🎄 Grinch PJ Fail? Stocking Success! A Grinch-Inspired Pull-Top Gift Card Holder Tutorial
- This Chick Loves Paper
- Oct 3, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Let me introduce myself properly:
I’m basically Clark W. Griswold in a ponytail. In fact, our friends call us the Graz-Wolds (get it? Graz-wolds = Griswolds!) — because we go THAT hard for Christmas. 😂
We’re talking twinkle lights you can see from space.
Gingerbread-decorating parties.
Baking marathons.
Christmas ornament workshops.
If Hallmark were to film it, trust me… we would be hosting it.
And yes — our Christmas tree stays up all year long.
Non-negotiable.
Christmas isn’t a season… It’s a personality. ✨
But when my son and I started taking our annual Disneyland Christmas trips, reality hit:
We were losing a full week of December. Something had to give. So we created new traditions — festive, fun, and way less prep-heavy.
And that brings us to…
💚🎄 The Year of the Grinch Pajamas That Never Happened
Enter: Christmas jammies.
Adorable in theory… unworn in reality.
Would you believe these Grinch jammies sat under the tree for TWO YEARS — matching socks and all?! 😂
In fact, as I type this, there is STILL a set under my Christmas tree right now. 💀😂
So there I was, brainstorming stocking ideas, I glance over… and out of the corner of my eye I spot those still-tagged, never-worn Grinch jammies.
Challenge. Accepted.
And that is the moment this project was born —
a Grinch-Inspired Stocking Pull-Top Gift Card Holder that turned a pajama fail into the cutest little Christmas win.
Because honestly?
Everyone loves the Grinch.
And this stocking? It’s the perfect mix of festive, funny, and full-on mischief.
So let’s grab some cocoa, steal a few Christmas hearts, and make this grinchy little masterpiece together. 🎄✨
🎨 Supplies You’ll Need For The Grinch-Inspired Pull-Top Gift Card Holder Tutorial!
Before we dive into the crafting magic, let’s make sure you have everything you need for this Grinch-inspired stocking.
📜 Cardstock – The Base of Your Grinchy Creation
✔ Cherry Cobbler Cardstock – Stocking base
✔ Basic Black 12x12 Two-Tone Cardstock – Back stocking, front cuff, front toe
✔ White Willow 12x12 Two-Tone Cardstock – Back cuff & toe
✔ Garden Green 12x12 Two-Tone Cardstock – Holly leaves for a festive pop
🖊 Stampin’ Blends & Inks – Because Color is Everything!
✔ Granny Apple Green Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack – The perfect Grinchy green!
✔ Daffodil Delight Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack – For those mischievous eyes!
✔ Mossy Meadow Stampin' Blends Combo Pack – Inked edges of holly leaves for added dimension
✔ Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack – Santa hat & stocking
Embellishments – The Finishing Touches
✔ Deckled Circle Dies – Used for the center, toe, and heel pieces (adds the perfect distressed edge for a handcrafted look!)
✔ Cherry Cobbler & Clear Adhesive-Backed Berries – Because festive sparkle is a must!
✔ Cherry Cobbler & Gold Satin Ribbon – For the stocking loop
✨ Tools
✔ Foam Strips & Adhesives – For dimension & depth
✔ Glue (Liquid & Tape Runner) – For securing layers and making sure everything stays put!
✔ Sponge Dauber – For inking edges and adding a professional touch
✔ White Gel Pen – For detailing and adding those extra highlights that make designs POP!
✔ Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine - For die-cutting
🎨 Design Space Magic: Why SVGs Make Characters Easy
Here’s the truth:
If you’re crafting characters — Grinch, Jack & Sally, Marvel, or Disney Inspired— you’re NOT going to find stamps or dies for most of them.
That’s where SVGs save Christmas. 🎄✨
SVG files let you:
✔ Resize characters to ANY size
✔ Choose every color and layer
✔ Preview the whole design in Design Space
✔ Cut clean, crisp details no scissors could ever manage
Whether you want a small Grinch or a dramatic, oversized one, SVGs give you limitless creative freedom.
