Paint Chip Tree Cards

As seen in the Oct/Nov 2008 issue of Paper Trends magazine!

Here are three quick and simple holiday cards that I created using, ... wait for it, ... Paint Chips! Yup, that's right! Those sample swatch sheets of color that you get from the paint or hardware store before you buy the full gallon.


I chose Behr's wide 5"x6" paint chip samples to design these cards. I decided to use the paint chips on an angle to create a more dynamic design.


First I started by cutting the text off of the left side of the chip.



Next I trimmed off the remaining two rounded corners, leaving me with a rectangle.



Then I cut the rectangle in half on the diagonal, from corner to corner, giving me two triangles.


Finally I measured the left side of my triangle. I marked the same measurement on the long side of the triangle and trimmed from corner point to the mark to make the base of my tree.



I now have two trees ready to decorate!



I titled this one "Celebrate Tree." For this smaller card, I created a slightly smaller triangle. I tore a strip of green cardstock to create my deckled edge "ground" and attached it to the bottom of the card. I accented the tree with white snowflake brads and a ribbon "trunk." Finally I finished this simple card with sheer ribbon and a rub-on.




This is my "Twin Pines" card. For this card, I first covered my folded base cardstock with a snowy patterned paper. I then adhered a torn strip of white textured cardstock along the bottom to make "snow." I again accented my trees with white snowflake brads and ribbon "trunks."






My final card is called "Christmas Tree" and it is the most colorful of the trio. Like my "Twin Pines" card, I started with a similar snowy backdrop. But I made this one more playful by accenting the tree with a wooden star and colorful button "ornaments." I finished it off with a length of red plaid ribbon.





Hope you like my cards and are inspired to create your own designs using paint chips. If you would like to see more pics of these cards, check them out in my online portfolio