Part of our Card Ideas and Sentiments guides.
If you need to make a lot of handmade Christmas cards this year and you are already tired thinking about it, this page is for you. Below are 20 stamped card designs organized by style and by who the card is for, a method for getting through 50 cards without hating the process, and a section on what to write inside once the front is done. Every stamp set mentioned is one we make here in Minnesota, in red rubber, mounted on cling foam, and every sentiment is quoted exactly as it prints.
A quick word on why we wrote this. We read a few hundred posts from cardmakers on Reddit, Splitcoaststampers, and craft forums about Christmas cards. The same three problems came up every time: I have a stack of stamps but cannot put a card together, I get bored making the same card 50 times, and I never know what to write inside. This page is built around those three problems. Skip to whatever one is yours.
Classic and traditional Christmas cards
For the relatives who want a Christmas card to look like a Christmas card. Poinsettias, ornaments, a proper red and green.
Painted Poinsettias
Two solid-silhouette poinsettias, a berry cluster, and four sentiments, including warmest wishes from our family to yours and It's the most wonderful time of the year. Stamp the flowers in a deep red on white, the berries in green, and the sentiment in black. It is the card your aunt puts on the mantle and leaves there until February.
Bold Baubles
A large teardrop ornament, a round ornament, and three one-word sentiments: Joy, Peace, Noel. One ornament stamped in gold on navy cardstock with Peace underneath is a finished card in under three minutes, and it looks like something from a stationery shop.
Who it is for: the traditionalist. Your mother-in-law. The friend who decorates in the same colors every year and likes it that way.
Quiet and meaningful Christmas cards
By the second week of December, most people do not need more cheer. They need a minute of calm. These cards give them one.
Where Treetops Listen
A scene-building set: a buck and a doe in silhouette, two spruce trees, falling snow, and three sentiments. All is Calm. All is Bright. Wishing you peace in every season. May your year be calm and bright. Stamp the trees and deer in a soft gray on white, add the snow, and let the white space do the work. This is the card for the friend who is quietly worn out.
Nestled Near at Christmas
A round little bird in a knit hat and scarf, perched on a snowy branch, with The season shines brighter when you're near. Small, warm, unhurried.
Winter Blessings
A long-needled pine branch with cones drawn in fine pen and ink, and three sentiments in a formal script: Winter blessings, May this winter bring peace and serenity, and Wishing you a blessed Winter, a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. It needs no color at all. Black on cream is enough.
Who it is for: anyone who had a hard year. The friend who says "I'm fine" and is not.
Funny and honest Christmas cards for people who are over it
One cardmaker on Reddit put it this way: "I'm developing an aversion to the traditional imagery and colors. It's just so repetitive and boring. I want to make a Christmas card that will really stand out." We hear that a lot. So we make the other kind of Christmas card. These are, by a wide margin, our best-selling Christmas sets.
Ho Ho No Pissy Kitty
Our number one Christmas set and our number one set overall. A deeply unimpressed cat in festive gear, plus sentiments like Fa la la...blah, blah, blah, No one told me I had to be nice, and simply Ho Ho No. It is the card for the friend who skips the carols and goes straight for the cookies.
Frosty and Feisty
The same cat, bundled into a knit hat, done with winter: Not a fan of sweater weather, Guess who's not in the holiday spirit?, Walking in a winter "why am I here" land.
Merry Whatever
A grumpy cat in antlers with Deck the halls, or don't, whatever and I'm full of good cheer on the inside.
Holiday Hustle
A 1950s hostess behind a tower of wrapped gifts, and the sentiment is the truest thing we print all year: Christmas magic is mostly tape, receipts, and quiet rage. Also Making spirits bright is exhausting. Send this to the person who is hosting.
Let's Get This Over With
An older couple on a park bench and six sentiments, including Do we really have to do this again? and May your holidays be merry, bright and over quickly. For the couple who has been married 40 years and says exactly what they think.
