Creating Holiday Magic: A Festive Christmas Card

Hello friends! Ericka here, and I’m back with some crafty inspiration to get you in the holiday spirit. Today, I’m sharing a mixed media Christmas card featuring a gorgeous background made with my gel press and alcohol inks, paired with the elegant Christmas Tree Fancy Swirl stamp. If you’re looking for a fun and creative way to add vibrant, one-of-a-kind touches to your holiday cards, this technique is for you! 

Creating the Background
To start, I brought out my trusty gel press and a few bottles of alcohol ink in festive hues. I applied the inks directly onto the gel press and used a brayer to spread the colors evenly. Once the inks dried, I added a thin layer of white acrylic paint over the top and pulled the print. The result? A beautifully vibrant and textured background that’s perfect for a Christmas card.

Gel press prints are always exciting because no two are ever the same. The combination of alcohol inks and acrylic paint creates a stunning blend of depth and color that truly feels like magic

Stamping the Focal Image
For the focal point, I stamped the  Christmas Tree Fancy Swirl and paired it with the “Magic and Bright” sentiment. Initially, I used gold embossing powder, but I felt like the tree needed a bit more pop. So, I re-stamped the image using white embossing powder. The result? A subtle shadow effect that adds dimension and a touch of whimsy to the design.

Finishing Touches
To frame the card, I hand-drew a simple border to tie everything together. I love how small details like this can elevate a design while keeping the focus on the main elements. And just like that, another Christmas card is complete!

This project reminded me of how much joy there is in creating something unique for the holidays. With so many more cards to make, I’m grateful for moments like this where I can sit down, experiment with techniques, and share a little creativity with the world.

I hope this inspires you to pull out your crafting supplies and try something new this season. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, gratitude, and maybe a little time to craft.

Happy holidays and happy crafting!

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A Grinchy Twist on Holiday Cheer

 

Hello, friends!

Ericka here, and today I’ve got a playful, coffee-themed holiday card that brings a touch of holiday mischief to the season! Inspired by one of my favorite Christmas characters, I used the Grinches Drink Up sentiment along with the Grinches Hand and Coffee 1 set for a unique and fun design.

 

To bring this card to life, I stamped the sentiment in Green Oasis Versafine Clair ink and added some sparkle with clear embossing powder. I then stamped the images, giving them a festive watercolor treatment for that holiday warmth. To top it off, I added a flurry of snowflakes for that extra Christmas feel.

And there you have it—a whimsical coffee-themed Christmas card with a bit of Grinchy charm!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy crafting!

Crackerbox Stamps

Crackerbox Stamps - Coffee 1 Shop at: CS	Crackerbox Stamps - Grinches Drink Up Shop at: CS	Crackerbox Stamps - Snowflakes set of 3 Shop at: CS	Crackerbox Stamps - Grinch Hand and Ornament Shop at: CS
Tsukineko - VersaFine Clair - Nocturn Shop at: CS

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Simple Beautiful Flower Cards

 Hello there, stampers. Ericka made a couple of beautiful and simple cards to share with you.

If you need a quick thank you or get well card, these are good inspiration.

The Just Want To Say Thanks card with Tulip is a fabulous thank you card.

The get well with the saying, Hope You're Back 

with the Daffodil is quick and easy.

Stamp Used:

Just Want To Say Thanks

Tulip

Hope You're Back

Daffodil

A set to save money - Set of 3 Flowers and Pot

Hope you enjoyed Ericka's cards.

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Masculine Golf Birthday Card

 

Hello friends! Ericka here, and today I have a fun and quick project to share with you – a Masculine Birthday card featuring those lovable minions we all adore. Let's dive into the details of how I created this delightful card!

Stamping and Coloring the Minions

To start, I chose two of my favorite minions for this project – Kevin Golfing and Bob Golfing. These characters add a playful touch to the card, perfect for bringing a smile to anyone’s face. I stamped both Kevin and Bob onto my cardstock using a black ink that wouldn’t smudge when I added color later on. I used colored pencils to carefully color in Kevin and Bob, giving them vibrant outfits and expressive faces.

