Christmas Card Inspiration

Today I'd like to show you two cards I received in the mail last Christmas. I call them keepers, as they're so special they definitely aren't going into the pile to be cut up as gift tags!


This one is a quilled card that isn't really quilled. Well, let me clarify that... there was an original quilled version of course, but my Australian friend, Licia Politis, photographed her modern disc wreath and adhered the glossy picture to a card blank. What a time saver this is when you need to send a lot of cards. It's also much lighter to mail and no bubble wrap required! I love the fresh colors too, which are a nice play on traditional Christmas-y red and green.

Here's a variation of the same idea that Licia shared with me. Silvery metallic and dots, dots, and even more dots on the ribbon - so pretty.


Then there's this beauty I received from my friend in Japan, Motoko Nakatani. It's a finely detailed paper cut positioned on foam pop-dots overtop a printed glade of evergreens. Paper cutting is something I plan to explore in the new year, and I love this idea of superimposing a cut scene over another image - such a nice effect. I'm not sure if the cutting was done by hand or laser, but either way, it makes for an effective card. (edited - I heard back from Motoko and the cutting was done with a laser.)


Allow me to branch out just a bit to show you what just might be the most beautiful cookies ever - seriously, almost too pretty to eat! I saw these on Cake Wrecks one Sunday when baked disasters are replaced with truly wonderful goods. (You read Cake Wrecks, right? It's hilarious.) These are gingerbread cookies from Whipped Bakeshop in Philly, with a design of scrolls and flourishes that's calling out to be replicated in rolled paper. People sometimes ask where I get inspiration for quilled designs... from now on I can add cookies to the list!