Create Elegant Holiday Cards the Smart Way (Video)

Do you ever want to make beautiful Christmas cards without burning through your stash of Designer Series Paper (DSP)?
This week’s project is the perfect solution!

I’m sharing a fast and fabulous holiday card design that gives you the look of full panels of patterned paper — without using nearly as much.

This is one of those clever little techniques that saves time and supplies, so you can make stacks of cards without stress this season.

Design Inspiration

This card was inspired by one of the sketches in the Stampin’ Up! Mini Catalog — proof that design ideas are everywhere if you look for them!

It’s also one of the cards my Diemonds Team will be creating at our October team gathering, featuring the Modern Christmas Suite from Stampin’ Up!

The sketch-based design, simple layering, and festive finishes make it an instant favorite for new stampers and seasoned cardmakers alike.

Why You’ll Love This Design

• Uses “cheater strips” of patterned paper — great for scraps
• Creates the illusion of a full background without waste
• Layers beautifully with die-cut ornaments for dimension
• Easy to recreate for multiple cards in a sitting
• Perfect for mailing (flat, but elegant!)

The Card Details

For this project, I created a flat card base accented with “cheater” paper strips along the edges.
A smaller folded card front covers the seam where those strips meet, making it look like one full layer — such a satisfying optical illusion!

The focal point features two die-cut ornaments:

• A Gold Foil star
• A White bauble stamped with the sentiment in Black

The twine “hanging” the ornaments is wrapped behind the top layer to complete the illusion. A few loose gold stars finish the look for a touch of sparkle.

Why You’ll Want to Recreate This Card

If you love cards that look polished and professional but don’t take all day to make, this is your new go-to design.

Whether you’re making 10 or 100 holiday cards, this layout helps you:

• Use your Designer Series Paper (DSP) more efficiently
• Save time without sacrificing style
• Enjoy the process — even during the busy holiday season

Want More Inspiration?

• My Online Workshop Replay featuring this same product suite is still available to watch — see how I paired the Ornamental Christmas products in three totally different ways! Watch the workshop replay
• Don’t miss the Stress-Free Cardmaking Summit happening October 17–19!
  You’ll see another brand-new project I created using the Ornamental Christmas suite — plus ideas from 25+ other presenters! Grab your FREE ticket here

Before You Go…

If you loved this project, be sure to sign up for my email list — you’ll get access to the 12 Weeks of Holiday Project Duos series and even more seasonal inspiration delivered weekly.

Project Layers (Imperial):

• 5-1/2” x 4-1/4” Thick Basic White CS
• (2) 1-1/4” x 4” DSP
• 3-1/2” x 8-1/2” Basic White CS
• 3” x 3” Gold Foil die-cut
• 3-1/4” x 4” Basic Black CS
• 3” x 3” Basic White CS
• 3-1/2” x 8-1/2” Basic White CS die-cut
• Approx. 2” & 3” Twine

Let’s Create Together

I have created a printable recipe with the complete supply list and cut dimensions for you. Simply click the button below to access the printable file.

Ready to get started? Check out the full video tutorial below to see each step in action. I’ll walk you through all my tips and tricks for creating your own polished and professional cards that don’t take all day to make in my Tuesday YouTube PREMIER. Watch the video replay below and be sure to leave me a comment.

Don’t forget to share the video with your crafty friends! While you are watching, I would appreciate you subscribing to my YouTube channel.

(note if viewing this post via email subscription, you may need to click the post name to display the video)

Wasn’t that super easy? Did this spark new ideas for your next project? Tell me in the comments below the post: Do you ever work from sketches — or create your own?

Don’t forget to join me for some LIVE papercrafting every Tuesday at 12:30PM ET on my YouTube Channel where we will play with some new goodies from the current Catalogs! Jump on over and follow me now. Looking forward to seeing you and your crafty friends for our next LIVE papercrafting class!

Shopping List 

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you click through and make a purchase.

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We love offering you the best in paper crafting! To do that and keep our product offering fresh, trendy, and relevant, we regularly evaluate product performance. As demand for a product changes, we’ll move products to our Last Chance Products category in the online store and begin the retiring process to make room for new products. Our Last Chance Products will be an ongoing offer, so you can shop this category at any time throughout the year!

What are you waiting for? Start shopping! After all, this selection of Last Chance Products is only available while supplies last.

CLICK HERE to see all the retiring goodies in the online store and add them to your shopping cart.

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You may also purchase individual tutorials HERE.

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I’m sure you agree…papercrafting can bring so much joy. Whether you use it for stress relief, to share your creativity, or have meaningful cards and gifts always at your fingertips, papercrafting has value that goes far beyond the projects.

There’s so much we can give our attention to and spend our time doing today, but what if you had something at your fingertips that allows you to create memories and express yourself instead of watching Netflix? That’s where our paper crafting kits come in!

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Ready to elevate your crafting passion to new heights?

Joining the Diemonds Team isn’t just about joining a group; it’s about joining a family of passionate crafters. I understand that crafting isn’t just a hobby; it’s a lifestyle, and I’m excited to welcome you into our creative community with open arms and endless inspiration.

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PROMOTION DATES: October 1–31, 2025

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It’s time for my 12 weeks of Holidays project ideas! I am excited to share Halloween, Fall, Birthday, Christmas, Winter and Valentine sets of projects with you each Thursday for 12 weeks that I hope will inspire you to create! These ideas are Exclusive to my email subscribers, so if you want to see them all, be sure to subscribe to my list HERE.

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CreativeLee Yours,

OTHER IMPORTANT LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• Join my Stampin’ Up!® Diemonds team and get the awesome customizable starter kit HERE. It’s the best bundle ever!
• Ready for a fun, monthly craft kit delivered directly to you, so you get all the joy of creating without having to do all the research, design and prep? Cultivated Creativity is for you! Click HERE to get started.
• Join my Online Forget Me Not (FMN) Card Club and elevate your hand made cards HERE.
• Follow my blog by email and receive a FREE Exclusive monthly PDF tutorial bundle when you subscribe to email list HERE.
• Join Paper Pumpkin and get FREE PDF Tutorials with alternate projects each month.
• Shop my Tutorials to spark your creativity as I guide you through creating beautiful projects HERE.
• Earn Exclusive BONUS tutorials with my rewards program. CLICK HERE for details.