Category Archives: Christmas

Old Fashioned Christmas Card Kit Reveal

Old Fashioned Christmas-Card Kit Reveal-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

An Old Fashioned Christmas Card Kit Reveal for The Button Farm Club

Hello, Friends!  Just as I promised, I’m back today to share my Old Fashioned Christmas Card Kit Reveal for The Button Farm Club.  It’s stuffed fuller than Santa’s stocking with 5 different card designs (14 cards total) and a really fun to make Christmas folio.

When it comes to Christmas, Simple Stories really knows how to do it right!  Everything in this collection speaks to all the warmth and memories of Christmas gone by.  The rich color palette, traditional patterns (with lots of Christmas plaid!) and beautiful imagery makes this one of my favorite Christmas card kits ever.

Stylish Diagonal Gift Card Pockets

Diagonal Gift Card Pocket-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Gift cards have become a very popular item for Christmas giving.  But I always want to dress up the packaging, don’t you?  So I designed 4 diagonal gift card pockets, filled each one with tags and ephemera from the collection, embellished with cute snowflake buttons, and included a larger writing space on the back side.

These cards should fit nicely into a 5″ x 7″ envelope, and  are lightweight and easy to mail.

Dimensional Frame Cards for Gifting or Home Decor

Die Cut Frame-Christmas Cards-Simple Stories-Old Fashioned Christmas-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Look at all the jolly Santa images in this Old Fashioned Christmas Card Kit!  We use the nesting frame dies that come in the kit to really make them pop!  And there’s a fun surprise inside each 5″ x 7″ card, too!

Shaped Cards with Gift Card Pockets

Old Fashioned Christmas Cards-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

I’m really excited about the set of nesting dies that comes with this kit!  I’ve used them here to create a quartet of stylish shaped cards.  Easy to make, and beautiful to give.  What more could you ask for?

Shaped Easel Display Cards

Shaped Easel Cards-Simple Stories-Old Fashioned Christmas-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Can you picture this pair of shaped easel cards displayed on a mantle with candles and greenery?  Oh, how I love a good display card!  The base for this card comes together in under a minute.  Then we simply die cut all those gorgeous layers using the nesting dies.  The end result speaks for itself.

Old Fashioned Christmas Folio

Simple Stories-Old Fashioned Christmas-Folio-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Need a place to document all your warm and wonderful Christmas memories?  This 5″ x 9″ folio is loaded with room for photos, journaling and holiday fun.  It’s a super easy construction, and such a cute way to display all those happy moments.

Old Fashioned Christmas Card Kit Reveal on YouTube

If you’d like to see more of what is in the kit, along with a tour of the finished cards, please grab a cuppa and a snack and enjoy this video on my YouTube channel:

What Comes in Your Kit?

Old Fashioned Christmas-Card Kit-Button Farm Club-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Look at all the gorgeous goodies that come in your kit:

  • Simple Stories Simple Vintage Old Fashioned Christmas 12×12 collection pack with
  • 12 double sided sheets of designer paper and a cardstock sticker sheet.
  • Old Fashioned Christmas 6×8 pad with 24 sheets of double sided designer paper, 2 of each design.
  • Button Farm Club exclusive Nesting Metal Frame Dies (11 pieces)
  • 10 sheets of soft white cardstock (8 ½” x 11”)
  • 5 sheets of Christmas Red Cardstock (8 ½” X 11”)
  • 5 sheets of Christmas Green Cardstock (8 ½” x 11”)
  • 10 yards of burlap string
  • 12 antique bronze mini jingle bells
  • 10 wooden snowflake buttons
  • 20 mini pinecones
  • 2 sheets of exclusive Christmas sentiments, designed by Kathy specifically for this collection
  • Full Color Basic Written Guide
  • Links to step by step tutorials that you can watch over and over again.

You can order your kit today at The Button Farm Club:

https://www.buttonfarmclub.com/collections/shop-all-new/products/%E2%9B%84simple-vintage-evergreen-memories-card-kit-by-kathy-clement%F0%9F%8E%84

As always, thank you so much for your enthusiastic support for these Button Farm Club Kits!

Cheerio,

kathy

 

Make a Stack Quick and Easy to Mail Christmas Cards

Ciao Bella Christmas Vibes Make a Stack Quick and Easy Christmas Cards                                                                           (And the project that took over my life.)                                                                                                           A Ghost of Christmas Past Tutorial and Project share

Hello, Friends!  The Christmas countdown in in full swing, and I have a great tutorial for 7 Ciao Bella Christmas Vibes Make a Stack Quick and Easy to Mail Christmas cards for you today.  If you’re like me, the space between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems extra short this year, so I am behind in all things Christmas.