Hold on Santa
A frazzled chicken in a Santa hat: Hold on Santa, I can explain, Guess who's getting COAL for Christmas?, and Underwear is NOT a Christmas gift. Santa's getting a letter.
Merry Crisis
A round Santa and reindeer with When what to my wondering eyes did appear but ten extra lbs. on my thighs and my rear. It is not subtle. That is the point.
Who it is for: the friend who is hosting, wrapping, and running on fumes. The card that says "I see you" instead of "Joy to the world." If your Christmas card list has one person on it who would rather laugh than be comforted, this is their card.
Whimsical Christmas cards with animals
For kids, grandkids, and the friend whose fridge is covered in critter cards.
Merry Moo and Birdie Too
A Highland cow in a holly crown with a small bird in a bobble hat sitting on her horn. Sentiments: You make the season feel brighter and Mooey Christmas. Stamp the cow in brown, leave the holly red, and color nothing else.
A Whiff of Christmas Cheer
A fluffy skunk holding a candy cane. Have a stinkin' sweet Christmas. It is somehow the sweetest Christmas character we make.
Santa's Cottontail
A lop-eared bunny in a Santa hat with an ornament: Somebunny wishes you a Merry Christmas and Little joys make the season bright.
Snugglebuck
A reindeer face in a striped knit hat with hearts. Stay cozy, my dear. The card for a grandchild, or a friend who is always cold.
Just for You Dear
A little winter deer in a cozy scarf with Just for you dear and joyful wishes. A top-fifteen Christmas seller and the fastest cute card in the set: deer, sentiment, done.
Something About Christmas
A tall, top-hatted snowman with There's something about Christmas time. One of our most-loved snowmen and one of our best sellers.
Who it is for: the people who get a sticker on the envelope too.
Christian Christmas cards and nativity stamps
There is an entire forum thread on Splitcoaststampers titled "Christian Christmas Stamps???" because people cannot find them. We have made them for years.
Born for Us
Mary, Joseph, and the manger with three sentiments: oh come let us adore Him, Unto you a Savior is born, and love born for us. It is our best-selling religious Christmas set. Stamp in a deep blue or brown on cream cardstock.
Joy of Baby Jesus
Mary cradling the infant under stars, with Joy to the world the Lord has come.
Let All Adore Him
A snowman kneeling at a manger. Sentiments: Come let us adore him and May the wonder of the first Christmas be with you. It is gentle enough for a child's Sunday school class and reverent enough for the pastor.
Rejoice
A cross on a hill with He is the Way and Rejoice in the Lord always. Not strictly Christmas, which means it works from Advent through Easter.
Who it is for: the church family, the Sunday school teacher, the grandmother who wants the reason for the season on the front of the card, not tucked inside.
Vintage and retro Christmas cards
For the aesthetic that photographs well and stands out on a mantle full of glossy photo cards.
A Wink From Santa
A mid-century winking Santa with a small bird on his hat. A wink, a wish, and Christmas cheer. Stamp him in black on a kraft card and color only his cheeks and hat.
Holiday Lane
Victorian house silhouettes, a village scene, and Santa's sleigh, with four sentiments including Season's Greetings from our home to yours and A cozy Christmas and a Happy New Year. It is the set that makes a whole neighborhood on one card front.
Warm Wishes for Your Home
Two houses drawn in fine pen and ink with snow on the roofs: a Cape with a wreath on the door and a farmhouse with a bare tree beside it. Sentiments include May your home be filled with the wonder and joy of the season. Stamp in black and color only the door and windows.
Who it is for: the new homeowner. The neighbor. The family you will not see this year.
Christmas cards for cat people and dog people
Some people organize their Christmas card list by pet. We know because two of our top three Christmas sets are cats.
Merry Catmas
A dozen cats stacked into the shape of a Christmas tree. merry catmas. That is the whole set and it does not need anything else.
Woofy Christmas
The companion: eleven dogs stacked into a tree. Woofy Christmas.
