I never tire of winter scenes and holiday themed cards this time of year. I do not mass produce one type of Christmas card as I would go crazy from the boredom of repetition. I just build up my stash of cards one by one and pick out my favorites to send to friends and family.
How about you? If you would like to have an opportunity to win a brand new unmounted Stampin' Up! set-Spring Song then leave a comment on this post and tell me how you produce your holiday cards. Do you mass produce, do you wing it like me and just keep making individual cards or do you stamp for fun and just buy your cards at Hallmark? I will randomly draw the winner on Wednesday morning, the 19th, around 5:00 am before I go to work. If your comment is there before I sit down with my first cup of coffee then your comment will be included in the drawing. Good luck!
I love the new Forest of Trees set by Flourishes. I think the evergreen is one of the most natural and life like tree images I have seen or used. I decided to try my hand one more time creating a scene on glossy paper so I could create that wonderful sky in the background. It is amazing to me how you can sponge the colors on that paper and create such subtle glows and contrast. Who new? Now I know why Michelle Zindorf loves her fantastic technique.
I stamped the tree several times with Old Olive craft ink. This image layer actually started out as a 5" x 5". I used only the top portion of the tree a couple of times to build depth and create a more natural forest. I had some difficulty getting the tree image to fully stamp. I think it could be because the acrylic stamp, craft ink and glossy paper are just a little more difficult to work with together. I was not going to let that stop me though. I just took my craft spot pad and touched it directly to areas of the trees that were not completely stamped and filled it in with a light touch. I then embossed all the green trees with clear embossing powder. I used my Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool to apply both the yellow and blue color and then blended. If you have not tried using this tool then you are missing out. I have several of them that I keep right at hand with my most commonly used colors. For me that would be green, yellow, brown and blue and I can reach for them when ever I need them and reuse over and over. When the sponge gets really worn I switch it out for a new one. I added falling snow, the snow on the branches and the ground area with Liquid Applique' and heated. I then covered the snow with clear embossing powder and heated again to create a shell and to remove the sticky, rubbery feel of the LA. When I finished the whole scene I felt it would be far more interesting to frame a portion of it instead of using the whole 5" x 5". I cut an oval frame with a Nestabilities die, put a fine layer of glue around the opening and applied clear glitter by Martha Stewart. I cut a few snowflakes with a Cuttlebug die to use for embellishment. I used a technique that I saw on Anna Wight's Sassy & Sweet Blog using Diamond Dust glitter. I don't have the Diamond Dust glitter (but is now ordered and on it's way) so I used regular glitter. I love the sparkle and interest it added to the snowflakes and the little flowers that I used behind them. I got that idea from Anna's article, too! She is so creative and clever. Anyway, this is a very simple project and is much easier than it looks.
I would love it if you come back here and post a link to any winter scene or scenes you may have created recently. If you do your post will also be included in the drawing for the blog candy. I love all the inspiration we get from each other. Enjoy your Sunday.
Stamps: Flourishes- Forest of Trees
Paper: Glossy White and Old Olive- Stampin' Up!, White-Papertrey
Ink: Stampin' Up! Olive Craft
Accessories: Diamond Glaze, Liquid Applique', Martha Stewart Glitter, Cuttlebug Snowflake Die, Nestabilities Die, Inkssential Blending Tool, Stampin' Up! Flower Punch
What a beautiful Christmas card!! I usually create 1-3 designs for Christmas cards and then mass produce them. I’ve cut my list way down – use to make at least 100 to send out. Thank you for the opportunity to win this wonderful set of stamps.
Catherine Kraft
Hi Kittie: Glad to know someone gets up for work as early as I do. To answer your question, I make individual cards and then file them by catagory. I absolutely hate to do mass production of cards. It sounds a little crazy, but each card I make is like a little friend with a personality all its own (I know I’m weird). The only cards I buy at Hallmark are those for my husband. Although, I have made him cards, I still rely on the big “H” for anniversaries and such. I’ll be back with a snowy winter scene today. Thanks for the inspiration. Wendy
I absolutely love that card…. the oval really frames it beautifully, the colors are gorgeous!
I usually make only a few cards, so I do them all the same. We just don’t send out as many as we used to, and I use store-bought ones for several people. Only a few people get the hand made ones! Those go to my Mom and a few stamping buddies who I know will appreciate the work that goes into them.
