Tonight’s our final Heart of Christmas blog hop for 2025 AND it’s only a month to Christmas? Have you made your Christmas cards yet?
I’ve got six cards to share with you tonight, all made using the Calm & Bright Kit. You get everything you need to make nine cards, three of three different designs. This gorgeous kit does not photograph well on the website, however, in real life it is stunning!
Here is the photo from the website:
I love the stamp set that’s included in the kit!
These are the three cards I made following the instructions with a few small tweaks.
Can you see how much more vibrant these cards are in real life? The main reason they are more vibrant is that I’ve used the Lost Lagoon ink spot (included in the kit) for all my stamping, whereas the sample images on the instructions actually use Gray Granite instead.
These are the tweaks I made on each of the cards.
For the card one I used one of the larger layering pieces from the card kit as there are a lot of trees on this design.
For card two I’ve removed the twine wrapped around the base and replaced the star stamped bauble with a simple bow of the white twine.
Card three has one of the smaller layering rectangles and I’ve simplified the design by removing the wrapped twine and the star tag.
These cards are so pretty with their soft colour combination of Pretty in Pink, Lost Lagoon and so much white space!
I then made three more cards, changing the designs around and adding in some Basic Beige card bases to match the envelopes that come in the kit.
For this card I’ve cut down one of the white card bases that come in the kit and layered it onto a Basic Beige card base. I’ve kept the card design similar to the kit design, simply changing where the bow, foliage and tag is placed.
This might be my favourite version of all the cards I’ve created from this kit. I’ve stamped the tiny star stamp on the tree multiple times and added some of the tiny pink dots to the Lost Lagoon tree. I loved stamping the tiny house stamp on the tag to match the pink house above the sentiment!
This final card uses one of the card bases from the kit, but once again I’ve mixed up the design.
Here are all three of my versions of the cards from the kit. Do you have a favourite?
Take a look at some more Christmas Card inspiration!
Now it’s time to hop in over to our next participant, the lovely Sharon Davern I can’t wait to see what Sharon has made this week!
If the next button link is not working or you’d like to see the entire list of participants go to Sharon Davern‘s blog. Sharon has done an amazing job of hosting our Heart of Christmas blog every Monday. Thank you so much, Sharon.
Our AWH team will be back on Wednesday night, showcasing Lost Lagoon on our Insta Hop. I hope you can join us then!
Lemon Lolly is such a soft and gentle shade of yellow, however I must admit I really struggled with my colour combination for Week 29 of our AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop.
I ended up creating a card that looks a little like spring and yet uses a sentiment that works beautifully all year round.
For this Lemon Lolly project I used:
Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (sentiment)
Good Times Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (wreath and flowers)
Beautiful Pattern Embossing Folder
Large Gold Hoop from the Modern Christmas Suite
The colour combination is Lemon Lolly (card base and ink blending), Darling Duckling (flower centres), Granny Apple Green (wreath), Basic White (embossed layer) and Gold Foil accents.
I embossed a Basic White layer with the Beautiful Pattern Embossing Folder and used a blending brush to add shading with Lemon Lolly ink. The ink blended much darker than I expected, however it really highlights the gorgeous texture of the embossed layer behind the wreath.
To bring structure to the wreath, I used the large gold hoop from the Modern Christmas Suite and attached it with glue dots. I then layered the wreath elements with dimensionals so the whole arrangement feels full and lifted.
The sentiment “From Our House to Yours” is from the Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack. Even though the greeting could be used for a festive card, it works just as well for a general friendship or “thinking of you” card.
Take a look at some more Lemon Lolly inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Andrea @andreaksargent
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Helen @apaperparadise
Sharon @sharondaverncreates
Rachel @handstamped_by_rachel
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Lost Lagoon. I hope you can join us then.
Looking for some Christmas card inspiration?
Our Heart of Christmas blog hop goes live at 8pm (EAST) every Monday night with Christmas card inspiration and next Monday is our final hop for the year. This hop is a traditional blog hop (not an Insta Hop) so you can see all of the team’s creations by reading my blog and clicking through to the next person .
Can you believe this is our penultimate Heart of Christmas blog hop for 2025 AND it’s only five weeks to Christmas today?
