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How to Color a Christmas Scene with Alcohol Markers and Colored Pencils
One of my favorite things about Christmas cardmaking is creating a scene that feels like a little glimpse into a winter story. A snowy cottage, warm glowing windows, and a touch of sparkle can turn a stamped image into something that feels cozy and inviting. For this card, I used the Where Christmas Lives Stamp Set and The Christmas We Remember 6x6 Pattern Paper Pack from Unity Stamp Company to create a traditional holiday design with plenty of color, texture, and seasonal ch

Rick Adkins
21 hours ago


3 Simple Tips to Make Holiday Cardmaking Easier This Year
The holiday season is one of my favorite times to make cards. There are so many fun stamps, beautiful patterned papers, and festive colors to play with! But let's be honest. It's also the time of year when our crafting wish lists can get a little longer than the hours we have available.

Rick Adkins
Oct 22


Make It Snow! A Christmas Cardinal Card with Sparkle and Dimension
There’s something about a red cardinal on a Christmas card that feels timeless to me. Pair that bright pop of red with evergreen branches, snowy details, and a little sparkle, and you have a design that feels like a quiet winter morning. For this card, I wanted to create more than a colorful stamped image. I wanted the scene to feel dimensional, with frosty branches and falling snow that bring the whole design to life. I used the Stillness & Song: Cardinal Background Stamp Se

Rick Adkins
Oct 22


Joy to the World! Making a Christmas Vacation Inspired Handmade Card
Some Christmas cards are all about traditional colors, elegant greenery, and a little sparkle. Others call for a bit of humor and a nostalgic holiday moment! For this project, I leaned into the fun side of Christmas with a card inspired by Christmas Vacation, featuring the C. C. Designs RV Stamp Set and Christmas Vacation 6x6 Paper Pack. I wanted the finished card to feel playful and full of personality without letting all those festive details overwhelm the design. The resul

Rick Adkins
Oct 19


A Wink of Christmas Cheer: Two Santa Cards with Colorful Blended Backgrounds
One of my favorite things about Christmas cardmaking is discovering how much personality I can bring to a single stamped image just by changing the colors and background. For these two handmade Christmas cards, I used the A Wink of Santa Stamp Set from Unity Stamp Company to create a pair of festive designs that share the same focal image but have very different looks. Both cards have a clean and simple style, but the colors, masking, and placement of the sentiments give each

Rick Adkins
Oct 18


Three Christmas Cards, One Layout: A Cardmaking Tutorial with a Bonus Bookmark
One of my favorite ways to make Christmas cardmaking feel more manageable is to find a layout I love and see how many different ways I can use it. When the holiday season gets busy, having a design that works more than once can save time without making every card feel exactly the same. For this project, I created three Christmas cards featuring the playful characters from C. C. Designs, then carried the same festive feel over to a coordinating bookmark. The bright pink and gr

Rick Adkins
Oct 16


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

Rick Adkins
Oct 16


Simple Stamping and Alcohol Marker Coloring for Christmas Cards
There’s something I love about a Christmas card that feels classic without requiring a lot of complicated techniques. Sometimes, a charming stamped image, a little coloring, and a well-balanced layout are all you need to create a handmade card that feels special. For this project, I used the Dashing Deer Stamp Set from Unity Stamp Company to create a festive card featuring a sweet deer, a brightly colored present, and a greeting wishing the recipient a Merry Christmas and Hap

Rick Adkins
Oct 15


Pixi Dust Designs Santa Die Set: Create a Layered Christmas Card
There’s something special about bringing a classic Christmas character to life with paper, color, and a few thoughtful details! For this project, I created a festive Santa card featuring the Santa Die Set from Pixi Dust Designs, a richly blended green background, and a touch of gold sparkle. I wanted Santa to be the star of the design, but I also wanted the background to contribute to the overall look rather than simply sit behind him. By combining die cutting, layered paper

Rick Adkins
Oct 14


A Little Christmas Baking with a Fun Fold Card
I love when a card has a little something unexpected about it, and this Christmas card definitely falls into that category. The side-step fun fold card gives the design extra dimension without requiring a complicated collection of techniques. For this project, I paired the Baking Spirits Bright Stamp Set from Unity Stamp Company with the Rustic Christmas Paper Pack, colored pencils, and a touch of Distress Ink. The result is a traditional Christmas card with plenty of persona

