The annual Paper Anthology Christmas Card Swap is always a lot of fun, as well as an amazing source of inspiration. Still working on your own cards? Here are some awesome ideas to spur you on! Cards are in displayed in alphabetical order because there’s no way anyone could choose a “favorite”! ♥ (PS: Want to participate in next year’s swap? Subscribe to the newsletter so you’ll see the sign up –and all other special events– the minute they’re announced!)
We absolutely *LOVE* seeing what our friends are making, and during the Paper Anthology 9th Anniversary Celebration we were treated to a huge helping of incredible eye candy! (Visit the PA FaceBook Page and scroll back a bit to see for yourself!) Michelle DeSaro made some especially inspiring cards; including this amazing cross-stitched Christmas! (Because YES, she really did stamp, diecut and hand stitch that entire jaw-dropping A2-sized Taylored Expressions Buffalo Plaid background!)
This stunning autumnal card has it all: beautiful coloring, just the right amount of inking, and fabulous composition. (Just look at those Sunny Studios Pretty Pumpkins perfectly placed in the “V” of the pennant!)
How lovely is the soft hand-drawn effect attained with Art Impressions’ Watercolor Clay Pot Set? And then the card is finished with elegant details like the punched and rounded corners.
You really need to look at this lovely Christmas card to see how many elements have been cleverly layered: a two-color wreath with sentiment stamped on top; layered onto a doily, with a velvet bow; all of which perfectly match the softly patterned paper and coordinating cardstock, with inked and faux stitched edges.
The mice from Lawn Fawn’s A Creature Was Stirring set are always adorable, but Michelle has made them even cuter by coloring them perfectly and then added plenty of diecut accessories to surround the window on this super-sweet shaker card.
Nothing is more fun and inspiring than seeing what our friends are making, and the cards that were linked up during Paper Anthology’s 9th Anniversary festivities were full of amazing, clever ideas. We highly recommend scrolling through the challenge posts on the PA FaceBook Page, with an emphasis on the “Comments” sections, which is where the cards are posted. Louise Coviello made some especially lovely cards over the weekend, featuring ideas we definitely want to try! For example, her simple pinecone (above) is stamped crisply, using exactly the right colors; and the sentiment reminds us how impressed we were the first time we saw someone heat emboss in gold. The clear droplets are understated, but add texture and sophistication.
How cool is it that the shaker window makes up the entire front of this card? Louise stamped and embossed those pretty trees right on the acetate window, and used a unique and stunning hand painted background within.
This Christmas card is perfectly simple… and simply perfect! The Mandala/Snowflake image with ombre ink behind it stands out beautifully; a glittery sentiment and a few sequins finish it off nicely.
Another “Aha!” moment: Louise’s wreath images are embossed in WHITE and then watercolored… with a subtle greyish-blue accent that’s very eyecatching. A gold sentiment and glittery red Nuvo Drop berries… yes, please!
Leave it to Lawn Fawn: not only did they make an adorable set called Car Critters, which features bears who drive; they also configured it to work with the Reveal Wheel system courtesy of a windshield-shaped Reveal Wheel Add-On Die. And then… they made a Christmas Add-On Stamp Set with super-cute reindeer at the wheel!
Lauren used the MISTI to position and stamp all of the images on one layer of card stock. First the car, then the deer, then the antlers. Each element was given a “basecoat” of its lightest color with Tombow Dual Brush Pens, and shading added with colored pencils. There are, of course, coordinating Christmas Car Critter Dies, but in this case the image was fussycut right at the outlines.
Lauren used older dies, punches and patterned paper to make a landscape, but there are lots of options for making a scene, like Dare 2B Artzy’s Curve Slimline Border Dies which has several styles of hills, plus clouds and more; Sunny Studios’ Comic Strip Everyday Die Set, Taylored Expressions’ Grassy Hills or Hero Arts’ Winter Pines. Or pair up with other Lawn Fawn sets, such as All the Clouds, Snow Globe Scenes, Meadow Backdrop. Alternatively, you could choose the low-maintenance option of landscape-inspired pattered paper like Dare 2B Artzy’s Snow Much Fun or Ciao Bella’s Northern Lights.
Taylored Expressions’ Mythical Grumplings are not yet the official mascot of 2020, but maybe they should be? Somewhat improbable, distinctly irritable, and it’s hard not to be just a tiny bit worried about what they might be planning next. On the other hand LOOK. HOW. CUTE! This card by Lauren Bergold is stamped in Ranger Archival Ink, colored with Tombow Dual Brush Pens and shaded with Polychromos Pencils from Faber-Castell.
How amazingly dramatic are these slimline cards by Gail Paradise? She says they were super easy, too. She swiped Gina K Neon Inks across white cardstock with Sponge Daubers; then used a stencil over that with black ink. Super easy and so striking!