2015 #23 Quick and Easy Christmas Cards {by Keren Baker}

 2015 Topic 23: Christmas Gifts and Cards

Hi everyone (Keren) here, joining you this evening with a post about quick and easy cards and wrapping. As we're getting nearer Christmas, long and complicated Christmas greeting cards and gifts are probably not the order of the day. So, how about some simpler ideas?

I wanted to do something easily to replicate. Ok, yep, I realise you're not going to fussy cut 100 sets of beautiful greenery, but it gives you the idea of what you could do with one-layer stamping and maybe add this dimension for the more special recipients

As the process is so simple, I don't want to insult you all with step by steps, but I wanted to use the elegantly beautiful Sara Naumann stamps E Sara Naumann 17 and  E Sara Naumann 18. 

 ESN17

ESN18

To create the cards and present tags, I've quickly swiped over Frescos on a dry brush in a mixture of Sherbet and Candyfloss. The great thing about these cards is the easy base- just a large Manila Size 10 tag folded in half!! So what else to create?

Don't just whip up cards, multi coloured stamped tissue paper is a lovely way to dress up presents. I wanted to use a non-typical Christmas colour scheme and the tiny tags look really sweet with a smaller version of the card's design.

I didn't want to forget about the trimmings. This ribbon was tied around a throw we bought previously and so I hung onto it, knowing it would come in useful one day. I've used dye ink to stamp on it, but it would look equally good in Fresco paint.

This project was originally about using cream bleach with paint. It didn't quite produce the results I was hoping for, but the rubbing off the bleach did produce a rather nice satin finish to the paint. Hopefully I'll have perfected the technique by the next time! Do stamp on the present as well as the greeting. If you're batch creating, think of ease and simplify, or you may well still be stamping by next Christmas!

Can I wish you all a really happy and peaceful (well, a girl can dream!) Christmas!!  
Keren x @craftstampink (Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest)

Fabulous Keren .... I love the simplicity of this project (at this time of the year who doesn't) using the large tag and the swiping of Fresco's .... BUT the added dimension you have demonstrated using the stamped holly/berries AND co-ordinating tag is utterly brilliant. Thank you Keren for a delightful start to the week. ~Gillian