Hissy Kringle Pissy Kitty
A scowling fluffy cat in a slouched Santa hat with Silent night? Yes please, Santa, don't bother. I'm already on the naughty list, and, unexpectedly, Fine. I admit it. I wish you were here.
Pawsitively Wrapped Up
A shaggy dog tangled in Christmas lights and ribbon. Sorry, I got a little wrapped up. I tried. That's all I'm saying.
Tinsel Antics
A scruffy deer in a scarf sending warm cozy wishes and be merry and bright.
Who it is for: the friend who signs the card from herself and the dog.
Clean and simple Christmas cards that don't look homemade
A cardmaker wrote, "I still feel like these look too homemade." The fix is almost always the same: fewer things on the card. One stamp, one ink, and white space.
Frosted Lace
A single large geometric snowflake, nearly four inches across, with Let it snow and Here's to the wonder of winter and the warmth of the holidays. Stamp the snowflake in white pigment ink on navy or kraft, or in pale blue on white, and put the sentiment in the lower corner. Done.
Simple Little Wishes
An itty bitty set: one delicate pine tree, one tiny ornament, and two sentiments, merriest little wishes and simple joys and sweet memories. It is one of our best-selling Christmas sets and it is an itty bitty, so it is one of the least expensive ways in. One tree stamped in green in the center of a white card is the entire design.
Twinkle Toes
A round sketchy creature tangled in twinkle lights, with You light up the season. Stamp in black, color the bulbs, stop there.
Sending Christmas Smiles
A cheerful top-hatted snowman with You put the merry in my Christmas. Stamp him in black on kraft with white ink for the snow.
Who it is for: you, if you are making 50 of them. And the friend with modern taste who does not want glitter.
Christmas cards for someone far away
The kid at college. The sibling overseas. The parent in memory care who will not remember the card by dinner but will smile when it is opened. This card has to do the job of a hug.
Across the Miles
A snowman in a beanie and scarf holding a branch with a heart on it. One sentiment: Across the miles, love arrives first. That line is the whole reason the set exists.
Nestled Near at Christmas
Pairs with Across the Miles: No distance can dim the warmth of Christmas love.
Woodland Visitors
A top-hatted snowman with a bird on his arm and a rabbit at his feet, drawn like a vintage engraving, and the two sentiments say exactly what you mean: Can't wait to see you again and It's been too long. One of our top-fifteen Christmas sellers, and the card for the friend you keep meaning to call.
Warm Wishes for Your Home
Carries the longer sentiment for this one: Wishing you the warmth of home, the love of family and the joy of friends all year long. For the family you will not see this year.
Who it is for: anyone whose chair will be empty at the table.
What to send someone who is grieving at Christmas
This is the hardest card of the year and the one people ask about most quietly. Her husband died in March. It is her first Christmas alone. "Merry Christmas" is the wrong thing to say, and a sympathy card feels like it is nine months late. What do you send?
You send a card that names the season and the loss in the same breath. That is what Christmas Comfort does. It is nine sentiments and no image, so it pairs with any evergreen, candle, or star stamp you already own. Your loss is in my heart this holiday season. May the spirit of Christmas bring healing to your heart. Wishing you gentle moments of love and remembrance this season. Stamp in gray or soft brown rather than black. It is one of our top-selling sympathy sets for a reason.
Where Treetops Listen
Works here too, with the deer and trees in soft gray, and Wishing you peace in every season. Nothing on the card says Merry.
Juniper Girl
A girl in a knit hat beside a trimmed tree, holding a mug, with holding you close in my thoughts. It is a Christmas image and a sympathy sentiment on one card, which is exactly the combination nobody else makes.
Guided by Grace
A mixed-media angel with His light never fades, even in your darkest hour. For the person of faith.
Who it is for: the friend dreading December. Send it early, in the first week, before the season gets loud. Handwrite the inside. This is not a card to batch.
