Prepping for Christmas Card Making: Evaluating Your Existing Supplies and Anticipating New Holiday Products

Hello! The holiday season is fast approaching, and it’s the perfect time to gear up for Christmas card making. As stores begin to stock new products for holiday crafting (for example, Spellbinders has a number of holiday products releasing July 10), it’s important to evaluate the supplies you already own and identify any gaps. In this blog post, I am exploring Christmas-themed products from Spellbinders: sentiment glimmer foil plates, focal item dies, embossing folders for backgrounds, embellishments, and cardstock. By knowing what supplies you already have, you can make informed decisions about what new products you might want to add to your collection.

Sentiments: Consider whether you have a variety in font style, size, and sentiment type (traditional, punny) in stamps or glimmer foil plates. As I look back on the cards I made last year, I primarily used the Glitter Wishes and Mini Christmas Sentiment Strips glimmer foil plate sets. On the card below, I used a sentiment from the Glitter Wishes set with the Winter Welcome Sled. Click on the image to be taken to the original post with additional details.

Glimmer Foil: Evaluate your foil colors and fill any color gaps or restock the ones you use the most. During the holidays I lean on Gold, Silver, Matte Gold, and Matte Silver.

Focal Item Dies: Ensure you have a variety of holiday-themed dies, featuring popular motifs such as Christmas trees, Santa, gnomes, reindeer, and stockings. Do you need additional motifs? On the tags below, I used Dancin’ Deer, Create a Decorative Tag, Color Block Scenic Scape, and Glitter Wishes. Click on the image to be taken to the original post with additional details.

Embossing Folders for Backgrounds: Embossing folders add texture and depth to card backgrounds. Patterns such as snowflakes and holiday greenery add a festive look to your Christmas crafts and can help reinforce the theme. Consider acquiring new patterns to expand your creative options. On the cards below, I used the Let It Snowman die set and the Flurry of Snowflakes 3D embossing folder. Click on the image to be taken to the original post with additional details.

Embellishments: Adhesive gems in gold and silver add sparkle and elegance to your handmade Christmas cards. Take stock of the embellishments you currently own and ensure you have a variety of sizes and colors. Do you have enough gems to last through your holiday card-making sessions?

Cardstock: Cardstock forms the foundation of your Christmas cards, and having a selection of festive colors – gold, silver, green, red, white – is crucial for your crafting projects.

Remember, crafting for the holidays doesn’t have to break the bank. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just starting out, taking inventory of the supplies you already own is a smart and budget-friendly idea. By assessing your existing collection and identifying any gaps, you can make thoughtful choices about new products to add to your holiday crafting arsenal. Additionally, going through this process may give you a fresh perspective on the supplies you already have!


Spellbinders | Elegant Poinsettia Tree Christmas Card

Hello! I am delighted to showcase the July 2023 Spellbinders Small Die of the Month Club set – “Layered Poinsettia Tree” – on an elegant Christmas card. The Christmas tree evokes a sense of timeless holiday tradition.

Spellbinders | Elegant Poinsettia Tree Christmas Card

    • With the “Layered Poinsettia Tree” set, I cut the tree, greenery, small flowers, poinsettias, and star from a range of materials including brushed white cardstock, brushed gold, and fern cardstock.
    • Enhancing the festive atmosphere, I dry-embossed an arch, cut with the largest die in the Essential Arches set from Waterfall cardstock, using the Scattered Christmas folder. (This folder was the October 2022 Embossing Kit offering.) The arch was added to an A2-size card base of brushed gold cardstock.
    • Completing the card is a Spellbinders Glitter Wishes sentiment (now retired), glimmer foiled in gold, which reads “Celebrate the Season.” The sentiment is positioned on a snowbank, cut with a die in the Color Block Scenic Scape set, serving as a grounding element for the tree.

Spellbinders | Elegant Poinsettia Tree Christmas Card


Crafting Christmas Magic | Spellbinders Large Die of the Month

Hello! I am thrilled to share a delightful Christmas card featuring the July 2023 Spellbinders Large Die of the Month set – “Stocking Full of Joy.” A stocking symbolizes the anticipation and excitement of receiving gifts and the warmth of festive traditions. Expect to see a number of “Christmas in July” projects this month.

Crafting Christmas Magic | Spellbinders Large Die of the Month

JULY 2023 Spellbinders Large Die of the Month

With this versatile die set, I cut the gingerbread person, a whimsical gnome, festive greenery, and a peppermint stick. To add texture and visual appeal, I used a range of materials including brushed white cardstock.

The assembled pieces were arranged on a dry-embossed background, measuring 5 x 7 inches, created from Teal Topaz cardstock with the Flurry of Snowflakes 3D folder. Note: the stocking does fit on an A2-size card base.

Adding a touch of elegance, I glimmer foiled the sentiment – “Believe in the Magic” – in gold.

To complete the card and reinforce the magical theme, I embellished with snowflakes cut from white glitter foam.

Crafting Christmas Magic | Spellbinders Large Die of the Month

Find more inspiration HERE.


Spellbinders | Lighthouse Birdhouse

Hello! Embrace the coastal spirit and celebrate the red, white, and blue with a Fourth of July-themed card featuring products from Spellbinders! This lighthouse birdhouse card is perfect to send to anyone who appreciates coastal charm and creative whimsy. Scroll for information on a Flash Sale – save big on Spellbinders past kit clubs, now until June 30.

Spellbinders | Lighthouse Birdhouse

Spellbinders | Lighthouse Birdhouse

Shop the Spellbinders Flash Sale on past kit clubs, now until June 30.

Spellbinders | Past Club Kits Sale


Sail Away with Sunny Studio Stamps

Hello! Today, I am thrilled to share with you a whimsical, nautical-themed card combining the Sunny Studio Stamps Birthday Cat stamp set (and coordinating die set) with other products in my stash. The Sunny Studio Stamps Birthday Cat stamp set is packed with cat images that can be used for a variety of occasions, not just birthdays. This card showcases stamping, watercoloring, stenciling, and die-cutting techniques. Send this card to a cat lover, nautical enthusiast, or to brighten someone’s day.

Sail Away with Sunny Studio Stamps

    • Stamp Birthday Cat images with VersaFine ink on Arches Cold Press watercolor paper, heat set, and watercolor with mediums of choice. When dry, cut with the coordinating dies.
    • Cut sailboat pieces from cardstock and foam (for depth). Glue pieces together. I used a now-retired Paper Smooches die set to create the sailboat.
    • Create the background by applying white pigment ink on light-blue cardstock through one of the stencils in the Lawn Fawn Cloud Background set.
    • To create the waves, cut Cosmic Sky cardstock with a die in the Ocean Wave Borders set. Trim and add to cloud background. Cut assembly to 4 x 5 1/4 inches and add to white canvas texture cardstock base.
    • Adhere sailboat pieces to card.
    • Cut sentiment with Journal Letter dies from white cardstock and foam. Glue together and adhere to card front.
    • Add cats to the boat.

Sail Away with Sunny Studio Stamps