Every year December seems to arrive out of nowhere, bringing the usual scramble to write cards, wrap presents, and tick off endless to-do lists. I’ve found that taking a bit of time mid-year to sit down, play with festive paper, and get a jump on things makes all the difference when the silly season truly kicks off.

For this year’s Christmas in July project, I’ve put together a clever two-in-one card and gift tag combo. The design centres around a little translucent vellum pocket anchored with a stamped vintage postbox belly band. Tucked neatly inside are coordinating gift tags that can be pulled out and tied onto presents, or kept tucked inside as an interactive greeting.

What I enjoy most about this format is how adaptable it is once you have the basic pocket construction sorted. You can lean into cosy patterned papers—like classic festive plaids or whimsical parcel prints—and top your tags with whatever holiday motifs make you smile. In this sample set, I’ve played with everything from little woolly jumpers and pompom beanies to cheerful snowmen and festive postage-style stamps.

We will be building these together in my upcoming cardmaking class at my Oakleigh South studio. You’ll have a whole assortment of stamps and dies from Stampin’ Up! on the table, giving you the freedom to mix, match, and tailor each card to your own taste. Whether you fancy stamping jolly characters or keeping things clean and classic with evergreens and mugs of cocoa, you’ll leave with a completed set ready to tuck away until holiday mailing time.

If you’d like to spend a relaxed afternoon crafting, having a cuppa, and quietly crossing holiday cards off your end-of-year list, we’d love to have you join us at the craft table. Head over to my booking page to see upcoming dates and save your spot.

For more information, feel free to get in touch.