Adding the Sentiment

For the sentiment, I used the Happy Birthday Open stamp. This particular sentiment is fantastic because it allows for a lot of creativity – you can color it any way you want! I matched the colors of the sentiment to those in the minions’ outfits for a cohesive look. To give the sentiment an extra special touch, I added some glossy accents. This gave it a bit of shine and dimension, making it stand out even more.

I hope you enjoyed this quick project and feel inspired to create your own minion-themed cards. Crafting is all about having fun and bringing joy to others, and I believe this card does just that. Happy crafting, and I can’t wait to see what you create!

Until next time, Ericka

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Crafting the Perfect 4th of July Card

 

 Hello friends! Ericka here, and today I’m excited to share a quick and festive 4th of July card I crafted using some amazing stamps and Magicals from Lindy's Gang. Let's dive into the process and the fun I had creating this patriotic card!

For this card, I combined the vibrant colors of Lindy's Gang Magicals with the adorable 4th of July Kids stamps, along with the bold God Bless America and Happy 4th Big sentiments. The result? A card that's bursting with patriotic pride and perfect for celebrating Independence Day!

Step-by-Step Process

1. Creating the Watercolor Background: I started by applying Lindy's Gang Magicals in Autumn Maple Crimson and Tibetan Poppy Teal  to create a stunning watercolor background. These magical powders add a beautiful shimmer and vibrant color that instantly make the card pop. After letting the background dry completely, I was ready to add the next layers of detail.

2. Heat Embossing the Images: Once the background was dry, I stamped the 4th of July Kids images onto the card. Using white embossing powder, I heat embossed these images, giving them a crisp and clean appearance that contrasts beautifully against the colorful backdrop. The white embossing adds a touch of elegance and ensures the images stand out.

3. Adding Sentiments: Next, I incorporated the bold God Bless America and Happy 4th Big sentiments. These sentiments are perfect for a 4th of July card, adding a strong and celebratory message. I chose to emboss these in white as well to maintain a cohesive look.

4. Drawing the Frame and Adding Stars: To complete the card, I hand drew a simple frame around the edges. This helps to pull everything together and adds a finished look. For an extra touch of patriotism, I added a couple of hand-drawn stars. These little details make the card feel complete and add to the overall festive theme.

Thank you for joining me today! I can't wait to see what patriotic projects you all come up with. Until next time, keep crafting and have a Happy 4th of July!

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2024 Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Hop & NEW STAMP RELEASE

Hello and welcome to our blog! We are participating in the 2024 Spring Summer Coffer Lover Hop. What does that mean for you? There is lots of inspiration and prizes, and we also have a new stamp release.
Plus, all our Coffee, Tea, & Cocoa Rubber Stamps are 20% OFF!

Make sure to scroll through our entire post for info on the hop and how you could win a
$25 gift certificate to our store.

Our design team has created some great coffee card inspiration using stamps from our brand-new photopolymer coffee stamp sets.

Tracy used Coffee Set 2

Cornelia used Coffee Set 1 & Frog Set 1

Timothy used Coffee Set 2

Toni used Coffee Set 1 & Frog Set 1

Vicky used Coffee Set 1

Nadine used Coffee Set 2

Ericka used Coffee Set 1 & Flower Set 1

Shanna used Coffee Set 2

Monica used Coffee Set 2

Now for what you've been waiting for: how to win!

Leave a comment on this post to be eligible to win a $25 Gift Code to our Crackerbox Stamps Store.

Commenting will close on March 22nd. The winner will be added to this post the next day.

Several companies are involved in this hop, so make sure to hop along to them all.
If you are already hopping along, you should have arrived here from Copictopia Creative, and your next stop is Close To My Heart by Chris Franco. For the full list of all companies involved in the hop, visit the Coffee Lovers Blog post HERE.

Click the button below to shop all of our coffee, tea, & cocoa rubber stamps. A 20% OFF discount will automatically be added to all stamps from this category.

CONGRATS TO....

Bonnie Lynn, you are the lucky winner of a $25 gift code to our store. Please email us by April 7th, 2024, to claim your prize. Our email address is on the top right of our blog.

