Creating Keepsakes

Take a minute to think back to last December: do you remember yourself having it all together for the holidays with your calendar neatly planned (never any double-scheduling) and your gifts wrapped and sent by the post office’s recommended date? Were you glowing with the pride of having a small but clever teacher or hostess gift ready to go prior to the hour you needed it? How about your holiday cards: were they stamped and delivered with plenty of time to spare? Or, do you distinctly remember feeling like a chicken with its head cut off all month long, running to and fro wondering why you seem to reinvent the wheel when it comes to holiday preparations every single year?

Yes, me too.

But oh, this year! This year, I hope to help you prevent that mad rush from taking over. This year, I’ve identified ahead of time the five spokes of the wheel I always seem to be reinventing. This year, I have five holiday ideas to share—ideas that pop (and make great use of your scrapbooking supplies!) Here’s to sitting in front of the fire with absolutely nothing else to do at least five times this season.

Holiday Card

Scrapbookers tend to love pretty mail: making it, sending it, and receiving it. This year, why not make a really cool pop-up photo card to send? You’ll be amazed at how easy it is—all you need to make one are scissors, two pieces of cardstock (or a piece of cardstock and a piece of patterned paper), a photo, and an embellishment or two. Your recipients will be pleasantly surprised by your creativity, and you’ll be thrilled that you can make batches both big and small in no time at all.

5.75” x 4.25” greeting card by Elizabeth Dillow - card materials patterned paper (American Crafts) + chipboard embellishments (Making Memories) + foam adhesive

To make this card, simply cut a piece of cardstock to measure 11.5” x 4.25”, then another piece of cardstock (or patterned paper) to measure 11.25” x 4”. Before adhering the smaller piece, fold the bigger piece in half and make two 1” or 1.5” long slits about a half inch apart. Unfold the card and continue cutting the slits on what will be the inside of the card until it measures the width of the photo you plan to use (my photo is 3.25” wide, so I cut 3.25” more). Pop the slit of paper so it folds in when the card opens, then adhere the second piece of paper to the outside (this covers up the cuts you made). Then, adhere your photo to the strip of paper that pops up when the card opens. I added another pop-up feature by adhering a small chipboard greeting with two stacked pop-dots to the corner of my photo. Embellish the front and you’re done! Really, it sounds trickier than it is—but still practice on a scrap piece of cardstock once or twice before doing the real thing. Before you know it you’ll be looking up more pop-up construction plans online—it’s fun and a little addictive!