A Merry Little Christmas Scene | Lawn Fawn Christmas Card Featuring Christmas Before ‘n Afters

Every year when I start on my Christmas cards, I find myself drawn back to those classic holiday scenes that make you smile before you even open the envelope. You know the kind—bright colors, a touch of shimmer, and sweet little critters sharing the spotlight. Today’s card is one of those happy designs that came together almost by accident. I was pulling out my Lawn Fawn Christmas Before ‘n Afters Stamp Set for a different idea when I realized how perfectly it would pair with a few of my other favorites—the Winter Birds and Winter Birds Add-On Stamp Sets. Add in some colorful pattern paper from the Candy Cane Lane Petite Paper Pack and suddenly I was building a cheerful little scene that felt like a storybook Christmas brought to life.

A Merry Little Christmas Scene | Lawn Fawn Christmas Card Featuring Christmas Before ‘n Afters

A Merry Little Mix & Match Moment

I’ve always loved combining stamp sets from different releases. It’s a little like putting together a puzzle—you start with a few pieces and before long, they all click. For this design, I stamped the adorable mice, Christmas tree, mistletoe, and hearts from Christmas Before ‘n Afters, then mixed in the pinecones from Winter Birds and a few smaller elements from the Winter Birds Add-On set, including the ornament and bows. The letters spelling “merry” come from Quinn’s ABCs, which I’ve used so many times that my set is practically a crafting essential at this point.

Coloring everything with my Ohuhu Brush Markers gave the images that playful pop I love for holiday cards—bright but still soft enough to feel cozy. If you ever feel like your scenes start to look too busy, here’s a little pro tip: choose a consistent color palette and repeat those tones across the entire card. It keeps your design looking intentional and polished, even when you’ve got a lot going on.

Snowflakes and Soft Ink Blending

One of my favorite parts of this card is the background. I wanted something that would set the wintery mood without stealing the show from all those cute stamped images. I used the Small Stitched Rounded Rectangle Lawn Cuts to create a focal panel from Hammermill Smooth Cardstock and heat-embossed a mix of snowflakes from Christmas Before ‘n Afters and Winter Birds in clear embossing powder.

Once the embossing had cooled, I ink blended over the top with Tumbled Glass and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks. The result was that dreamy snowy effect that feels both crisp and soft at the same time. The best part? The embossed snowflakes resist the ink, leaving behind perfect little white details that shimmer just enough when you tilt the card in the light.

Layering Pattern and Texture

When it comes to layering, I think of it as creating depth without clutter. I started with a top-folding A2 base made from Neenah Ultra Thick Cardstock for a sturdy foundation. Then I trimmed the teal snowflake paper from the Candy Cane Lane Petite Paper Pack slightly smaller than the card front and layered it with a strip of the rainbow and gold-foiled stripes from the same pack. That little pop of color ties beautifully into the bright letters of “merry,” creating a sense of harmony from top to bottom.

To add dimension, I popped up the stitched rectangle panel with thin foam tape—just enough lift to create a shadow line without making the card bulky. If you’ve ever had trouble keeping your layers balanced, here’s another pro tip: alternate flat adhesive and foam adhesive as you build. It keeps the eye moving and gives your scene a clean, professional finish.

Finishing Touches that Shine

No card of mine feels complete without a few finishing touches. I added white highlights to the colored images using a gel pen—it’s a simple detail, but it brings everything to life. A little Stardust Stickles here and there added that perfect holiday sparkle, especially on the Christmas tree and ornament.

As I arranged the final details—the mice, tree, hearts, and pinecones—I couldn’t help but think back to my first few handmade Christmas cards years ago. I used to be afraid to mix products or sets, thinking everything had to come from one collection. Now, I see that the magic often happens when you blend ideas from different places. That’s what makes handmade cards so special—they carry your creative fingerprint in every layer.

Wrapping It All Up

This Merry Little Christmas Scene card is a wonderful reminder that you don’t need complicated techniques to make something that feels festive and fun. By combining a few favorite Lawn Fawn sets—Christmas Before ‘n Afters, Winter Birds, Winter Birds Add-On, and Quinn’s ABCs—you can create a cohesive design that’s full of color, texture, and charm.

If you’re looking for an easy way to stretch your supplies this holiday season, try pulling out a few coordinating sets and seeing how they play together. Keep your palette consistent, add a simple ink-blended background, and don’t forget those final touches that make your handmade cards shine.

Until next time, keep creating, keep experimenting, and most of all—keep sharing a little handmade merry.

Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you found a little spark of creative inspiration with my project today. Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.

Materials Used:

Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.

Happy Crafting,

Rick Adkins

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