The Secret to DIY Christmas Card Making

With these household craft items you can design mini-masterpieces that will instill Christmas wonder. Break out your markers, favorite colored ink pads, scissors and holiday rubber stamps. Don't forget to invest in patterned holiday paper to use an an accent.

You don't have to be a professional crafter or have a million extra hours to spend attempting to draw elaborate snowflakes and extraordinary details. Simply follow these fun hacks to put together some holiday cards that your friends and family members will love!

Snowman Surprise – A card with a snowman silhouette is sure to have everyone dreaming of white Christmas. Whether you have a rubber stamp or you draw three snowballs, this design is easy to do on your own. Make the cards pop by adding a jaunty green scarf. The contrast of a colorful scarf against black and white will make a singular impression!

Ornament Array – Brighten a classic black and white outline of a Christmas tree with hand drown ornaments. You can use a Christmas tree rubber stamp or draw a triangle Christmas tree free hand. Then grab your colorful markers and add big polka dots that will look like ornaments. Diagonal lines can be made to look like a red garland, which will add more contrast. For the real artist who wants to do more than dots and stripes, you can always skip the ornaments and draw colorful presents in different sizes.

Stick to Santa Sayings – Drawing fine details is not everyone’s favorite talent. Are you better with a joke or a happy greeting? You can skip the stress of sketching and use a rubber Santa stamp. Add a thought bubble then write a personalized greeting to the card’s recipient. With a jolly stamp, you can convey the heartfelt mirth of good ol’ St. Nick on a festive card. If you’re feeling creative, write a different Santa salutation for everyone on your list.

Simple. Ornate. Classic. – If you have quality paper at home, your card won’t need a lot of extra details. You can layer two colors or a patterned base and a solid to create a clean crisp look. Use a stamp or your favorite microns for the finishing touch. All you’ll need to finish this style off is a centered “Merry Christmas” greeting.

Cardstock & Ribbon Ornaments - Cards that double as homemade ornaments are a keepsake your truest friends will hold onto. Follow the same simple method as above to create a layered look. If you don’t have heavy cardstock or textured paper to give a unique look, you can substitute fun wrapping paper and tissue paper. Cut the layers into circles then use a hole punch to get a crisp hole for hanging ribbon.

Emboss with a Shimmer – Give your cards a professional look with raised text by gathering embossing supplies. With basic rubber stamps, embossing pigment ink, embossing powder and a heating tool (a blow dryer works!), you can make eye-catching designs. The glitter of metallic ink can create a moody glow that will brighten hearts all winter season.

Send A Spiritual Message – Are you creating a card for a family member that celebrates the holiday with a Menorah or Advent Calendar? Sending an uplifting spiritual message is a great way to show you care. Make a card with a religious method, when you use a stamp with Happy Hanukkah, Star of David or a Peace Dove.

A Greetings Tree – Do you have a collection of stamps that is just words and no fun designs? You can get crafty with a one-line “Merry Christmas” stamp. Consider simple horizontal or diagonal strips. Get funky and make abstract shapes with various colors of ink. Or make a greetings tree by making a triangle with your holiday message.

Get with the Frozen Theme – Is dressing like Elsa or Anna your daughter’s favorite pastime? She might enjoy helping you make Frozen-themed cards. Use teal, blue and white colored cardstock. Add snowflakes, snowmen, tiaras, mittens and any other princess stamps you owned to really create an imagination wonderland.

Peppermint Play – Never underestimate the power of red and white stripes and candy cane craziness. The kids will love to help make a giant round peppermint or a striped candy cane card. All it takes is some red and white paper, scissors and glue. No stamps, markers or extra artistry needed. The red and white contrast will create cool peppermint vibes all season long.

Address Stamp Cheats – Do you have an address stamp that you only planned on using for the outside of your envelope? You can create a set with an envelope and matching card with this little trick. It works especially well if you have an ornate design featuring your last name at the top. Using tape or a sheet of paper, cover up the bottom two address lines of your stamp, and leave an impression of just your last name. You will have your very own personalized stationery!