Collage for Christmas- Tim Holtz Collection

I’m always impressed by Tim Holtz’s creations. He has a unique style that the card making world and the commercial trade have found ample room and inspiration. He goes beyond inspiring cards as you’ll find with Paula Cheney and her Vignette Box creations, projects that reveal depth and story.

I watched an older video of his (Valentine’s Cards, 2022) when I was on the hunt for Christmas card inspiration. Watching a video on YouTube that runs over an hour and a half is quite a commitment these days. I was engrossed with his instruction and skill in the use of his products but also with his insights on being ‘a maker’. We’re not just gluing, coloring or even crafting, we’re makers who are compelled to use our hands and minds to express and create something thoughtful, wonderful, or in the case of Paula Cheney, awe-inspiring.

Tim Holtz idea-ology is a successful and enduring brand, having been around for almost two decades. The style has attached to a nostalgic, gothic and industrial-chic design that makers translate with card- making, journaling, and other mixed media. The Distress inks, pastes, stains, watercolor pencils, crayons and other products further provide tools to alter, age, and blend idea-ology elements into cohesive projects. “They fit together through a seamlessly designed ecosystem.” And when you go for one product you usually go for others.

I like this comment from Tim Holtz in the video, …”the most important thing I’ve learned is: everything that we buy, it’s an investment. Sometimes we buy it with the best intention to use it, sometimes we even outgrow stuff. And we either sell it or give it away, whatever that is. But the important thing is to remember those things and how to use them differently… my favorite thing about, I think, the industry at large is to remember if you have it, there’s always a cool way to use it.”

Trust the process. -Tim Holtz

Inspired, I delved into the vintage idea-ology ecosystem to create collage Christmas cards for the upcoming 2026 holiday. Cards in this session are both 4×6 and 5×7. For backgrounds I’ve layered paper from Tim Holtz’s Backdrops- Christmas Noel and The Paper Studio’s Vintage Christmas 6×6 paper pad. In addition I used Stampers Anonymous Winter Watercolor 2 stamps to create another background.

^{5×7 card. Floral embellishments hand cut from card stock.}

I’ve used idea-ology Paperdolls- Christmas Noel as focal points on most of the cards. For layers and embellishment I used Idea-ology Ephemera Pack, Christmas 2024, which comes loaded with fun, nostalgic Christmas themed tickets, tags and bits. I used various steel dies for floral additions. All of the cards got a light misting of Altenew’s Pure White Ink Spray. You could also use white gesso paint diluted and flicked to create a snow effect.

^{The wreath has been made using the following die sets: Recollections, Fall Leaves Cutting Dies; Papertrey Ink, Into the Blooms: Christmas Sprigs; an old mini Paper Studio punch; and Simon Says Stamp Fresh Holly Sprig}

Here I branched away from the paper dolls to create a card with a layered die cut wreath and bow (Recollections Bow, Layering die set) as a focal. I used a large ‘Believe’ sentiment in gold paper from Altenew’s Holiday Scripts Words Die Set, along with assorted steel die cut foliage and ephemera, to decorate a background stamped with a branch from the Winter Watercolor 2 stamps set. And if you love foliage and botanicals, this is a great set to have!

Tip: cut out elements from your patterned paper to use as embellishments and layers. I’ve cut along the patterns in cardstock to add to a frame and poinsettias from the Backdrops- Christmas Noel pages to add a pop of red in the corners. Feel free to use dimensional tape with your layers. As I’ll be mailing these, I’ve glued flat layers.

I started by coloring my paper dolls using Ranger’s Tim Holtz Distress® Watercolor Pencils. I’d wet the pencil tips then apply the pigment to the dolls but I felt like not all of the colors that I wanted to use stood out on some of the dark shadows of the dolls. I did a little research and found that crafters had better color application by applying a thin coat of clear gesso to the dolls first. After this layer dried, I worked with the pencils again and found that the pigment adhered better and came out richer with this method.

^{Future card planning: some dolls water colored and others ready to go.}

You can find many cards made with these dolls on Pinterest. And don’t let your imagination stop with cards! I love all the faces, family pairings and outfits. I can’t wait to decorate the woman with the very formal dress and decorative lace collar and the woman in the checked coat and classy hat. So many cute little kid’s faces and also the solemn stares that were not uncommon in early portraits.

There are so many dolls in this collection that you’ll never get bored nor be pressed for a cast of characters.

^{Your personally made ‘experimental’ embellishments are also easy to incorporate with this style card.}

I’ve just recently started to make collage styled cards using pre-cut paper ephemera. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it so much. At first it feels too free-form. Lacking a definitive design, structured and simple, open space, clean lines, I didn’t know where to begin. But as Tim says, “Trust the process.” You just have to begin.

With this style of collage card-making it’s hard to know what is a mistake! When you’re layering elements that are already connected by style, theme and color palette, you’re alleviating the common ‘mistakes’ you may find when you start designing from scratch. There is no perfect.

It becomes easy and relaxing as you play with the dolls , paper and ephemera. And it’ becomes more personal as you craft and think of the recipients and how the dolls may reflect them a hundred years ago!

Find Paula Cheney’s work here.

Find more of my collage cards here and here.

Severnista