Small Christmas cards for teachers, neighbors, and the mail carrier
These are the fifteen cards that go with a plate of cookies. They need to be quick, they need to be cheerful, and they need to not feel like an afterthought.
Holiday Hide and Peek
A snowman, a bear in a Santa hat peeking around a post, and a reindeer with ornaments on his antlers, plus gift-tag sentiments: Just because you're on the nice list, Open for a little joy, Caught you peeking! Stamp one critter on a 3 by 3 inch card, add one sentiment, tie it to the cookie tin.
A Little Ho Ho Ho
A round bearded gnome in a tall Santa hat with Have a holly jolly everything and Special delivery from the north pole. It is the quickest Christmas card in our catalog: one gnome, one sentiment, done.
With Love From Me
Four complete gift tags as stamps, with to and from lines already built in. Stamp, cut, punch, tie.
Who it is for: the bus driver, the piano teacher, the neighbor who plows your driveway without being asked.
Christmas thank-you cards nobody plans for
It is December 27 and you owe six thank-you notes. Nobody stocks these ahead of time and everyone needs them.
Frost Kissed Gratitude
A small snowman in a pom-pom hat with Your gift made my holiday sparkle and Smiling so big. I loved your gift. Make ten of these in November and put them in a drawer. You will use every one.
Simple Little Wishes
Works here too. simple joys and sweet memories on a plain white card with the little tree is a thank-you note that does not have to say thank you.
Who it is for: the aunt who sent the sweater. The coworker who did the Secret Santa right.
New Year's cards for when you missed Christmas
One cardmaker on Reddit said she makes a stack that says Happy New Year instead of Merry Christmas because it is "a good way to take the pressure off the 12/25 due date." Permission granted. A card that arrives January 4 is not late if it never claimed to be a Christmas card.
Christmas Crew
An elf, Santa, and a reindeer peeking down the edge of the card, with We wish you a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year. The sentiment covers both holidays in one line, which is why it is a top-five Christmas seller.
Winter Cheer and Deer
A reindeer silhouette over distressed text, with small label sentiments including Happy New Year and Sparkle on darling. It covers Christmas through New Year's in one set and suits a more masculine, collage-style card.
Latte Santa
A round Santa in a plaid coat cradling a mug. Have a cup of cheer and and a latte fun in the new year. For the friend you always meet for coffee.
Celebrate the New
A girl seen from behind with her arms flung up and fireworks overhead. One sentiment, Celebrate, in big script. Stamp the fireworks in gold embossing on navy.
Who it is for: everyone you did not get to by the 20th. They will not know the difference. They will just get a card.
How many designs for 50 Christmas cards
This is the question underneath every other question, and the community has already answered it. Here is what cardmakers told us, in their own words:
"I make all the same design. I make about 65 cards." "I send 50 and one year they were all the same and it was a task, wasn't fun and felt like a job." "24 is the most I've done of a single design. I will not do that again." "I make about 10 to 11 each of 10 different designs so I don't get bored."
Read enough of these and the pattern is obvious. One design for 50 cards is fastest and most people who try it never do it again. Fifty different designs is a hobby, not a project. The people who finish and still enjoy it land in the same place: three to five designs, made in batches of 10 to 15.
Here is the reasoning. A batch of 10 to 15 is long enough to get fast at the design, because by card four you are not thinking anymore. It is short enough that you finish the batch in one sitting and feel done. Three to five designs means the people who see each other's cards (your sister and your mother, your two closest coworkers) get different ones, and next year you are not trying to remember who got the snowman.
A practical split for 50 cards: 15 of your simplest design for the bulk of the list, 15 of a second simple design, 10 of something a little more detailed for closer friends, and 10 of the honest or funny one for the people who will get it. The grieving friend and the parent in memory care get their own card, made by hand, not in a batch.
The assembly-line method with cling stamps
Our stamps are red rubber on cling foam. They stick to a clear acrylic block and come off clean. No adhesive, no residue. For batching, that matters more than it sounds, because you are going to be putting the same stamp on the same block fifteen times.
