November 9, 2026

3 Easy Handmade Christmas Cards with the Stampin’ Up! Christmas Crew Bundle

 If you’ve got a stack of Christmas paper you’re saving for “the right card,” pour something warm and come sit with me. I pulled out my Timeless Christmas Designer Series Paper again for Stampin’ Sundays, and I’m getting down to my last scraps. This time, a cocoa-loving bear, a candy-cane-toting moose, and a snowman with a very important sign helped me put that paper to work.

All three handmade Christmas cards start with a standard A2 card base and a patterned paper layer. Then each card does one thing a little differently. If you’re new to stamping or only have time for one card, pick the idea that sounds the most fun. One finished card is a pretty good evening in my book.

Give the Bear a Ready Made Backdrop


For my “Will Carol for Cocoa” bear, I trimmed the top corners of a gingerbread cut-apart from the Timeless Christmas paper to finish the tag shape. The cookies were already printed along the bottom, so the bear had a cute little backdrop before I even opened an ink pad. I layered the tag over red polka dots, then popped up the bear and added a peppermint right where the tag hole would go.

Try this with a printed tag, a gift tag from your stash, or a scrap of light cardstock. If you’re cutting your own, snip one corner and use the offcut as a guide for the other. For the bear’s nose, leave a tiny spot of paper showing as you color. That little highlight gives him expression without adding another marker to your pile.

Get Two Patterns from One Cut


The Merry Christmas moose is my favorite layout to repeat when both sides of a paper are too cute to choose between. Start with a 5¼″ × 4″ piece of double-sided patterned paper. Cut a 2″ × 4″ strip from one end, then flip that piece over. You’ll have a narrow panel and a 3¼″ × 4″ panel that fit right back together. Mine show red plaid on the left and holly on the right.

Lay the pieces on a landscape card before reaching for adhesive so you can check which way the prints are facing. Once you like the placement, snug the edges together and run a ¼″ × 4″ strip of cardstock over the seam. I put the moose right over that join and tucked a candy cane behind him. If you’re working from scraps, two different papers that share one color will give you the same look.

Make a Little Winter Scene with Two Trees


For the snowman, I used a Peaceful Pine base, green dotted paper, and a light scalloped rectangle. That light panel gives the snowman and his sign room to stand out. The trees are cut from the same green cardstock as the base. One sits farther back on a glue dot, and the other comes forward on a foam Dimensional. A little overlap does most of the work.

If you’re coloring a snowman, leave most of his body white and run a pale gray-blue marker just inside a few edges. I used Light Cloud Cover. You can practice that little shadow on scrap first, then stop as soon as you can see the outline a bit better. A striped scarf and carrot nose bring plenty of color.


Try One Small Thing First

When my mom got me into stamping, I wanted to be crafty, but I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. Copying a layout gave me somewhere to start. Once I’d made a few cards, it got easier to see where I might move a greeting or swap a paper. You can start the same way. Pick one of these layouts, use what you have, and change one detail if you feel like it.

You’ve also got one more week to try our current sketch challenge for a chance to win an embellishment. Any supplies are welcome. Look for the current challenge post on Facebook to see the sketch and entry instructions. And if you’re saving these easy handmade Christmas card ideas for your next craft break, tell me who you’d make first. I’m leaning toward the bear, but he did promise to carol for cocoa.



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November 2, 2026

Easy Christmas Cards with Holly Jolly Branches: Three Beginner-Friendly Ideas

 If your Christmas card list is growing faster than your crafting time, I have good news: beautiful handmade cards don't need to be complicated! On this week's Stampin’ Sundays with Katrina, we made three easy Christmas cards with the Holly Jolly Branches Bundle and Whispering Woods Designer Series Paper. Grab your coffee and come see how to get more from a few simple supplies.

Let the Pretty Paper Do the Work


Our first card is a woodland scene featuring the charming wildlife printed right on Whispering Woods paper. There's no need to stamp or color an elaborate background. I simply trimmed a scenic panel to 5 by 3¾ inches, layered it onto Pretty Peacock cardstock cut to 5⅛ by 3⅞ inches, and centered it on a folded white card base. That tiny border gives the card a finished look without much extra work.

A round sentiment reading “You Make All My Days Bright” and a few embellishments complete the card. The best part? Different sections of the paper feature different woodland animals, so you can make a coordinated collection without making every card identical.

**Try this:** Look through the patterned paper you already own for a scene or focal image. Sometimes the paper has done the designing for you!

Make a Statement with One Stamped Tree



For the second card, we used a simple vertical strip of tree-patterned paper, a skinny Garden Green accent, and a stamped, die-cut Christmas tree. The patterned paper measures 2 by 5½ inches, and the green strip is ½ by 5½ inches. A little green showing along the paper's edge creates definition against the white background.

I stamped the tree in Garden Green, cut it with its coordinating die, and paired it with “Merry, merry everything” in Pretty Peacock. A white baker's twine bow adds just enough texture. I used a retired label punch for my sentiment, but any similar punch or die will work. That's one of my favorite reminders: use what you have!

**Try this:** When a patterned-paper strip looks a little lost on white cardstock, tuck a contrasting cardstock strip underneath it. You don't need to add a whole extra layer.

Build a Little Forest with Three Die Cuts



Our final card features three simple trees in Garden Green, Pretty Peacock, and Blueberry Bushel. I started with a 4 by 5¼ inch panel of colorful Whispering Woods paper, then layered a white scalloped die-cut panel over it. The white space helps those bold trees stand out.

The trees are cut from three standalone dies in the Holly Jolly Branches collection. I stamped “From Me to You” along the bottom of the scalloped panel, then arranged the trees above it. A couple of sparkling embellishments finished everything off.

**Try this:** When using three focal shapes, vary their height and color. A grouping of three gives you visual interest while keeping the design balanced and easy to assemble.


Beautiful Paper with a Little Extra Purpose

Whispering Woods is especially meaningful this holiday season. Stampin’ Up! is donating $3 from every pack sold to organizations that help bring holiday cheer to families in need around the world. I love when something we're already enjoying in our craft rooms can do a little good beyond them.

And because this is the first Sunday of November, these cards are also our Free with Purchase class! A qualifying $40 order before shipping and tax earns a mailed kit with the pieces to make six cards, two of each design, for U.S. customers. You'll supply your own stamps and ink; I'll prepare the cutting and die-cutting.

Your Turn: Which Card Would You Make First?

If you're new to cardmaking, start with the woodland scene. If you love stamping, try the single-tree design. And if you enjoy a little dimension, build your own three-tree forest. There is no wrong place to begin.

Tell me in the comments: are you Team Woodland Scene, Team Merry Tree, or Team Three-Tree Forest? Save this post for your next Christmas crafting session, and check the video description on YouTube for the supplies and shopping information. And don't forget—there's one more week to enter our sketch challenge for a chance to win an embellishment! Happy crafting, friends!

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