Taking on the 12 Days of Christmas: A Use Your Stash Challenge

I had absolutely no intention of making Christmas cards this year!

I'd taken a little break from crafting over the past few weeks. Life had been busy, and then I got sick. With all our usual plans cancelled, I found myself craving something creative to do that didn't require too much energy.

Cardmaking has always been a bit of self-care for me, especially when I can follow someone else's inspiration rather than having to come up with everything myself. So when Justine Hovey's 12 Days of Christmas challenge popped into my inbox, I decided to play along!

Justine and I share a love of using what we already have in our stash, which made this challenge particularly appealing. I didn't buy a single new supply for these projects, instead challenging myself to find ways to interpret her ideas with what I already owned. That turned out to be one of the most satisfying parts of the process!

Today I'm sharing all twelve cards, the inspiration behind them, some of the creative workarounds I came up with, and a few honest thoughts about how they turned out.

Day 1 - The Christmas Cluster Card

For Day 1, I actually made two versions because I couldn't decide between two different background ideas.

Justine used an embossing folder featuring Christmas sentiments arranged in a circular design. I loved that detail, so I went looking through my embossing folders and found this lovely oval floral design.

I also love having text in my backgrounds, so I tried a second version using lightly stamped Christmas sentiments. Both worked nicely, and I added a little splatter for extra texture.

For the focal point, Justine used little white die-cut houses. I didn't have anything similar, but I did have some Christmas tree dies! I used white-on-white heat embossing for the stamped trees, giving them a soft, almost vanilla appearance, then added die-cut outlines for definition.

Some vanilla-toned patterned paper from my stash brought everything together.

Day 2 - The Layered Stencil Card

I quickly discovered just how much Justine loves her layering stencils!

For Day 2, she created a gorgeous Christmas tree background using layered colours and patterns. I loved the effect, but didn't have a stencil like hers, so I decided to make my own using some acetate and a Christmas tree silhouette die.

I added another layer of interest with a diamond-pattern background stencil and some stars, blending in a darker red.

I was really happy with the result! I used a stitched oval die-cut from my stash for the sentiment, then added a strip of ribbon and one of these little star ornament embellishments to finish it off.

Day 3 - The Embossed Card

Day 3 was a fairly straightforward interpretation. I loved the three-panel embossed background Justine created, and it was great to reach straight into my scrap cardstock stash for this one. I don't often use my embossing folders, so Justine definitely inspired me to dust off quite a few of them throughout this challenge!

Day 4 - The Die Cut Card

For Day 4, I was delighted to have some gorgeous glimmer paper in my stash.

I didn't have a snowflake die to recreate Justine's focal point, and as an Australian cardmaker, snowy Christmas imagery isn't something I've invested in over the years — even if my last name is Frost! But I did have this beautiful deer!

I kept this one quite clean and simple. I love the contrast of the black-and-white sentiment against those gorgeous glitter strips.

Day 5 - The Stamped Card

Day 5 featured a stamped focal point, with Justine using layered stencils to create some beautiful colouring.

I was feeling pretty unwell this particular day, so I wasn't really up for a big creative effort. I had this little Creative Place Christmas sticker collection in my stash, so I decided to use one of those as my focal point and paired it with some patterned Christmas paper.

It's cute, and I think it works, although the style isn't quite me. So later I decided to have another go at the design using a stamped Santa instead.

I was much happier with this version. It feels a little more like my style. Having said that, I think the sticker idea would be lovely for crafting with children, or even just when you want to put together some cute Christmas cards without spending too much time on each one.

So perhaps both versions have their place!

Day 6 - The Layered Card

I was really excited to try day six. Of Justine's challenge samples, this was one of my favourites. She'd created a gorgeous background with pine cone imagery using layered stencils, and added beautiful gold hot-foil stripe detail.

I absolutely loved the look, but I didn't have the right imagery or layering stencils, and hot foiling isn't something I'm looking to invest in at the moment. So I started looking through my patterned papers.

I found this lovely large leaf design and decided it could work as a starting point. I added a stamped background over the top with gold heat embossing, which gave me some of that lovely gold detail without needing a hot-foil system.

Without large lettering dies, I used the smaller alphabet dies I already owned and arranged them differently.