Rick Adkins
Oct 8


Making Spirits Bright: A Christmas Card with Unity Stamps
I love a Christmas card that looks detailed and thoughtfully layered without requiring a complicated card design. This Making Spirits Bright: A Christmas Card with Unity Stamps came together by combining a strong stamped focal image, patterned paper, and a few simple layers that let the coloring take center stage. The Holiday Hustle Stamp Set immediately gave me the playful holiday character I wanted, while the Where Winter Lingers Paper Pack provided a soft, vintage-inspired

Rick Adkins
Oct 1


Paper Rose Studio Mistletoe Market: Pinwheel Fun Fold Card Tutorial
I love a card design that looks more complicated than it really is, and a Pinwheel Fun Fold is definitely one of those designs! For these two Christmas cards, I wanted to see how much personality I could get from one basic fold simply by changing the way I used the patterned paper and embellishments. The result is two festive cards that feel different even though they share the same basic layout. I used the beautiful Mistletoe Market 6x6 Pattern Paper, Mistletoe Market Cut-a-

Rick Adkins
Aug 25


The Ultimate DIY Santa Gift Card Box for the Holidays
Gift cards are one of those holiday gifts that are always appreciated, but let's be honest—they aren't always the most exciting gifts to wrap! I love finding ways to make a gift card feel a little more special, and this Santa-themed gift card holder does exactly that.

Rick Adkins
Aug 12


Christmas Cardmaking Tutorial: Create a Layered Ornament with Stencils and Die Cuts
I love when a Christmas card can look detailed and dimensional without requiring a complicated card layout. That was the idea behind this card. I wanted the ornament to be the star of the design, but I also wanted the background to have enough interest that the card didn't feel like a plain white panel with a large die cut sitting on top.
For this project, I combined stenciling, stamping, ink blending, and die cutting with several products from Emily Moore Designs. The res

Rick Adkins
Aug 8


Create a Layered Handmade Christmas Card with Stamping and Alcohol Markers
Christmas cards don't always have to be elegant or traditional. Sometimes the ones that get the biggest laugh are the ones people remember long after the holiday season is over. That's exactly what inspired today's card featuring the Merry Crisis Stamp Set from Unity Stamp Company. The whimsical Santa, adorable reindeer, and humorous sentiment immediately caught my attention, and I knew they deserved a design that felt just as fun without becoming overly busy.

Rick Adkins
Jul 30


Create a Sweet Christmas Card with the Pixi Dust Designs Gingerbread Bakery Die Set
There’s something about gingerbread-themed Christmas cards that instantly brings back memories of holiday baking, warm kitchens, and spending time with family. Even if you don't bake a single cookie during the season, those familiar shapes and cozy colors create a feeling that makes handmade Christmas cards extra special. That's exactly what inspired me while creating this card featuring the Pixi Dust Designs Gingerbread Bakery Die Set and Gingy Dress Up Stamp Set.

Rick Adkins
Jul 22


How to Create a Dimensional Christmas Card with Stamping and Fussy Cutting
It may be the middle of summer, but I love taking a break from seasonal heat to create a Christmas card or two. There’s something refreshing about pulling out holiday stamps, rich colors, and festive designs when they aren’t competing with the busy holiday season. "Christmas in July" is also the perfect opportunity to experiment with new techniques and build up your handmade Christmas card stash before December arrives.

Rick Adkins
Jul 19


Why You Need This Coffee Stamp Set for Your Holiday Crafts
If you caught my recent project on the Miss Ink Stamps blog, you already know I had a lot of fun creating a festive coffee-themed Christmas card. Over there, I walk through the project and show how I used the featured products to bring the design together. Here on my blog, though, I wanted to take a different approach. Instead of walking through the process again, I thought it would be more helpful to share the design decisions behind the card, what I learned while creating i

Rick Adkins
Jul 18


Santa Says Stamps & Dies Bundle: Easy Handmade Christmas Card Tutorial
There’s something about Christmas cards that brings me back to the basics of why I enjoy cardmaking so much. While it's tempting to reach for lots of embellishments and specialty techniques during the holidays, I often find that combining a fun stamped image with beautiful patterned paper creates a card that feels festive without becoming overwhelming. For this card, I reached for The Rabbit Hole Designs Santa Says Stamps & Dies Bundle and let the cheerful Santa take center s

Rick Adkins
Jul 11


Why I Chose a Bold Foiled Background for This Christmas Card
Sometimes the most interesting part of making a card isn't the technique itself—it's deciding how to let that technique shine. This project reminded me that when a background is this striking, the best design choice is often knowing when to stop adding more.

Rick Adkins
Jul 11
