C. C. Designs Sneak Peek October Release Day 3: A Funny Christmas Card

Some Christmas cards are all about traditional colors, pretty patterns, and classic holiday images. Others are about making someone laugh! For Day 3 of the C. C. Designs October release sneak peeks, I’m sharing a funny Christmas card featuring the RV Stamp Set and Christmas Vacation Pattern Paper. This project combines a playful stamped character, watercolor pencil coloring, and a mix of bold patterns to create a card with plenty of personality. I also pulled in a few papers from my stash, which is a great reminder that new products don’t have to stand alone to make a project feel fresh.

Designing a Funny Christmas Card with Patterned Paper

When I started designing this card, I knew I wanted the stamped image to be the star of the show. The little RV-loving character has so much personality, so I paired it with a red-and-white color scheme that feels festive without competing with the image. The striped paper near the top adds movement, while the polka dots along the bottom bring in a playful contrast. Using a darker red mat between the layers helps separate the patterns and gives the overall design a more finished look.

Mixing patterned paper can sometimes feel intimidating, especially when the prints are bold. My favorite way to make it work is to look for a shared color and give each pattern its own space. Here, the red tones tie everything together, while the stripes and dots provide different kinds of visual interest. I also used printed vellum from my stash behind the focal image. The softer, text-filled pattern adds texture without introducing another strong color or overwhelming the stamped character. If you have a favorite patterned paper collection at home, try combining one bold print with a smaller-scale pattern and a neutral or subtle design. You may be surprised by how easily they work together!

Adding Color and Dimension to the Stamped Image

The RV Stamp Set from C. C. Designs was the perfect choice for this humorous holiday design. I colored the character with Paul Rubens Watercolor Pencils, building color gradually to give the clothing, face, and accessories more depth. Watercolor pencils are a wonderful option for stamped images because they let you control where the color goes and how intense it becomes. You can start with a light touch, deepen the shadows, and add more color only where you need it. If you’re still gaining confidence with coloring, focus on just two things: a lighter area where the light hits and a slightly darker area where shadows naturally fall. Even that small change can help a stamped image look more dimensional.

After coloring, fussy cutting the character allowed me to place it exactly where I wanted it on the card. This is especially helpful when you want a stamped image to overlap other layers or sit prominently in front of a patterned background. The circular sentiment element also helps balance the character and gives the eye another place to land. I used the Nested Stitched Circle Dies and Nested Circle Dies to create the layered shapes, and white heat embossing makes the sentiment stand out against the deep red circle. Heat embossing is particularly useful for sentiments on darker cardstock because it provides crisp contrast and a slightly raised finish. If you don’t have embossing supplies, a white pigment ink sentiment or a white cardstock sentiment strip can create a similar visual effect.

Make the Design Your Own with Supplies You Have

One of the things I enjoy most about cardmaking is finding new ways to use supplies I already own. Although I featured the C. C. Designs Christmas Vacation Pattern Paper, I mixed it with Dots & Stripes paper from my stash to get the combination I wanted. You can do the same with older paper collections, leftover scraps, or even papers from different manufacturers. Look for colors that repeat, then vary the scale of the patterns to keep the design balanced. If you prefer a quieter card, use a subtle tone-on-tone print instead of polka dots, or leave more open space around your focal image. For a little extra texture, try vellum, embossed cardstock, or a lightly inked panel in place of one patterned layer.

This project is also a good reminder that you don’t need every available coloring medium or die set to create a card with dimension. Colored pencils can stand in for watercolor pencils, a circle punch can replace a nested circle die, and scissors are all you need to fussy cut an image. You can even skip the extra layers if you prefer a simpler design. The goal isn’t to recreate my card exactly; it’s to use the design choices that appeal to you and adapt them to the supplies on your craft desk.

Funny holiday cards are a great way to let your personality shine through your handmade projects. For this C. C. Designs October release sneak peek, I had fun combining a humorous stamped image with bold Christmas patterns, soft vellum texture, and a few finishing details that help everything come together. I hope this card inspires you to experiment with patterned paper, try a little watercolor pencil coloring, or pull an older favorite from your stash and give it a new purpose. Sometimes the most memorable handmade cards come from mixing a little humor with the supplies you already love!

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.

Supplies 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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