Initially, I wasn't completely happy with the finished card. It felt like it needed a little more depth and texture. So I came back to it later and added some green ink blending over the patterned paper to deepen the background. I also incorporated some little ribbon offcuts for another layer of texture.

And I think that made all the difference!

This is definitely one of my favourites. I love how the different elements came together, and it's a really good example of how you can keep working with a design until it feels right to you.

Day 7 - Busy Background Card

Day 7 featured another gorgeous background created by Justine using her layering stencils. I particularly loved her colour choices and that lovely soft blue background.

I didn't have the supplies to recreate it, but I did have this older panel of Christmas stocking patterned paper sitting in my stash. The original paper had a plain white background, so I decided to use a soft blue alcohol marker to colour around the stockings, leaving a little white border around each image.

It gave me some of that contrast I loved in Justine's design, and I really like the combination of blue and the busy pattern.

It's a little patchy if you look closely, so perhaps don't look too closely!

Justine also used die-cut wording with a white outline, a technique I've used myself when working with busy patterned backgrounds. I thought that was a fun connection between our approaches.

She softened the bottom of her design with some vellum as well, so I gave that a try.

I'm happy with how this turned out, and I love being able to use some of those older patterned papers that have been sitting around for years.

Day 8 - Nature Theme Card

Day 8 was another highlight for me. I just loved the beautiful night scene Justine created, with its deep blended sky and little branches extending across the design.

This was also a fun-fold card, which I decided to have a go at.

I enjoyed putting the scene together, but I have to admit that the fold was a little fiddly. I actually prefer the way my card looks when it's folded down rather than opened out, so if I made this again I'd probably simplify things and just use a regular card base.

For my focal point, I decided to go in a slightly different direction. I had this little Santa silhouette die in my collection and thought it would be lovely against the night sky. I had to adjust the die-cut a little to make it fit the scene, but I really like how it turned out.

Day 9 - Holly Berry Card

Once again, Justine created her background using a layering stencil, and I really loved the finished effect.

I had a look through my stamps to see if I had anything that might work as a substitute, but unfortunately I didn't really have anything suitable. So, back to the patterned paper stash!

I'm still not entirely convinced by this one, though. I have a little of the paper left, and I've been wondering whether I might go back and try cutting out some of those florals and arranging them differently across the card, a little more like Justine's original composition.

Perhaps that's a project for another day!

Day 10 - The Shape Card

I really loved the ombre stripe effect in Justine's design, so I decided to have a go at creating something similar using a masking technique.

I really enjoyed this process. The gradual change in colour is so pretty, and I think it makes a lovely background. I added stamped detail using white ink. It wasn't standing out quite as much as I'd hoped, so I went back over the same stamping with a little shimmer paint to give it more presence.

I also didn't have an arched die to create the shape I wanted, so I used a partial die-cutting technique with a circle die to create my own arch.

It's a good reminder that you don't necessarily need a specific die shape to achieve the look you're after. Sometimes you can get creative with the dies you already have.

Day 11 - The Book Theme Card

Justine is a fellow book lover, and she created this really fun Christmas tree shape using little stacks of books. I thought that was such a clever idea!

I started by looking through my stamps for something small enough to build into a similar tree, but then spotted this little pre-printed ornament image left over from a tag collection I'd bought years ago. I thought it would make a lovely alternative focal point.

I added some little scraps of patterned paper behind it to fill out the design, then incorporated some thin ribbons looped into little bows at the top.

I love that I was able to find a completely different focal point using something that had been sitting in my stash for years.

Day 12 - The Texture Card

And finally, we have Day 12!

This is another one of my favourites. I just love all those beautiful greens.

Justine created this lovely wreath design, and I decided to see whether I could make something similar using the dies I already owned.

I started by using nesting dies and some scrap cardstock to create a ring, then cut a whole collection of little leaves from my stash. I glued those around the ring to build up my own wreath.

It was a little bit of a process, but I really enjoyed putting it together, and I love how all the different shades of green work together.

And that's all twelve days!

I had such a lovely time working through this challenge, and it was a great reminder that you don't need to have exactly the same supplies as someone else to take inspiration from their designs.