If you feel like the silly season is already in full swing and you won’t have time to make your Christmas cards this year, don’t panic as I’ve got the perfect card for you!
This design is so easy to make (I designed it and made it it under 10 minutes), it’s easy to mass produce and it can be made using any colour combination, DSP or sentiment.
I’ve used products from the the Modern Christmas Suite collection, including the Ornamental Christmas Bundle and the the Modern Christmas 12″ x 12″ (30.5 x 30.5 cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper. I heat embossed the sentiment in gold to match the DSP and the feature star.
This photo shows just how pretty the gold foil star looks on top of the gold foiled paper.
For the inside of the card I’ve stamped the beautiful scripted “Merry Christmas” stamp and added some gold foil embellishments die cut using the Ornamental Christmas dies.
Take a look at some more Christmas Card inspiration!
Now it’s time to hop in over to our next participant, the lovely Judy May I can’t wait to see what Judy has made this week!
If the next button link is not working or you’d like to see the entire list of participants go to Sharon Davern‘s blog. Sharon does an amazing job of hosting our Heart of Christmas blog every Monday.
Our AWH team will be back on Wednesday night, showcasing Lost Lagoon on our Insta Hop. I hope you can join us then!
I’ve been away visiting stunning New Zealand but I’m so excited to be back to blogging with the Art With Heart Team for our Colour Creations Insta Hop.
A big thank you goes to my dear friend, Kate Morgan, who ensured the AWH Colour Creations Insta Hop went smoothly while I was overseas. Thank you, Kate!
The Lasting Linen stamp set
Week 28 is all about Lemon Lime Twist a vibrant, almost “fluro” green and I’ve taken inspiration from this project the Stampin’ Up! design team created to showcase one of the new online products, the Lasting Linen stamp set. This is such a versatile background stamp that will work with any colour!
I loved this card so much I also purchased the Friendly Foliage bundle featured on it. Here’s my version of the card.
While the original Stampin’ Up! version of this card features Old Olive, my colour combination pairs the vibrant Lemon Lime Twist with the soft neutral, Basic Beige and Basic White. A tiny touch of Old Olive is added via the bow.
I’ve also added an extra layer of Lemon Lime Twist to the base card, some more of the pretty foliage elements and changed the length and positioning of the “Thinking of you” sentiment.
A double bow of Basic White Bakers Twine from the The Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack and a bow of Old Olive Linen Thread from the Early Espresso & Old Olive Linen Thread Pack are the finishing touch.
Take a look at some more Lemon Lime Twist inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Sharon @sharondaverncreates
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Helen @apaperparadise
Rachel @handstamped_by_rachel
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Lemon Lolly. I hope you can join us then.
Looking for some Christmas card inspiration?
Our Heart of Christmas blog hop goes live at 8pm (EAST) every Monday night with Christmas card inspiration. This hop is a traditional blog hop (not an Insta Hop) so you can see all of the team’s creations by reading my blog and clicking through to the next person .
I’ve been away overseas on holidays for the past few weeks, but it feels so good to be back in my craft room again! And can you believe it’s nearly Christmas already? Time is flying, and after tonight there are only three more Heart of Christmas blog hops left for the year.
For my card this week, I wanted to create something lighthearted and full of festive cheer. This little dachshund in a Christmas jumper just makes me smile! I’ve paired him with a vintage-style post box and some tiny envelopes, ready to deliver all the Christmas joy.
My dog is a German Shorthaired Pointer (which is basically a sausage dog on steroids with super long legs) so I have a soft spot in my heart for dachshunds.
The colour palette for this card includes Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Real Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, and Basic White as I also created this card for a colour challenge. I don’t usually use Very Vanilla, however this colour combination is a fun and fresh mix that feels both classic and playful.
The background paper and envelopes are from the North Pole Delivery DSP, which adds that perfect snowy touch.
The adorable dog image comes from the Long Time No See stamp set, coloured with Stampin’ Blends to match his festive jumper.
I finished the design with a combination of stamped sentiments from the Peace On Earth stamp set and die-cut “Christmas” from the Words for the Season Dies to create my “Sending Christmas Joy” sentiment.
