It’s time for another 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge, and this week we’re celebrating one of my favourite festive colour combinations – red, green and brown.
These colours immediately made me think of robins. Here in the UK, a cheerful little robin perched amongst holly branches is such a traditional symbol of Christmas, so I knew that was the direction I wanted to take.
A rummage through my “stamped but never coloured” box uncovered the perfect image. Many years ago, I’d borrowed this adorable robin stamp from my lovely friend, Deborah, and stamped a few images onto white cardstock before returning it. One of those images had been patiently waiting ever since for its moment to shine! In fact, I’d used this sweet robin once before on a card back in 2021, but I thought he deserved another outing for this challenge.
Here’s how I made my Design Team card.
Materials Used
- A6 green card base
- White cardstock
- Robin stamped image
- Alcohol markers
- Black ink
- Festive sentiment stamp Stampin Up
- Ball tool
- Crystal Effects
- Liquid glue
Step 1: Colour the Robin
The star of the card is, of course, the adorable robin.
The image had already been stamped in black ink onto white cardstock, so all that remained was the enjoyable task of colouring him in.
Using alcohol markers, I coloured the robin using the challenge colours of red, green and brown. I couldn’t resist adding just a tiny touch of yellow for his beak too—I hope the challenge police will forgive me! Sometimes a tiny accent colour helps bring an image to life, and it certainly wouldn’t have looked quite right with a brown beak.
The holly leaves and berries surrounding the robin were coloured in the same festive palette, creating a lovely seasonal frame around him.
Step 2: Mount the Image
Once all the colouring was complete, I mounted the finished panel onto an A6 green card base.
Rather than adding extra layers or patterned paper, I wanted to keep the design clean and allow the robin to remain the focal point.
To add a little subtle detail, I used a ball tool to emboss a single line above and below the image panel. It’s such a simple technique, but it creates a delicate border that frames the artwork beautifully without adding any extra bulk.
Step 3: Add the Sentiment
I stamped a festive greeting in black ink directly onto the green card base beneath the image.
Keeping the sentiment simple helps maintain the clean design while balancing the focal panel perfectly.
Step 4: Add a Little Shine
To finish the card, I added tiny touches of Crystal Effects to the robin’s eye and the holly berries.
This glossy finish catches the light beautifully and adds just enough shine to bring the image to life without overpowering the soft colouring.
Sometimes it’s the smallest details that make the biggest difference.
Final Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed finally giving this sweet little robin the attention he deserved after sitting patiently in my craft stash for so long. It’s always satisfying to rediscover forgotten stamped images, and this challenge was the perfect excuse to do just that.
This card is also a lovely reminder that you don’t always need the latest products to create something special. Sometimes all it takes is a little rummage through your unfinished projects, a handful of pens and a colour challenge to spark a fresh idea.
If you’d like to see another card I made using this same charming robin image, you can find it here: Little Robin Redbreast.
Why not have a look through your own stash and see what hidden treasures are waiting to be finished? Then head over to 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and join us for this month’s colour challenge. We’d love to see your take on this classic festive palette!
Enjoy your weekend.
Lily-by-Gilly 