Homemade Christmas Cards with Fingerprint Snowman Families
Making Your Own Christmas Cards - Cute Ideas for Fingerprint Snowmen and Other Christmas Art
Here's a cute idea for making your own homemade personalized Christmas Cards. Use fingerprint art (also called Thumprint Art or Funprint Drawings) to make Fingerprint Snowman Families, or Reindeer Families or any other creative thing you can think of. Give interesting facial expressions - you can even match expressions to the personality of the family member. Then you can add each person's name underneath the fingerprint character.
I've added a few samples here to help wtih ideas. Some are my own ideas, some I've found online but the idea of fingerprint art is credited to Mr. Ed Emberley. He is a master of simple art for kids - and adults! He has illustrated an entire book dedicated toThumbprint Art (I'll tell you more about that farther down the page). But first, here are some ideas and examples of Christmas Cards using fingerprints to make our families.
Fingers + Ink = Fun!
Homemade Christmas Card with Thumb Print Snowman Folks - Here's a family represented as Snow People!
Home made Christmas Card using Snowman Fingerprint Caricatures
For the snowmen, I used a Blue Ink Pad. Of course snow is white, but that won't work on white paper and I like the look of the blue ink. If you have a deep desire to have white snowmen (and you're feeling brave :-), grab some white acrylic paint and colored paper and give it a go. Now that I'm thinking about this I'm going to give it a try and see how it turns out. When it dries I'll add a picture here. For the eyes, nose, buttons and arms, I used Ultra Fine Point Colored Markers - Sharpies are my favorite. I really like the orange nose on the snow people.
Homemade Card with Reindeer Family - Add names underneath
Christmas Card Thumbprint Reindeer Family with Names
Here I used a brown ink pad. That's not a color I would normally have so I bought one and it worked great. Eyelashes show moms and daughters plainly :).
Fingerprint Art Christmas Tree Idea
Homemade Christmas Tree Card
Use finger tips on this one
This one is not personalized with names, but does use fingertip art. I used green ink and my set ofSharpie Ultra Fine Markers and aRegular Fine Point Yellow Marker for the star. I also scanned it into my computer and typed in the wording (much neater than my handwriting!). This one could be a simple card like a postcard and not folded. You could fit 4 on a page and print them out at home or have copies made at a copy store.
Family members could simply sign the front.
*Special Note from a Mom :-)
If your family sends out lots of cards (like ours does) this could end up being quite a project! Some kiddos get fidgety and can't sit still to make 50 Christmas Cards. Consider making one master card - tweak it till it's just like you want it to be and get color copies made from the original. Then cut them to size for your envelope.
Or make them at Zazzle (scroll down for more info.)
Funprint Stocking Card
Personalized Stockings with family member's names on them
Add a Greeting of Merry Christmas to the front or inside
Here's an idea using stockings with names on them. For the top of the stocking I had to have a straight line in order to add the cuff. I added pictures below to show how to do it. This would be really cute with some fireplace art in the background but I didn't have any on hand. You can probably find some online. If I find some I'll add a link. On all the cards I made, I added a simple outline border for a little extra umph. Another idea would be to add little stickers around the edges or in the corners.
Singing Thumb Print Family! - A family singing songs
Fingerprint people singing Christmas Song
The expressions made using thin black lines will make all the difference with these caricatures! Use Ed Emberley's Book to learn how to make hundreds and hundreds of expressions. If you like thumbprint art you will want to have a copy of his book as a guide. It's a keeper.
Another idea: Use cards you already have
Adding art to greeting cards
Here I used a card I had on hand and added the snowmen to the inside for a personal touch. The great thing about this idea is that I already have envelopes to match etc.
THE Best Thumbprint Art Book Ever - Don't miss this book!
Ed Emberley's Complete Funprint Drawing Book
We've had our copy of this book for many many years and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is chocked full of ideas for kids and adults. Even kids who "think" they are not good artists will get a boost of self-confidence once they start making cute fingerprint critters and people with the step by step instructions.
You Can Also Make Your Cards at Zazzle
You can use this sample and change the words
Here's one I made as a template. It is fully customizable by changing the art and the wording. Feel free to use it to make your own card! Zazzle is an excellent online printing company and I order ALL of my printed products from them. Buy any quantity: 1, 2, 50, 500! Very dependable.
Fingerprint Snowman Christmas Card - Personalize by puzzlemaker
Shop for a greeting card on zazzle.com
*New - Make Your Own Matching Christmas Stamps
Here's a template I made - feel free to use this one
Here's what you do: You can click on this stamp and you'll be prompted to add your own image (have it ready in your computer by scanning it or another means) then add your own text too. I have a place holders of "Merry Christmas" and "Add Your Text Here", but you can easily change both (or you can delete the wording). You simply make it like you want it!
What size paper do you need? - Options for paper and envelopes
All of the cards on this page were made using paper size 5" x 4" (folded size). If you want larger paper or have a bigger family or want to add fingerprint pets too, you'll need a bigger size. Here are some options for sets of cards and envelopes.*You can also purchase these at office supply stores.*
I've been out looking for more fingerprint ideas... - Here's what I've found from crafters, bloggers and artists
- From Creative Ruminations
Not a card, but a cute idea for a funprint tree ornament for kids to make. - Another Cute Ornament
Another idea for a Snowman Ornament. Really really cute. Use white paint on a blue ball ornament, then decorate the snowmen with scarves, faces and hats. - Here's a link to a photograph
A teacher shares a photo of Snowman Cards her students have made. Kids always have the very best ideas! - Reindeer Card
A family of four reindeer make a very cool Christmas card. - Reindeer in lots of poses - by a graphic artist
GREAT ideas for full body adult reindeer.
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