Okay, confession time. This is not the card I had in mind when I bought these sheets of Christmas phrases.
This card is actually better, but it took me awhile to get there!
I wanted to have all the phrases on the front of the card, highlighted by green and burgundy paper, with the phrase ‘Tis the Season on the inside.
Once I got ready to cut the paper, I could see the card would have to be huge to fit the size of the letters.
So, onto Plan B…
How To Make This Card
I cut out ‘Tis the Season, placed it on burgundy paper with a 1/8th-inch border and used a piece of tan cardstock paper to make a square card to fit it. (The card is 11 x 5.5 inches folded.)
I had a 5-inch square of green paper, and just started placing it in different positions on the front of the card to see what looked good.
The tree I ended up with is 4.5 inches on each side, centered on the front with ‘Tis the Season at the base.
I used Stickles glitter glue to decorate the tree — dots for lights and a freehand star on top.
The inside of the card has the Christmas phrases on both sides of the card, which I think is a fun surprise.
I cut a rectangle of the paper to fit inside the card with 1/8-inch of tan showing on all sides. I’ve had trouble in the past trying to adhere 2 sheets together and then folding them. (The top sheet never opens right once it is glued to the bottom sheet, creating a gap on the crease.) So I decided to avoid that problem by cutting the top sheet in half right over the fold, turning it into 2 squares.
I carefully lined them up so you can read the words and have it look like one continuous sheet. I love the look, but where to write your sentiment and sign your name? The leftover corners of the tree from the front are perfect!
I cut 2 additional triangles to see if it was better with one in all 4 corners, but it was too much green. One triangle was not enough, but I think 2 look great! You can write with a silver or black pen on the green paper.
For the envelope (I always buy at least 2 sheets of matching or coordinating paper so I can have a custom envelope for the card), I purposely made it wider than the card. I love square cards, but they require extra postage. So the envelope is 8 inches x 6 inches.
Here’s how to make an envelope to match your card.
Using Leftover Scraps
When I folded and cut the tan paper for the card base, I ended up with an extra card that was 3 inches x 5.5 inches.
The word “Presents” was left over from my Christmas phrases, so I decided to make a matching gift tag.
I cut the tan paper into a 3-inch square and followed the same steps for the tree.
A hole punched in the corner and a slim ribbon are perfect for attaching it to a gift bag.
There are also many extra phrases left over that can be used to make additional cards or gift tags.
The Products I Used
I hope you have fun making this easy Christmas card. You can use any Christmas phrase paper you find at your favorite craft supply store. (I got mine at Michael’s.) You could even use wrapping paper.
The Stickles Glitter Glue is a Ranger product that I found at Michael’s. I thought it would be special for using on paper, but it is really no different from other glitter glues or paints I have used.
Must read: How To Know Which Craft Glue To Use When
The tan cardstock was in my paper supply already, and the green and burgundy papers are from the “Jewel” pack of cardstock paper by Recollections.
Other Fun Handmade Christmas Things To Make
- How To Make Your Own Christmas Cards
- Pop-Up Christmas Tree Card Instructions
- Handmade Christmas Cards On Pinterest
- Using Leftover Paper For Gift Tags & More
- Homemade Christmas Tree Card
- Rolled paper Christmas Tree Gift Bag
- Our Other Handmade Christmas Card Ideas
I don't buy greeting cards or holiday cards anymore — I make my own! I also do some rubber stamping and scrapbooking. But mostly I enjoy creating handmade, one-of-a-kind cards. I’ve been an avid crafter for most of my adult life. My crafting addiction started with cross-stitching, then moved on to wearable art, projects with painted wood, fabric crafts, and then paper crafts — which has transformed primarily into card making. I also make the occasional wreath, snowglobe, and other holiday crafts.