- Cut everything first. All 15 card bases, all 15 panels if you are layering. Do not cut one, stamp one, cut one. Cut fifteen.
- Stamp the image on every card before you touch the sentiment. Put the image stamp on the block, ink it, stamp it, ink it, stamp it. Fifteen times. Your hand learns the pressure by the third card.
- Then the sentiment, fifteen times. Swap stamps on the block. Same rhythm. If you are using a stamp positioner, set it once and leave it.
- Color in a batch, if you are coloring. One color at a time across all fifteen cards, not one card at a time across all colors. Red cheeks on fifteen Santas, then green on fifteen hats.
- Assemble last. Adhesive, dimensional foam, ribbon. Fifteen in a row.
- Stamp the inside sentiment while the cards are still flat and stacked. It is the step everyone forgets and does one at a time later.
The rule that makes this work: never switch tasks mid-batch. The time is not in the stamping. The time is in the switching.
One stamp set, five different Christmas cards
"I have lots of pieces but can't get them put together in ways that I like." This is the most common frustration we hear, and it is not about needing more stamps. It is about not seeing the five cards already inside the set you own.
Take Holiday Lane: house silhouettes, a village, a sleigh, four sentiments. Five cards from one set:
- The village card. Stamp the full village scene in black across the bottom third of a white card. Sentiment above it in the white space. Nothing else.
- The one-house card. A single house silhouette, centered, stamped in navy on kraft. Season's Greetings from our home to yours underneath. The card for the new neighbor.
- The sleigh card. Santa's sleigh stamped across the top edge, flying off the card. Holiday hugs are on their way. For a kid.
- The repeated-house background. Stamp one house silhouette six times in a light gray to make a pattern, then one house in black over the top. Sentiment on a small strip.
- The New Year's card. The village scene again, but the sentiment is A cozy Christmas and a Happy New Year, and you send it January 2.
Same set, same block, same ink pad. Five cards that do not look like siblings. The trick in every case is the same: change the ink color, change where the image sits on the card, change which sentiment you pick. You do not need another set. You need to look at this one differently.
Background stamps that do the work for you
The fastest path to 50 cards is a background stamp and one sentiment. The background covers the card front in one impression. The sentiment finishes it. There is no assembly.
Christmas Made Beautiful
An engraved poinsettia, pine, cedar, and pinecone border over ledger paper, sized to an A2 card front, with the sentiment May your Christmas be filled with happy memories, and all the people who make life beautiful. Stamp it in a deep green or a soft brown on cream and you are done.
Christmas Songbook
Carol lyrics in handwriting, as a full background. No sentiment in the set on purpose. Stamp it in a light gray, then put any sentiment from any other set over the top.
Ornamental Pines
An A2 background plus four pop-out trees and a coordinating stencil. Background in one color, one tree in a darker shade, sentiment in the corner.
A background stamp, one sentiment stamp, and a stack of 50 blank cards is an afternoon. It is the honest answer to "how do I do this fast without it looking cheap."
Time and cost per card: real numbers
Two questions come up every time: how long does one card take, and what does it cost? Here are honest estimates from our shop and from the cardmakers we talked to. Your paper, your ink, and your speed will move them, but the ballpark holds.
Time per card, in an assembly line of 15:
- One-layer stamped card (image plus sentiment, no coloring, no layers): roughly 2 to 3 minutes each once you are in rhythm.
- Stamped and colored, one layer: 5 to 8 minutes.
- Layered card with a stamped panel, a mat, and dimensional foam: 10 to 15 minutes.
So 50 one-layer cards is about two hours of stamping. Fifty layered cards is a full weekend. Choose accordingly.
Cost per card:
- A2 card base cut from 8.5 by 11 cardstock: roughly 15 to 30 cents depending on the paper.
- Envelope: 10 to 20 cents.
