52 Christmas Card Throwdown Sketch Challenge – Using Scraps with Style!

It’s sketch challenge week over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, and if you’re anything like me, it’s the perfect excuse to dive into the scrap box and finally put those bits and pieces to good use! I always love a good sketch – it gives just enough structure while leaving plenty of room for creative flair. This week’s card was a joy to put together, using both old favourites and forgotten scraps that came together beautifully.

Here’s a breakdown of how I interpreted the sketch and brought this cheerful snowman card to life – with plenty of sparkle, texture, and personality!

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The Card Base

I started with an A5 card base in Old Olive cardstock by Stampin’ Up! – a classic festive green that always feels just right this time of year. It’s sturdy, clean, and gives a rich base to layer upon.

To top it, I cut a piece of Basic White cardstock just slightly smaller than the card front and ran it through the Spellbinders 3D Flurry of Snowflakes embossing folder. This gave the background a gorgeous textured effect that instantly said “winter” without stealing the show.

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That Adorable Snowman

The star of the show is the sweet snowman image from the Snowy Friends stamp set by Stampendous. I stamped him in crisp black ink on white cardstock and coloured him using alcohol markers in soft pinks and greens, with a tiny dab of orange for the classic carrot nose. These colours felt fresh, playful, and just a little different from the usual red-and-green palette.

Following the sketch, I placed the snowman over a circle element, which I die cut from dotty DSP by Stampin’ Up! – also from the scrap box. The soft pattern added interest and a pop of whimsy behind the snowman without overpowering him.

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Ribbon, Sentiment, and Extra Touches

To follow the sketch lines, I dug out a scrap of pleated satin ribbon in Old Olive and tucked it just beneath the snowman panel. I love how it echoed the card base and added a bit of luxurious texture – a little detail that elevates the card.

The sentiment was die cut in black and mounted onto a Pink Pirouette scrap from the box – it matched the pink tones in the snowman’s scarf and hat perfectly! Placing the sentiment in its designated sketch spot really brought the whole layout together.

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Christmas Lights and Finishing Sparkle

While rummaging through the scrap box, I found a handful of die-cut Christmas lights that had been made for a previous project using the More Holidays Decorations die set.  These just happened to be in coordinating pinks, greens, and silvers – what a lucky find! I also had a die-cut string that I gently curved around the circle element, giving the lights a playful, festive trail.

Each light was adhered with wet glue along the string, with the bulbs themselves popped up on tiny foam dots to give dimension. It’s a small step that adds big impact – they look as though they’re twinkling right off the card.

Finally, I sprinkled on a few flat silver sequins from Spellbinders to echo the shine of the lights and tie the whole piece together.

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Final Thoughts

This week’s 52 Christmas Card Throwdown sketch was the perfect opportunity to use up some of those much-loved scraps and leftovers – and proof that you don’t need a table full of new supplies to create something joyful and eye-catching. Between the embossed snowflake background, cheerful snowman, shiny lights, and pops of satin ribbon, this card has texture, colour, and holiday cheer in abundance.

So if you’re playing along with the sketch challenge this week, I highly encourage you to take a look through your scrap box – you might just have the perfect elements waiting to shine on your next card!

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Have you joined this week’s challenge yet? I’d love to hear how you interpreted the sketch – or better yet, share your scrap box triumphs in the comments! Let’s keep inspiring one another as we craft our way towards Christmas. 🎄💌