By Card Making and Paper Crafts Contributor Heidi. Follow Heidi on her blog Blue Scallop Creations and on Instagram @bluescallopcreations.

If you like to create hand made cards for the holidays, an easy tip to prepare is to make a variety of backgrounds on blank notecards.  You can then add a quick sentiment and you have a card ready to hand out or mail.

Stencils are a great way to create backgrounds.  I used Tim Holtz’ Gradient Square stencil along with the Shifter Burst Stencil to create some glittery backgrounds.  Since the stencils are horizontal, I decided to make some blank top folding notecards.  I used a piece of 8 1/2×11 white card stock and trimmed it at 4 1/2” using my Sure Cut trimmer.  This trimmer is great because it has a thin wire you can line up on the tool that ensures an accurate cut.

For a top folding card, you’ll want to score it at 5 ½” using your scoring tool.

To create glitter backgrounds, I used Nuvo Glitter Paste in Pink Opal as well as Emerald Green.

I secured my card and stencil using my Make Art Stay-tion and added a piece of Post-It tape along the seam to prevent the paste from getting onto the back of the card.  Using a spatula and old gift card, I spread the paste evenly around the stencil.  This is so fun because you can experiment with different colors and stencils and get all kinds of fun backgrounds.  I love using pink for Christmas for that retro look.  Think tinsel and foil trees 😊.

When you’re finished, you can simply add a large holiday sentiment and you’re done.  I like this set from Tim Holtz called Christmas Time.  It has some huge sentiments perfect for the fronts of cards.

It was so easy to make four quick backgrounds.  I let them dry overnight, then will add a special sentiment to each as the holidays get closer.  Check that off my list!

Thanks so much for joining me today!