I love how this card captures the happiness of reconnecting with family and friends at Christmas through the age old tradition of sending Christmas cards.
Take a look at some more Christmas Card inspiration!
Now it’s time to hop in over to our next participant, the lovely Rachel Woollard. I can’t wait to see what Rachel has made this week!
If the next button link is not working or you’d like to see the entire list of participants go to Sharon Davern‘s blog. Sharon does an amazing job of hosting our Heart of Christmas blog every Monday.
Our AWH team will be back on Wednesday night, showcasing Lemon Lime Twist on our Insta Hop. I hope you can join us then!
A group of the Art With Heart Team is hopping through the Stampin’ Up! colours in alphabetical order and week 25 is all about Granny Apple Green, a bright green that adds freshness and life to a project.
You could say that my “no stamping” cards this week have been bought to you by Stampin Up’s Ephemera packs!
I‘ve used ephemera from the Good Times Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (the wreath and the pear), the Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (the joy sentiment) and the Saying Something Mix & Match Ephemera Pack (the “all my love & thanks to you” sentiment).
Both cards also feature the new Beautiful Pattern Embossing Folder (coming soon in November). I love how its stitched design adds gentle texture without overpowering the focal elements.
Granny Apple Colour Combination
My colour combination is inspired by the beautiful watercolour pear from the Good Times Mix & Match Ephemera Pack.
The Painterly Pears Designer Series Paper adds touches of Mossy Meadow and Old Olive too.
Granny Apple Green looks so fresh and really pops against the Early Espresso card bases and the embossed Basic White cardstock layer.
Two “No Stamping” Tent cards
When folded, the card stands upright with the fold along the top edge and the opening at the bottom, making it ideal for display.
A double bow of the Early Espresso & Old Olive Linen Thread bow ties in the organic tones of the pear beautifully. I finished both cards with a few Traditional Sparkling Sequins in gold and green for a touch of shimmer.
Take a look at some more Granny Apple Green inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Sharon @sharondaverncreates. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Helen @apaperparadise
Andrea @andreaksargent
Vicki @vickiboucher
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
Sharon @sharondaverncreates
We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Gray Granite. I hope you can join us then.
Looking for some more Christmas card inspiration?
Our Heart of Christmas blog hop goes live at 8pm (EAST) every Monday night with Christmas card inspiration. This hop is a traditional blog hop (not an Insta Hop) so you can see all of the team’s creations by reading my blog and clicking through to the next person .
When time is short but you still want that handmade touch, there are plenty of ways to create quick and easy Christmas cards.
You can use card kits, add ephemera pieces from specialty paper packs, or mass-produce one simple design. Today I have used another favourite method: a large sentiment stamp combined with stunning Designer Series Paper and a few sparkly embellishments.
With just a handful of products, you can make a whole stack of cards in one sitting!
Quick and Elegant Christmas Cards in Red and Gold
My colour combination is classic and simple: Real Red, Gold and white
I’ve used just a few favourite products to create these elegant designs:
The red and gold DSP pattern from the Season of Elegance 12″ x 12″ Specialty Designer Series Paper
Gold Foil
The large Merry Christmas Stamp, inked in Real Red Classic Stampin’ Pad
Traditional Sparkling Sequins in gold and red for a little extra sparkle
For this card the “Merry Christmas” sentiment was fussy cut to highlight the gorgeous scripted font of the sentiment.
While for this card I did not fussy cut the sentiment, instead layering it onto gold foil to for a clean, classic finish.
You could use this large “Merry Christmas” stamp with any Christmas DSP, varying the ink colour and embellishment to match the colours in the DSP.
Take a look at some more Christmas Card inspiration
Now it’s time to hop in over to our next participant, the lovely Kate Morgan. I can’t wait to see what Kate has made this week!
If the next button link is not working or you’d like to see the entire list of participants go to Sharon Davern‘s blog. Sharon does an amazing job of hosting our Heart of Christmas blog every Monday.
Our AWH team will be back on Wednesday night, showcasing Granny Apple Green on our Insta Hop. I hope you can join us then!
