Dec 16
Watercolor + Letterpress Christmas Cards
For our Christmas cards this year I did a letterpress and watercolor combo. I did a big watercolor wash across each paper and envelope by hand so each one is different. I used two different reds on the same brush to create an ombre effect. Then each sheet was letterpressed on my Vandercook letterpress using a silver metallic ink. They were then cut down, folded, and finally I mounted a family photo (we took in our back yard) on each one.
Category: christmas, paper + letterpress, things I made
63 Comments
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Oh Happy Day is a party and lifestyle blog based in San Francisco. We just moved back after spending a year in Paris, France. We love to throw parties and make things!
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LOVE these! Did you use lega- sized paper?
I cut down the parent sheets of paper in to quarters and then printed and cut them down.
These are gorgeous!
Beautiful!
absolutely stunning.
Those are absolutely beautiful. What lucky family and friends to receive such a beautiful card in the mail.
WOW!!
These turned out BEAUTIFULLY!! I love how it's folded in three, and the water colour is so special and unique.
Well done!!
A.Co @ A.Co est. 1984
What a work of art & those are truly beautiful. If I were to receive one of those cards I would save that one for years and years.
beautiful! i unsuccessfully watercolor washed my christmas cards this year, they just ended up wrinkly
whats your secret?
Awesome. Just Awesome!
Gorgeous. Really beautiful! I would love to make homemade cards, but there is no way I could have done 75 of these (which is the number of christmas cards I had to send out this year). Please tell me you didn't have so many?!? You are a rockstar if you did!
@Tasha I sent out 75 but it really didn't take that long. The whole project took about 5 hours over the span of a week. To design, watercolor, print and cut.
Can you get any cooler? You and the fam look so great! What an awesome, personal Christmas card.
Amazing.
Great idea and lovely cards! Wish I knew you in person so I could receive one!
GORGEOUS!
They are beautiful. Tasteful and restrained–true classics with a modern edge. (That's a fancy way to say I LOVE them.)
Truly fantastic! You've inspired me for next year.
Absolutely gorgeous! The ombre is so subtly Christmas-y!
These are so beautiful,– gorgeous!
gorgeous.
These are amazing! You should sell some personalized ones in your store! (Of course once you get settled in Paris!)
love these!
I too am wondering how you do these without warping the paper?
I used to be a painter and only managed it with taping down the page until it was dry, but sometimes it's not practical, so I'm wondering if you have a different method – or if you just use amazingly awesome paper and magic. ♥
so beautiful!
this is the best idea ever!! super beautiful. what kind of watercolors do you use? I love these so much!
http://www.sanfranciscomysong.com
Lovely…. I esp like that everone is different….
xxx
ceo
beautiful!!!
These are gorgeous. You are so very talented.
love these. simple and beautiful.
so beautiful! even prettier in person
They turned out beautifully! Bravo!
LOVE them! I also love the picture – where do you print your pictures that size with a border?
Thanks!
Fabulous cards… they look perfect! What a treat to receive in the mail too!
This idea is just lovely…and so wonderfully personal! It's always a treat visiting your blog and seeing artistry applied with such love.
Ours came in the mail today. We LOVE it. — M & R
ah they are really beautiful!
gorgeous! i'm so happy you shared them. i was curious to see.
merry christmas!
These are incredibly beautiful. You are so talented and always come up with unique & amazing ideas. So inspiring. Thanks for sharing all of the details.
These would be one of those cards that I keep on my fridge for a few years. Awesome.
just great! and that family picture is gorgeous! merry christmas
Wow, these are so so gorgeous. I love the watercolor.
Also Moses' birthday bash was the best. I love the simplicity.
Theya re so amazing!
You're friends are lucky lucky people to receive one of those!!
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I'm sad I didn't do cards this year. These are way to cute.
love this! i still have to do my cards, and am wishing it was earlier in the month to do a bit of a switch-a-roo… (i'm thinking of saving my plates to next year, and then maybe add a story like you did- hunh!)
to die for.
these are absolutely gorgeous. jaw droppingly gorgeous!
It's so lovely! I waiting till the last minute with our card this year, I'm sad I wasn't more creative.