I don’t send a lot of Christmas cards through the mail any more, but I do have a few very special people that I like to remember with a “real” card.  These cards need to be quick to make and easy to mail…but not boring.

So I began this Ghost of Christmas Past project with a search through the Closet for a beloved older collection that was nearly used up.  Ciao Bella Christmas Vibes was a very popular Button Farm Club Card Kit. I loved it so much that I bought the Christmas Vibes Junk Journal and Ephemera Book when it came out, and paired it up with my leftover bits and bobs from my personal Christmas Vibes collection.  A perfect start to a quick and easy tutorial.

The Project that Took over My Life

Ciao Bella-Christmas Vibes-Make a Stack-Easy to Mail-Christmas Cards-Christmas Countdown Box-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Of course, while sifting through the beautiful collection, ideas began to pop in my mind.  “What if I use these small scraps to make a Christmas Countdown Box?”  I even had the perfect box tucked away in The Closet.  And the next thing I knew, I was up to my neck in this Christmas Countdown Treasure Box of Tags.

It took over my life.

First, I had to paint the box.

Next came distressing.

Then cutting, inking, and adhering all these little paper panels with scraps of Christmas Vibes.

Now we coat everything with Distress Vintage Crazing Paste.

Don’t forget to spatter!

Die cut 25 itty bitty cardstock envelopes and make itty bitty tags to tuck inside each one.

Cut out 13 tags from black cardstock and line with silver and gold foil cardstock.

Decorate the tags and envelopes.

Oh, yeah…don’t forget to decorate the box!

Ay, yi, yi!

So happy I did it!

Actually, I enjoyed (almost) every minute of making this lovely Christmas project.  Brass feet were the perfect finishing touch, especially once I brushed them with vintage gold metallic wax.

Ciao Bella-Christmas Vibes-Christmas Countdown Treasure Box-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

And just look at the gorgeous floral topper!  Those are Reneabouquets Poinsettias in the center of a lovely Reneabouquets Christmas Holly wreath.

I’ll share a closer look at the project in the video project share and tutorial below.

Ciao Bella Christmas Vibes Make a Stack of Quick and Easy to Mail Christmas Cards Tutorial

I hope I shared some tips, tricks and ideas that will help you make some quick and easy to mail Christmas Cards this season.

I’ll be back on Wednesday with an interactive card design that I’m planning in my head right now.  We’ll be using Ciao Bella Hot Cocoa & Holly and Simple Stories Simple Vintage Flannel.  If things come out the way they look in my brain, we’ll be in for a good time.

You can find a linked supply list below this post.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!

Cheerio,

kathy

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**Please note:  Ghost of Christmas Past projects feature older collections to inspire you to use up your stash.  I may not be able to link to all products here.  You can also find linked products within the video tutorial.  Thanks for understanding.

Twinkle and Treats Christmas Cookie Recipe Album Tutorial

Prima Marketing-Twinkle and Treats-Cookie Recipe Album-Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Prima Twinkle and Treats Christmas Cookie Recipe Album Tutorial

Hello, Friends!  It’s Wonderful Wednesday and I have a quick and easy Prima Twinkle and Treats Christmas Cookie Recipe Album Tutorial to share with you.  I don’t know about you, but when the calendar page turns to the month of December, my family starts thinking about Christmas Cookies!

I have spent decades baking thousands of delicious Christmas treats to share with friends and family.  These carefully curated recipes are kept in their very own album, and I love having them all in one spot.

The minute I laid eyes on Twinkle and Treats, I knew I would be making a Christmas cookie album with it.  And today’s the day!

Sweet as Sugar Cookies!

How sweet is this lovely little recipe album?  I think it’s as sweet as sugar cookies!  Measuring 6 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ with a trifold design, it offers loads of room for recipes, photos and memories.  The older I get, the more thankful I am to have photos of my mom in the kitchen!  Now I have photos of myself with our darling grandchildren in the kitchen, and that is what makes an album like this so special, don’t you agree?

New Easy Page Design

Does a design ever pop into your head that makes you say, “Why didn’t I think of this before? ”  That’s what happened when I was designing this album.  The pages are oh, so easy to put together.  This means that you will have time to create this Cookie Book  in time to give it as a holiday gift!

Here’s a peek at the trifold design.  Each page unit has a pull out page with loads of room for photos or even a handwritten recipe.

But there are also these fun post card pages!  Write your recipe on the post card and tuck it into the photo corners for safe-keeping.  Then add a photo of the finished product, or a family member behind the post card.  It’s like a twofer!

