Hi, crafty friends! Brace yourselves for a text heavy post. Every year, I seem to make more than enough Christmas cards to send out, but I always scramble last minute to get gift tags done. Not this year, I’ve made quite a few, and here are a couple more, featuring snowmen from the Snow Much Fun digi stamp set from Streamside Studios.
For these tags (I’ll have more to share later), I did compartmental crafting. Tim Holtz always raves about this, but I usually sit down and create my cards from start to finish in one sitting. Actually, that’s not entirely true, I do prefer coloring one day and making the rest of the card another day. Coloring takes a while, and once I’m done with that, I’m not really in actual making and assembly mode.
For these tags I did things a little differently. I colored lots of snowmen at once using my Prismacolor Premier pencils. I usually use my Copics, they’re so much faster, but for this I wanted a less bright look, and printed my snowmen onto Rustic White cardstock from Papertrey Ink. In another crafty session, I used various stencils with different pastes to create textured backgrounds, which I later cut down to tags. For these two I used the Falling Snow slimline stencil from Simon Says Stamp and the Snowflakes stencil from Ciao Bella, both using Light & Fluffy Modeling Paste from The Crafter’s Workshop onto Classic Kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink. Both of these stencils are fairly large, so I got several tags out of each of the backgrounds I created.
In yet another crafty session I stamped and heat embossed a bunch of different small sentiments from Norsk Stempelblad AS, as well as a god jul seal from Poppydesign, the seals in Gilded embossing powder from Brutus Monroe and the sentiments in White super fine detail embossing powder from Ranger. I used green cardstock from the Christmas in Norway collection from Pion Design, which is an older collection, and it was a great opportunity to shrink my pile of scraps a little bit. Most of the patterned paper pieces I’ve used for these tags are from the same collection, with a few being even older. I used my Happy Days Ticket Stubs die from XCut to create the small pieces that I clustered together. This is the same die I pretty much always use for my clusters on my cards. It’s one die that cuts out nine tickets, and it’s my favorite die to use for my scraps. They don’t look like scraps when they’re die cut. I also just cut some strips using my trimmer and tore the edges for an uneven look, and used a die from Altenew to create small die cut pieces of solid color to tuck behind my other elements to break up all the perpendicular angles a bit.
I used foam tape on some of my elements, but not all, and die cut a reinforcer from green cardstock using a die from My Favorite Things. To finish off I tied May Arts natural twine through the holes and added a charm to each of the tags.
For the back of the tags I used a tag die from My Favorite Things to die cut from more of that Classic Kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I die cut a bunch of tags in one session, so I’d have many to do at once when I did the actual assembly. I stamped an older Inkido stamp using Jalapeño Popper ink from My Favorite Things, and even did some second generation stamping. I also used a couple of stamps from the Distressed Patterns stamp set from MFT to add additional spatter beyond the 24.12 stamp. I used more of the scraps I die cut and cut with my trimmer, and stamped a to/from stamp from Inkido onto scraps of Pion Design patterned paper using Dark Chocolate ink from Papertrey Ink. First generation stamping on one, second generation on the other for a softer look. It was fun to break out acrylic blocks to use with my stamps again, I use my Misti for pretty much everything, but this didn’t have to be perfect or straight, so I just played and had fun!
I colored up my penguins with Copics, using a combo of red and teal for their hats and scarves. I’m not a fan of complementary colors, and I do my best to avoid using green with red, but teals, blues and greys all work well.
I didn’t really have a card idea in mind when I printed my image, but I printed it towards the bottom of a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2″ piece of X-Press It blending card. Once I sat down with my colored panel to actually create the card, an idea formed straight away. It doesn’t always happen like that, but I’m grateful every time it does. I created a card base from Summer Splash cardstock from My Favorite Things, cut down my panel to 4 x 5 1/4″ and adhered it to the card base.
Using a snowflake border die from Papirdesign, I die cut a snowflake border above their heads. I used the same X-Press It blending card for this as I wanted the whites to match. I die cut an additional two pieces, and glued them together for a stacked look. The die is actually meant for slimline cards, but it worked really well for this.
I used the Sending You Hugs die from My Favorite Things to die cut my sentiment twice from Summer Splash cardstock. I used the negative piece of the die cut for placement, and layered my letters together for a little bit of dimension. On a piece of Amarena Cherry cardstock from My Favorite Things, I stamped and white heat embossed the word holiday from the Itty Bitty Holiday stamp set, also from MFT. I cut it down to a thin strip, added another layer of Amarena Cherry cardstock behind it for a bit of dimension and stability, and glued my little strip to the H in hugs, before finishing off the card with a couple of sequins from the Sparkling Clear mix from Pretty Pink Posh.
I could have gone crazy with tons of colors for the accessories on these cute penguins, but I limited my color palette by keeping the coloring simple.
Meet 
I stamped my images using Extreme Black ink from My Favorite Things, and colored in the scene using my Copics.
After trimming down the panel, I stamped a sentiment from the 
I adhered my colored panel onto a square card base I created from Blue Yonder cardstock from My Favorite Things. When I first started making cards, they were all square; 6×6″ is the standard size for handmade cards in Norway, and I admit it’s a fun size to go back to. This isn’t actually fully square, it measures 5 7/8 x 5 1/2″, but it’s the size that best fit my scene, so I went with it.
There’s something cozy and serene about this entire scene, and I really like how it turned out.
Very muted color palette for this one. I see now that I forgot to add the green, but I believe they were BG99, G46, 43, YG61 and G20.
I cut down my panel of X-Press It blending card significantly when my coloring was done, and mounted it on foam tape onto the cardbase, which I’d covered with a scrap piece of patterned paper from the Hjem til jul collection from Papirdesign.
I added a small cluster towards the top right corner of the card, using a mini doily from Doodlebug, as well as some die cut scraps of patterned paper from Maja Design and Sunny Studio. I stamped a sentiment from Norsk Stempelblad AS using Dark Chocolate ink from Papertrey Ink onto Classic Kraft cardstock, also from Papertrey Ink. The dies I used in my cluster are a combination of My Favorite Things (Fishtail Flag Frames and Itty Bitty Strips) and X-Cut (Happy Days Ticket Stubs). I also used the Hero Arts Snowflake Confetti fancy die to die cut snowflakes that I scattered across the card, and I put a white pearl from Kort & Godt in the center of each snowflake to finish the card.
This color combination of blue and bright pink sure was fun, and these are brighter blues than the ones I normally use. I also used a ton of colors for the snow in this little scene. I just can’t help myself.
I colored the gnome (his name’s Alf, you can find him 
I added a scrap of a paper doily from Doodlebug to the bottom left corner, put my sentiment strip on 1 mm foam squares and added a couple of sequins from the White Orchid Sequin mix from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards. I put some natural twine from May Arts through the hole at the top of the tag, added a charm and stapled the ends of the twine to the tag using a mini stapler.
On the back of the tag I stamped a to/from image from Norsk Stempelblad AS using Jalapeño Popper ink from My Favorite Things.
For such a small image, I used quite a few colors.
I printed the image on a piece of X-Press It blending card and colored my birds with Copics in colors that match the Cool Collab paper pad from My Favorite Things, because I really wanted to use it. Red and teal is a color combo I really like, and this paper pad has lots of it. Once my coloring was complete I did some partial die cutting using the largest die in the Slimline Double Stitched Rectangle STAX die set, also from My Favorite Things. It gave me a nice double stitched edge around my colored image.
I adhered my panel to a card base I covered with one of the papers in the pad, which gave me a nice frame. I also die cut the word gledelig from another piece of paper in the pad, with three white die cuts behind for dimension. I stamped the word jul (stamp set from Norsk Stempelblad AS) below it using a combination of Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide ink and Caribbean Sea ink from My Favorite Things to get the perfect color. To finish off the card I added a few heart droplets from the Crystal Collection Glass mix from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards.
Simple color palette for this one.
This image is so quirky and playful, and the look of that cat just puts a smile on my face! This card actually came together pretty quickly and easily. I’d colored all my images for this release over a couple of days, and I spent a couple of hours fussy cutting all the images I wanted to have fussy cut, so when it was time for assembly, this one was a cinch.