- Ink: effectively nothing per card. One ink pad stamps hundreds of cards.
- A stamp set: one-time. Our itty bitty sets start under $10 and a full set runs $25 to $35. Spread across 50 cards, a $29 set is 58 cents a card, and you still own it next year.
A one-layer card comes in around 40 to 60 cents in materials, plus the stamp you keep. That is less than the cheapest boxed cards at the drugstore, and it is yours.
What to write inside a handmade Christmas card
The front is done. Now what? Cardmakers admit this is the step they rush. "It tends to be the last step. I guess I rush it." The inside is where the card stops being a craft project and becomes a note from you. The lines in italics are real sentiments from our sets, so you can stamp them. Under each group there are also a couple of lines to write by hand, for the cards where your handwriting is the point. For the full list, see 52 Christmas card sentiments you can stamp.
For family: warmest wishes from our family to yours (Painted Poinsettias). From our home to yours (Classic Canopy). Season's Greetings from our home to yours (Holiday Lane).
If you would rather write it by hand: "We miss you at the table this year. Save us a seat next time." "Same tree, same cookies, same love. Merry Christmas from all of us."
For a friend far away: Across the miles, love arrives first (Across the Miles). Sending smiles across the miles (Simply Blessed). distance means so little when someone means so much (Fluffy Flock).
If you would rather write it by hand: "You are in every story we tell this season." "The distance is only geography. Merry Christmas, friend."
For a coworker or neighbor: warm wishes for your home (Warm Wishes for Your Home). Sending warm wishes and holiday cheer (Winter Cheer and Deer). Season's Greetings (Christmas Magic).
If you would rather write it by hand: "Thanks for being one of the good ones this year." "Wishing you a slow morning, a full cup, and a bright new year."
For someone grieving: Your loss is in my heart this holiday season and May loving memories bring you comfort and peace this Christmas (Christmas Comfort). holding you close in my thoughts (Juniper Girl).
If you would rather write it by hand: "Thinking of you and of him this Christmas." "No need to reply. Just know you are loved."
For someone who does not celebrate Christmas: Cozy winter wishes heading your way (Cozy Mitts). Winter wishes (Stay Warm). May this winter bring peace and serenity (Winter Blessings).
If you would rather write it by hand: "Wishing you rest, warmth, and a bright new year." "Thinking of you as the year turns."
For the friend who is over it: Deck the halls, or don't, whatever (Merry Whatever). fa la freaking la (Snarky Holiday). May your holidays be merry, bright and over quickly (Let's Get This Over With).
If you would rather write it by hand: "We survived another one." "Deck the halls, or do not. Either way, I am glad you are in my life."
Then add one sentence that only you could write to only that person. "Still thinking about that dinner in August." "Tell Max the dog says hi." That line is yours, not ours, and it is worth more than any printed verse.
Stamped inside or handwritten? The 50/50 question
"Do you ever decorate your insides too? For me I'm about 50/50 if I add something inside or just a white rectangle to write on." Most cardmakers are somewhere near that split, and the honest answer is: it depends on the card.
Stamp the inside when you are batching. If you are making 15 of the same card, stamp the inside sentiment on all 15 while they are flat, then handwrite one line and sign. The stamped sentiment does the heavy lifting; your line does the personal part. This is also the move for a formal card, a business card, or a card going to someone you do not know well.
Handwrite the whole inside when it is one of the ten cards that matter most. The grieving friend. Your mother. The person who is going to keep it. A stamped inside on those cards reads as efficient, and efficient is not what you want them to feel.
Sets that give you a good inside sentiment: Winter Blessings has Wishing you a blessed Winter, a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year, which is a complete inside on its own. Warm Wishes for Your Home has Wishing you the warmth of home, the love of family and the joy of friends all year long. Christmas Crew has the classic We wish you a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.
Signing, the back of the card, and the envelope
These are the details that separate "handmade" from "too homemade," and they take about thirty seconds a card.
