Making the 2011 Christmas Card

If you have followed my blog for very long, you know that I love cards, especially handmade and photo cards. Every year that we have been married {over 10 years now}, I have handmade around 160 Christmas cards complete with a newsletter and family photo. Choosing the color scheme, outfits, ribbon, brads, card stock, and vellum is such fun for me! I love that I have every single year documented.

In addition, I save and scrapbook all the Christmas cards we receive.

See my Christmas scrapbook album here.

See Christmas cards from previous years here:

2010 card design here and step by step of how the 2010 card was made here

2009 card design here

2008 card design {at the end of a long post} here

2007 card design here

I wish I had blogged the making of all of them, but you can see them here in the album I use to scrapbook them. This post is from 2007, but I do showcase all of our handmade Christmas cards from all 10 years if you want to look through this post here.

Now, on to this years 2011 card!

This years card started with the inspiration from this wrapping paper roll.

All 160 cards were made with only one roll of paper, so it was a pretty cheap paper backing choice.

I used black envelopes and black card stock to create a 5 x 6.5  vertical folded card.

I cut broad curling ribbon to use as a closure piece.

Each card received two printed 4x6 photos- one on the front and one inside.

The curling ribbon came in bulk and I didn't even make a dent in it. Perhaps in four or five more years, I'll use it for another Christmas card. : )

All things are made possible by my professional paper cutter. I have two of them, and David sharpens my blades periodically. They don't love wrapping paper as it is slippery, but with patience, it cuts just fine.

I had our picture taken by my mom in September and began work on my cards the end of September. Starting months in advance requires me to make only about 25 a week, which is easily doable in only about half an hour a night.

My first step was to cut the wrapping paper only a centimeter or so smaller than the black card stock, affix a picture to it and affix the picture inside.

Each newsletter was four computer pages long {8.5 x 11} and I cut them down to size. They were a bit longer in length than usual, but this year has been a busy one and I had lots to document!

Each finished card had a newsletter of seven pages, but they were cut down to size at 4x6 to fit.

As I cut them, I layered them to make sure I kept each newsletter separated from the others to make it easier for the next step.

I used small black brads to affix them inside the card.

The card on the left side was a picture of Harbor on Belle Island with our new address at the top.

I used my Crop-o-Dile hole punch to make a small hole. David bought this for me several years ago and it's a life saver- easy to use with lots of size options.

Meet my handsome helper, Harbor! He sure made card making a lot more work fun! Ha! : )

After the interior picture and newsletter with brad were attached, I folded it into shape and added a second hole for my blue curling ribbon.

Repeat 160 times per card! : )

And box after box they pile up!

Lots of cards, carefully designed and assembled with love. : )

I love the process start to finish and find inspiration in so many places!

Even with making a card every year in bulk amount, they are never the same color scheme or design. It is fun to find new ways to design them year after year!

Do you make your own cards? Do you receive creative cards? Did you receive our card this year?

Tell me about them! : )