2025 Holiday Card Series #8 | Merry Little Things

Hi crafty friends!  Today I am sharing another tag that could also be made into a card featuring some humorous and delightful stamps from AALL & Create.  This company makes some of the most adorable, whimsical stamps that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.   I put my fate once again in the Sarah Renae Clark’s Color Cubes and a random number generator to pick my color scheme and today Color Cube card was #641.  Again, this one didn’t yell Christmas in the traditional sense, but I think we can make it work.

The supplies used:

AALL & Create – Hexalove Die Set

AALL & Create – The North Pole Stamp Set

AALL & Create – Merry Little Things Stamp Set

AALL & Create – Lil Elf Stamp Set

Technique Junkies – Birch Tree Border

X-Press It Blending Cardstock

Simon Says Stamp – So Very Black Cardstock

Copic Alcohol Markers – E04, E11, E00, E19, E15, E13, RV34, RV63, RV52, RV17, RV14, RV13, RV11, V17, V15, V12, BG78, BG72, BG11, N3, N1, N0

Ranger/Tim Holtz – Distress Oxide Ink Pads – Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo

Lawn Fawn – Jet Black Premium Ink Pad

Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic Gold

Sakura Gelly Roll White 10

Scrapbook Adhesives Thin 3D Foam Squares

Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue

Winsor & Newton White Designers Gouache

Krylon Workable Fixatif Spray

Anna Griffin Empress Die Cutting Machine

Creating the Card Front Background

I cut a piece of white cardstock to measure 4” x 6-1/2” to give me plenty of space for ink blending and to allow room to use the AALL & Create Hexalove die to cut the card front.  Next, I used the inner tag die from the Hexalove die set, placed it on the white cardstock, and traced loosely around it with a pencil to show me where my actual cutting boundaries will be when I place the tree background stamp and do the ink blending for the background.  After that, I used the Technique Junkies Birch Tree Border stamp and stamped it on the left end of the tag using Copic friendly ink and stamped it a second time onto Altenew Masking Paper.  I fussy cut the image that I stamped onto the masking paper and used Copic markers N3, N1, and N0 to color the tree image stamped onto the white cardstock.  Once the alcohol marker ink dried, I peeled the backing from the masking paper tree image and placed it over the Copic-colored one on the cardstock.

For the sky, I used Distress Oxide inks in the colors Kitsch Flamingo and Sun Sugar.  I started ink blending at the top of the cardstock using Kitsch Flamingo and blended toward the bottom with the Spun Sugar.  Once the ink had a chance to dry, I die cut the ink blended cardstock panel with the tag front die from the Hexalove die set.  To set the colors and help them to not bleed when I spatter with white gouache, I went outside and lightly sprayed the inky tag panel using Krylon Workable Fixatif spray (you want to do this outside with lots of air flow!).  The Fixatif spray will also add a satin sheen to the cardstock versus the chalky finish you would get with the Distress Oxide inks… just in case you were wondering.  I allowed the Fixatif coating to completely dry then mixed a couple drops of water with some Winsor & Newton white gouache and spattered it across the tag background. 

I die cut a piece of Simon Says Stamp So Very Black cardstock using the decorative tag die in the Hexalove die set to frame the tag front.  I glued the inked front panel to the decorative tag panel and set aside to dry.

Creating the Focal Point

My focal point for this card was the elf from the AALL & Create The North Pole stamp set, the present from ALL & Create’s Lil Elf stamp set, and a tree from AALL & Create’s Merry Little Things stamp set.   I’ll list the Copic markers used for each element below:

     Elf Skin:  E04, E11, E00

     Elf Eyes:   E15, E13

     Elf Clothing:  BF78, BG72, BG11 (Teal)

         RV17, RV14, RV13, RV11 (Pink)

         V17, V15, V12 (Purple)

         Buttons and Bell – Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic Gold

     Tree Trunks:  E19, E15, E13

     Tree Flower Petals:  RV34, RV63, RV52 (Pink)

     Tree Flower Centers:  E19, E15, E13

     Tree Body:  BF78, BG72, BG11 (Teal)

         RV34, RV63, RV52 (Flower Petals)

         E15, E13 (Flower Centers)

     Present:  V17, V15, V12, E19, E15, E13

     Star on Tree:  Sakura Gold Metallic Gelly Roll

Once the coloring was completed, I added some white highlights here and there to the images just for fun and added interest using a white, size 10 Gelly Roll pen.  Once the white highlights dried, I fussy cut the images and added foam squares to the backs for adhering to the tag front later in the process.