DeniseB
Kittie – where do I begin to thank you for the links and extremely educational post? Your card is magnificent and has greatly inspired me to try these techniques. Years ago I used to mass produce 100+ Christmas cards in a single design. Thenext year I made my cards in groups of 25 at various stamp camps. Now that I’ve shed my training wheels, I mass produce in smaller quantities of either 5 or 6 of each design, and in between “sittings” I still make about 30+ individual originals.
Beautiful card, love all the special details, the glow from behind the snow and sparkle frame!
I usually make one type of card for our parents, then I make another type of card for all the brothers and sisters (9) then I make individual ones for friends and other family memebers, I am not real big on repetition!
Lovely blog candy too 🙂
This is one of the most beautiful snow scenes I think you’ve ever created. It’s just gorgeous and so life like!
I make Christmas cards in batches of five. I can make five very similar without getting bored, and then I’ll move on to another type. I got so involved in Christmas cards last year that I don’t need to make any this year! The bad part about that is that some people may get the same card they got last year!
Kittie, I haven’t got around to doing my own for Christmas, unless I have some left from previous years. But I do mass produce some for a customer who buys her Christmas cards from me. She usually picks out 2-3 different ones and orders from those. She usually buys 20 Xmas cards.
Wow, another beautiful card and scene. I love those trees. I will have to do some shopping over at flourishes. I love the way you framed the scene. I love Martha’s gillter too. I mass produce mine. I have very little time to get creative, so when I finally do hit on and idea I like I go with it. Once the first one is complete, the rest is downhill.
Hi Kittie. This card is so beautiful. I love all your work. I do not mass produce my cards. I love to create so usually all my cards are originals. I never purchase a greeting card. I usually make between 100 to 200 Christmas cards each year.I send cards to the troops plus have friends who order their Christmas cards from me. I was searching your blog last night for ideas. I just bought two more Kittie Kits so I can learn to create some of the beautiful scenes you make.
What an absolutely beautiful card! I generally mass produce my Christmas cards using a family photo and some work in Photoshop. I do have to confess though that there are years when I go the Hallmark route!
Kittie, this card is just stupendous!!! It’s so very wintery, and the Liquid Applique treatment is just wonderful. When I first started stamping about 3 years ago, Stampscapes caught my eye. As a beginning, though, putting those scenes together were extremely lengthy for me, so I moved off into other forms of stamping so I could make things for family and friends in a more timely way. I have to tell you — your shading and blending is spot on! Another type of pigment ink that works well with glossy paper is Brilliance, as it’s a faster drying ink. There are some beautiful examples in the Stampscapes gallery. At any rate, I love everything about this card, the color choices, the oval cutout, snow treatment and I’m in awe of your beautiful blending! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kittie,
Love your cards and your blog. Appreciate all the detail you give about the supplies and processes you use to create your works of art. As a beginner I can use all the help I can get. I mass produced my Xmas cards. Maybe next year I can be more creative. Thanks for the opportunity to win this beautiful stamp set.
Every time I think you have made the most beautiful card ever, you make another one that just blows me away!!!This is sooo gorgeous, Kittie….the oval frame, trees, snow, the beautiful sky with the glow behind the trees….everything is spectacular!!!! The first year I made cards, I did mass production and really got sick of the whole process. Now I make a lot of challenge cards with Christmas themes and give them to family and friends. That way everyone gets a one of a kind!!!
Hello Kittie! What a bonus! An opp at blog candy, AND a beautiful card that I helped inspire! You always create the most beautiful scenes — your winter scenes are my favorite. I don’t mass produce cards either. I just keep making cards, setting them aside for use during the holidays. It becomes more and more difficult to send them all away as the holiday gets closer, too! Sometimes I have my cards printed — something digital that I’ve created that is professionally printed. This saves a lot of time, but still allows me to send something personal and sort of handmade. =) Enjoy the rest of the weekend!! -Anna.
Every year I think I’m going to mass produce my cards, I get started and then just can’t finish. I hate making one style card 100 times, I used to think I was the only one. So then I started doing photo cards. Now I just stamp for fun and but my cards through the March of Dimes or other child based organization. At least I know I’ve made a great contribution and I can not stress over stamping and just have fun through the holidays. Thanks for sharing this great set with us! And I just love your card and the touch of Bling. Cheryl
What a gorgeous card!!!
Right now I take the easy way out and order photo cards with a picture of my daughter on it. Next year I hope to make my cards but I am just easing into cardmaking right now!!
