9 top tips for creative card crafting this Christmas

How would you like to inject some creativity into Christmas? Crafting your own seasons greetings cards is great fun and it’s a lovely way to show someone that you really care about them. But where to start?

We turned to some of our favourite craft bloggers for inspiration and what an ingenious bunch they turned out to be! Here’s how to create your own Christmas cards that are brimming with individuality and festive cheer!

Get organised

“Perfect a few simple designs that you can replicate easily otherwise you'll drive yourself mad” says Hope and Chances Creativity blogger, Carole. We couldn’t agree more. Christmas is a busy time of year so it’s best not to over complicate things otherwise, as Jane from Janey’s Cards jokes, you’d need to “start making next year’s cards straight after you’ve peeled the sprouts on Christmas day!”

Simple materials - magic designs

“Buy the prettiest Christmas paper you can find and pick one very festive dye.” advises Carole. You don’t need as many materials as you think to create the perfect homemade Christmas card.

Donna recycled leftover wrapping paper to create the stunning design above. A blogger at Hope and Chances Creativity, she says: “Keep it sweet and simple.” Check out how by adding a few sequins and some simple bows her card easily rivals anything you’ll find on the high street!

Seasonal stamps and inks

Why not set up your own Christmas printing works like stamping addict, Stephanie of Stamping and Sharing? Just look how she combines bold text with bright colours to create cute cards and wrapping paper. Using ink stamps is a simple and effective technique that’s perfect for when you’ve a stack of cards to make.

Jolly Holly

This really is a gorgeous technique. As its creator, blogger Hels, says: “It gives a lovely nostalgic look to the art.” Fancy giving it a go? All you’ll need ink, embossing powder and an iron. And to guide you through the process, you’ll find an easy to follow tutorial on Hels’ blog Ink on My Fingers. We adore her use of real pine cones -  it gives the cards a subtle touch of nature.

‘Let it snow’ ink effect

We think you’ll be smitten with this snowy gem of a card that Glitter Me Silly blogger Caryn created. “I blended some Tumbled Glass distress ink and then splattered lots of water – love this effect! I added a fine white line detail to resemble the curve of the glass.” We think it looks wonderful and better still it’s simple and fun!

Get creative with watercolours

If you haven't tried the watercolour “smooshing technique” before, Jane from Janey’s Cards is a big fan. As she says, it's a really easy way to experiment with “random backgrounds”.

Jane created the bold design above by using watered down paints. To create the effect, she simply “splodged” paint onto a small piece of acetate before “smooshing” it around the paper. Her top tip: dilute less for bolder colours. Can’t wait to have a go? Head over to her blog for full instructions!

The personal touch

Here’s how to create Christmas cards your loved ones will treasure. At first glance this looks like a cute reindeer design but on closer inspection you will see that the reindeer is made from blogger Lesley’s daughter’s handprint. What a lovely way to give your cards sentimental value! Be sure to check out Lesley’s blog to see how she created this wonderfully quirky design.

Use the leftovers

No, we’re not talking about Christmas dinner plate scrapings! When you dig out the Christmas box from the attic this year, you’ll probably find a pile of last year’s Christmas cards and scraps of wrapping paper. This stuff is pure gold for card crafters.

Why not take a tip from blogger Paula? She layers leftover pieces of patterned paper and cards to create brand new designs like the delightful example above. Just think, no need to buy new materials and everything you need to create eye-catching and imaginative layouts from last year’s rubbish. What a winner!

Have fun!

Get in the mood for some festive fun while you work, say the Hope and Chances Creativity blog team, Donna, Theresa and Carole.

Donna listens to Christmas music and nibbles chocolate while she makes her cards, Teresa goes for lots of coffee and mince pies while Carole opts for watching a Christmassy film like ‘Love, Actually’ or ‘The Holiday’ while she crafts.

Cleanup tip!

Sometimes it’s worth making a bit of a mess even if it does mean a bit of tidying up afterwards. Worried about spilt glitter? Jane from Janey’s Cards recommends: “A large fan and double-sided tape on the soles of your slippers” to help with “the glitter-clean-up operation".

Christmas cards from dotcomgiftshop

For gorgeous Christmas cards, without the mess, look no further than dotcomgiftshop. Below are just a few of our fun festive designs: