Hey, crafty friends! One of my favorite things about the holiday season is making cards that bring joy, not only to those who receive them but also to me as the creator. Today, I’m excited to share a project that yields four holiday cards using just a few supplies—perfect for those of us who want to make a bunch of cards but not spend hours on each one.
In this project, I’m featuring some fabulous products from Catherine Pooler Designs, including the Nutcracker Sweet Stamp Set and coordinating dies, the Festive Joy Word Die, and the Holiday Joy Sentiment Stamp Set. Along the way, I’ll also be using one of the Happy Half Sheets Templates from Taylored Expressions to help maximize the potential of your stamped background. So, let’s dive in and talk about how these came together!
Four Holiday Cards:
Creating Multiple Cards With Minimal Supplies
One thing I love about this project is how it stretches just a few products into four completely different cards. And when you're making holiday cards, that’s such a time-saver! The star of the show here is the Nutcracker Sweet Stamp Set—I mean, how fun are these nutcrackers? I stamped out three different nutcrackers, colored them using Copic markers, and used the Nutcracker Sweet Outline Dies to cut them out.
Here’s where a little pro tip comes in: I like to stamp two sets of each image, just in case. That way, I’ve got a backup if I’m not happy with how one turns out or if I want to switch things up halfway through the process. Plus, it's always handy to have extra stamped images on hand for future projects!
Making Your Own Patterned Paper
I’ve always been a fan of making my own patterned paper—it’s such a fun way to use your stamps and create something truly unique. For this project, I used one of the Happy Half Sheets Templates from Taylored Expressions to help guide the layout of my stamped images. If you haven’t used these templates before, let me tell you—they are a game-changer. They take the guesswork out of cutting your stamped backgrounds and help ensure that you get the most out of your designs.
Starting with a half-sheet of Hammermill Smooth Cardstock, I stamped the nutcrackers in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, working from the center out. I love how stamping off the edges of the cardstock gives the design a more natural, flowing look—kind of like a patterned paper you'd buy in a store, but with your personal touch.
Pro tip: Always stamp the largest images first. This gives you a good foundation and makes it easier to fill in the smaller areas with supporting images like stars, holly, or peppermint sticks.
Adding the Festive Details
Once I had the nutcrackers stamped, I added smaller images from the stamp set like the holly and peppermint sticks. I used a mix of Deck the Halls, Rockin' Red, It’s a Girl, Sauna, and Wintergreen inks to keep the color palette festive but varied enough to be interesting. One of the things I love about these holiday stamp sets is that the smaller images are perfect for filling in those tricky gaps and tying the whole design together.
After the background was stamped, I colored the nutcrackers using the same Copic combinations I used for the die-cut versions. I often find coloring so relaxing, especially when the colors are already picked out—it’s like following a recipe you know will turn out delicious every time.
Cutting with the Happy Half Sheets Templates
Here’s where things get even more fun. Once the stamping and coloring were done, I grabbed the Happy Half Sheets Template and cut the stamped cardstock according to the layout. What I love about these templates is how they’re laminated and reusable, and they even suggest color palettes on the front side while the back gives you all the cutting instructions. I chose a template that allowed me to create four different layouts from one stamped sheet.
This is one of my favorite ways to maximize a single design. Instead of using up an entire 6x6 or 12x12 sheet of patterned paper, I’m able to create something totally unique and then use every last scrap of it across multiple cards. If you’re like me and enjoy efficient crafting, this tool will quickly become a staple in your craft room.
Bringing It All Together
Now that all the pieces were cut, I started assembling the cards. I layered the patterned pieces on Sage Leaf Cardstock from Lawn Fawn and adhered them to top-folding A2 card bases made from Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock. The soft green background adds a subtle contrast to the stamped patterns, letting them shine while giving the cards a cohesive, festive feel.
For the sentiments, I used the Festive Joy Word Die from Catherine Pooler Designs. I cut four sentiments from Cranberry Cardstock—just enough to add that bold pop of red without overpowering the rest of the design. And here’s a fun tip: You can easily fit all four "Joy" sentiments on a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of cardstock, which is such a great way to stretch your supplies even further.
Each card also got a coordinating sub-sentiment from the Holiday Joy Sentiment Stamp Set, stamped in Versafine Onyx Black Ink. I love how these little details tie everything together and give each card that extra bit of polish.
Finishing Touches for Extra Festive Flair
To finish the cards, I added one of the die-cut nutcrackers to each front and accented them with sequins from the Reykjavik Sequin Mix. Sequins are such a fun way to add a bit of sparkle without overwhelming the design. And, of course, I couldn’t resist adding a little Stardust Stickles to the centers of the sequins and a few of the stars in the background.
Another personal touch I love adding is using a white gel pen to add highlights to the stamped and colored images. It’s such a simple technique, but it really brings the images to life and adds dimension to the design.
Why I Love This Technique
What makes this project so satisfying is how it allows you to create multiple holiday cards from just a few simple steps. The Happy Half Sheets Templates do most of the work when it comes to cutting and laying out the cards, and by using a consistent color palette and stamping technique, you’re able to create cards that feel cohesive yet unique. Plus, these cards are perfect for mass production, making them ideal for holiday card sets to share with friends and family.
I hope this project inspires you to stretch your supplies and create something special for the holidays. It’s such a fun way to personalize your card-making while keeping things efficient and stress-free during a busy season. Be sure to check out the video tutorial to see the full process in action, and I can’t wait to see what you create!
Four Cards From a Half Sheet of Cardstock Video Tutorial:
If you have problems watching the video here on my blog you can always watch it on my YouTube Channel by Clicking here!
Copic Color Combinations:
Below you will find my color combinations for today's project. Today's project features color combinations using my Copics. In the image and below I have listed the color combinations in order from the lightest color in the color combo to the darkest. You can save the image below to your favorite Pinterest board for alcohol marker coloring combos.
Pink Nutcracker Color Combo:
Pinks - R20, RV21, RV23
Skin Tone - E000, E00, E11; RV10, R20 (cheeks)
Light Greens - YG03, YG06, YG09
Dark Greens - G28, G29
Hair - E99, E18, E59
Gold - YR24
Blue Violets - BV00, BV01, BV02
Black - CG3, CG5, CG7
Reds - R27, R29
Purple Nutcracker Color Combinations:
Skin Tone - E11, E15, E18; R20, R22 (cheeks)
Blue Violets - BV11, BV13, BV17, BV08
Hair - CG3, CG5, CG7
Violets - V05, V06, V12, V09
Golds - YR23, YR24, YR27
Pinks - V05, RV06
Peppermint Sticks - RV10, RV21, CG1, CG3 (Pink Peppermint); G21, G24, CG1, CG3 (Mint Peppermint)
Red Nutcracker Copic Color Combinations:
Mint Color - G21, G24
Skin Tone - E00, E11, E15; RV10, R20 (cheeks)
Gold - YR20, YR23, YR24, YR27
Hair - WG1, WG3, WG5
Light Greens - YG00, YG03, YG06
Reds - R22, R27, R29
Blacks - CG3, CG5, CG7
Whites - 0, CG1, CG3
Affiliate Disclosure:
Some of the products mentioned in this post were purchased by me, while others were given to me as part of my design work. As always, all opinions are my own! Affiliate links are used at no additional cost to you.
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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