By Sirena Van Schaik

Homemade Christmas Card

I love making Christmas cards and usually I start making them before the holidays are even close. I like having them handy and all ready to mail out that first week in December so I can focus the rest of the month on gathering up presents and getting the house decorated and the family ready for the big day.

This year, I have decided to create a fairly straight forward card for everyone on my list. It is very easy to create and only relies on a bit of cutting, a touch of embellishing and a small amount of embossing. If you are looking for a beautiful, yet easy card for to create for your holiday card giving season, then this may be the one for you.

What you need:

• Forest Green Cardstock: You would use as many sheets as the cards that you are making. Generally, two sheets will give you two complete cards.
• Light Beige Cardstock: Just like the green cardstock, you will need to use as many sheets as the number of cards you are making; generally, you will only need one sheet for two cards, with some extra cardstock left over.
• Glue Stick: There are types that you can buy specifically for card making but you don’t need to use that, simply use any glue stick or use double sided tape if you prefer.
• Gold Pigment Ink: This ink is generally heavier than other inks and it takes a lot of effort to clean your stamps after but the overall effect is well worth the effort.
• Versa-Mark: This is a clear ink that you use when you are embossing. It works like glue, holding the embossing powder to the stamped image.
• Gold Embossing powder: You use this for the central image on the card.
• Stamp set: I used the “Lovely as a Tree” stamp that is produced by Stampin’ Up but if you can find a nice tree that you like, feel free to make this card the way you want it.
• Embossing Tool: This is a heat gun that you can purchase but if you are not going to stamp too often, you can create an embossed edge by heating the back of the cardstock on your stove’s element. Make sure you don’t overheat the paper since it will burn and I don’t recommend you do this if you are making a large number of cards.

Directions:

1. With a straight edge cutter, cut the forest green cardstock. For the main card, you will want to cut it across the length of the paper so you are left with two sheets that measure 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches. Cut another piece of green cardstock at 2 inches by 3.5 inches. The third green cardstock should be at 2.5 inches by 4 inches. Finally, cut a green strip of cardstock at ½ inch by 4 inches. Fold the 8.5 inch by 5.5 inch cardstock in half to make a card that measures 5.5 inches by 4.25 inches.
2. With the straight edge, cut the beige cardstock at 4 inches by 5.25 inches. Cut the second beige cardstock at 2.25 inches by 3.75 inches.
3. Using the gold pigment ink, stamp gold leaves on the large beige cardstock. Set to the side.
4. On the green cardstock strip, stamp with the gold pigment another small leaf image across the length of it, leaving space between each image. Set aside.
5. On the smallest rectangle of green cardstock, stamp the image of the tree with the versa mark.
6. Cover with embossing powder and gently tap off the excess powder.
7. Heat with the embossing tool until the powder has melted and you are left with a golden tree in the center of the cardstock rectangle.
8. At this point, allow the image to cool, usually only a minute or so, and then assemble the card. You start with the large beige rectangle, placing it in the center of the front of your green card, attaching it with double sided tape or glue stick.
9. Next add the green strip to the middle of the beige cardstock, attach with glue stick.
10. At this point, you will want to layer the image to the center of the beige cardstock. Start with the largest green cardstock rectangle, then use the beige rectangle, then finish with the green that has the embossed image on it.

Now the front of your card is finished and you can finish off by stamping or gluing a Christmas message to the inside of the card. At that point, you are all ready to sign them and send them out with all your holiday mail.