Onto a top fold white card base I added a panel of white cardstock that I die cut using the Snowflake Confetti Fancy die from Hero Arts. I love this die, I’ve had it for years, and it’s great for die cutting lots of tiny snowflakes to put on cards, which is what I usually use for. I do, however, keep the bigger die cut pieces in the packaging with the die, and for this card I just pulled one out and adhered it to the card base. Super simple when the die cutting job is done in advance. I like the subtle texture the tone on tone die cut gives. It adds a little bit of interest, but doesn’t steal the show from the focal point of the card.
Seriously, look at that cat. He’s so funny and quirky and awesome!! As I’m writing this blog post, I’m realizing that I’ve kind of colored him to look like Garfield. Totally unintentional, but I’ll just run with it! Now that I think about it, it’s not a him, it’s a her, her name’s Felicia.
I die cut the words god jul (Merry Christmas in Norwegian) twice from Jalapeño Popper cardstock from My Favorite Things using a die from Papirdesign. I glued the two layers together and adhered them on top of my colored image, and my card was complete.
Very limited amount of colors for this one.
I started by creating a watercolor background in Photoshop using a png from Lili of the Valley, before I added the Dinosaur Friends on top. No fuss and no masking, I love how easy it is to work with digital files. I printed my critters and background onto X-Press It blending card before I did Copic coloring. I wanted to match my coloring to the colors in the background.
I used the largest die in the A2 Stitched Rectangles STAX 1 set from My Favorite Things to create a nice finished edge around my coloring, before I did partial die cutting using the Sending Big Hugs die, also from My Favorite Things. I made sure to only die cut the word HUGS from my colored panel, and die cut 3 more from white cardstock. I layered my white die cuts together, adhering the colored piece on top of each letter. I adhered my scene to a side fold cardbase I created from Amethyst Allure cardstock from Papertrey Ink, and puzzled each of the letters into their place.
The letters are a bit chameleon like. You can’t see them very well from head on, but if you look at them from an angle, they pop into view a lot better. I added a layer of Glossy Accents to the letters so they would shine and stand out a bit more.
Stacked die cut inlay is a great technique when you want to add a big sentiment without distracting too much from the focal point of the card. This HUGS word is pretty big, but because of the inlay, what you really notice are the colored critters.
I added some Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh to finish off the card. These are my favorite sequins; they go with everything, and my stash is running low, so I need to buy a new bag soon. They also last forever, I’ve had mine for years, used them a ton and am only now running low.
Simple color palette for this one. Those BGs blend effortlessly!
I often wind up running out of time to create cards from my colored images in a timely manner, but better late than never? I colored most of this image in very neutral tones, I wanted the red nose to really stand out, and it does. It helps that I added Glossy Accents to it, but it’s a very red nose!
Once I’d colored my image, I used the largest die in the A2 Stitched Rectangles STAX 2 set from My Favorite Things to give it that nice finished edge that I’m so fond of.
I sprinkled on lots of Chunky White embossing enamel from Stampendous and heated the panel from the back, before adhering it to the front of a top fold white card base I created from Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink.
From the same white cardstock I die cut the sentiment three times using a die from Mama Elephant and stacked them for a dimensional look, before gluing them to my sky.
I added some shimmer to the die cut words using a Wink of Stella brush marker from Kuretake. It doesn’t really show up in photos, but it gives a nice effect in real life.
Last but not least – lots of Copics. 6 markers for that tiny red nose might have been overkill…
This is a tall, narrow tree, so it’s perfect for a slimline card. Using the largest die in the Slimline Double Stitched Rectangle STAX die set from My Favorite Things, I quickly turned it into a panel perfect for a slimline card. I adhered it to a cardbase I created from Blue Breeze cardstock from My Favorite Things.
I used a die from Papirdesign for my sentiment and die cut that in Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink before matting it with a small piece of that same blue cardstock that I used for the cardbase. I pulled out a matching slimline envelope and white heat embossed an image from the Santa Stationery stamp set from Papertrey Ink on the flap of the envelope. I love this stamp!! No graphic today for the Copics I used. I colored this three years ago, and there were no scribbled notes on the back of it, nor a post-it to tell me what colors I used.
Papirmølla 