DIY CALENDAR BLOG HOP: DECEMBER 2025 TRADITIONS OF CHRISTMAS

Hi there friends! Welcome to the last calendar hop of 2025. Our calendars provide a little snapshot of what Stampin’ Up! released during the year, and it’s fun to reminisce. In December, I’m taking advantage of the gorgeous Traditions of Christmas Designer Series Paper to give my calendar a little extra pop.

These gold-enhanced, watercolored flowers come straight from the DSP and are die cut with the coordinating Christmas Greenery dies. I also cut the holly leaves with the same dies, giving them a little ink brush with my dauber to add dept.

The past couple of months I’ve been double-matting my calendars. This month, the design just begged for a little extra glimmer around the edge. I don’t expect to do it every month, in fact I don’t think it’s usually necessary – but I did it in December!

December is such a busy month, and Mr Maui Stamper and I were away for almost 3 weeks in November so I’m kicking into high gear! Using DSP is a great way to save a little time. Stop back on December 31st when I’ll have my annual DIY roundup – all 12 months in one glorious post!

Click the button to travel through the Blog Hop and see what Sharon, Cheryl and Malia have created this month. We’re so glad you’ve joined us!

Would you like to make your own DIY Calendars? The template is just $6. Visit my secure page to make your purchase. (You can also find the page on the banner across the top of my home page.)

You’ll receive links to download the templates in an email after you’ve paid. You’ll need to cut and paste those links into your browser. (You may need to check your spam folder to find that email.)

You are only purchasing a template, which you can download and print for your personal use. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

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WISHING YOU JOY WITH PEACEFUL GARDEN

If you know Mr. Maui Stamper, you know he likes all the colors as long as they’re blue. The Peaceful Garden DSP makes both of us happy – he gets his blues, and I get my florals.

  • Stamps: Wishing You Joy
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Cloud Cover, Misty Moonlight
  • Accessories: Peaceful Garden DSP, Misty Moonlight and Silver ribbon, Hues of Blue Flowers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You have to look for those little flowers, but in person they’re much easier to spot. This could be a holiday card, a wedding card, or a birthday card.

Wishing You Joy is another sleeper stamp set in the September-December mini catalog. There are 4 sentiments: Wishing You Joy, Sending You Cheer, May Your Christmas Be Bright, and Noel. They’re offered in 3 different fonts, in different sizes and shapes. It’s a perfect all-purpose holiday stamp set! Find it in the Online Store.

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PEACEFUL GARDEN THIS OR THAT?

Can I tell you I LOVE the Peaceful Garden Designer Series paper? And this print in particular? It has that moody blue holiday feeling, but it transitions into so many other roles. Time for a good This or That!

The Christmas Words Hybrid Embossing Folder has every expression you can imagine. You can choose to use it as a background folder or add the die to the “sandwich” and cut each one out. I’ve added color with Cloud Cover Stampin’ Blends and it was very forgiving.

But then I turned the layout on its side and changed the sentiment – and I think it makes a lovely sympathy card. I really like the Linen Thread on this card.

So what do you think? Landscape or Portrait? Christmas or Sympathy? or maybe a mash-up? In either case, give it a try. It’s a quick and easy way to use that DSP stash.

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MAKING A CARD WITH THE TRADITIONAL WREATH EMBOSSING FOLDER

This holiday season, Stampin’ Up! has not one but two gorgeous embossing folders. You’ve seen the Peaceful Greenery Embossing folder – now say hello to the Traditional Wreath Embossing Folder!

  • Stamps: Seasonal Tags
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Shaded Spruce, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Traditional Wreath Embossing Folder, daubers, Circle Punches, Gold Stripe 3/8″ ribbon, Stampin’ Blends, retired red gems, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The easiest way I’ve found to add color to this wreath is to use daubers. Brush lightly and the raised images pick up the color, keeping the texture of the embossing. I colored the berries with Real Red Stampin’ Blends, and a few of them have a few sparkly gems from eons ago.

