Feeling Thoughtful? Homemade Card Ideas and Essentials

When it comes to sending birthday or Christmas greeting cards there is nothing more heartfelt than one that is homemade. It shows real effort and love on your behalf and proves that you have dedicated your time to something meaningful. But where do you start? You will, of course, need some supplies to get you started and your cards are not going to be perfect straight away – it’s all a learning curve.

Below we have listed your card-making essentials and some ideas for you.

To get yourself started in homemade card making you will need:

• A cutting mat (also known as a self-healing mat)
• Card – thick paper that can stand up on its own when folded over
• Pair of scissors
• A trimmer/cutting tool e.g. a guillotine
• A variety of different glues
• Coloured paper
• Ruler
• Craft knife
• Accessories such as beads, ribbons, jewels, colored pens/pencils, rubber stamps, ink pads and gum papered squares all of which can be found in various craft stores and online.

Making the card:

Start with your cardstock; this can be bought at any craft shop and comes in a variety of different colors and prints. Depending on what type of card it is that you want, it is usually a good idea to put together a few different colors and layer them. You could use a piece of printer paper to glue on the inside where you would write your message, which would look neat and professional.

Cut your card to the shape you want. A standard card is usually rectangular-shaped and about 5 x 7 (inches) when folded in half. You can cut your card into many different shapes for different occasions such as a snowflake for Christmas or a heart for Valentines Day.

Fold the card in half. Make a sharp and even crease using a ruler and then weight the card under something heavy like a book to make sure that it stays flat as possible. When you’ve done that you are ready to decorate!

Consider what sort of decoration you want to add. The outside of the card is where you will use most of this. Pick a theme based on the appropriate season or occasion.

For some simple touches, add a photo or a collage of photos. For example, If it’s someone’s birthday glue on their photo or a photo of you both to their card for something more personalized and unique

If you have young children get them involved in the decorating! It would be advised for them to stay out of the way while you’re making the base because of scissors and sharp tools, but they can certainly help with designing. They can use their handprints for the front, help you write on the inside or just join in with all the sticking and gluing. Card making makes for a great family fun activity.

Plan how your card is going to look before you get started to avoid any mistakes. Also, try to experiment with different elements of card making before gluing anything down – practice makes perfect!