Christmas Cards 2013

So, I did a bit of brainstorming and I checked some websites to make sure and I’ve come to the conclusion that Christmas is only fourteen days away! In fourteen days I’ll be eating a lovely dinner, listening to christmas music, celebrating the birth of Christ with my family. I can’t wait! I felt so festive this last week that I decided to do something with this positive energy and made my own Christmas cards.

I’m not one to skip an opportunity to be festive, nor am I one to send the modern e-card. I love a good old postcard. I love how the paper smells and how excited it is to post it! I went into a craft store and bought some green, red, dark and light brown (almost cardboard) paper. I also added some gold and red sparkly ribbon and some patterned paper to my basket. I used my mom’s leftover buttons as a fun little extra.

The fun of making your own Christmas cards is that there are no rules, no guidelines no obligations to be met. You can use whatever color, whatever material and whatever pattern you like. Make the card your own, give it your signature style, or just have fun making them and don’t worry about how they look. You’ll need some blank cards, some glue, a scissor, a pencil and your choice of materials to get started.

This card is really easy to make. It’s a Christmas tree with a modern twist. Use two different kinds of paper (I chose one with a pattern to make it more fun) and cut them into strips. Create a Christmas tree by making the tree with a vertical strip of paper and the branches by horizontally placed bits of paper. I placed the horizontally bits kind of crooked to make it more playful.

Sticking with the Christmas tree theme, here’s another example. Cut two triangles as shown in the picture above. Make sure one is a bit larger than the other. Us another color of paper to create the tree and use one, two or three buttons to create Christmas baubles. Place the baubles in the largest tree as the little one isn’t strong enough to carry them!

I think this one is the most fun to make. Grab some buttons, choose four or three different ones you like and that kind of ‘go together’. Place them on the card in a way that you think looks good. Use a thin lined sharpie to create vertical stripes that connect the button with the top of the card. Glue the buttons onto the card and draw little bows. And you’re done!

And finally here’s another example of a Christmas tree. For this card you’ll need two colors of paper and a button. Cut the paper that you’ll be using for the branches into strips from big to small. Cut a rectangle from the other color and place the bits of paper as shown in the photo above. Add a festive bow, button or sparkle at the top of the tree and there’s your card!

You can also write greetings or wishes on the front of the card. Add some glitter or sparkle to the trees. Write a message or your name in stamps on either the front of the back. Go with the flow, do whatever feels right! I wrote a message on the back of the card wishing my friends and family a merry christmas and a happy 2014!

Merry Christmas, everyone!