Christmas cards and gift tags

The Christmas Carol gods must have been reading my blog last week, as this week I heard Christmas carols nearly everywhere I went.  Chestnuts were roasting on an open fire, with Jack Frost apparently nipping at my nose, which was rather incongruous given it was 25 degrees celsius outside.  Fortunately, the Christmas carols did not have their usual effect on me so the panic did not start to rise, although I did go a bit crazy buying wrapping paper and ribbon so I am probably on the river denial.

This week's post is all about ideas and tips for Christmas cards and gift tags. Making your own Christmas cards and tags doesn't have to add to your already heightened stress levels.   As you should know by now, I like a less is more approach, and using and re-purposing what I already have. You can knock these cards off in a few hours and even less time if you have small people in your life to help production-line style.  My cat Piaf doesn't have the necessary motor skills so I was on my own with these.

1.  Make sure you have all the supplies you need - There is nothing worse than running out of something when you're in the middle of being creative.  It really kills the mood.  As a minimum, you will need blank cards, a selection of Christmas-themed scrapbooking paper, scissors, a box cutter, double-sided tape, a cutting mat and some ribbon or twine.

2.  Have a cup of tea - Before you start, have a cup of tea as once you get into the card making zone, you'll be there for a while.  I also recommend having some chocolate close by for when your energy levels start to flag. It will happen, so be prepared.

3.  Use Christmas decorations as templates for decorating cards - Flat Christmas decorations are ideal templates for cutting out shapes to stick onto white cards for a simple, minimalist look.  I like to use retro-style Christmas paper as I think the designs and colours add to the simplicity of the overall look.  Minimalist cards also stand out on a shelf of traditional Christmas cards. 

Here I've used the Ikea reindeer decoration, which featured in last week's post, as the template. 

Just trace around it, then use a box cutter to cut it out.

Stick the reindeer on the card using double-sided tape, et voila. 

4.  Use Christmas decorations as templates for gift tags - Christmas decorations are just so versatile.  Again, just trace and cut. 

5.  Use Christmas decorations as gift tags - Just stick an adhesive label to the back of a flat decoration and you have an instant gift tag.

6.  Trace shapes from old Christmas cards to make templates - I always keep the cards people give me.  Here is a bird I traced from an old Christmas card, and then used it to make templates of the three main parts - body, wings and tail. 

I used contrasting papers to highlight each part.

7.  Discover triangles - Christmas-themed paper + triangle = Christmas tree. 

8.  Use luggage tags to make gift tags - Cover a luggage tag with Christmas paper and you have an instant gift tag.  Add a bit of interest with some ribbon, twine or flutter wool.

9.  Use paper punches to create shapes - I've had this Christmas tree punch for years.  Here I've used it to create a Christmas tree shape.

There are lots of different ways to create simple and stylish Christmas cards that don't take ages to make or require expensive materials.  People appreciate a homemade card, and I'd encourage you to give it a go.

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