Pretty stamp set and thanks for the chance to win. I love the card you made and it is right on as yesterday we had a mix of rain, sleet and snow-didn’t last long but a sure sign of what is to come.
I make some cards of different designs but buy cards for people I know would not appreciate a “homemade” card.
The ink blender: do you just tap your ink on and them rub to blend? Never used one and it looks like a neat tool. tfs
I love your card! I haven’t tried a snowy scene yet. I usually make about 70 Christmas cards and sometimes I will make about 10 of one and sometimes 5 or even just one. It is according to my mood. Thanks for sharing the blog candy and your talent with us.
Hi Kittie! I love all your work and appreciate your inspiration. Last year was the first year I made cards – mass produced & boring! This year, with the help of so many challenges, I’m getting a nice little supply. Maybe I’ll only have to mass produce a few. I intend to keep making Christmas cards all year to be ready for 2009! I’ve been doing lots of wintery scenes lately. You can find my work here:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=158949
Love the card!!
Last year I just did the “wing thing” and made cards to send. This year I am mass producing to make it easier on me. I created 2 cards, chose the one I liked best, and have begun the first step for each. I like to do each step one at a time and then at the end I have all the cards completely finished!
I love you cards! I usually make a lot of different cards because I get bored with mass production. Also, I need to justify all of the stamps, paper etc. that I purchase by using them.
What a beautiful card. Whooo Hooo SU candy. That’s my favorite kind. Sometimes I do mass production for most of them. Then I have some I do special ones for. Thanks for a chance at this sweet cany.
Kittie I never tire looking at your Christmas cards, or any of your cards for that matter. They are all so unique. I mass produce 5-10 different cards a month as part of the CCC challenge each year. I still end up making more as the Christmas stamps come out in the stores and online and then I decide which ones I’m really using for the family, some I’ll use for RAK’s and the rest I don’t use I box up and set aside to send to the military to use next year.
Hi Kitty: I do mass produce. One year I did the peace dove but after 50 cards I was ready to open the window and let the dove take flight. Love the blog candy and just love your card. The trees are beautiful.
I love your card with the trees. Winning that would be a wonderful prize too!!! I make 2-3 of the same design and lots of single designs for my Christmas cards. Depends on what I have on hand and whose card I am “casing” since I’m not too original. I really admire all your wonderful cards and techniques. Thanks for sharing!
A beautiful Kitty Creation!
Kittie, please don’t enter me for the blog candy, I just wanted to comment on how beautiful your card is. Unfortunately, I’m so busy, this year it will be Hallmark, I just don’t have time to make the 200 cards I usually make in November. Life has a way of getting in the way . . . LOL!
My families large enough that it takes over 50 cards on my fathers side alone… it takes about 35 on my moms side… so with friends I’m looking at over 100 cards… So I try to find an easy but great card to CASE and tweak and then I mass produce enough to mail to family and friends. 🙂
Anyways, thank you for this opportunity to win… I absolutely LOVE this card you made, its gorgeous!
Beautiful card!
Great giveaway! I usually mass produce. However, this year I’ve been making Christmas cards with all my new ‘had to have’ Christmas stamps….so I may mix it up a little.
I don’t know if you call this “mass-producing” but I decide on a design then make say 6-8 of them a night for several nights. This year I am doing the origami tree that has been floating around so it is taking me a little longer. I don’t care though- stamping is such a relaxing outlet for me. I love it!! I also love your card and I agree that the evergreens are so life like although your art work always looks like that!!
I make my cards one at a time… I am not the most organized person in the world and this seems to work best for me! Thanks for the chance at the blog candy Kittie! Your work is so inspiring and I love all that you do! Hugs, Nancyruth
nancyruth@optonline.net
What a beautiful card! Thanks for sharing it with us. It depends on how much time I have whether I mass produce or make individual cards. I prefer doing individual ones since I have so many holiday stamps and it seems a shame to only use one or two in a season. Thanks for offering the set. That’s such a lovely bird on the branch.
Last year was the first year I made my own Christmas cards to send out. I used to belong to a group where we would get together and pass around our box of supplies to make a card. So last year I had a bunch of different cards to send out. I needed more so I just mass produced the one I had designed. This year I may just go with one design. I wish I could do assembly line but for some reason I can’t. LOL Maybe it’s a mental block. I like to see the finished project so I just do one at a time. Maybe it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. 🙂
Your card is absolutely Gorgeous!