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Super Duper Birthday Card

 

Hello friends! Ericka here and I hope you have had a chance to check out the new Photopolymer stamps that were just released! There are so many great cards waiting to be made with them and today I am playing with the Birthday 2 set because you can never have too many birthday cards ready. I started by spraying my background with Lindy's Gang Starburst Sprays in Afternoon Delight Denim and Hottie Patottie Hot Pink. While the background was drying, I stamped the cake with Tea Dye Distress Ink and used some colored pencils to color it in. I fussy cut the cake out and then on my dried background gold heat embossed the sparkler for my cake. I white heat embossed the fun sentiment and then used a clear heat emboss to stamp some more sparklers around my card. I finished my card with a hand drawn border. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a chance to check out these great new stamps!

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St. Patrick's Lucky Charm Card

Hello friends! Ericka here and today and I am creating a fun St. Patrick's Day card using the Leprechaun Sheamus and the Lucky Charms sentiment.

I stamped the image and sentiment in Versfine Clair Nocturn ink and clear embossed it. I then water colored the image with Lindy's Gang Magicals to give him a magical shimmer. After my card base dried, I used my sewing machine to attach it to some pattern paper and my card base. A fun card perfect for the upcoming holiday. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

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Ignorance Is Bliss Floral Card

Hello friends! Ericka here, and today, I have a fun snarky card using the If Ignorance stamp along with the Lotus stamp.

I'm not sure why, but I love pairing a funny sentiment with florals. You can find more snarky stamps here! I stamped the If Ignorance sentiment in Versafine Clair ink and clear embossed it. I then stamped the Lotus twice in Hickory Smoke Distress Ink and colored them up with my colored pencils. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful week!

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Bathroom Humor Card

 Hello friends! Ericka here, and today, I have a little bathroom humor in a card.

I stamped the Bathtub and Bathtub Life Saying stamps (comes in a set) on a white card base using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and clear embossed it. I colored up the image with some Sharpies and used some blue ink to lightly blend ink around the edges. I added a hand drawn border to finish my card. I love these humorous stamps for quick cards to make friends smile. Check out some more fun ones here.

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Snarky Marriage Card

 Hello friends! Ericka here, and today I have a fun, snarky card for the married people in your life.

 I love the fun Marriage Is Like sentiment, and for my card today, I paired it with the Cards Suit Hand. I used some Lindy's Magical sprays on my background, and once it was dry, white heat embossed the Marriage Is Like sentiment. On a separate piece of paper, I stamped the Cards Suit Hand with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and clear embossed it. I fussy cut the cards out and attached them to my background with foam tape. Thank you for stopping by, and if you love a little snark, be sure to check out these fun sentiments!

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Mixed Media Card Encouragement Card

 

Hello friends! Ericka here and today I have a mixed media card I made using my gel press along with the Built From Fire sentiment. I love this encouraging sentiment and it goes with a variety of images but today I paired it with the Apple Blossom stamp and colored it up with my watercolor markers.  

I have a huge stash of gel press prints and thought this orange one would go well with the sentiment. I stamped and clear heat embossed it and then added some leftover washi tape from a past project. I stamped the Apple Blossom on Bristol Smooth paper and clear embossed it and watercolored it with my brush makers,  I fussy cut the image out and glued it to my background to complete my card. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful week!

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Embossed Valentine's Card

 Happy New Year, friends! Ericka here and today I have a watercolor embossed Valentine's Day card.

I created a watercolor background using Lindy's Magical Shakers on watercolor paper. After my background was dry, I used the Swirly Hearts stamp and embossed it with the Lindy's Cowabunga Copper and added a second coat of That's Marvelous Chunky embossing powder on the large heart. I stamped the Happy Valentine's sentiment and white embossed it. I finished my card by drawing a white border to frame my watercolor background. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

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Holiday Season Snow Card

 

Hello friends! Ericka here and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas celebration. I'm still on holiday break and so technically its still the holiday season right? Today I have a quick card I made with some winter stamps. I love the scripty font of the Enjoy the Warmth sentiment and clear heat embossed it. I then stamped the Snowlady Neiva along with the Holly Snowflake Swirl and some additional Snowflakes. I used some clear sparkle embossing powder for all the images to give them a look of sparkly snow. I colored up my snowlady with some markers and then added some Lindy's Gang Magical spray. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

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Winter Joy Ink Card

Hello friends! Ericka here and I hope this holiday season finds you well. It is a busy time of the year and, at least for me, sometimes I get stuck in hustle and bustle of things and forget to find the joy in the season.  

