2024 Edition

This is the newest edition of my annual holiday card series that has been every year for 30 or 31 years. (I’m not sure which year I started. I have at least one card saved from almost every year.)

I design and create the card for our full family & friends card list. This year, we mailed 138. This means that while I want the card to be interesting and unique, it has to be done in mass quantity also. We can call it a labor of love. Even though it is time consuming, I do enjoy the process - from concept to completion.

Challenges: (all self-imposed)

• More than a flat photo or standard single fold card.

• Use a different primary/base color than the previous year. I tend to not do the traditional red and green color palette, but there is always some variation of red or green on the card.

• Include some family detail or info, but never a standard letter.

• Be mailable with a first-class postage stamp.

• Always include a star somewhere.

Techniques:

• I used an offset Z fold, so the back/inside panel sticks out beyond the front panel, for a peek at what’s there.

• There is a die cut triangle (tree) shape into the front panel so the inside color shows through.

• I stamped a series of geometric tree stamps on the front and inside panels with ink that would create a subtle effect. This adds background pattern and depth, and is a foundation for me to layer more details on top.

  • I used Poppy ink on the Cayenne cardstock.

  • On the Sorbet cardstock, I stamped in Grapefruit ink.

• The greeting on the front is stamped and embossed with white, which is the only white (and glossy touch) on the card. This contrast against the dark card allows it to stand out as the focal point.

• Inside the card, some stamping in Poppy ink layered on the more subtle striped tree provides layers of visual interest, while still leaving room to sign the card or write a note above.

• I stamped the secondary message in dark gray Mushroom ink, and placed it to fit with the large scripty “joy” stamp.

• The cardstock for the front panel wraps the fold to connect to the inside piece. Adding glue only along the sides of that overlap left a pocket for me to insert a folded photo strip into. Note: There are two variations this year, because I realized I was going to be a little short on cardstock if I did them all with the diagonal cut, so if you got one you may have one that shows the variation. (That allowed me to get more cards per sheet of cardstock.) The intent, general look, and function are still the same though.

• Two die cut trees in Poppy and Lemongrass cardstock add a very small layer of dimension and a finishing detail to the front of the card, and bring in a touch of Christmas.

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Poppy, Sorbet, Cayenne, Lemongrass.

• ink: Concord & 9th Poppy, Grapefruit and Mushroom.

Here are a few of the process pictures. These do not show the full quantity, because they were done in a couple of batches.

I usually say I’m going to start earlier next year. This time I really need to. December got VERY busy and I really pushed this to the last minute this time, but I got them done!

Thank you for visiting! I hope you get some time to create something soon.

Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.

(Listed by company, with links to Simon Says Stamp and others. Simon Says Stamp links are affiliate links*.)

*Affiliate links do not cost you any more when you shop, but it is beneficial to creators when you use them, so thanks in advance!