🎨 Bring the Grinch to Life: Coloring for Depth, Drama & Pure Mischief
Here’s how I colored my Grinch-Inspired pieces:
✔ GRANNY APPLE GREEN STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK – dark for the shadows. Light for the Base & highlight color for the Grinch’s face
✔ DAFFODIL DELIGHT STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK – Eye color
✔ MOSSY MEADOW CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD– using a sponge dauber, ink edges of holly leaves
✔ MOSSY MEADOW STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK - Shadowing & details for depth for holly leaves
✔ CHERRY COBBLER STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK – Santa hat & stocking
Now that all of our pieces are cut and colored, it’s time to assemble the basic stocking. The best part? No matter what design you choose, the stocking construction and pull-tab mechanism follow the same step-by-step process!
🎄 First Things First: Build Your Base Stocking
Before we add ANY character details, every pull-top stocking starts with the SAME foundation:
✔ Pull-tab mechanism
✔ Layered front and back pieces
✔ Sliding gift-card pocket
✔ Smooth movement (no snagging!)
To keep this post focused on the fun part (THE GRINCH!), the full construction guide is here:
👉 Pull-Top Stocking Construction Tutorial
📌 When your base stocking is fully constructed, come back to THIS post to add the Grinch SVG details and bring the whole design to life.
Ready?
Let’s get this stocking built — then let’s get Grinchy. 💚✨
Step 1: Align the Santa Hat & Grinch Face for a Seamless Pull-Tab Effect 🎩👹
Before gluing anything down, it’s crucial to position the Santa hat on the pull tab and the Grinch face on the stocking so they align perfectly when the stocking is closed.
How to Get the Perfect Alignment:
✔ First, test the placement. Lay the Grinch face on the stocking and the Santa hat with the fluffy trim on the pull tab without gluing anything down yet. Move the pull tab up and down a few times to make sure the face and hat line up when the stocking is closed.
✔ Once everything looks perfect, glue down just the Grinch face and the Santa hat.
✔ Next, add foam tape to the back of the fluffy hat trim to give it that raised, dimensional effect — but don’t stick it down yet.
✔ Position the fluffy trim where it belongs, then peel the foam-tape backing ONLY on the part that attaches to the pull tab.
Leave the backing ON the part that overhangs onto the stocking.
This prevents it from sticking and keeps the pull tab sliding smoothly.
💡 Pro Tip: Leaving the overhanging section unexposed gives you that perfect pop-up hat effect — dimensional, aligned, and fully functional without snagging.
Step 2: Add the Fluffy Neck Trim & Holly Leaves 🍃
At this point, your Grinchy stocking is coming to life! Now it’s time to add those final details that make it truly stand out.
✔ Apply foam tape to the back of the fluffy neck trim to give it a subtle lift off the stocking.
Position it directly beneath the Grinch’s face so the curve of the trim aligns naturally with the curve of his jawline.
✔ Before pressing it down, slide your holly leaves underneath on one side (use your photo as a guide for placement). This lets the leaves sit seamlessly behind the trim instead of feeling like an afterthought.
✔ Once the holly leaves are exactly where you want them, press the fluffy trim down to secure everything in place.
💡 Design Tip: The fluffy neck trim is truly the game-changer — it frames the Grinch’s face, adds dimension, and brings the whole character to life with that perfect 3D pop.
Step 3: The Final Festive Details: Belt, Toe, and Pull-Tab Magic
✔ Now it’s time for the final front-side details.
Start by attaching the Santa belt to the opposite side of your holly leaves. This balances the design and adds that classic Grinch-meets-Santa attitude.
✔ Next, decorate the toe of the stocking.
You can place your “GRINCH” title here or personalize it with the recipient’s name.
Both options look adorable — it all depends on who this mischievous little stocking is going to.
✔ Finish off the pull-tab by adding a small cluster of holly leaves and berries.
It ties the top of the stocking back into the main design and keeps that green color flowing from top to bottom. (It’s not quite a visual triangle… more like a visual sideline — but hey, it works! 😆)
And BAM — just like that, the entire front of your Grinch stocking is DONE.