A group of the Art With Heart Team is hopping through the Stampin’ Up! colours in alphabetical order and week 24 is all about Gorgeous Grape, a rich and vibrant purple from the Regals family.
For this project, I created a Father’s Day card using the stunning Lights of Aurora 6″ x 6″ (15.2 x 15.2 cm) Designer Series Paper as the star of the show. The DSP’s ethereal streaks of blues, pinks, and purples perfectly evoke the shimmering movement of the Southern Aurora.
And best of all, there’s no ink blending required!
Gorgeous Grape Colour Combination
My colour combination is inspired by some of the colours in the Lights of Aurora 6″ x 6″ (15.2 x 15.2 cm) Designer Series Paper. I paired Gorgeous Grape with Blackberry Bliss, Balmy Blue, Basic White and Basic Black.
A Father’s Day Card Inspired by the Southern Aurora
As my dad has always dreamed of seeing the Southern Aurora in person, I wanted to capture that magic in his card. As I don’t own the coordinating Light & Wonder dies from the Lights of Aurora Suite Collection, I substituted the Scenic Adventure Dies that I already own and they were the perfect choice for layering mountains and forests against that glowing sky.
I die cut the mountain range and tree silhouettes in some Gorgeous Grape and Blackberry Bliss cardstock to create depth and shadow, grounding the ethereal background with rich earthy tones. The darker Basic Black trees in the foreground help frame the design.
The sentiment, embossed in white on black cardstock and then layered onto a strip of Balmy Blue card stock, stands out beautifully against the vivid purples and blues and is a simple but striking way to finish off the card.
Take a look at some more Gorgeous Grape inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Kate @craftwithkate
Andrea @andreaksargent
Vicki @vickiboucher
Helen @apaperparadise
Sharon @sharondaverncreates
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Granny Apple Green.
Looking for some Christmas card inspiration?
Our Heart of Christmas blog hop goes live at 8pm (EAST) every Monday night with Christmas card inspiration. This hop is a traditional blog hop (not an Insta Hop) so you can see all of the team’s creations by reading my blog and clicking through to the next person .
This week’s AWH Colour Creations challenge features Garden Green, a rich, classic Christmas green that pairs beautifully with reds, golds, and whites
Instead of reaching for my stamps, I decided to create three no-stamping Christmas cards that are quick, easy, and elegant.
Thanks to Stampin’ Up’s ephemera pieces, each card takes just minutes to assemble using basic crafting products, simply perfect for those last-minute cards or craft sessions when you just want to make something beautiful without bringing out the entire craft room!
Garden Green Christmas Colour Combination
My colour combination is inspired by the colours in the Christmas Tags & More 6″ × 6″ (15.2 × 15.2 cm) Mix & Match Specialty Designer Series Paper, pairing Garden Green with Soft Sea Foam, Real Red, Gold, Crumb Cake, and Basic White for a traditional yet fresh Christmas palette.
These are the products I’ve used to make my “fast and festive” Christmas cards.
Christmas Greetings Mix & Match Specialty Cards & Envelopes – The easiest starting point! These pre-printed card bases and coordinating envelopes give you instant polish. They come in a mixed pack of Crumb Cake and Garden Green. I’ve only used the Garden Green card bases.
Christmas Tags & More 6″ × 6″ (15.2 × 15.2 cm) Mix & Match Specialty Designer Series Paper – I love the ephemera pieces in this pack and the way everything coordinates so perfectly.
Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack – These peel-and-stick greetings are printed in gorgeous gold foil, so your cards look elegant in seconds. You can either peel the backing off to use them as stickers or leave it on and adhere them with dimensionals, which is what I’ve done today.
Traditional Sparkling Sequins – A sprinkling of sparkle instantly turns “simple” into “special.” I used a mix of the gold and red tones to complement the Garden Green backgrounds.
Black & White & Gold Baker’s Twine – A little bow or wrap of twine adds texture and ties the whole design together (pun intended).
Foiled Frames & Labels Ephemera Pack – With a stunning gold border, the frames are a quick and easy way to add a touch of sophistication to cards.
Card One – Joy and Holly
Card 1 features the gold-foiled “Joy” sentiment, ephemera holly pieces and matching red sequins as the holly berries, creating a clean, classic Christmas look.
