A Magical Christmas Card with Lavinia Stamps and a Hexagonal Pop-Up Design

Hello, lovely crafters! Today, I’m sharing a whimsical Christmas card that combines enchanting Lavinia Stamps, festive designer paper, and a unique hexagonal pop-up design, inspired by Louise at Iced Images. This card was created for the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge, where this week’s technique challenge is fussy cutting. Let’s take a closer look at how I brought this magical creation to life!

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Materials Used:

• Lavinia Stamps:
  • Forest Cap Toadstool
  • Small Fairy Fir Tree
  • Mini Meadow Mushroom
  • Snow Falls Poem
  • Mystic Swirl
• Designer Paper: Nordic Christmas paper pad by Trimcraft
• Die Cut Sentiment: Spellbinders Mix & Match Holiday Greetings sentiment dies
• Cardstock: White, real red and acetate sheet
• Alcohol Markers: For colouring the focal stamped image, I used different shades of red, green and neutrals
• Adhesives: Liquid glue, scor-tape
• Ink Pads: Versafine Clair nocturne black ink

The Card Design: Hexagonal Pop-Up with Acetate Panel

This card features an A5 size hexagonal pop-up design, with an acetate panel showcasing a fussy-cut, coloured image of the Forest Cap Toadstool. The design is decorated with Nordic Christmas designer paper for a warm, wintry feel, and finished with a die-cut sentiment for a bold festive touch. I made this card with my husband in mind – we use mushrooms and toadstools as romantic symbol of our love.  You can see another hexagonal pop-up card on my previous post here .

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Step-by-Step Tutorial:

1. Preparing the Card Base and Panels:

Start with a hexagonal pop-up card base. I covered both the front and back panels with patterned paper from the Nordic Christmas paper pad. The muted red, green, and cream tones of this paper pad set a beautifully rustic, seasonal mood.

I then cut an acetate panel to fit between the 2 front panels, top and bottom, creating the perfect backdrop for a floating, focal image.

2. Creating the Focal Element – Forest Cap Toadstool:

Using Lavinia’s Forest Cap Toadstool stamp, I stamped the image onto white cardstock using a black alcohol-friendly ink, in this case, I used Versafine Clair nocturne black ink. Once stamped, I coloured the toadstool with alcohol markers, using different shades of reds for the cap, warm earthy browns and neutrals for the stem, and touches of green for mossy accents.

After colouring, I carefully fussy cut the toadstool, leaving a narrow white border around the edges for a clean look. This step ties directly into the fussy cutting challenge theme! I then adhered the toadstool to the acetate panel with scor-tape adhesive, giving it the appearance of floating at the front of the hexagonal pop-up card.

3. Adding the Stamped Back Panel:

The back panel of the card features a magical stamped scene. I used the following Lavinia Stamps:

• Small Fairy Fir Tree: Versafine Clair nocturne black ink.
• Mini Meadow Mushroom: Versafine Clair nocturne black ink.
• Mystic Swirl: Stamped using second generation ink for a touch of whimsy.
• Snow Falls Poem: Stamped in black at the centre to serve as a beautiful, festive sentiment.

This stamped panel adds visual interest and provides a lovely surprise when the card is turned around.

4. Adding the Die-Cut Sentiment:

For the front panel, I die-cut a bold “Merry Christmas” sentiment using a Spellbinders die and Real Red cardstock. The vibrant red stands out beautifully against the Nordic Christmas DSP, tying the design together. I adhered the sentiment flat to ensure it wouldn’t detract from the dimensional toadstool on the acetate.

5. Assembling the Card:

With all the elements complete, I assembled the hexagonal pop-up card. The acetate panel with the toadstool was adhered using scor-tape to the back of the front card panels, ensuring it was securely adhered. I adhered the DSP to the panels and the fussy cut toadstool to the acetate, enhancing the floating effect.

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Challenge Inspiration – Fussy Cutting Focus:

This card perfectly fits the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge theme of fussy cutting. The toadstool, carefully stamped, coloured, and fussy cut, serves as the focal point, demonstrating how this technique can elevate a design. Combining it with Lavinia’s magical stamps and the stunning acetate pop-up design creates a card that is truly unique.

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Final Thoughts:

This card was such a joy to create! The combination of Lavinia’s enchanting stamps, the Nordic Christmas paper pad, and the dimensional acetate panel makes for a whimsical, festive design that will surely delight its recipient.

If you’ve been inspired to try your hand at fussy cutting or create a hexagonal pop-up card, please share your card at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown – I’d love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me and share your projects. Until next time, happy crafting!