I love that this wreath isn’t so distinctively “holiday”. You could easily use it year around in other color combinations (stay tuned!) This is a 6″ square embossing folder. The entire wreath doesn’t fit on a traditional card front, but it works well as a partial panel.

The Seasonal Tags are a bit of a sleeper, so don’t let them pass you by. You’ll reach for them again and again!

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PEACE ON EARTH

Do you love DSP that does all the heavy lifting the way I do??????? Here’s Traditions of Christmas again with a completely different feeling. This luxurious red and gold poinsettia motif does all the work.

Friends, you NEED the Embossing Additions Tool Kit. The tray has an end cap that screws on and off – no more breaking fingernails pulling out the plug! There’s an embossing buddy, a brush, and THE BEST craft tweezers you’ve ever held in your hand. Run don’t walk to get this one!

This DSP is amazing. Snap it up while you can – it’s in the Online Store.

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TRADITIONS OF CHRISTMAS DSP AND THE PEACEFUL GREENERY EMBOSSING FOLDER

The Traditions of Christmas DSP does it again! This image can also be cut with the Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine using the Christmas Greenery dies. You’d be surprised how quickly this card comes together when you have a ready-made focal point.

This image is plentiful on the page of DSP, and comes in 3 color ways. Look closely at the background of the Pool Party die cut, as it’s been stamped with our new Lasting Linen stamp. The texture is GORGEOUS and I hope this one sticks around for a very very very long time.

When the coloring is done for you, the cards go together very quickly. I don’t know about you, but it seems as though this time of year I need a LOT of cards. Head over to the Online Store if you need a little more DSP or some dies.

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QUICK CARD MAKING WITH THE CHRISTMAS GREETINGS CARDS & ENVELOPES

Our card and envelope packs are one of my favorite short cuts to card making. The Christmas Greetings Mix and Match cards and envelopes remind me of a Hawaiian fabric pattern called palaka, so I snapped up a couple of packs in my sneak peek order. Turns out they are a great match to the Traditionsmof Christmas DSP!!

Multiple images from the DSP can be cut with the coordinating dies, another big time saver. You’ve seen my coloring: it’s not like this!! And all that gold detail is just glorious.

Our Gold Mesh ribbon was on Last Chance and has sold out, but there’s a beautiful new option in the Online Store. And that new Christmas Words Hybrid Embossing Folder is AWESOME. You can cut out the individual words, but I like it just as it is!

The cards come with coordinating envelopes and the overall look is luxurious but just a little bit country. Pick up a couple of packages for your holiday cards and you’ll be halfway done! Shop the Online Store.

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LLAMA CHRISTMAS OR LLAMA CELEBRATION??

Llamas are back – this time in landscape! Their necks aren’t quite as long, but there’s room for more of them, and more llamas can only be a good thing. Please tell me you agree.

  • Stamps: Long Time No See, Spooky Halloween
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Gray Granite, Smoky Slate, Lost Lagoon, Granny Apple Green, Poppy Parade
  • Accessories: Stampin’ Blends, Paper Snips (no longer available), Sweet Sorbet Bordered Ribbon (retired)

I really wanted this to be a Christmas Card, but when I switched out the sentiment I had second thoughts. This sentiment is from Coneflower Celebrations, and I think it fits better. Ugh. I need to find order a Christmas sentiment this shape!

Either way, this card was colored with Stampin’ Blends much the way Tuesday’s card was. The llama-neck-sweaters have 3 colors, and if you look closely you’ll realize that some of the llamas are Smoky Slate and some are Gray Granite. Those funny starry background bits are from Spooky Halloween, because it was sitting on my desk begging to be included (Yes, the stamps talk to me, and I respond. And yes, that probably means I’m certifiable.)

Look at their perky ears! They’re waiting for you to tell them how handsome they are!! Go ahead, make their day. And then shop the Online Store for your own perky llamas.

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SEASON OF ELEGANCE Z-FOLD CARD

The Z-fold card is one of my favorite designs: it’s a simple fold with a big impact. It’s essentially a regular fold with an extra score and a focal point, so it’s a great candidate for production. And it’s a great way to spotlight our beautiful Designer Series Papers!

