A Handmade Christmas: Cards

Do you still send out Christmas cards? I saw a report on the news the other day about this very topic. In this digital age it is so easy to just send out a mass email or shout out to your friends and family. It is certainly more economical. I don't think it is as personal, but I say you do what you can do. I used to make a cute little colored newsletter filled with pictures and even a favorite recipe. I would stuff it in with my card. I'm still trying to figure out when I had time to do that. I always seem to have multiple irons in the fire.

I aways a bit particular about my Christmas cards. This year I made my own. I have had these made since early November. Now if I actually get them mailed out will be the true test.

I didn't have a lot of time and I didn't want to spend money of special supplies. So I did what any self-respecting crafter does. I visited my mom's supply cabinet and helped myself. She is an artist and is always more than happy to help someone else's creative bug along. These aren't fancy by any means. I wanted something I could crank out fairly quickly. And for those of us who tend to go over the top there is much to be said about "keeping it simple." It can be freeing!

For my cards I just stamped the background and used shapes I cut out to make a tree. I found the tags in Mom's stuff.  For some of my cards I used old Christmas cards for the tree shapes.

This fella has a glare on his tummy. I can never get this picture taking thing right.

Sometimes it's the details that make the difference. I ran the edges of my trees and cards through an ink pad.

This card I used actual scrapbook paper. The cost of these cards. Nothing. I used what I had or at least what my mom had :<)

And because I can never stop at just one project.....

These cards Josiah and I made to send to Grandparents, etc. I am also going to use a few as Thank You cards. He drew a Christmas tree and colored it. I scanned it into my computer and then we glued it to little premade cards I got 1/2 price at Hobby Lobby. The brown paper envelopes I already had in my stash of stuff. We used just a bit of scrapbook paper I already had as a background for the picture. Not only did this project provide Christmas cards, but it served as an art lesson as well.



Happy Crafting!

Rebekah