Now, you could stop here… but if you know me even a little bit, you know I don’t do “simple.”
I go extra. So of course, we’re decorating the back, too.
The Back of the Stocking – A Little Extra Holiday Mischief
If there’s a way to add more magic, more detail, more Grinchy drama — I’m doing it.
So let’s give the back of this stocking a moment of its own!
The back doesn’t need as many layers or embellishments as the front, but it absolutely deserves a standout feature. And for this Grinch design, there was only ONE perfect choice:
✔ That iconic Grinch hand holding the ornament.
It’s simple.
It’s bold.
It’s instantly recognizable.
And it makes the back of your stocking just as fun as the front — without overpowering anything.
After you cut and color your Grinch hand, there are just a couple of simple additions that make the back feel finished without losing that clean, minimalist look.
I added the “Grinch” word on the toe again — you can use the Grinch title like I did, or swap it for the name of the person you’re gifting it to. Both look adorable and totally intentional.
Then, to balance the design from top to bottom, I added a “HO HO HO” at the top of the stocking with a small cluster of holly leaves. It keeps the look simple, but still festive and cohesive with the front of the stocking. Everything feels connected, but nothing looks overdone — just the perfect touch of Grinchy charm. 💚✨
🎭 Explore More: One Stocking, A Thousand Stories
If this Grinchy little troublemaker stole your crafty heart, wait until you see what else this pull-top stocking base can do.
This design is like the Swiss Army knife of Christmas crafting — one simple base, endless possibilities. Just swap the colors, change the SVGs, and bam! You’ve got a totally new character, theme, or fandom ready to steal the spotlight.
From Jack & Sally-Inspired to full-on Minnie-Inspired magic, each version uses the exact same base stocking and pull-top mechanism… but the personality? That’s all in the decorating.
So if your creative gears are turning (I see them!), head over and peek at the other stockings I’ve made — same bones, brand-new vibes. You might just spot the perfect idea for your next handmade gift… or five. 😉
💚 Show Off Your Grinchy Genius! Let’s See Your Mischievous Masterpieces!
Okay, crafty friend… your turn!
If you’ve made this Grinch Stocking Pull-Top Gift Card Holder — or you’re thinking about giving it a whirl — I want to SEE it! 🎄💚✨
Snap a pic, upload it to the Members’ Gallery, and let us admire every perfectly-placed holly leaf and gloriously grumpy Grinch grin. Whether you stayed true to the green guy or switched things up with your own twist, your version could be the spark that inspires the next crafty creator.
Handmade gifts have magic — and when you share yours, you help someone else believe they can make one too. 🥰
So don’t be shy… show us the stocking that stole your heart (not Christmas 😉).
I cannot WAIT to swoon over your holiday mischief!
🎄 Final Thoughts: From Pajama Fails to Christmas Wins
Who knew forgotten pajamas could turn into a handmade gift full of personality and joy?
That’s the heart of crafting — the magic shows up in the unexpected places. In the scraps. In the ideas that start as accidents. In the moments that make you laugh and say, “Okay… this could actually be cute.”
This stocking isn’t just a gift card holder.
It’s a reminder that creativity always finds a way — even when traditions change or life gets messy.
Every cut.
Every color blend.
Every fluffy trim.
It all tells a story — YOUR story.
And turning a Christmas fail into a Christmas win?
That’s the kind of magic even the Grinch would approve of. 💚✨
Craft boldly. Laugh often. And trust your creative spark — it never steers you wrong.
April – This Chick Loves Paper
🛒 Grab Your Supplies & Start Crafting!
Please note: All images are subject to copyright. ThisChickLovesPaper.com
Images © Stampin’ Up! and © CTMH
The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of April Raine - This Chick Loves Paper as a Stampin’ Up!® Independent Demonstrator. The use of and content of classes, services, or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!®.
Learn how to make this Grinch-Inspired Pull-Top Gift Card Holder with SVG layering, custom coloring, and a step-by-step tutorial from This Chick Loves Paper — a festive, interactive Christmas craft inspired by those forgotten Grinch pajamas.