Friday, September 25, 2015

Christmas is three months away!



Sorry, don't mean to be an alarmist, but it's kind of creeping up.

I always tell myself that I'll make Christmas cards throughout the year and then I'll have plenty when it comes time for Christmas.  Somehow it never quite works out that way.  I counted up how many Christmas cards I have so far this year and it came to a woeful five.  FIVE.  And truthfully two of those are left over from last year.  Sigh.

So I need to get cracking on my cards, but I don't want to mass produce them because I kind of hate mass producing and I think it takes the joy out of making a card for someone.  At the same time, I can't afford to take the 1-2 hours it normally takes me to make a card (I know, I'm slow, and indecisive, and I make mistakes).

So this year I'm going to do my best to create scaled down cards, and mass produce in a fashion.

This means I pull some Christmas stamps I want to use and a pad of patterned paper.  I do all the stamping, images and sentiments, at once.  Next I select/cut the patterned papers, then I go back and color.  Once that's done, I'll add limited details and assemble.

For today's set of cards I pulled out some of my Essentials by Ellen stamps (Tis the Season and Christmas Scribbles) as well as a Hero Arts Woodmount (Winter Evergreen) stamp.  The papers are from last year's My Mind's Eye Sleighbells Ring 6x6 pad.  And I used my Kuretake Gansai watercolors to color the images.


After I finished this one, I thought the stamped panel was too stark, so I stitched some strips of paper/vellum on the top and bottom and added a bit of twine.

Similarly, for this next card, I added some glitter paper and vellum.






 This next card is a CASE of this card I made last year, just a little simpler and more mailable.





These last two cards were a little bit more involved.  I stamped the Hero Arts image on a cardstock panel.  The merry is an Ellen Hutson die, and I masked off one of the other EH sentiments to get just the Christmas.  I stitched the vellum to the stamped panel with gold thread and then adhered the sentiment die.  It was looking a little boring, so added a few gold embossed stars.

 



I really liked this design so I ended up making a second one.



So those are my semi-mass produced, less involved, Christmas cards.  I've officially doubled the number of cards I have on hand.  Hopefully I can keep this up!

Have a great weekend!

27 comments:

  1. Wow wow wowwwwwwwwwwww! These are absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! Just WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. Holly Christmas!! These are really amazing designs! All of them! Can I be on your Christmas list?!! LOL!

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  3. Very very beautiful...all of them !

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  4. Way to put the pressure on in a kind, gentle way! These are little Christmas masterpieces, especially love Peace on Earth.

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  5. You've really designed some darling Christmas cards, Miriam! LOve the black plaid and the vw!
    =]

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  6. These are fantastic! Now I feel like a bum because I haven't started my Christmas cards yet...hah! Last year I lost the race, only making about 25 handmade cards, so everyone else got a photo card. I have a feeling I might be headed in that direction again this year :/

    Looking forward to seeing more of your holiday cards!

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  7. Beautiful Christmas cards! Every one is unique and gorgeous!:-) I'm working on mine here and there!:-)

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  8. So many wonderful holiday card...just so festive.

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  9. Love this adorable Christmas car! So cute!
    Take Care!
    Michele

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  10. Miriam, I love ALL of your cards, they are just beautiful.

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  11. I just ADORE how you watercolored that card card so much!!!

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  12. I love that you are ON IT! I keep wondering if I could do this and the answer is: No. I have mass produced the same card several times, but I'm with you--after awhile the joy gets sucked out. I've redirected to focusing on Xmas thank you cards. That I succeed at ;).
    I love the first card bc I have always loved that stamp. You add simple details that take it up a notch. Love that. My favorite holiday image is Xmas lights, so that one is a fav too. And your last ones are elegantly delightful. Just love your details (always) and the variety you always bring. :)

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  13. Wow, I enjoy your Christmas creations....each one of them is BEAUTIFUL!! Love the homespun feel on the first particularly. The plaid background looks perfect with Christmas tree (on top of the car)...I LOVE them all.

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  14. Love everyone of these! I have a bunch of that MME paper from last year, too!

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  15. Love your cards, Miriam, but the ones with the trees just take my breath away! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  16. They are all GORGEOUS Miriam!!
    I see we are on the same wave length ;)
    Thank You~

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  17. These are all so festive and fabulous, Miriam ... I was particularly taken with that first one with the Christmas tree on top of the little Fiat 500 ... sooo cute! Anita :)

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  18. Fantastic group of cards! I especially LOVE the little red car hauling the evergreen and plaid surround!

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  19. Fabulous cards, ALL!! And yes, it is coming fast!

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  20. Awesome Christmas cards! I love the one with the string of lights- so cute! I stopped trying to make Christmas cards... (I rely on the photo cards now!) Took more time than I had & now with 2 littles forget about it! LOL

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  21. Awesome Christmas cards! I love the one with the string of lights- so cute! I stopped trying to make Christmas cards... (I rely on the photo cards now!) Took more time than I had & now with 2 littles forget about it! LOL

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  22. Oh my!! You have been one busy girl cooking up all these fabulous cards!! I LOVE the simple design. I think my favorite is the one with the lights!!

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  23. Wow, these are all so beautiful, Miriam! I started making Christmas cards back in June, but that's only because I wanted to start stocking my Etsy shop. LOL!

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  24. Wow!! Only five?!?! hehe!! Well your off to a great start!! Love them all!!

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  25. Wow you created so many stunners :) I am so in love with these creations !!

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  26. Shhhh! Don't rush things. LOL! Great process, and beautiful creations, though!

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