Hello, crafty friends! Today, I’m excited to share a card design that brings together the beauty of a traditional Christmas nativity scene with the charm of a fun fold card. It features the Night Divine Stamp Set and coordinating dies from Pajama Crafter Stamps—one of my favorite sets for creating heartfelt, meaningful Christmas cards. If you're looking for a unique yet simple way to make your holiday cards stand out, this fun fold design is a great one to try!
Easy Christmas Fun Fold Card:
Crafting with Purpose: A Nativity Scene that Shines
There’s something so special about crafting a Christmas card with a scene that truly captures the meaning of the season. The nativity image from the Night Divine Stamp Set instantly felt perfect for this. I stamped Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in Intense Black Ink onto Marshmallow Cardstock and colored them with my OLO Markers. These markers are my go-to for creating smooth blends, and they really made the figures come to life.
Pro Tip: When coloring images like this, I find it helpful to keep the color palette soft and simple. It helps the peacefulness of the scene shine through, especially for a nativity card. Using too many colors can distract from the serene vibe you’re trying to create.
After coloring, I used the coordinating dies to cut out the image, which saves so much time—no fussy cutting here! I also die-cut a star from Silver Foiled Cardstock to add that perfect final touch to the scene.
Blending the Morning Sky
I wanted to create a background that felt like early morning—just before dawn, when the world is still quiet and peaceful. For this, I grabbed some Distress Oxide Inks in Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Seedless Preserves, Villainous Potion, and Black Soot. This combination of pinks, yellows, and purples creates a soft yet dramatic sky, perfect for a Christmas morning feel.
Blending these colors was so much fun! I started light with the pinks and yellows, then deepened the sky with purples and blacks, flicking a little water over the inked panel to lift some of the color and create a textured, almost starry effect.
Pro Tip: When ink blending, use light, circular motions and build your color gradually. If you feel like your blend isn’t smooth, don’t worry! Distress Oxides are really forgiving, and a little water flicking can hide any imperfections while adding interest to your background.
The Fun Fold: A Little Twist on a Classic Design
Now, let’s talk about the fun fold! I love creating fun fold cards because they give a card that extra bit of interaction, making it feel more special to the recipient. For this card, I started with an A2 base and trimmed off 3 ½" from the card front. This shortened panel is perfect for layering the nativity scene on top of, allowing it to hang over the edge a bit, which adds to the dimensional look.
One of my favorite things about fun fold cards is that they look intricate, but they’re really not difficult to make. The small front panel acts almost like a stage for the nativity, while the rest of the card opens up to reveal a place for a personal message. I used another die-cut nativity on the inside to create a cohesive design—something I love to do when making interactive cards.
Pro Tip: When you’re working with a fun fold design, it’s important to keep the mechanics simple. You want the card to open and close easily while still feeling sturdy. Using a heavyweight cardstock like Neenah Solar White Ultra Thick Cardstock for your card base will ensure that the card can handle the movement without bending or warping.
The Finishing Touches: Sentiment and Sparkle
For the sentiment, I chose “Merry Christmas” and stamped it in Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink on a small panel of Marshmallow Cardstock. I matted this onto Coal Cardstock for contrast and adhered it to the bottom of the front panel. This keeps the focus on the nativity while adding a polished finish to the design.
Of course, no Christmas card is complete without a little sparkle! I used Fairy Dust Rhinestones (also from Pajama Crafter Stamps) to add some shine, including one in the center of the star. A few white gel pen highlights really brought out the details in the nativity scene, giving the figures a soft, glowing effect.
Pulling it All Together
When the card is closed, you can see the ink-blended morning sky peeking out from behind the nativity, which creates such a beautiful, peaceful scene. But once the card is opened, you have that extra space to write a heartfelt message—whether it’s for a close family member or a dear friend. I love that this card feels interactive without being overly complicated, making it a great design for mass-producing Christmas cards.
Creating this card was such a joy, and I hope it inspires you to try out your own version of a fun fold design. The Night Divine Stamp Set from Pajama Crafter Stamps is truly perfect for bringing the true meaning of Christmas into your crafting. Whether you’re new to fun fold cards or a seasoned pro, I encourage you to give this one a try!
Wishing you a Christmas season filled with creativity and handmade joy!
OLO Color Combinations:
Nativity - YO2.2, YO2.3, YO2.5, YO2.7 (roof); O4.3, O4.6 (wood); CG5, CG7, CG9 (inside)
Skin Tone - OR2.0, OR2.1, OR4.2, O4.3
Cheeks - R0.2, R0.3
Joseph - BV4.2, BV4.4, BV4.5 (headdress, belt, bottom of robe); G1.4, G1.5, G1.7, G1.8 (cape); YG1.2, YG1.4, YG1.6 (robe); YO2.2, YO2.3, YO2.5 (hair); O1.2, O1.3 (trim 1); YO2.2, YO2.3 (trim 2); B2.0, B2.4 (eyes); OR3.4, OR4.4 (shoes);
Mary - RV1.1, RV1.3, RV1.5, RV1.7 (headdress); V2.3, V2.4, V2.6, V2.8 (robe); Yo2.2 (trim); BV4.2 (sleeves); G1.4, G1.5 (eyes); OR3.2, OR3.4, OR4.4 (hair); OR3.2, OR4.4 (shoes)
Baby Jesus - V2.3, V2.4, V2.6 (headdress); YO2.2 (hair); BV4.2, ZERO (robe); B2.O, B2.4, B2.6 (blanket); YO2.2, YO2.3, YO2.5 (hay); O4.3, O4.6 (crib); B2.0 (eyes)
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Materials Used:
Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
Happy Stampin'
Rick Adkins
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