It's hard to believe Thanksgiving has passed and we're in the home stretch toward the holidays. Over the Thanksgiving weekend we were thankful for down time with family and friends, but itching to get decorating and DIY-ing for what's next. This can be a hectic time of year, so we're all about keeping things simple. This DIY Color Block Holiday Card project is a simple and inexpensive way to send cheer to your loved ones. And, you most likely have the majority of the supplies at home. It was inspired by our Color Block Kids Party Invitation (also available in pinks!) made for the boys' 2nd birthday party earlier this year, but we also have a new Color Block Holiday Photo Card with convenient customization. With some quick snips of colored tissue paper, you can recreate this bold typeface design into a one-of-a-kind Christmas card. Instructions below!
Materials needed:
Tissue Paper - We used green and red, but any combination would work! Just one sheet of each color will be plenty.
Blank Cards or Card Stock paper - Most craft stores sell 5" x 7" blank cards and matching envelopes, or you can cut a 10" x 7" sheet of card stock and fold in half. Use some spare envelopes or buy some from the craft store as well.
Bone Folder - For trouble-free folding!
Glue Stick - Make sure the glue stick is new - or retains its moisture. If it's too sticky you will have trouble working with the tissue. Also be sure it dries clear.
Scissors - The sharper, the better! Cutting tissue paper is tricky because the paper is very delicate. Sharp scissors will make cutting a breeze.
Craft Knife (optional) - Some people are more comfortable cutting small pieces with a craft knife. Just be sure it's super sharp, to get a clean cut of tissue paper.
Step 1: Using just a small corner of tissue, start by cutting your shapes. For "Noel" each vertical line was about 2" x 1/4" and each horizontal line was about 1" x 1/4" but we say, the more imperfections the better.
Step 2: Glue your shapes onto your card, one at a time. This step can be frustrating, so bring on the patience. A nice, new, moist glue stick will be a tremendous help. We suggest using a blank piece of paper as a gluing surface. Gently (and we mean ever-so-softly) apply glue to one side of the tissue <insert frustrations here> It will be ok, just be gentle. Lay your piece of tissue down on the card and smooth with a glue-free finger. What we like best about the look of this DIY is the overlapping of colors. You can just apply glue directly on the card, then lay the tissue on top, but you will see the dried glue surrounding the shapes.
All done! You can get creative with this DIY and come up with any shapes you like. Our Color Block Kids Party Invitation had some fun arrows and scalloped edging, so we definitely wanted to include that in our cards.
We'd love to see the cards you come up with. Be sure to share any pictures on our Facebook page!
Happy crafting!
For more fun DIY ideas, visit our website!
We're all still giddy about the birth of Sabrina's third baby, William. She had favorite photographer Sarah Wert of Modern Kids Photography capture the exciting first moments as a family of five and they turned out just beautifully. James and Alex waited so patiently for the arrival of their baby brother, so this photo of them is just perfect. We love how Sabrina decorated the nursery with colorful wall decals from Gosh and Golly, too.
