Christmas Decor without a Speck of Green

It seems there are no rules when it comes to what is considered Christmas colors. A few years ago, when pink was added, I wondered if people had lost their minds. PINK?! Royal blue and navy have been part of traditional Christmas color schemes, paired with gold and silver, but lately light blue, as in BABY blue, has found a place.

If you can't tell by now, I'm a traditional red and green kind of gal when it comes to decorating for Christmas. But this year, I saw a color combination that changed my views. Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, and Crumb Cake.

I know! Can you believe it? But as soon as I saw it I was lovin' it, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before I caved and made something for the holidays with this palette.

This ornament and candle set is the result of that creative catalyst. I received the Northern Frost Decorative Strip Die for the Big Shot Friday, and I knew at once that I wanted to break it in by making Baja Breeze snowflakes. The rest evolved from there.

The base is a Cherry Cobbler cut out of the Top Note Bigz Die. The Crumb Cake layer is also a cut out of the die, but the perforated edge has been removed to create a layer. I also ran a strip of Very Vanilla through the Big Shot with the die and stamped the greeting from Seasonal Sentiments on it to complete the package. Then I added the snowflakes! This strip has 8 snowflakes in various sizes and all have intricate details you'd expect to find when viewing a snowflake, all able to be punched out after they're cut. They're BEAUTIFUL!

The ribbon is a three-layered creation of retired Baja Breeze ribbon, 1/2" Cherry Cobbler seam binding from the current Holiday Mini, and retired Crumb Cake 3/8" taffeta ribbon. I started out with just the CC seam binding, but it wasn't sturdy enough.

The back of the ornament has plenty of space for writing a special message to friends and family. That way, when the recipient pulls it out with the rest of the ornaments yearly, you will be part of their decorating and celebrating! I also think this has potential as a photo card, but the only suggestion is that the picture be in portrait orientation. Landscape orientation works, but it's not the full size of the die.

Now about the candle...I was making a banana run (translation? a quick in and out stop, but not for produce) to Walmart the other day and I came across these little candles--for $1! Who doesn't want a little candle on hand for those times when you need to infuse a little aromatherapy into an environment? Well, I snatched up a few and after the ornament came together, I thought I'd try my hand at snazzing up this little jar. A simple 1.5" x 8.5" strip of Baja Breeze, a thinner strip of Very Vanilla, a few Cherry Cobbler snowflakes, and some hemp twine, and I was in business! The lid is covered with a 1.75" scalloped circle, a 1 3/8" circle, and a snowflake. Seriously simple but simply adorable!

These are going to be mass produced for friends and family this year, as we don't have a lot of money but we'd like to give something in celebration of the relationships we've been blessed with.

A Little Christmas Greeting Created by Accident

This card came together in the most roundabout way! I started out with a completely different focal image, but I just couldn't get it to look right. I had already cut the matting layers of Real Red and Old Olive and I didn't feel like wasting them. I happened to have my Decorative Label Punch sitting around on my craft table, and one thing led to another and this card layout came to me. (Just for the record, the base is River Rock and the large mat is Very Vanilla.)

The best part of this card, in my opinion, is the Petals A Plenty Textured Impressions Folder for the Big Shot that was used on the top half of the Old Olive piece. I used the debossed side and it just really is striking that way. I'd only ever used the folder to make an impression on an entire piece, and I really like how it makes a sort of border without adding another layer.

A side note: I am not an early adopter when it comes to trying new things, but I have to tell you that if I'd known how much I would enjoy the Big Shot die cutting machine back when SU! began offering it in 2008, I would've bought it immediately! It has enhanced my card making immensely, and it's super easy to use! Don't forget that the Mr. Santa in your life is probably looking for some idea of what to get you for Christmas. I can help him and he'll never have to leave his house! One phone call and he's DONE! Have him contact me at jenn@nahrstadt.com. He'll thank you, I promise!

The most accidental thing about this card's metamorphosis was the sentiment. It's from a retired set, The Best Is Yet to Be, and I inked it in the aforementioned colors directly on the rubber and stamped it on Very Vanilla. Then I pulled out my Designer Label Punch. It fit perfectly, but I cut off the rounded portions of the punched image before I changed my idea about using the original focal image, so I had this little ticket shape left. It fits so nicely inside the Decorative Label Punch, though, don't you think? The addition of the 1/8" Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon was also just a whim that turned out just as I'd hoped.

What have you created that turned out better than you expected? I hope you're finding time to do something creative during your busy days. It makes such a difference in my mental state, I confess. Have a very happy, if chilly (it's supposed to be in the 30s overnight here), weekend. Don't forget to turn your clocks BACK one hour Saturday night!