Twinkle and Treats Christmas Cookie Recipe Album Tutorial on YouTube

Would you like to see more of the details tucked into this Christmas confection?  Learn how to make the easy page units and decorate the album cover with me in this video tutorial.

Basic directions and measurements for this album can be found in the description box below the video tutorial on my YouTube channel.  I’ve added a linked supply list below this video.

I’ll be back soon with another Ghost of Christmas Past project.  If you haven’t seen those yet, you can find them HERE.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!

Cheerio,

kathy

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Prima Twinkle and Treats Fancy Fold Cards Tutorial

Prima Twinkle and Treats-Triple Treat Pop Up Cards-Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Prima Twinkle and Treats Fancy Fold Cards Tutorial

Hello, Friends!  Are you ready for this promised Prima Twinkle and Treats Fancy Fold Cards Tutorial?  I’m calling this design a “Triple Treat Pop Up” because it has two pop up mechanisms and a shaker front.  Best of all, these are super quick and easy to make.  If you thought that tunnel cards were an addiction, then prepare to be obsessed again!

Prima-Twinkle and Treats-Triple Treat Pop Up Card-Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

This shaker frame is made with an ornament die and a circle die.  We use the same shaker frame technique that I demonstrated in THIS video.  Once you learn how to make your own shaker frames, you’ll be seeing your die collection in a whole new light, let me tell you!

Prima twinkle and Treats Triple Treat Pop Up Card Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

The back of the card has a sweet little pocket with a post card, tea bag and honey stick insert.  Cute, right?

Vertical Triple Treat Card with Prima Twinkle and Treats

Prima Twinkle and Treats-Shaker Card-Pop Up Card-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Here’s the same card concept done up in a vertical format.  Look at those darling elves decorating their gingerbread house for Christmas!

Prima-Twinkle and Treats-Shaker Card Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

The pocket on this sweet card holds a mini notecard and a bookmark.  These make wonderful little Christmas Gifts for co-workers and neighbors, too.

Prima Twinkle and Treats Fun Fold Cards Tutorial on YouTube

Would you like to learn how to make this festive card design?  I hope you’ll grab a cuppa and a snack (maybe some leftover pie?) and join me for a complete tutorial over on my YouTube channel.

Now that you’ve carved the turkey, carve out some time in your crafty space and try your hand at this quick and easy card design.  I love it when a card is easy to make, but looks like you need a PhD to create it, don’t you?

I’ll be back soon with another Ghost of Christmas Past project.  Until then, stay cozy, play with pretty paper, and be well!

You can find a linked supply list below this post.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!

Cheerio,

kathy

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Graphic 45 Deck the Halls Christmas Explosion Box Tutorial

Graphic 45-Deck the Halls-Maja Design-Christmas Nostalgia-Christmas Explosion Box-Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design

Graphic 45 Deck the Halls Christmas Explosion Box Tutorial for Wonderful Wednesday

Hello, Friends!  We’re going to have so much fun today as I share this Graphic 45 Deck the Halls Christmas Explosion Box Tutorial with you!  We’ve invited Maja Design Christmas Nostalgia to this paper party as well, along with lots of pretty snowflakes and cheery snowmen.

This summer, I designed a large (5 1/2″ square) steampunk explosion box for our son’s birthday.  It looked so good and functioned so well as a home decor item, that I decided to share the tutorial with you this Christmas.

My process for making these boxes is probably a little different from what you’ve made in the past.  So if you’re ready to get started on this crafty adventure with me, let’s go!

Blue and Silver Christmas

Begin the adventure by pulling all the “blue” papers from your G45 Deck the Halls and Maja Design Christmas Nostalgia collections.  My thought was to create a blue Christmas project that could flow right into winter.

TIP:  Dig into your stash of handmade flowers and use them to embellish the cover of your box.  Be sure to die cut plenty of foliage so that your arrangement is nice and full.

Inside the Box

When you remove the lid from the box, the sides magically fall down to reveal an innovative folio inside.  We have waterfall elements, pull out pages, pull down pages and pop ups tucked inside. This gives you plenty of room to add photos to your box.

I found a darling Melissa Frances cloche stashed away in the closet and used it to create the woodland scene.

And pop up pages are always a favorite element.

Graphic 45 Deck the Halls Christmas Explosion Box Tutorial on YouTube

Would you like to see more of this box and learn how to build your own?  Then please grab a cuppa and a snack and join me on my YouTube channel for the full tutorial.

You can find a linked supply list below this post.

I hope today’s tutorial has you inspired to play with pretty Christmas papers!  I’ll be back soon with another Ghost of Christmas Past project share and mini tutorial.

Thanks so much for stopping by, friends!

Cheerio,

kathy

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