How about Christmas Shaker boxes!
Yet again I fell into the trap where I am convinced that this year I will definately buy Christmas cards, but even when I put some in the trolly, before I got to the check out I removed them, thinking it’s really not me I would prefer to do my thing.
This was also topped, by a colleague who pointed out that she always looks forward to my cards every year and takes out the previous cards she had collected and puts them up.
How could I refuse, there is something about making hand-made cards that gives it that difference and makes it more special.
It doesn’t have to be complicated or full of bells and whistles, just a simple piece of work that hits the nail on the head.
If it’s your kids work, then that in itself is endearing and very special. You can prompt them and sketch some ideas for them and they can take what they like from your examples.
Christmas cards have become quite pricey and a bit of consideration is encountered.
So I am going to show you how you can make and inspire you with a couple of easy fun Christmas cards ideas, with very few resources.
Later on using the same idea, I will show you how easy it is to make a shaker box using your recycled plastic cake containers and you or your kids can use any kind of embellishents to make the shakey part.
What’s the major keyword?
At the moment, not being too gloomy, but isn’t it all about our health? colds and coughs, feeling down and not that great.
Especially now where the weather is much, much colder and the flu season has started, I thought to incorporate that idea into an fun child friendly image.
We have this cute Robin that flies in and out of our garden and this lovely bird came to my mind and wondered why the Robin was featured so much on Christmas cards.
How to use the Robin as an idea for a Christmas card.
I thought I would do a fun cartoon of a Robin, wearing a red Santa hat and not looking too good, as he has come down with a cold!
Before I continue, I thought you might like to see this lovely and clever short Christmas video featuring a Robin, a brave and valiant little species, showing the extent he would go, to get to his destination and share a delicious Christmas mince pie with a likewise friend. Enjoy.
So what do we know about Robins!
Why are Robins used on Christmas cards? Well did you know that back in the 1800’s, postmen use to wear red chested outfits and back then they were known as Robins, because they resembled our little friend the Robin.
Later on an artist drew a picture where a robin delivers a letter in it’s beak, hence the delivering of mail, the link is simply that.
So as time passed by the Robin got connected with Christmas and became a little icon and represented Christmas, the delivery of greeting cards.
That’s why you may have seen the Robin potrayed in different snowy scenes and comes over as the most festive bird of the Christmas season and so cute too!
Let’s get started with our Fun Christmas card ideas!
I hope I can inspire you or your kids, one way or another, because once you establish an idea, a character, a look that is appealing, then you can get cracking and it’s simply a repetition of your design.
RESOURCES!
White A4 cards and A4 envelopes.
Large piece of glass, from a picture frame.
2 tall pots as stands for glass to sit on.
A torch or lamp.
PVA glue.
White/Silver glitter.
Coloured crayons.
Black fine felt tips.
Good daylight.
Let’s take the Robin image and keeping some of the characteristics draw it in a kid friendly way, then colour it in.
Once you have drawn the type of Robin you like, you can use this as a template and trace off on to white card and repeat this process until you have the desired amount.
So how do we do this, let’s have a look.
Isn’t that easy and straight forward. Most of the resources I already have, though if your are a whizz kid with a printer you can copy and print off the template of your Robin on to card if you prefer.
I have shown you a couple of ways this could be done, using a window and day-light and light through glass to trace, it’s a bit old school as they say these days, but it works.
SOME TIPS!
- You need to do your tracing early in the day where there is bright light so you can see through your paper and trace it off easily.
- Using a piece of glass propped up and a torch or lantern underneath it, is very basic but a super way to do tracing. Make sure the heat from the lantern or torch, does not touch the glass as it will burn
- Use a small amount of blu tack to hold the card in place.
- A fine black felt tip is sufficient to draw with.
- Using coloured crayons give a more textured finish and are easy and quick to use.
- If using PVA glue to do your glittering, they will have to be left overnight to dry, or if your house is warm it may just take a few hours, as long as the glue is hard to touch.
- Adding a smaller sketch of the Robin inside the card is an additional touch, in this case the Robin feels much better, so you need to show this, if that’s the story you want to portray.
HOW ABOUT SOME SHAKER BOXES!
Your kids will love these, you will need plastic cake boxes, or tubs once all the lables are peeled off and cleaned up with some detergent, dry them up and they will be your main prop to hold your embellishments and do the shaking with.
This time I have used the little drawing of the happy Robin and enlarged it using my printer, to the same size as the one on the front of the card.
This method is quite easy, cut out your Robin after its been coloured in and stick it inside the tub with a glue stick.
Using torn up tissue into small pieces, just a few not too much and for an added touch you can add some silver or white sequins, these will make a good sound when you shake the tub or box.
LET’S GET GOING!
RESOURCES.
2 different plastic cake boxes. (choice)
A scaled up version of your Robin, coloured and ready to stick in place.
A copy of the ‘robin as on the front of the card, but made to be more happier not sick
Coloured crayons.
Fine black felt tip pen/glue stick/1 tissue
Scissors/White card.
Some white or silver sequins (optional)
SOME TIPS!
- Check out your recycle bag and save your plastic cake tubs or boxes.
- As the tub is transparent, you may need to colour the back of the Robin, so it looks more finished.
- Stick the Robin inside the back of the plastic tub, you don’t need too much glue.
- You can use felt tip pens instead if you prefer.
- Less is more with the tissue pieces, if you put in too many bits of tissue they will clamp together when you shake the box up.
- You can add some snow effect with cut out paper or card to add at the bottom, although keeping it simple is the best way to go.
- You may need to seal the case with some selotape, just incase sequins pop out.
- If the plastic tub has alot of texture you may have to use tiny bits of blu tack to hold image in place.
- Find tubs that have less texture, as image will stick better when using a a glue stick.