Sign it. Not just your name. "Love, Grandma" or "With love from all of us" or "From our house to yours." A card signed with only a name reads like a form letter.
Put something on the back. A small "handmade by" stamp with your name (our sister shop Magnuson Custom Stamps makes those to order), or just your initials and the year in pencil. Ten years from now, when the card turns up in a drawer, that mark is what makes it a keepsake instead of paper. Our itty bitty sets have plenty of small marks that work here.
The envelope. One small stamp in the lower left corner of the envelope front, in the same ink as the card. The tiny tree from Simple Little Wishes, a single ornament from Bold Baubles, one snowflake. It tells the person what is inside before they open it, and it takes four seconds.
Which Christmas stamp sets to start with if you are buying one thing
Honest picks. These are based on what actually sells and what we hear back from people.
If you want one set that does everything: Holiday Lane. Houses, a village, a sleigh, four sentiments that cover Christmas and New Year's. Five cards from one set, as shown above.
If you want the cheapest way in: Simple Little Wishes, under ten dollars. A tree, an ornament, two sentiments. It is a best seller because it does the job.
If your list is mostly people who would rather laugh: Ho Ho No Pissy Kitty. Our number one seller, full stop.
If you send a lot of cards to church family: Born for Us. Three sentiments and a nativity, and it is one of our best-selling religious sets.
If you need one card for the hardest situation: Christmas Comfort. Nine sentiments, no image, pairs with anything you own.
If you want an elegant card with no coloring at all: Winter Blessings. Black on cream. It is finished when you stamp it.
There is a sale on the site every week, so add the sets you want to your wishlist and watch for them. Browse all of our Christmas rubber stamps sorted by best selling if you want to see what other people are choosing.
Frequently asked questions about handmade Christmas cards
How many Christmas cards can I realistically make in a weekend?
Using the assembly-line method and a one-layer design, 50 cards is about two to three hours of stamping plus an hour of cutting and assembly. A weekend is plenty for 50. If you are coloring or layering, plan on 25 to 30 in a weekend.
Do I need dies to make stamped Christmas cards?
No. Every card on this page can be made with a stamp, an ink pad, an acrylic block, and cardstock. Dies make layering faster and neater, but a one-layer stamped card is a complete card.
What is the difference between cling rubber stamps and clear stamps for holiday cards?
Our stamps are red rubber mounted on cling foam. Rubber holds fine detail and takes ink evenly, which matters for a stamp you will use every December for years. Clear photopolymer stamps let you see through the block for placement, which is the honest reason many people like them. For fine line work and large solid images, rubber gives the cleaner impression. Both stick to an acrylic block and both work with the assembly-line method above.
Can I use the same stamp set for Christmas and New Year's?
Yes, and it is the smart way to buy. Holiday Lane, Christmas Crew, Winter Blessings, and Winter Cheer and Deer all include a sentiment that mentions the New Year, so one set covers both.
What ink works best for stamping on kraft cardstock?
Black dye ink for line images, and white pigment ink for anything you want to pop. Kraft swallows light colors, so stamp dark or stamp white. Snow, snowflakes, and stars look best in white pigment on kraft.
How early should I start making Christmas cards?
The cardmakers who enjoy it most start in September or October. The ones who start December 1 tend to switch to New Year's cards by the 20th, which is also fine. If you are reading this in November, pick a one-layer design and the assembly-line method and you will make it.
What do I write in a Christmas card for someone who lost a family member this year?
Name the season and the loss together. "Your loss is in my heart this holiday season." "Thinking of you and of him this Christmas." Do not say Merry. Do not ask them to reply. One sentence about the person they lost, by name, is the kindest thing you can put in that card.
Do the stamps on this page go on sale?
Yes, and often. There is a sale on the site every week, and it rotates, so the set you want will come around. The easy way to catch it: add the sets you like to your wishlist, then check the sale page when you sit down to make cards. There is no rush. The set will still be here.