Building the Sentiment

Utilizing the “merry little things” sentiment from AALL & Create’s Merry Little Things stamp set, I stamped the sentiment onto the tag’s background using Altenew Obsidian Pigment Ink. 

Finishing the Design

To complete the card, I removed the backing paper from the adhesive squares on all the elements and adhered them to the card front.  Using a ¼” hole punch, I punched a hole at the top of the tag so it could be placed on a gift more easily.  My final touch was to add a bit of mauve and white ribbon to the top to finish off the festive design and then sprinkled some glitter at the center of the bow. 

Thank you for stopping by and checking out today’s blog post, I really appreciate it.  Until next time, happy crafting!

2025 Holiday Card Series #7 | Cutest Reindeer of All

Hi crafty friends!  Today I am sharing a tag that could also be made into a card featuring some humorous and delightful stamps from AALL & Create.  This company makes some of the most adorable, whimsical stamps that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.   I went out on a ledge with a random number generator to pick the color scheme from Sarah Renae Clark’s Color Cubes for this tag and the winner was #4.  Not exactly screaming Christmas, but let’s see if we can make it work!

The supplies used:

AALL & Create – Hexalove Die Set

     AALL & Create – Merry Little Things Stamp Set

     AALL & Create – Snow Good Stamp Set

     X-Press It Blending Cardstock

     Spellbinders – Antique Glitter Metallic Cardstock

     Lawn Fawn – Jet Black Premium Ink Pad

     Ranger/Tim Holtz – Distress Oxide Ink Pads – Uncharted Mariner,

          Peacock Feathers, Salvaged Patina

     Copic Alcohol Markers – BG78, BG49, BG45, BG72, BG11, YG0000

          YG63, YG61, YG11, E53, E51, E50, E19, E08, E97, YR18, YR12, YR82

     Winsor & Newton White Designers Gouache

     Trinity Stamps – Crystal Ball and High Dive Baubles

     Krylon Workable Fixatif Spray

     Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue

     Scrapbook Adhesives Thin 3D Foam Squares

     Anna Griffin Empress Die Cutting Machine

Creating the Card Front Background

I cut a piece of white cardstock to measure 4” x 6-1/2” to give me plenty of space for ink blending and to allow room to use the AALL & Create Hexalove die to cut the card front.  Next, I used the inner tag die from the Hexalove die set and used it to cut a 2” x 3” piece of the Spellbinders Antique Glitter Metallic cardstock so that the edges of the glitter cardstock align perfectly with the tag. I used my scissors to simply freehand a curvy edge on the top end of the glitter cardstock to represent a slight hill. 

For the wintry sky, I used Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks in the colors Uncharted Mariner, Peacock Feathers, and Salvaged Patina.  I started ink blending at the top of the cardstock using Uncharted Mariner, then moved to Peacock Feathers, and lastly Salvaged Patina.  I worked my way up and down the cardstock, changing ink colors as necessary, until I obtained the look I was going for.  Once the ink had a chance to dry, I die cut the ink blended cardstock panel with the tag front die from the Hexalove die set.  To set the colors and help them to not bleed when I spatter with white paint, I went outside and lightly sprayed the inky tag panel using Krylon Workable Fixatif spray (you want to do this outside with lots of air flow!).  The Fixatif spray will also add a satin sheen to the cardstock versus the chalky finish you would get with the Distress Oxide inks… just in case you were wondering.  I allowed the Fixatif coating to completely dry then mixed a couple drops of water with some Winsor & Newton white gouache and spattered it across the tag background.  Once the spatter dried, I glued the metallic glitter cardstock panel to the bottom of the tag.