A Quickie

Everyone needs a card in their stash that comes together quickly, especially during the holidays. This is a flat 4.25" x 5.5" card that would be suitable as the front for a photo card (who would miss .5" from the bottom of a 4" x 6" photo?) or as a thank you note. We all have need of those, right? There's a lot going on in this simple, elegant card, so let me describe the details so you know what I did.

First, I cut 1-8.5" x 11" sheet of Old Olive card stock into quarters. Then I cut a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock to 4 1/8" x 5 3/8". Then I took a piece of Whisper White card stock, originally measuring 4.25" x 5.5", and ran it through the Big Shot inside the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder. Such visual appeal this little thing creates!

Then I punched out the corners with my Scalloped Trim Corner Punch. Fancy lookin', huh!

The main eye catching element of this card is the Merry Christmas label from Seasonal Sentiments in the Holiday Mini Catalog. This uses 3 of the Decorative Label punches. The first one contains the sentiment. The Old Olive one is cut in half horizontally and separated slightly. The Cherry Cobbler one is cut in half vertically and spaced to create this unique focal image. I must confess I was inspired by this card on SCS. Doing this with the Decorative Label Punch is brilliant! I added a rhinestone to cover up an unintentional ink spot, and I think it adds a little something.

I wanted to incorporate ribbon into this card, and I ended up using 3/8" Whisper White taffeta ribbon and 1/8" Old Olive taffeta ribbon. I'm super thrilled with this result.

See What Happens When I Get a Weekend Off?

Crafting! I saw a good sketch on the Cardabilities website (via Jen Allen's blog) and thought I'd play around with it. I have the Ovals Originals Die for the Big Shot, and I hadn't played with it yet. This didn't turn out at all like I thought it would, but sometimes that's a good thing.

I won't bore you with the evolution of this card, but I will tell you that I started out thinking there would be a greeting in the Very Vanilla oval with some sort of embellishment, like the sketch, in the lower right corner. The greeting I chose ended up being better oriented horizontally instead of vertically, so I began to rethink everything. A set I am not normally drawn to, Home for Christmas, came to mind, because I thought I could focus on the door in the image and pair it with the sentiment that goes with the set.

I inked the image in Early Espresso and laid the middle sized oval where I wanted it on the stamp. I colored only the wreath in Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler and matted it on Cherry Cobbler card stock with the largest oval. Again I chose Jolly Holiday DSP (I prefer traditional Christmas colors and this package is less muted than Deck the Halls DSP, the offering in the Holiday Mini) for the paper that the sketch showed as two large pieces behind the ovals.

I had some snippets of the 5/8" Victoria Crochet Trim and thought I could add them to soften up the sketch. This is about as vintage or shabby chic as I get, peeps. I like the end result though. These would be quick and easy cards for Christmas, as they don't require much coloring or stamping.

I know many of you lurk but don't ever comment, so let's see if I can get a response from you. How many of you are making Christmas cards this year? If so, what set are you using? If not, why?

Another Christmas Box & a Photo Card Idea

Whew! Have I been BUSY. I have a feeling it's going to be like this through the holidays, so I may only be able to get to the craft room once a week for a postworthy creation. I'm guessing your life is similar. Since we could probably play "I can top that" with our calendars all day, I'll stop with my sob story and show you what I promised in the headline for this post, okay?

My last few posts have featured different packaging ideas for gift cards, and this post is no exception. This box was designed by Dawn Griffith, and she has a great video that explains and shows how to make it better than I can. It may seem a bit confusing, but just do what she says, and it'll make sense.

I used Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper and scored the 8.5" side at 2" and 7", and the 10.5" side at 2", 5", 7", and 10". It comes together really quickly, once you cut away a few unnecessary pieces, and it only takes two strips of Sticky Strip to hold it together. To decorate the front flap, I punched out a Decorative Label shape (currently back ordered, due to popular demand) in Very Vanilla and layered the tag ornament from Delightful Decorations, stamped in Cherry Cobbler and punched using the Ornament Punch, on top using Stampin' Dimensionals. The box is tied closed using the 5/8" Old Olive grosgrain ribbon.

Isn't this cute? The final box size is 3" x 5", which is the PERFECT size for a gift card! There's also room in there for a lot of small candies. My favorite is Dove Dark Promises, if you're wondering.

The other thing I've been playing around with, in my very minimal spare time, is a photo card. This one was inspired by one I saw online. I used the 1.75" scallop circle punch and 1 3/8" circle punch to create a wreath. Then I made "berries" using my .25" circle punch (retired SU!). I tied small white bows for the wreaths using the 1/8" Whisper White satin ribbon. The gate fold card, which you score along the 8.5" side of a 5.5" x 8.5" piece of card stock at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8", is stamped with the Woodgrain background stamp on Soft Suede card stock to create the idea of wood doors.

Inside, there's a generous center panel that will hold a 3.5" x 5" photo, but it has to be oriented in portrait style. You don't want a landscape orientation here, peeps. The two side panels are for your family's greeting. I used a sentiment from Home for Christmas, but you could just write something.

