2018 Topic 22: Clean & Simple Christmas Ideas {Final Topic of 2018}

 2018 Topic 22: Clean and Simple Xmas Ideas

Jo Firth-Young

Hello everyone, Leandra here

I'm still scratching my head as to where the year has gone. It's seems to be true that time flies faster the older you get, and Oh how I wish I could slow down that clock! I feel like we have spent the entire year on catch up. 

We have all of the new 2019 releases well underway,  ready for our January New Product announcements. We have 2 trade shows in January, in Arizona, USA, and Frankfurt, Germany, so Christmas is always a super-busy time preparing for those shows. We are beyond excited as this year we are involved with our designers (Seth, Sara, Tracy, Jo and Raquel) between them are teaching 6 classes at the show, which retailers are able to book now, and we ship all those class kits in the next week! We also have a lot of activity planned for the booth too. I can't think of anything else right now, so my Christmas to do list is at the bottom of lots of other lists!

I'm sure many of you,  far more organised that me, are scurrying around, trying to get through your Christmas lists. Food, presents, parties and it is such a delight around our town to see all the house exterior lights twinkling, its dark from mid afternoon her, and it is one part of a Northern Hemisphere Christmas that I really enjoy. 

We hope this final topic for the year may help with some last minute tags or cards for gifts, or even simple, achievable ideas for your table and house decorations. We do not have a challenge, so it is all eye candy for your enjoyment as the year comes to a close.

Before we start, let's see who won the Topic 21: Matchbox Art Challenge...

The winner is: Flo Langley from Florence and Freddie who made the cutest little matchbox with a mini JoFy person, Betty, too!

Email Leandra to claim your prize. sales@paperartsy.co.uk 

The first part of this post is PaperArtsy-laden with inspiration from this blog. You should use the search function on the side bar to help you find posts using specific stamps, or topics, and i can tell you, there is always plenty of Christmas ideas on here, and usually simple ones that make the projects achievable when time is short.

If you are intent on making some fast cards, then look not further than Jo Firth-Young's Christmas stamps. Every year, Jo's Christmas stamps are eagerly awaited by her fans, and you can always rely on a snowman of some description in their midst. And snowflakes.... you can't have too many snowflakes. And glitter! A swipe of paint, a few stamps, and a bit of book page, perfect!

JoFy Xmas 2017

And tree, of course, there is always a tree. 2 ways with one stamp here, and both effective. If you stamp onto multiple papers, either gel printed, or perhaps old papers you have lying around, then look at what you can do! Love the Kraft version too!

JoFy Xmas 2017

JoFY 2017 Xmas

I also loved Sara Naumann's Christmas release for this year. You can see how a swipe of paint strategically stamps can be a super-fast way to create a personalised card for your friends and family.

ESN 2018 Xmas

Last year, Autumn Clark created some stunning cards with our stamps designed by Lynne Perrella. There are 40 stamp in that collection now, and you will find in there many with a bit of a Christmas vibe, albeit more traditional. Some gilding certainly works well here!

Which leads me nicely into some Christmas Angels that Linda Cain has been making for Retro Art Cafe this year, and I spied a Lynne Perrella stamp LPC017 on her body. She has so many gorgeous projects like this she conjures up, they are beautiful!

Perhaps this doesn't look Clean and simple, but perhaps that is just because the background is bright and bold. But, I think Gel-printing is quite a simple way of making a background, and I love this cheerful idea for a Christmas card by Chris Cresswell! So i'm taking artistic licence to file it under C&S! Check out the blog post, because there are a lot of amazing ideas packed within it using Zinski Art stamps. 

ZA 2017 Christmas by Chris Cresswell

Another selection from our recent Christmas releases, Lauren crafted some fast cards using Zinski Art stamps. As below, a simple stamped border, and good use of colour and fa la la, nailed it!

ZA 2018 Lauren Hatwell

And I love the stencilling in this card, we've become so adept in our mixed media madness that we forget to use stencils for the most simple thing, smudged ink! Pink and Orange contrast and I'm loving it!

ZA 2018 Lauren Hatwell

Tracy Scott certainly went simple for her 2017 Christmas stamps: circles and stars. They don't have to be used for Christmas, anything celebratory, or fun patterns too!

2017 ETS Christmas

Squiggly Ink is one of our collections from over a decade ago now. Still available, but there are plenty of fabulous stamps that can work well for quick card and gifts. I have always loved this notebook and table setting by Jo Capper-Sandon. 

Squiggly Ink - Jo Capper-Sandon

Squiggly Ink - Jo Capper-Sandon

So lets look at simple in the extreme. Love these ideas - there's something homely about kraft card being used as a base.

And this torn book page makes a great tree!

Fantastic wood substrate has been painted to make these presents - what a fun thing to put outside your front door as a decoration. you can buy there here on Etsy. 

Ney Vintage de Signs

This is fun, particularly if you save postage stamps. Even better if you can find Christmas themed postage stamps!

Emma's Threads

Just a piece of string with sequins, and you might find a reindeer!

I keep selecting kraft cards to share! Here is another super simple idea from the Little Things Blog.

The Little Things

I could go on and on sharing ideas, but probably its better for you to check out my Pinterest board here as there are already almost 100 pins there for you! 

Wishing you all a truly fabulous Christmas and New Year. 

~ Leandra

There will be no challenge for this topic as we know you are super busy in the lead up to Christmas! So kick back and enjoy the inspiration from our designers instead!