Some cards turned out better than others, and a few pushed me to try techniques or revisit supplies I hadn't used in a while. But that's part of the fun of using your stash and making a design your own.

A big thank you to Justine for sharing her creativity and inspiration. If you'd like to see her original designs, be sure to check out her 12 Days of Christmas challenge!

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy finding creative ways to use the supplies you already have, you might also enjoy my Cardmaking with Scraps projects. 

Issue 2 will be available as a free printable for a limited time when it’s released. If you'd like a copy while it’s free, you can join my mailing list here and I’ll let you know when it’s available.

Taking on the 12 Days of Christmas: A Use Your Stash Challenge

October 31, 2026

A Little Landscape from Scraps

When I saw the Paper Players challenge theme Nature’s Landscapes, I was reminded that I still had a DIY landscape panel left over from a project I made back in June. I originally paired it with a hot air balloon. I had a little section of the panel remaining, though, and thought it would be fun to see what else I could do with it.

The Shopping Our Stash crew have a chicken-themed challenge running, which sent me rummaging through my stamp collection.

I pulled out my Hey Birthday Chick stamp set and found this particularly cute chicken with a balloon tied to her little tail. There was something about the idea of her floating above that colourful landscape that made me smile, so I decided to give it a try. 

And this is what I came up with.

Want to see where the landscape started?

You can see the original card I made with this landscape panel HERE.

I also made a YouTube video showing how I created the larger landscape background from scraps, which is the panel I've used on both cards.

I always love seeing how a piece of leftover paper can take on a completely different life the second time around. One landscape, two very different cards 😊

Challenges:

• Paper Players – Nature’s Landscapes

• Shopping Our Stash – Chicken Challenge

Cardmaking with Scraps

The original Landscape from Leftovers project is also featured in Cardmaking with Scraps Issue 2, my next collection of scrap-friendly card ideas.

Issue 2 will be available as a free printable for a limited time when it’s released. If you'd like a copy while it’s free, you can join my mailing list here and I’ll let you know when it’s available.

More ideas for using the scraps you already have, without needing to buy a whole lot of new things.

Happy crafting,

Jenn

A Little Landscape from Scraps

October 6, 2026

How to Use Bold Patterned Paper Without Overwhelming Your Card

Have you ever had a piece of patterned paper that you absolutely love, but when you try to use it on a card, it suddenly feels like too much?

That was the question I was playing with when I made these Christmas cards.

I was working with scraps of a retired Stampin' Up! paper called All Is Bright, which features gorgeous photographic close-ups of Christmas decorations. The paper is beautiful, but it's also quite bold, so I wanted to see if I could use it on a card without letting the pattern completely take over.

And while these particular scraps happened to be Christmas paper, the ideas I'm sharing here can be used with any bold patterned paper, whether you're working with scraps or a full sheet.

Starting with scraps

The original project the scraps came from

I'd originally cut the 12-by-12-inch sheets of All Is Bright into 4-by-6-inch panels to use on card fronts. That left me with these four-inch-wide strips from the bottom of the paper. 

When I saw the Global Design Project sketch #GDP562, I thought those leftover strips might be a really good fit.

I started by laying the Christmas strips horizontally across a piece of cardstock, but there wasn't quite enough of the Christmas paper to fill the space.

Rather than trying to find more of the same paper, I looked through my scraps and found a red tone-on-tone paisley pattern that was a similar colour.

It worked surprisingly well.

When I tried placing the patterned sections directly against each other, I felt like there was just too much pattern happening. So instead of completely blocking the sections together, I left little strips of white cardstock between them. 

Let the patterned paper be the star

Once I'd created the background, I knew I didn't want to add lots of stamped images and embellishments. The patterned paper was already doing a lot of the visual work. 

Instead, I wanted the rest of the card to support the paper rather than compete with it. This is where I think your sentiment can do a lot of the work.

Rather than choosing a small sentiment and then adding more decorative elements around it, I chose a larger Christmas sentiment from the Holly Jolly Christmas stamp set. 

The combination of the different fonts gives the sentiment some visual interest of its own, which means it can act almost like another design element on the card.

Adding a little gold

I also wanted to bring in some gold, but I didn't want to add another large element to an already-busy card. So I used an old technique to selectively add gold embossing to parts of the stamped sentiment.

