Learn how to make five beautiful, elegant Christmas cards using new and unique embossing techniques. Read on for step-by-step instructions.
I shared Christmas cards that I made using coloring techniques learned at the CardMaker Success Summit in July in an earlier post. If you missed it, you could find it here: Christmas in July | Make Your Cards Now – Part 1 Coloring. I’m sharing more cards that I have made in this article, but the techniques are different. We’ll talk about how to make gorgeous cards using unique ways to use heat embossing.
Hint: Read How To Heat Emboss for tips on how to get high-quality results with your heat embossing.
Pine Background Using Unique Embossing
To start, we have a formal, elegant card that we can make in just minutes.
Justine Hovey shared this technique during the Summit. The process for building the card starts by embossing using a background stamp. Once I completed the embossing, I blended a rich color over it. The embossing resists the dye, which results in a gorgeous, almost velvety background.
To finish the card then I use a die set to cut out the focal point. This particular die set is made with a handy strip at the bottom that holds the letters in perfect alignment, and you can score it at the bottom, which creates a place where you can glue it to the back of the background. The final step is to stamp the sentiment. I then used foam tape to attach the sentiment over the focal point.
What a fun technique! And such beautiful results. Pictures don’t do this card justice! The card is just breathtaking. It is one of my favorites of all that I made after the Summit.
For more of Justine’s ideas, click here: https://justinehovey.com
Supplies
The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White: Simon Says Stamp Gold Mirror Cardstock
Stamps & Die: Concord & 9th Full of Joy
Die Cutting Machine: Gemini Jr.
Inks: Distress ink – Rustic Wilderness; Versamark Watermark Ink
Blending Brush – Gina K Designs Blending Brushes and Stand
Embossing powder: Hero Arts Gold
Beautiful Bow Using Unique Embossing Technique: Layered Heat Embossing
Did you know that you can use multiple layers of embossing powder to create a dimensional image? Jo Herbert’s technique does just that.
I use layered stamps for this technique with different colors of embossing powder for each layer rather than different dye colors. I liked this idea so well that I tried it with three different stamp sets. For each, I begin with the base color, use the heat gun to emboss it, and then stamp the next layers with different colors. As you can see this technique produces a striking image.
Then I added a frame to draw your eye to the image.
For this first one, I die-cut a piece of green cardstock just 1/8″ from each edge of the card base and attached it with roller glue. Then another die was used to cut out a white scalloped frame and it was attached the same way. I then added double stick tape to both sides of a piece of craft foam cut just smaller than the piece with the focal image on it and then attached it to the center of the frame.
Jo’s technique is another way to create beautiful Christmas cards that sparkle and shine in just minutes. You can find more of Jo’s ideas at https://joherbertsite.wordpress.com/.
Supplies
The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest 110lb Solar White: Neenah Classic Crest 80lb Solar White; Green – Gina K Designs Christmas Pine
Stamp: Altenew Holiday Bow; Gina K Designs Christmas Greenery
Die: Lawn Fawn Stitched Scalloped Stackable Rectangles
Die Cutting Machine: Gemini Jr.
Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink
Embossing powder: Hero Arts Gold; Hero Art White Satin Pearl; WOW Diana’s Love
Craft Foam
Adhesive: Be Creative 7mm Tape
Pointettia Card Using Layered Heat Embossing
Here’s another card that I made with the same technique. The only difference with this one is that I used two colors to frame the image in a square card.
Supplies
The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb: Neenah Classic Crest 80lb Solar White; Red – Gina K Designs Red Velvet; Green – Paper Studio #1147396
Stamp: Altenew Holiday Bow
Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink
Embossing powder: Hero Arts Gold; Wow Diana’s love
Die: Gina K Designs Master Layouts 3
Die Cutting Machine: Gemini Jr.
Craft Foam
Adhesive: Be Creative 7mm
Elegant Christmas Tree Card Using Unique Embossing Techniques
And the last one with a simpler design, yet just beautiful! For this one only the star is layered, the rest of the image is just a single stamp that is embossed. Then I just die cut the image leaving 1/4 inch on all sides and attached it to a red card base for the frame.
Supplies
The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
Cardstock: Card base – Taylored Expressions 110lb Red Pepper, Card panel – Neenah Classic Crest 80lb Solar White;
Stamp: Gina K Designs Sparkle & Shine
Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink
Embossing powder: Hero Arts Gold
Unique Embossing Used to Create Glitter Cardstock
Don’t have any glitter cardstock, or just need a little? You can make your own using Natasha Davies’s (at https://handmadebytasha.co.uk/) creative technique.
To create this card I started out by using the layered embossing technique from above to create a translucent image of the moon…only instead of using a layered stamp I just used the same stamp. I used white embossing powder for the first layer and white satin pearl for the second. Then I blended in a little bit of ink around the moon to create some dimension in the sky,
DIY Glitter Cardstock
I really wanted the pixie to be special and Natasha’s method is perfect for doing so. I covered a card base with slow-drying embossing ink and then sprinkled glitter embossing powder over it ensuring that there was full coverage on the whole card. The glitter embossing powder has different sizes of glitter in it that create a beautiful, sparkly finish when melted. I then die-cut the pixie out of what I had just embossed and glued it to sit on the moon.
I found the perfect sentiment to go with the image and stamped it directly onto the card base.
Finally, to finish off the magical vibe of the card I added some twinkling stars starting with a quick spritz of shimmer spray and then some sequins to top it off.
It is magical don’t you think? I wonder what that little pixie is dreaming about…
Supplies
The following list may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something by following a link on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog.
Cardstock: Card base – Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110 lb: Card panel – Paper Studio #1289594
Stamps and Die: Image – Crafter’s Companion Magical Moonlight Stamp and Die set, Sentiment – Crafter’s Companion It’s Christmas Time Stamp Set
Ink: Wow Ultra Slow Drying Embossing Ink; Altenew Pigment Ink Obsidian; Catherine Pooler Suede Shoes
Embossing powder: Hero Art White; Hero Art White Satin Pearl\; WOW Midas Touch
Shimmer Spray: Imagine Sheer Shimmer Spray
Sequins: Lilac Lane Starlight Gala
Read How To Heat Emboss for tips on how to get high-quality results with your heat embossing.
What’s Next
Be on the lookout for my next post which will be all about interactive Christmas Cards.
Until then may your days be filled with crafty wonderfulness.