So I’ve officially switched gears—after what felt like SIX WEEKS of haunting my house for Halloween, I waved goodbye to skeletons and spooky candles, and hellooo to glitter, green, and all things holly jolly!
Today? We're diving into the MOST satisfying, crafty rabbit hole: making my own Christmas tissue paper. Yep, the kind of paper that makes gift wrap pop, candle decor shine, and your inner art elf squeal with joy. And let me tell you—it’s a process full of paint, embossing powder, stencils, stamps, and a splash of stubborn creativity.
Check It Out Real Time! Full Walkthrough Video
Products Used In This Video
- Large Gel Plate
- Medical paper
- Liquitex Gloss Medium
- Mod Podge Gloss
- Cheap Craft Paint From Stash
- Stampers Anonymous
- Heat Tool
- Embossing Tray
- Wow Embossing Pad
The Base: Not Your Grandma’s Tissue Paper
Okay, secret weapon alert: I'm using medical office paper. You know, the roll they pull out at the doctor’s office for you to awkwardly sit on? THAT’S THE ONE!
Two huge rolls for under $10, people! This stuff is cheap, sturdy, and gets extra points because when you add gloss medium, it goes almost invisible. Say goodbye to that chalky white tissue look!
Let's Talk Stencils, Baby
So here I was, ready to make merry magic, and realized… I don’t have many “Christmasy” stencils. Cue panic! But then I thought, checkerboards? Hexagons? Fancy diamonds? YES PLEASE. I grabbed my faves (shoutout to Vicki Boutin’s pretties) and let my gel plate and red/green paint combos do their thing.
Lesson learned: when in doubt, geometric = festive!
Paint Party Time
Using way too much paint (on purpose), I pulled dreamy layers of red and green backgrounds. Some were super crisp, some turned out grungy-chic (hello, texture), and some got trashed because—let’s be real—not every color combo is a hit. Red and green without a neutral? Ehh… it gave more hot mess than holiday cheer.
BUT sage green? Be still my boho heart. Sage is my love language!
Embossing Is My Love Language
Now comes the drama: embossing. I pulled out some thrifted powders (because who doesn’t love a mystery green?) and went to town with stamps—script fonts, checks, bold patterns… all the good stuff. Pro tip: embossing powder never expires, so estate sale finds = gold.
Seriously, when that powder melts? PURE. CRAFT. JOY!
Also, shoutout to my baby granddaughter Skye, who’s getting her first “I know what Christmas IS” year—this whole vibe is for her colorful, ho-ho-ho-loving self.
Red + Green Vibes, With a Twist
I split my papers into two moods:
- Bright + cheery for the baby zone (think acid green + candy cane red).
- Boho + cozy for my grown-up candles (sage greens, minimal script).
Cohesion is key, friends. I stuck to a few stencil patterns so everything feels like it’s from the same holiday universe.
Craft Confession
Yes, I’m making Christmas things in June. And yes, my thunder-fearing beagle Walbert was under the table the whole time while it stormed outside. But I had my embossing heat tool, my messy desk, and my art-loving heart all in the zone!
So if you’ve got some paint, a stencil, and a dream? GET TO CRAFTING. You’re gonna make magic, too.
Wanna see all the finished tissue paper styles I made? You KNOW I took a million pics! And if you’re itching to try this, stay tuned—next up: how I turn these into faux candle decor that looks straight outta Santa’s workshop!