If you'd like to see exactly how I created the two-toned black and gold sentiment, I've shown the whole process in the video above.

Love creating with scraps?

I've collected eight of my favourite scrap-friendly projects into Cardmaking with Scraps – Issue 1, designed to help you make the most of those little pieces already sitting in your stash.

Discover Cardmaking with Scraps – Issue 1

How to Use Bold Patterned Paper Without Overwhelming Your Card

September 2, 2026

Quilted Scraps (Part II): Three Cards from One Experiment

Last week, I experimented with quilt-inspired ways to use some of my patterned-paper scraps. What began as one idea ended up leaving me with several pieces to play with.

In Part I, I shared quilt-themed features made with little squares of patterned paper. Today, I'm sharing quilted panels made simply by overlapping patterned strips.

A couple of sketch challenges provided the perfect excuse to create cards with those pieces, and before long I had three cards from the same little family of scraps.

Card One

This quilted panel was made by overlapping strips of patterned paper. 

The original panel was wider than you see here, but I found that the quilt effect became a little lost across the larger area, so I trimmed it down to create a narrower feature.

When I saw this week's Atlantic Sketch Challenge, with its patterned background strip and floral centre, I knew this panel would be a perfect fit.

I pulled out the roses from Stampin' Up!'s Petal Palette stamp set and liked the way the thicker line art worked with the busy patterned background. Rather than colouring them with ink, I stamped the roses onto scraps of the Tranquil Tide and Blushing Bride cardstock tones I'd already used in the quilted panel, then fussy cut them and glued them into place.

I added a piece of vellum behind the roses to soften the pattern underneath without completely hiding it. It gives the flowers a little more room to stand out while still letting the quilted background show through.

Card Two

As I mentioned, the original quilted panel was too wide for the effect I wanted, so I trimmed it down. That left me with two strips of mixed patterned paper, made up of those same diagonally cut pieces.

When I saw the Freshly Made Sketches challenge, with its three circles as the central feature, I immediately thought of those leftover strips.

The rose stamp was still sitting on my desk from the first card, and its little spray of three roses was almost perfect for this sketch's three circle feature. I used the same scrap-paper colouring technique again, this time choosing yellow cardstock for the flowers instead of pink.

This card turned into a bit of an unexpected scrap experiment of its own. I was trying different cardstock offcuts to decide what colour to use for the background when I noticed how much I liked the effect of using two different colours above and below the central strips.

It made me wonder how much fun it could be to deliberately build a background from mismatched pieces of cardstock. Another scrap idea for the list!

Card Three

I still wasn't quite finished with the original quilted-strip idea.

Although I liked the narrower panel I'd used for the first card, I wanted to see if I could make a wider version that still had that lovely quilted effect. So I went back to the patterned strips and experimented with varying their placement.

This version needed a little more manual trimming to make the pieces fit together, but I was really happy with the result. The different strips created a gorgeous diamond pattern through the centre of the panel.

Just as I did in Part I of this experiment, I decided to step it up with a little texture and ran the finished panel through the Tasteful Textile embossing folder.

For this card, I also embraced the cosy quilt feeling with a cup of tea and a Take Care of Yourself sentiment.

Watch the Video

I love that this little experiment kept giving me things to play with. And that's one of my favourite things about working with scraps. You don't always have to know what something is going to become. Sometimes you can just make the pieces, put the leftovers aside, and wait for the right idea to come along.

Love creating with scraps?

Discover Cardmaking with Scraps – Issue 1, featuring 8 scrap-friendly card projects designed to help you make the most of the pieces already in your stash.

Quilted Scraps (Part II): Three Cards from One Experiment

August 16, 2026

A Little Paper Quilt (Part I): One Card, Two Ways

I recently saw a card shared by Stampin’ Up! that caught my eye. It featured little squares of subtly patterned paper arranged together to create an almost quilt-like effect. Well, you know I’m always interested in an idea that gives me another way to use my scraps!

I went through my stash and pulled out a selection of papers, settling on patterns in Tranquil Tide, Lost Lagoon, Delightful Dijon, Pool Party and Blushing Bride. I used my Big Shot to cut the little stitched squares and had enough to create two 3 x 4 grids, perfect for two card fronts.