A frame from the Foiled Frames & Labels Ephemera Pack makes the “joy” sentiment really pop.
Card Two – Merry & Bright
This card uses an image of baubles, die cut from the Christmas Tags & More 6″ × 6″ (15.2 × 15.2 cm) Mix & Match Specialty Designer Series Paper. Precut bow images from the DSP adorn two of the baubles.
The “merry & bright” sentiment is layered onto a die cut strip from the same DSP. Red and gold sequins decorate the card.
Card Three – Mistletoe Joy
Once again, a frame from the Foiled Frames & Labels Ephemera Pack makes the decorative elements really pop, with a loose bow of the gold and white bakers twine and gold sequins finishing off the card.
The mistletoe bauble is a another precut image from the DSP, sitting behind the “joy” sentiment. It matches the mistletoe ephemera pieces.
Take a look at some more Garden Green inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kate @craftwithkate. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kate @craftwithkate
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Andrea @andreaksargent
Sharon @sharondaverncreates
Rosa @hum.and.stamp
Helen @apaperparadise
Theresa @teegeeinspirations
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Gorgeous Grape.
Looking for some more Christmas card inspiration?
Our Heart of Christmas blog hop goes live at 8pm (EAST) every Monday night with Christmas card inspiration. This hop is a traditional blog hop (not an Insta Hop) so you can see all of the team’s creations by reading my blog and clicking through to the next person .
Welcome to week 22 of the Art With Heart Team Colour Creations Blog Hop. This week we are featuring Fresh Freesia, a soft and versatile colour that works beautifully in both feminine and modern designs.
For my project, I’ve created a “Card in an Envelope” fancy fold card using the Floral Impressions 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper and the Impressions Abloom Dies. My colour combination is taken from the colours in the Floral Impressions DSP: Fresh Freesia, Misty Moonlight, Old Olive, Pool Party and Pretty in Pink.
This fold is such a fun way to surprise the recipient, as they open the normal mailing envelope to discover another envelope that contains a card with flowers that spill out of the interior envelope.
Inside the Fresh Freesia envelope there is a notecard that opens to reveal a sentiment (stamped in Misty Moonlight from the Impressions Abloom stamp set) and space to write a personal message.
How to make my Fresh Freesia “Card in an Envelope” card
The “Card in an Envelope” base is created by folding Fresh Freesia cardstock into an envelope shape, which holds the inner card. When you pull the card out, the envelope reveals a bouquet of dimensional flowers spilling over the edge.
Following the template below:
Cut 21 x 21 cm cardstock base.
Score and fold at 5.2cm in from the left and right hand side
Score and fold 6 cm from bottom side of cardstock
Measure and mark other lines in pencil
Cut away shaded areas
Once you’ve created the cardstock base, add DSP to decorate the inside back of the card and the front flaps that are folded and glued, as per the photos below. I’ve used the striped Old Olive DSP and the Fresh Freesia patterned DSP from the Floral Impressions 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper.
If you don’t already own the Impressions Abloom Dies, now is the perfect time to pick them up from the Last Chance section before they retire!
Take a look at some more Fresh Freesia inspiration on our Insta Hop!
Our blog hop is now an Instagram hop but the good news is that you don’t need to have an Instagram account to view all of the other projects!
Simply copy any of the Insta handles below into a new search engine window to follow the Instagram hop at any point.
Next in our Hop is Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss. Be sure to check out her gorgeous project/s.
The full list of this week’s InstaHop is listed below:
Kirsty @crafty.littlemiss
Helen @apaperparadise
Kate @craftwithkate
Andrea @andreaksargent
Rachel @rachelpalmieristampin
Leanne @createwithleanne2
Sharon @sharondaverncreates
Cathy @whatcathymade – you are here!
We’ll be back next Wednesday when we are showcasing Garden Green.
Looking for some Christmas card inspiration?
Our Heart of Christmas blog hop goes live at 8pm (EAST) every Monday night with Christmas card inspiration. This hop is a traditional blog hop (not an Insta Hop) so you can see all of the team’s creations by reading my blog and clicking through to the next person .