I usually only make Christmas cards for my grandkids, Mom and Aunt. The rest I send store bought. Like the comment by Wendy, above, I too “absolutely hate to do mass production of cards. It sounds a little crazy, but each card I make is like a little friend with a personality all its own”. I don’t get a lot of time to create or always feel creative. Trying to keep up on birthdays and other occasions keeps me busy!
this is beautiful I am going to try the trees again cant seem to get it right love your card
TFS
love this card thanks so much for sharing
I am going to try the trees again cant seem to get it right
Hugs
Norine
Love your card. A friend and I do a Christmas stamp-a-stack of 30 cards (5 of 6 different designs) for our customers. We plan on 2 extra spots and create a set for ourselves. That gives me 30 cards and with the ones I make to post on my blog I usually have enough.
Robbie
I like you make a bunch and when I tired of making them I move to a different design and stamp. I have one or two started just need to get in gear and make more.
Love your work, someday I will be this good.
Angel hugs
Debby
I don’t mass produce, because I hate making too many of the same of anything. I love this card. Such a simple elegant design.
Thanks for sharing. I did a wolf winter scene on my blog on October 15th that I loved how it turned out.
WOW to own a kittie original would be a dream. I love your work and follow your blog on my google reader always amazed at how your cards come to life.
How long does it take you to make one of these cards???
Your card is beautiful!! I make my Christmas cards assembly line style – I do all of the backgrounds, the focal pieces, any extras, then assemble.
I love your card! I wish I could make cards like you, but I mass produce. If I’m feeling a little too stressed, I have my box of Hallmark cards ready (just in case)!
Gorgeous, Kittie! (Don’t put my name in the drawing.)
Lovely artwork Ms. Kittie! I pretty much mass produce my cards. I’m a slow stamper & this is the fastest way for me to make 25 cards!
I love your card, as I do every single card you have ever made!!! You always amaze me, and I learn so much from your blog!
I do Xmas cards any and every way I can…but not usually mass produced. I never get as many made as I intend to, but I guess we all know what that’s like!! 😀
Kittie this card turned out beautifully. I love the way your sky turned out and think it really added to only focus on a small portion of the tree scene. The glitter edge and green backed snowflakes really finish it off nicely. As for my Christmas. I make a card, and if I like it I might make some more up to about 10 or 12. Then I make another. Decide how many of that one I want. Then I fill in with odd cards that I make in classes and such. I usually send the ones that I completely design myself to those higher on the list (if you know what I mean — how bad am I?) I need about sixty cards in total, so I will usually make anywhere from six or eight different sets of cards.
I love this card and that technique with glossy paper is one I plan on trying. What a beautiful sky! I will have to say my favorite way to do Christmas cards remains to be seen. This is my very first time to be able to do handmade cards and I just received a gift from a friend that contained the exact stamp set I want to use. I hope to find some pretty paper and do a layering technique this first year as I have very limited supplies as of yet. I want to try the “inchies” technique and incorporate the new stamps into an ornament theme with a Christian type sentiment. I will watch my favorite sites for just the right inspiration. I am keeping this one in hopes I can do your technique for one of my cards for next year, but if I win this candy, I may just do a special special card with it for my best friend! Thanks for the tutorial and the chance to win. Linda Crowder
Oh Kittie, I’m such a sucker for a bird set…………….. IF I make Christmas cards, they’re usually mass-produced. This year I have a bit of a DT stash, so I may send some of those and just make some simple cookie-box toppers for our co-workers.
Hugs to you,
Dina
Good Morning,
I too just wing it, my reason is there are sooo many beautiful papers and stamps and embellishments to make just one card. I want to use them all and make all my cards different unless it is for a small swap 6 or less, than I make the same style just different colors. I too have used Sweet & Sassy technique for the snowflakes. You will love the Diamond Dust!
thanks!!
Very pretty card, I just love how it’s framed. I’m new to stamping and I like the idea of mass producing a card but everytime I think this is one I’ll make everyone on my list I find something I like better!(focus Lynda focus)So I guess what I do is constantly tweeking.
lablady2007@juno.com
Wow that is a gorgeous card. Cant wait to see more. Well done.
Blessings,
Beth F
I love your card, well I actually love all your cards, it is a pleasure opening your emails everyday
I really like to wing it too. I love to come up with different ideas and hear everyones comments. Your work is really beautiful. It is an inspiration to me to open your blog everyday!
