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Saturday, October 11, 2025

Simon Says Stamp Sugar and Spice Release {Cute Christmas Card Making!}

Christmas card season is coming in HOT - it's TIME, friends! It felt great to get a few holiday cards made to begin this year's stash, and the stamps and dies from the new Sugar and Spice release at Simon Says Stamp gave me some fresh inspiration to share! I'm just thrilled to be blog hopping along with some of my favorite card makers for day 2 of Simon's Sugar and Spice release blog hop. If you're feeling merry, read on!

This blog post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links, I receive compensation at no cost to you. Thank you from the bottom of my crafty heart!

Both of today's cards feature the Plaque Slides dies and coordinating Plaque Slides Christmas stamps, as well as the Narrow Holly Cluster dies. Let's chat about the Plaque Slides first. These sentiments are adorable, well-sized for cards, and will coordinate perfectly with a variety of styles. You'll want to die-cut a whole bunch of the coordinating die shapes and add these cuties to all kinds of cards, tags, gift wrap, and goodies. I super love that there's some versatility with the rounded rectangle shape - you'll see for today's first card, I trimmed off the edges to just keep the rectangle, but on my second card you'll see how easily you can slide a ribbon or twine to attach it. Love that versatility! 

Here's TWO tips if you'd like to recreate this Merry and Bright card:

  • Planning to mass produce your cards? Consider stamping the sentiments across the background of an entire 8.5x11 sheet of cardstock. Then, simply cut it into four (or more) pieces to create your cards. 
  • Depending on the colors of ink you use, sometimes a very busy colorful background can become, well, TOO busy. If that's the case, add a layer of vellum. It'll probably be just enough to make the background less overwhelming, and adds another layer of interest. (I love to use my tiny stapler to easily attach vellum without messing with adhesive that might show through.) 
(Note: I layered my sentiment onto a cute scalloped tag from Spellbinders. You can find the Make a Wish Arch Labels die set at Simon Says Stamp.)
Next up, you'll see that Plaque Slide die with the twine strung through. This is going to be such fun on gift wrap and packaged holiday treats, but clearly adorable on cards too. Although I used the Narrow Holly Cluster for the greenery up above, on this card the holly is front and center, and makes a bold statement cut from metallic cardstocks. Again, another versatile die set - cut it into pieces and use the holly as an accent, or use the whole cluster as a focal point. I love to have options! 
Friends, you don't want to miss a stop on today's blog hop. First of all, there's so much AMAZING inspiration, but secondly Simon Says Stamp is giving away a $25 coupon to one commenter on EACH blog! Winners will be posted on the SSS blog on Wednesday October 15th. 

55 comments:

  1. I often have a love/hate relationship with stepping outside my own personal comfort zone. Your cards caused me to take a step away from what is often looked upon as being a typical traditional Christmas color theme. You used colors I wouldn't have personally picked to use for Christmas cards (especially the Holly card) and you made beautiful cards with them. The Vellum on your first card did it's job and softened what could have been a busy card, the colors popped from under the vellum and set the stage for the tag to shine perched on the top. The colors you chose for your Holly card were BOLD and really gave that card a personality all of it's own. I am totally smitten with both cards and I want to THANK YOU for reminding me to not be afraid to shake things up, stepping away from traditional colors Christmas colors can be a GREAT thing. Your snowflake cards from a few days ago are also fantastic cards. You've got a great eye for color and for drawing people in to your work, WELL DONE !! I personally think anytime you can really make someone see your art you've done a great job.

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  2. Stunning cards, each one has a wow element and special touch to it!

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  3. I love the use of vellum and your awesome bright colors and designs!

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  4. I would have never thought to address all the colors but it totally works. I love it! Beautiful cards! I want to get the snowflake set now!

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  5. Very wonderful cards! I like the colors!

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  6. love the bright green you used really makes an impact

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  7. Love that bright green and red. Really stands out.

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  8. I like your use of non-traditional Christmas colors for your cards. That yellow really gets my attention.

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  9. Oooo, I love the lime with the red! And I love cutting the Holly with non-traditional colors. Very eye-catching!

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  10. Super fun projects! Love the colors you used, too!

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  11. Beautiful cards, great colors! Love the 1st one so much--that background, the Tag, that sweet piece of Vellum and the lovley holly die card! Merry Merry!

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  12. Lovely ideas for layers! I love the leaves.

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  13. I especially appreciate your tips!

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  14. Love the bright colors on your cards!

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  15. Awesome cards! Love the beautiful holly leaves and both of the cards you created!

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  16. Nice cards, I love the color green used

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  17. Beautiful cards!!! Sooo colorful and fun!!

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  18. Such cute and happy color combos. Really cool.

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  19. Both cards are so beautiful 😍

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  20. these are both so fun and colorful. Beautiful!

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  21. Love these cards. Such creativity.

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  22. Beautiful cards. Love the Holly leaf card.

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  23. What fun cards!! I love the bright colors that you used.

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  24. Love the use of the Plaque Slides Christmas Stamps and Plaque Slides Dies. Beautiful cards

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  25. Gorgeous cards I love the bright colors!!!!

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  26. Beautiful cards! I like seeing something different in the release with these slider dies!

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  27. Interesting color choices, you make it wok but not for me.

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  28. I love these cards and the way you used the Christmas stamps on your first card was colorful and fun. Great tip to use vellum to tame down a lot of color. It was perfect and added even more interest to it. Like the color choices and layout on your second card!

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  29. Such pretty cards Laura. Love the colorful background of the first card and the gold branch of the second card. Amazing designs. Thanks for the inspirations!

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  30. I love the modern look of your cards!

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  31. Super fun set of Christmas cards. Love the fun, bright colors you used.

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  32. These are so bright and happy and I love their simplicity. Just darling!

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  33. Fun and colorful background on the first card. Both cads are lovely.

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  34. Colorful background on the first card, the holly leaves really stand out using the Gold.

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  35. Love the use of the sentiments for the background! such a fun and modern card!

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  36. Beautiful, vibrant cards!! Love your colors!! Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

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  37. I love your vibrant color stories!! Super fun and festive. Great new release and so many possibilities!

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  38. While I tend to favor vintage, your modern twist on these seasonal cards are so festive and cheerful! Love your designs!

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  39. Your cards are so fun and festive! I love the bold, contrasting colors on the Merry Christmas design!

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  40. Yay! I LOVE your designs Laura!

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  41. Both of the cards are gorgeous! I love the background with a vellum layer and tag for the 1st card. The second card is also so gorgeous with those metallic cardstock die cuts!

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You're so sweet to say HELLO! :)