An Easy Way to Tackle Your Christmas Cards

A One Sheet Wonder Is the Perfect Way to Tackle Your Christmas Cards

If the thought of making all of your Christmas cards feels a little overwhelming, here’s a simple idea: start with one sheet of patterned paper. A one sheet wonder is one of my favourite ways to create multiple cards without having to come up with a completely different design for every single one. And when it comes to Christmas cards, it can be a real time-saver!

One Sheet of Paper = Multiple Cards

The basic idea behind a one sheet wonder is simple. You start with one sheet of patterned paper, cut it into a series of smaller pieces and use those pieces to create several coordinating cards. The beauty is that the cards all have a similar look because you’re working with the same patterned paper, but they don’t have to be identical. Add a different greeting here, a few die cuts there, some ribbon or twine, and a handful of embellishments, and suddenly you have a collection of Christmas cards that look like they belong together—but each one is still a little bit different.

It’s Perfect for Christmas Card Making

Christmas card making can quickly turn into a big project, especially if you’re making cards for a long list of family and friends. Rather than designing and making every card from scratch, a one sheet wonder gives you a starting point and a plan.

Once your patterned paper is cut, you can create a little assembly line:

• Cut and score your card bases.
• Cut your pattern paper.
• Choose your greetings.
• Gather a few coordinating die cut pieces or ephemera.
• Add ribbon, twine or other finishing touches.
• Assemble your cards.

This means you can spend less time figuring out what to make and more time actually making.

A Great Way to Use Your Christmas Stash

Another reason I love one sheet wonders is that they’re a great “use what you have” project. You don’t need a huge collection of supplies to make a beautiful set of cards. Choose one favourite piece of Christmas patterned paper and then pull cardstock, scraps, ribbon and embellishments from your stash to coordinate with it. And don’t be afraid to mix things up!

You could use a different greeting on every card, add a little ink blending to some, emboss a few pieces, or layer in die cuts and scraps from previous projects. Create two versions from the same one sheet wonder—a simple version for when you want to make cards quickly and a stepped-up version when you’re in the mood to add a few more details. You can find a fall themed version in this blog post.

To create these 4 cards I used this one sheet wonder template.

Make Christmas Cards in Batches

If you have a lot of Christmas cards to make, working in batches can make the whole process feel much more manageable. Instead of thinking, “I need to make 30 Christmas cards,” think: “Today I’m going to make six.” Then next time you have a little bit of creative time, make another six. Before you know it, your Christmas card stash is ready to go—and you won’t be scrambling to make them all in December.

This is also why I like starting my Christmas crafting early. There is something very satisfying about having a stack of finished cards sitting in your craft room while everyone else is just starting to think about Christmas!

Don’t Feel Like You Have to Follow the Rules

One of my favourite things about a one sheet wonder is that there really aren’t many rules. The cutting pattern gives you a starting point, but what you do with those pieces is completely up to you. Use every piece. Leave some pieces off. Turn them into tags. Add them to scrapbook pages. Save the little scraps for another project.

You can keep your cards simple or dress them up with embossing, ink blending, distressed edges, die cuts, ribbon and embellishments. The goal isn’t to make a perfect set of identical cards. The goal is to make Christmas card making easier, faster and more enjoyable.

Here’s another example of the same one sheet wonder using different products. And you’ll notice I added an extra layer behind the embossed cardstock. There are so many ways you can make a one sheet wonder work for you and the supplies you have!

Ready to Tackle Your Christmas Cards?

If you’re looking for a simple way to get a head start on your Christmas cards this year, pull out a favourite piece of patterned paper and give a one sheet wonder a try. It’s a great project for a quiet afternoon of crafting, a Christmas card-making session with friends, or even a little assembly-line crafting while you watch your favourite holiday movie.

So grab that pretty sheet of Christmas patterned paper that’s been sitting in your stash and let’s make some cards!