Hugs, Cathy
Gorgeous card (as always). I try to mass produce my holiday cards after spending WEEKS checking out everyone’s creations and coming up with a design. This year I think I might send out individual cards just becauase I have such a huge stash of holiday cards that have accumulated! LOL. Thanks for the chance to win great candy.
Cathy
I love the softness of this card and the delicate shading of the sunset into the night sky. Your scenes always amaze me,this one in particular, as do your small details like the glitter around the oval. You inspire me to try “scene” cards but I am usually disappointed in the results…but I like to try!
I love to play with stamping and haven’t bought a card in years! My cards are often based on one of the challenges so they are mostly all different. Simple cards appeal to me and, this year, I did make several simple cards that were mostly the same. Have been kind of “artistically stuck” since Halloween….but your cards continue to make me want to keep “playing”! (:>
I am a last minute girl…..I make several different cards for different people, but I can, my Christmas card list is about 20 to 25, so not bad at all! Plus the fact I LOVE doing it…..your cards are fantastic! I have a real “winter scene” on my blog this morning, we got snow last night and its 1:20 and STILL snowing…not ready for that!! http://www.nelliesnest.blogspot.com
I mass produce cards when I have a bunch to make. Sometimes, I will do several different designs or variations on 1 design. I would love to do unique cards for everyone, but I don’t seem to have the time to do that.
I make most of my cards with scraps, one at a time. No two are alike. I start right after Halloween.
I pretty much just wing it — mainly because I can never have a card come out the same twice. Besides I get bored trying to make the same thing time and time again. But, I never get bored of trees and this card is absolutely lovely. I’m going to try to make my own version. Thanks for sharing!
i would love to be on your mailing list….you work is gorgeous!
last year i mass produced…you are right….ho hum! this year i am doing all different!
Hey, Kittie! I am with you, girl. I can’t mass produce a bunch of cards either. I may make 2 or 3 alike, but usually my sets of 10 for the Christmas Card Challenge have been many different cards. I have been working on them all year at 10/month, so the Christmas joy lasts all year long. 🙂 Kel
*thud*….This is just STUNNING!! I usually end up mass producing my cards. I have to make about 100 of them and the thought of coming up with that many “wow” ideas just fries my brain!! LOL!! Plus, a lot of them are for family and I can just hear them now “Did you see Starla’s card with the _____ on it?” “Uhhh, nope!! Mine wasn’t like that at all” snort….just easier to keep them all the same!!
I first saw your work on SCS before you ever had a blog & just loved your winter scenes. I can pick a “Kittie card” before ever seeing your name! They are a work of art! You should give away your cards as blog candy…would love to own one! I make my Christmas cards one at a time..no two alike. I have 30 made so far.
First of all your Forest of Trees card is absolutely stunning, Then again, all of your cards are stunning.
I do not make all of my Chrsitmas cards. I never seem to have enough time to make them all. This year I am making only one of each card. The rest of my cards will be purchased because I have way too many people to send cards to. Sending cards is my favorite tradition of the holiday season.
Mary
How do I do Christmas cards? Every January I decide that I am going to do a certain number of cards each month so that I don’t have to do the frenzy of cards at the beginning of December. Then every year, that gets forgotten, and I end up at this time of year, trying to decide which card I can mass produce quickly, and run with that. I’ll be doing that this year again, and hopefully next year I’ll do the monthly Christmas cards. Hopefully…
Hi Kittie, I haven’t been stamping that long. The first few years I made just a few Christmas cards but they were all different. Last year was more hectic for me so I made a bunch that were similar. I prefer making each individually and different but sometimes time starts running out!
HI! For Christmas cards I try to get a design and then mass produce. I would love to make a few different ones here and there but I never seem to get around to it. I love all your cards.. you do such a great JOB!!
It depends on how busy I am that year. When I only worked part time, I was able to make all my cards (usually from a kit, but I’m creatively challenged sometimes). Other years, I’ve done only store bought. This year, I’ve begun entering card challenges so I deliberately do Christmassy cards that I can give away.
I love you blog, by the way. You have such beautiful work!
this is my first year for holiday cards; I have tried the SCS challenge, and made it through at least half the year. Would do this again. I have winter cards done;
but I prefer to stick to religious cards for Christams and just got my stamp set, love your site and this tree card is
so laviously done