So today, I took some time and made a peaceful scene using Distress Oxide inks in Uncharted Mariner and Salvaged Patina. I then stamped the Spruce Tree Small and Spruce Tree Tall in Versafine Clair Rainforest ink. I then stamped the Small Buck and Doe set in Versafine Clair Nocturn ink. I wanted to remind myself and other to find "joy" in all the things this season and I love the script font of the Joy Written sentiment. I finished my card with some heat embossing and added a little White Twinkle embossing to give my hills a little shine. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you find joy and peace this Christmas season.

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Christmas Grinch Gift Tag

Hello friends! Ericka here with a quick watercolor tag. I made the Grinch Head stamp. I love this stamp and have to use it at least once if not more, every year.

This time I stamped and clear embossed him on a tag and watercolored him up using Lindy's Gang watercolors. I added the Grinch Heart Ornament stamp and the Grinch Small Heart Sentiment. After everything was dry, I added a little Lucky Clover Distress ink around the edges and used a black pen to make a frame around my tag.

Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to check out all the wonderful Grinch stamps available in the store.

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Snarky Christmas Tag

Hello, crafty friends! Ericka here, and I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Today I am starting on some Christmas tags for the holiday. And as always, with every holiday, you need a little humor to get you through.

I love the Fun and Games sentiment and thought it would go well with the Side Reindeer who might have been getting into trouble with some Christmas Lights.  I started with a gel press print I made with the Holly Branch and then cut a smaller tag to go in front. I stamped my Reindeer and Lights, colored them with colored pencils, and cut them out. I love this fun reindeer; he goes well with just about any sentiment. I stamped, and white heat embossed the sentiment to finish my snarky tag. Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to shop the sale going on now!

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Autumn Speedy Recovery Card

Hello, crafty friends! Ericka here and today I have a card I made for a friend who is feeling a bit under the weather.

I used my gel press with some acrylic paint and then stamped the Skeleton Leaves on my gel press to get a light imprint. I then stamped the same leaves around the edges and heat-embossed them in gold. I used the finished my card with the Wishing Speedy Recovery sentiment.
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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Christmas Coffee Card Don't Get Your Tinsel In A Tangle

Hello friends, Ericka here, and today I have a coffee Christmas card as part of the Fall Winter 2023 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. Make sure you check out the original post here on ways to enter to win.

 For my card today, I used a gel press print that I had stamped the Holly Branch on along with the Coffee Cup. I cut out the coffee cup and a separate Holly Branch and applied it to my card. The Tinsel sentiment is perfect and describes perfectly what would happen if there was no coffee for the holidays. I added a border and some hand-drawn holly on the edges to finish my card. Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to check out the amazing sale going on now. 

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2023 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

 Hello, and welcome to our blog! We are participating in the 2023 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

What does that mean for you? Lots of inspiration and an awesome sale!

Read on for more info on the hop and how to win a $25 gift certificate to our store is listed at the bottom of this post.

Our Coffee, Tea, & Cocoa, Autumn/Fall, and Winter stamps are all 20% OFF until Nov. 11th.

Our design team has created some cards using some of our stamps that are on sale to help inspire you. If you click on their name, it will take you to their blog post telling you how they created their card, or you can click on the stamps they used to purchase them.

Check out their beautiful cards below...

Cornelia

Stamps Used: Hot Chocolate Hug Saying, Coffee Cup Heart, Cookie Trio

Ericka
Stamps Used: Holiday Wishes, Coffee Cup Heart, Holly

Nadine

Stamps Used: Shared With A Friend, Coffee Cup Lg., Holly Branch

Tracy

Stamps Used: Fueled By Caffeine, Pumpkin Spice, Coffee Drink

Kelly

Stamps Used: Coffee Murder, Cat Sketchy, Santa's Hat Lg.

Shanna

Stamps Used: If Ignorance, Lady With Coffee

Vicky

Stamps Used: Happy Turkey Day, Eat, Drink & Be Thankful, Mug

Monica

Stamps Used: When I Dunk, Kid Frankenstein

Now for what you've been waiting for: how to win!

Visit the Coffee Loving Blog post HERE to find out how to win lots of prizes along with a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate to our Crackerbox Stamps Store.

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