On the Fifth Day of Christmas

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Supply List (for one card)

Solid Cardstock
Coordinating Patterned Papers/ Solids
Black (or a dark coordinating solid) cardstock
Corner Rounder (or scissors work too!)
White and Black Sharpie or Gel Pen
Coordinating Alphas (1.00)
Ribbon
Paper Trimmer or Scissors
Adhesive

Still haven’t got those cards made yet…that’s ok…plenty of time…especially if you pick a simple design and use bold colors/patterns and some fun alpha stickers to really punch it up! Visit your local dollar store and you’ll be surprised of the variety of alpha stickers in stock! Now my card measures 5.5” by 7” but make it whatever size you like…just make sure it will fit in a standard sized card envelope for mailing. So after you’ve cut your card to size use a paper folder or even an unsharpened pencil or Popsicle stick to crease your card. If you’ve chosen to use a textured cardstock for your card make sure you place the fold so that the texture is on the outside , then find the front of your card and trim 1.5” off the edge and round your corners. Now measure the front of your card and take away a half inch from the height and a fourth of an inch from the width and this is the size you will cut from your patterned paper. Mount the patterned paper on the front of your card, using adhesive, so that there is a fourth of an inch of your solid cardstock showing on three sides and the paper is flush with the crease of your card.. Now mat the inside of your card with a third coordinating paper, by measuring the right side of the inside of the card and taking away a half of an inch off both the width and height. Mount using adhesive. Now its time to decorate your card. I chose to run a ribbon across the card, approximately an inch from the top of the card, repeat on the inside on the card making sure that the ribbon lengths match up. Now get out your alpha stickers and construct your sentiment . You can choose to spread the words over both planes of your card as I have done or you may decide you only want them on the front of your card and not overlapping onto your inside tab. Then choose a simple shape…such as a tree or a heart or a star, cut it out of your black (or dark coordinating solid) card stock and then cut it in half (if you are using both planes of your card). Adhere one half of the shape down in the front bottom right hand corner of your card and the other in the inside right hand bottom corner--making sure the images line up when the card comes together. Now take your Sharpies and do some outlining around your alphas, as well as your shape, to create some unity and make your elements pop!

Making your own cards for the holiday can be a lot of work...but it doesn't have to be...choose a simple design and wow with your colors and embellishments, and you'll be mailing those precious handmade salutations in no time! For more help on making your own cards including tips on designing, techniques and more step-by step tutorials, give Tania Willis' class Beautifully Handmade Cards a try--available at Get It Scrapped in self -paced format!