 1 sheet brown cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- Scissors
- Pinking shears or scallop edge scissors
- 5 sheets holiday-themed scrapbook paper
- White, green and red cardstock
- Double-stick tape
- Gluestick
- Peel-n-Stick double-sided adhesive sheet, super-strength
- Cinnamon
- Adhesive label with pretty border (larger than gingerbread man)
- Scrap cardstock
- Hole-punch
- Holiday tag
- White ribbon
Steps
- Fold brown cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease).
- Cut 5 strips of holiday-themed paper, measuring approximately 2 inches by 5 ½ inches, to be applied as horizontal layers on the front of the card (refer to photo). Arrange layers on card front and attach with double-stick tape.
- Use pinking shears to cut thin strips of trim. Add trim in between layers where the seams meet using glue stick.
- Trim the open edge of the card with pinking shears.
- Draw a small gingerbread man shape on to the backing paper of the Peel-n-Stick adhesive sheet. Cut out gingerbread man. Peel off one side of backing paper. Sprinkle cinnamon over adhesive on gingerbread man until coated. Lightly dust off excess cinnamon.
- Peel off remaining backing on gingerbread man and apply it to the adhesive label with the pretty border. Then, apply the label on to a piece of green or holiday color cardstock. Use pinking shears to trim cardstock around label.
- Set off the gingerbread man square by raising it off the card's surface. Cut the scrap cardstock into 4 squares that are half the size of the gingerbread man square. Layer the scrap cardstock squares on top of each other and use double-stick tape in between layers to keep them together. Attach the cardstock square to the back of the gingerbread man square. Use double-stick tape on the back of the cardstock to attach it to the front of the card.
- Use the hole-punch to punch 2 holes that are ¼-inch apart on the top of the card. Starting from the front of the card, thread the ribbon into one hole and up through the other hole out the front of the card. Knot the ribbon in the front of the card to secure. Punch a hole in the holiday tag. Thread one end of the ribbon through the tag and tie a bow using the other ribbon end to secure the tag.
The plaid scrapbook paper was the inspiration for this beautiful vintage-look card. And, Martha Stewart's incredible collection of paper art materials at the craft store made this card super easy to put together. All the trim, from the self-adhesive white border to the decorative ribbon, the multi-colored string, and a couple of the tags were from Stewart's line. Thanks Martha!
Preparation
Materials:
- 1 sheet brown cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- 1 sheet pink and brown plaid design scrapbook paper
- 1 sheet pink textured paper (complementary pink shade to plaid paper)
- Scissors
- Double-stick tape
- Self-adhesive brown and white design ribbon (Martha Stewart brand pictured)
- Self-adhesive white trim (Martha Stewart brand pictured)
- Pre-made gift tags in pink, brown and white designs with string (Martha Stewart brand pictured)
- Pre-made round and rectangle gift tags
- Holiday rubber stamps
- Brown inkpad
- Mini grommet and setting tool
Steps
- Fold brown cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease). Note this card is in a "landscape" format and opens from the bottom up (refer to photo).
- Cut plaid paper into an 8 x 2 ½-inch rectangle (Tip: I cut the plaid paper so that the pattern appears as diamonds on the card). Cut the pink paper into an 8 x 2 ½-inch rectangle.
- Use double-stick tape to attach both the plaid and the pink rectangles to the front of the card. Place the pink rectangle on top and the plaid on the bottom (refer to photo).
- Apply self-adhesive brown and white ribbon across the card where the pink and plaid paper seam meets. Apply self-adhesive white trim along the top of the pink rectangle (Tip: I tucked the ends of the ribbon and trim under the rectangles to keep a brown border all around the card front).
- To give the round tags on the card a layered look, I used a combination of pre-made tags with pink, brown and white patterns along with smaller white round tags. First, stamp a holiday design on to the round tags using a rubber stamp and brown inkpad. Attach the stamped tags to the patterned tags using double-stick tape.
- Give the tags an aged look by holding the plastic base of the brown inkpad and lightly wiping the surface and edges of the tags with the pad. Stamp the rectangle tag with a holiday design and age it as well.
- Age the white trim across the top of the card in the same manner.Add a metal grommet to the top of the tag using a setting tool if necessary. Thread string through the tag holes and knot them in the tags' front.
- Position the tags on the front of the card and use double-stick tape to attach the tags to the card.
This luxe card is rich in texture from the velvety red and white-flocked paper to the rhinestone "Ho Ho" letter stickers. If you're looking for a show-stopping card or party invitation, browse the scrapbook aisles in your local craft or paper store and find an amazing accent to build your design around.
Preparation
Materials:
- Black textured cardstock (8 ½ x 11 inches)
- Red and white-flocked paper
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Rhinestone "Ho Ho" letter stickers or similar stickers (available at some Michael's craft stores)
Steps
- Fold black cardstock in half to make a card (Tip: Use a bone folder along the folded edge to make a nice flat crease). Note this card is in a "landscape" format and opens from the bottom up (refer to photo).
- Divide front of card into 4 equal quadrants using a ruler to mark precise measurements with a pencil.
- Cut 2 rectangles from red and white flocked paper to fit the quadrants. Use double-stick tape to attach rectangles to diagonally opposing quadrants (refer to photo).
- Attach a "Ho" rhinestone sticker in each of the remaining black quadrants.
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