The second version is much more down and dirty, quick and easy. This is a piece of 3 7/8" x 9.25" Cherry Cobbler card stock. It will fit in a #10 business envelope and can be mailed for no extra cost. There is room for a 3.5" x 5" photo, landscape orientation or portrait orientation, as well as a small piece of Jolly Holiday DSP (3" x 3 7/8"). The only embellishment is an ornament from Delightful Decorations, stamped in Old Olive on Very Vanilla and punched out with the Ornament Punch. There's a sweet little 1/8" Very Vanilla satin ribbon bow, and that's IT! Sign them and you're done--bada bing, bada BOOM!

It's not too late to get a neighbor to take a picture, print them yourself, and send one of these photo cards to your loved ones. The little boxes are great for teacher gifts, neighbors, coworkers, anyone you want to give just a little somethin' to.

Enjoy the weekend. I intend to!

ChristmasTriangle Gift Boxes, Part 2

I had a scheduling snafu, so here's Part 2!

I hope you enjoyed learning about the triangle gift boxes I shared with you yesterday. Today's post features these boxes made in a much smaller version--3" x 6". To review, creating these is very simple. Just score the 6" side at 3", mark the middle of the 3" side (1.5"), and score from that middle point diagonally down to the center score. You now have a very cute little triangle box. There are so many possibilities for this little box that I can hardly wait for you to see the pictures! Let's get started...

This size holds 2 Hershey's nuggets, making it PERFECT as a container for an Advent Calendar or Countdown to Christmas. I used Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper, which has Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, and Old Olive as its main colors.

I created the medallion for each day's number by using my 1.75" scallop circle punch, my 1" and .75" circle punches, and a great technique for creating a design around the scallop circle punch that I describe here. It's quick and easy and so cool! I just used some cream thread I had laying around, but you could use Linen Thread too, for a more vintage, rustic, country look.

I think these would make a great gift for a teacher too. For each of the 25 days before Christmas, the teacher could hide one of these boxes in a student's desk, and when the student finds it, tucked inside would be a note explaining that day's special activity. Made without the numbers, these could also be customized with each child's name to make great party favors for a class party. They fill easily from the top too, if you wanted to funnel in Christmas M&Ms. They could be sealed quickly with a Mini Glue Dot.


The boxes are sealed with 2 lengths of Sticky Strip, but the slight opening at the top gave me another idea: placecards, with a twist! Fold a .75" x 7" strip of card stock in half, write a conversation starter question on it, punch a hole at the top, and tie a ribbon or twine bow at the top. Stick it down into the box, much like a fortune cookie fortune. During dinner, each guest will be asked to remove their paper, read the question on it, and answer it.
Wouldn't this be a great way to find out more about your guests Christmas memories, favorite Christmas cookie, favorite Christmas carol, most wished for present while enjoying dinner together? I can't wait to put this to use when we go to my parents' house this year!

Are your creative juices flowing yet? I'd love to hear what ways you want to use these triangle boxes for your holiday occasions! I hope you're inspired. Remember, all you need to make these are the following items:

Designer Series Paper
Sticky Strip
assorted punches
card stock

To order any of these items, shop online 24/7 by clicking the icon in the toolbar to the right.

ChristmasTriangle Gift Boxes, Part 1

I've been thinking about what kind of unique gift packaging I could offer this Christmas, and in searching my own archives, I came across these marvelous triangle boxes. They are super quick and easy to put together, and they have a variety of uses I'll be profiling today and tomorrow. I'm so excited to show them all to you, but today I'll tell you about the gift card box.

This box is made using half of a sheet of Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper, measuring 6" x 12". It's scored in the middle of the 12" side at 6", then the midpoint of the 6" side is marked at 3" and scored on the diagonal to the center score to create the triangles. All you have to do from there is fill them, punch a hole using a Crop-A-Dile, and tie a ribbon. A little Sticky Strip to close them and they're done!

This size holds 12 Hershey's nuggets and a gift card. Check out this post to see how I decorated the candies to make them more festive.

This is the best sized box for a gift card (I've tried smaller and it doesn't fit horizontally or vertically), but you can make this triangle box using any variation of doubled measurements for whatever suits your purposes. For example, you can make a 5" x 10" box, a 3" x 6" box. Just as long as the length is double the width, you're good!


This would also be a really great size box to use for hanging a gift on a Christmas tree or on someone's doorknob. Have you ever been "boo'ed" for Halloween? Perhaps your family would start a new tradition and use these boxes to leave some little sweets for your neighbors--you could call it being "elfed"! Here's a closeup of the medallion I created to decorate the box. I used Season of Joy to create it.

Come back tomorrow to see two more uses for these boxes, but in miniature! They're so cute I can hardly stand it!