  • Stamps: Greetings of the Season, Translucent Florals
  • Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Mellow Moss
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut & Emboss Machine, Spotlight on Nature dies, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Season of Elegance DSP, Transparent Adhesive-Backed Dots, Gold Ribbon (retired)

Don’t you love the shimmer of Gold Embossing? Every time I emboss something, especially a greeting, I ask myself why I don’t do it more often. It’s not hard and it adds so much!!

To create the Z-fold, cut your 8 1/2″ x 11″ cardstock into two panels measuring 4 1/4″ x 11″. Score one of them at 2 3/4″ and 5 1/2″ and fold in half, then fold the front panel back to the left. Add a focal point (I love using a die cut) and you are ready to go!

Shop for Season of Elegance DSP in the Online Store. You still have time to make a few more cards before the holidays! Running out of time?? Then send Happy New Year cards – that sentiment is in Greetings of the Season. We’ve got you covered!

The January Paper Pumpkin Kit contains everything you need to make 9 beautiful cards just in time for Valentines Day! Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

Stampin’ Up! has updated the Last Chance category in the Online Store. Going forward, it will be regularly updated. Today it lists the products being phased out in order to bring us new, exciting creative options. Some things are discounted, so shop early for the best selection.

Do these designs look familiar? They’re a refresh of previous DSP offerings in updated colors. Shop this special release while it’s available in the Online Store under NEW ARRIVALS.

Would you like to make your own DIY Calendars? The template is just $5 – let me know that’s what you want and I’ll send you an invoice. Please tell me you’re a real being in the message box – I’m getting increasing amounts of spam. Everything is done digitally, so you’ll have it quickly.

You are only purchasing a template, which you can download and print for your personal use.

Be sure to check out the Online Exclusives available ONLY in the Online Store! Many of my favorite bundles are there, but you’ll never see them in a paper catalog.

Want to see the September – December mini catalog as an online publication? Here you go!

The 24-25 Annual Catalog is filled with inspiration. New stamps, dies, tools, and gorgeous new In Colors are waiting for you!! Shop HERE.

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DIY DECEMBER 2024: SURFING SANTA

Surfing Santa is PERFECT for my December DIY calendar! I’m gonna need his cool vibes to stay on task with all the projects I have in mind:

  • Stamps: Surfing Santa
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Memento Black, Summer Splash, Fresh Freesia, Naturals 500, Gray Granite, Lemon Lolly, Pool Party
  • Accessories: Paper Snips, Wink of Stella, Stampin’ Blends,, Stampin’ Dimensionals

This is post-holiday Santa, and he’s incognito in Summer Splash and Fresh Freesia. You can tell he’s been out in the sun with that deep tan, and his beard has the sparkle of salt spray. He’s a happy guy!

Take a moment to see what Cheryl and Crystal have created for December. Surfing Santa and so much more is in the Online Store. And be sure to check in with us in January as we have new crafters joining us in 2025!

Would you like to make your own DIY Calendars? The template is just $5 – let me know that’s what you want and I’ll send you an invoice. Please tell me you’re a real being in the message box – I’m getting increasing amounts of spam. Everything is done digitally, so you’ll have it quickly.

You are only purchasing a template, which you can download and print for your personal use.

Want to see the September – December mini catalog as an online publication? Here you go!

Be sure to check out the Online Exclusives available ONLY in the Online Store! Many of my favorite bundles are there, but you’ll never see them in a paper catalog.

The December Paper Pumpkin Kit is Notes from the Heart. It contains everything you need to make 9 beautiful cards featuring hand sketched designs. Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

Close To My Heart (CTMH) products have always had limited availability, but now they’re 30% off while supplies last.

Are you a scrapbooker? Stampin’ Up! has released a new, digital-only scrapbooking brochure. It’s designed to coordinate with the September – December mini. Shop HERE.

The 24-25 Annual Catalog is filled with inspiration. New stamps, dies, tools, and gorgeous new In Colors are waiting for you!! Shop HERE.

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