Low-budget scrapbook papers are usually also fairly low quality; they’re thin, crack easily and they sometimes even lose their top layer – hence, their colors! Nevertheless, if you’re on a limited budget you can still create some lovely cards with the more affordable, brandless paper pads.
Just don’t fold them and glue them down really well…
Check out the video for two examples, in which I’m sharing some more low-budget tips – and have fun Christmas Card crafting! 🙂
Several people have told me they wish they could make their own cards (Christmas or otherwise), but that unfortunately “they have no experience”, “they wouldn’t know where to start”, or even the infamous “they are not creative” – which I do not believe is true for anyone.
So in this blog post I’m sharing two beginner’s level cards, to hopefully inspire you and to encourage you to “just do it”. This is an extra blog post, apart from the regular weekly ones, so no video but a blog exclusive 🙂
How to make these cards – in three easy steps
1. Buy a set of colored cards & envelopes. This way you won’t have to do any cutting and scoring of cardstock, and your card will automatically fit into its perfectly matching envelope.
2. Cut three pieces of decorative paper to fit the card; one of them will be the inside of your card so choose one solid pattern to enable you to write or print and/or stamp a message on it. If you’re not sure how to figure out the right measurements for matting, check out my free, easy to follow video tutorial on matting:
3. Glue these decorative mats onto the front, back and inside of your card, and you’re DONE! 🙂
Backsides
Three more optional steps, after step 3
4. Cut a journalling spot from a piece of colored cardstock and glue it onto the mat inside your card. This way you can use a patterned paper after all (instead of a solid). You could also add a ribbon or some strips of paper behind the journalling spot for some extra highlights.
Die-cut labels make perfect journalling spots; you can also cut a rectangle or square with a paper trimmer or craft knife
5. Add a small decoration to the front of your card. In my case I only added a gold-glittered bow to the top edge.
Done!
Papers used: Kris Kringle collection by S.E.I.
So I basically only matted three sides of my card, and my main concern only was which decorative papers to choose! 🙂
I hope this post was helpful to some of you to get started and go create your own Christmas cards!
Please click the like button before you leave 🙂 – and see you next blog post!
Christmas time is nearing and for all of you who’d like to create their own Christmas cards but are wondering how not to make them all mostly the same, I’ve compiled a stack of cards – and 33 variation tips to go with them!
Have fun watching the video, then please find all of the 33 tips listed below for your convenience!
The list with 33 (Christmas) card tips:
This December month I’ll post many projects on my blog, to give you some inspiration and ideas for your Christmas projects – and also to help you spend your holiday time creatively. In my previous posts I showed you several December projects, the first of which was a quick Christmas Mini Album, so you can start there if you’d like to see them all. Today: Part 7 of this December Deluge of creative ideas 🙂
This year’s Christmas collection for me has been Nutcracker Sweet by Graphic 45. A couple of blog posts ago I already showed you a number of 4×4″ Christmas cards I created with this collection. ANd there’s more purple projects to follow, so stay tuned! 🙂
I always like to do double layout cards, by which I mean cards that have layouts both on the front and on the inside, which gives them a particularly finished look and adds a luxurious feel.
Today I continue my Purple Plethora of Christmas cards, with seven 4×6″ versions of Nutcracker Sweet!
Enjoy the video & pics!
Next up: December Deluge 8 – Nutcracker Sweet Treasure Chest!