From there, I decided to make one simple version and one stepped-up version.

The Simple Version

For my first card, I kept things really straightforward and adhered the squares directly onto a folded white card base.

I chose the Sending You a Handmade Hug sentiment from the Crafting With You stamp set as it felt like a great fit for a quilt-themed project. I added a small twine bow and tucked a piece of creamy lace ribbon underneath for added texture.

Those little details might seem quite simple, but I think they make a difference. The lace, twine and handmade-hug sentiment all felt perfectly at home with the idea of a cosy, handmade quilt.

Step It Up: Taking the Quilt Idea a Little Further

For my second card, I wondered what would happen if I leaned even further into the fabric-inspired look.

Rather than adhering the squares directly to my card base, I attached them to a piece of ordinary printer paper first and, once assembled, ran the panel through my Big Shot using the Tasteful Textile embossing folder.

And I really liked what happened.

The texture seemed to bring all those different patterns together, giving the panel a lovely faux-fabric quality, almost as though I had turned my little paper squares into a piece of quilted material.

And then there was the word...

I used the same sentiment, but I wanted to make one word the star of the card, inspired by the current Shopping Our Stash challenge, What’s the Good Word?

And for my card, the good word had to be HUG.

Watch the Video

I love that I ended up with two cards using essentially the same little collection of scraps, but with quite different feels.

The first is simple and sweet, with the lace, twine and little tag adding to that handmade quilt feeling.

The second takes the same idea and pushes it a little further. The embossed texture makes the patterned-paper panel feel almost fabric-like, while the large HUG gives the card a stronger focal point.

And perhaps my favourite part is that both cards started with nothing more than a handful of little scraps. Sometimes the simplest little pieces can come together to make something really special.

A Little Paper Quilt (Part I): One Card, Two Ways

August 11, 2026

Soft Vintage vs Clean & Crisp: Layered Scrap Cards Two Ways

If you've been following along with my previous scrap projects, you'll know I love taking one basic idea and exploring different ways to use it. In my earlier layered scrap feature cards two ways project, I created a torn version and a cleaner banner-style version.

This time, I wanted to keep the basic idea the same — layered strips of patterned paper — but explore how colour choices, cardstock, layout, and embellishments can completely change the feel of the finished card.

The same scraps, two different styles

I started by gathering together a mixture of subtle patterned paper scraps in soft blues, gentle browns and neutral patterns. To create two different looks, I separated them into two colour directions.

For my clean and crisp version, I chose softer blue patterns with more white running through the designs. Paired with a Basic White background, these papers created a lighter, fresher feel.

For my soft vintage version, I chose blue patterns with warmer vanilla tones. These worked beautifully with Very Vanilla cardstock and created a softer, more layered appearance.

It was interesting to see how changing just the background colour altered the overall mood of the papers.

Creating the layered scrap panels

For the vintage-inspired card, I took a more relaxed approach with my strips.

I layered the pieces down the centre of the card without worrying about everything being perfectly aligned. Some strips were longer, some shorter, and some overlapped slightly to create a more organic, patchwork feel.

For the clean and crisp version, I wanted a more structured look. I cut my strips to the same width and created a simple rectangle down the centre of the card. The varied heights still added interest, but the consistent width gave the panel a much more ordered appearance.

It’s amazing how the same basic idea can feel completely different just by changing the arrangement and a few design choices.

A little crafting problem solving

As always happens in handmade projects, not everything went perfectly!

The textured ribbon I chose for the clean version created a little more bulk than I wanted underneath the flower. I also found myself juggling all those tiny die-cut pieces while trying to keep the blue flower together.

In the video, I share the little adjustments I made along the way, including a ribbon trick that helped the flower sit flatter, and two different methods for creating the floral die cut.

Which style would you choose?

I love how these cards started with the same idea and the same types of supplies, but ended up with completely different personalities.

One feels fresh, clean, and structured. The other feels soft, layered, and vintage.

I'd love to know — which style speaks to you more?

Are you drawn towards clean and crisp card designs, or do you prefer softer layers and warmer tones?

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

Soft Vintage vs Clean & Crisp: Layered Scrap Cards Two Ways

July 29, 2026