Using a piece of black cardstock from my scrap bin, I die cut the decorative tag die in the Hexalove die set to frame the inky background.  I glued the inked front panel to the decorative tag panel and set aside to dry.

Creating the Focal Point

My focal point for this card was the reindeer from AALL & Create’s Snow Good stamp set and the stack of three presents and one of the trees from AALL & Create’s Merry Little Things stamp set.   I’ll list the Copic markers used for each element below:

     Reindeer:  E19, E08, E97

     Reindeer Coat:  BG49, BG45 w/ E19 pocket, & Gold Posca buttons

     Reindeer Scarf:  YG63, YG61, YG11

     Reindeer Antlers:  E53, E51, E50

     Christmas Tree:  YG63, YG61, YG11, YG0000

     Tree Trunk:  E19, E08

     Star on Tree:  Sakura Gold Metallic Gelly Roll Pen

     Christmas Gifts:  BF78, BF72, BG11 (blue)

                                YR18, YR12, YR82 (orange)

                                 BG78, BG49, BG45 (dark blue)

Once the coloring was completed, I fussy cut the images and used liquid glue to adhere four Trinity Stamps “High Dive Baubles” and four Trinity Stamps “Crystal Ball Baubles” to the Christmas tree in the place of ornaments.  When the glue dried, I added foam squares to the back of all the colored elements.

Building the Sentiment

Utilizing the small rectangular die from the Hexalove die set, I diecut a banner to hold the sentiment out of a scrap of white cardstock that I colored with Copic markers E08, E97, YR12, and E51.  Then from the AALL & Create Snow Good stamp set I stamped the sentiment that said “cutest reindeer of all” onto the rectangle die cut.  I loved the quirky, smudged look of this stamp and couldn’t resist using it as my sentiment.  Lastly, I added some foam squares to the back of the sentiment.

Finishing the Design

To complete the card, I removed the backing paper from the adhesive squares on all the Copic colored elements and adhered them to the card front.  Using a ¼” hole punch, I punched a hole at the top of the tag so it could be placed on a gift more easily.  My final touch was to add a bit of silver cord and white ribbon to the top to finish off the festive design. 

Thank you for stopping by and checking out today’s blog post, I really appreciate it.  Until next time, happy crafting!

Holiday Gift Tags | Christmas Series #4

Hi Friends! Today I’m sharing some easy-to-make holiday gift tags using a variety of products from various companies.

Each year I gather all my tag dies and the Christmas-related stamps and dies and I’ll spend a couple Saturdays making an assortment of tags to attach to my holiday gifts. I thought I would share a few of them with you to possibly provide some design inspiration. I love creating the tags, each one is its own little piece of quick to create art.

This one was created using the Sizzix / Tim Holtz die set called "Yuletide" (666073). I die cut the wreath elements from some Simon Says Stamp gold metallic cardstock, Cardstock Warehouse Stardream Silver matte silver cardstock, and some green cardstock scraps I had in my stash. I completed the little wreath by adding some Honey Bee Stamps white pearl embellishments to make a cute little wreath tag. I glued two tags together so I would have a place to stamp the To and From lines on the back.

The nutcracker tag was created using the Pawsome Stamps "Crackin' Christmas" nutcracker stamp colored with Copic markers. The background of the tag was made by running a white piece of cardstock through the diecutting machine with the Simon Says Stamp "Scandinavian Christmas" embossing folder. After the paper was embossed and cut into a tag, I used the Altenew "Almond Butter" ink pad lightly across the raised areas to highlight the embossed design. For the greeting I used the Merry & Bright sentiment from Altenew's "Holiday Tag Sentiments" stamp set. The final touch was simply adding a few gold-colored sequins placed here and there.

I hope you found a couple ideas for creating your own tags, they are really quite fun to make. Thank you so much for stopping by to see me - I appreciate you doing so!

Until next time…