This Whispering Woods Bear Christmas Card is made with two new things in the new Stampin’ Up! September-December 2026 Catalog. I used the cute bear in a new stamp set and the beautiful paper that looks like forest where the bear lives.
The card base is Real Red because I wanted the card to look like Christmas. For the background, I used the new Whispering Woods Designer Series Paper. I liked the sheet with all the little pine trees in the forest where bears like to live! This paper is extra-special because with every package sold, Stampin’ Up! will donate $3 to organizations to help spread a little holiday cheer. You can find this paper on page 64 in the catalog. There are 12 sheets, 4 each of 3 double-sided designs. Two of the patterns have designs at the top and the bottom so that you could cut the paper apart into panels and use them to make several cards at once. Or each would make a beautiful scrapbook page border.
For the focal point of the card, I stamped the bear holding a sign from the Christmas Crew Stamp Set. I stamped him in Memento black ink, along with a greeting on a sign, on a piece of Basic White cardstock, colored him with Stampin’ Blends, and fussy-cut him. There are Christmas Crew Dies, but I didn’t buy those. but you can save 10% by getting them in the Christmas Crew Bundle along with the stamp set. I colored him with Pecan Pie Blends and Black for his nose, also Blend 1000 for under his nose.
For the background on the banner-shaped tag, I diecut a scrap of paper from the middle of the paper with the trees at the top and bottom. These dies are in the Nested Essentials Dies. The paper had a bit of color that looked like clouds, although it didn’t really show up on my small piece very well. I added some color with a Small Blending Brush and Misty Moonlight ink. On top of that, I drew in some little snowflakes with a White Gel Pen. These newer White Gel Pens are better than the ones we used to have. I just got this one, but I’ve been reading how well they work compared to others.
In order for the background piece of DSP to be layered on the Real Red cardstock, I trimmed off the edges with the “stitching” on both sides and the top of the designer paper, leaving the bottom banner end as is. Then it fit over the diecut piece of Real Red. I thought it still needed something, so I just cut another larger banner shape with my Paper Trimmer out of Shaded Spruce cardstock. This piece is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals. I also fussy-cut a tree from another sheet of the DSP and stuck him in on the left side of the bear. To finish it off, I added a bow made wtih the Real Red 1/4″ Stitched Ribbon. It is adhered with a couple of Mini Glue Dots. The feel of the ribbon surrpised me – it has a silky feel! I was expecting a cotton/fabric texture to it. You’ll find the ribbon in the Online Exclusives. It seemed like the perfect finishing touch for this card!
On the inside of the card, I stamped a Christmas greeting on a piece of Basic White and adhered a narrow strip of the same designer series paper with the little trees on the left side of the Basic White to decorate the inside of the card a little!
I think we all will have lots of fun with the Christmas Crew Stamp Set characters and their signs! And the bear can be used for birthdays or other occasions depending on his sign!
