Homemade cards, does anyone make them?

[LindsayDunn228]

I was throwing around the idea of getting into making my own cards (like birthdays, thinking of you, etc). Does anyone here do this? Any tips/tricks/tools/advice you can give me?

Thanks!

 

[MazdaUK]

I've just done the card swap over on the swap board. I'm no way an expert, but here's what I do:

Buy packs of blanks and envelopes (no way can I cut card striaght enough to stand up - bad enough cutting it striaght enough for scrap pages )

Less is more! If you've bought expensive toppers ready-made don't overwhelm them with extra bits.

Foam squares or pop dots add dimension and make a card look more interesting (and expensive) than just flat stuff

Keep it clean and neat

Look at "handmade" cards in the shop - you can do that too!

You have transferable skills - do you sew, scrap, stamp, paint? Then use them on the cards!

finally

Enjoy! If it gets tiresome STOP, or you'll ruin expensive supplies and get cross.

 

[lewdyan1]

Mazda reminded me that I was in a card swap last year. Here is a link to the photos to help you get some ideas. http://www.joyandscott.com/cardswap.htm

 

[Disney Ontario]

hi. I make more cards now, then doing scrapbooking pictures. I love it. My mother gave me all thier cards that she has being saving for years, I always have a hard time putting a verse inside. Our card store at the mall always has huge bundles of envelopes for less than 60 cents.
Have you ever went to buy a nice card, and finding that it costs over $4.00 forget it.

 

[Faerie]

I love making cards. Hallmark doesn't get any of my money anymore.

 

[MazdaUK]

there's some good ideas here http://www.happystampers.co.uk/acatalog/Card_Making_Ideas.html

 

[calanniebu]

another card maker here ... I also made all of my invites and other paper goods for my wedding last year.

Another tip in addition to MazdaUK's: Staples sells invitation envelopes that fit a card that has the "base" of 1/2 and 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper.

HTH!

 

[Juliegirl1]

I love making cards - I do more stamping on my cards then I do on my scrapbook pages. www.splitcoaststampers.com is a great website for ideas - they are mostly Stampin Up people but you can use the gallery for inspiration. Have fun! I love the satisfaction that comes from making cards because they are so much easier and faster to make than scrapbook pages and great to get me out of a mental block when I don't know what to do for my scrapbook.

 

[jennyL]

I also make more cards then scrapbooking pages. I love the quick gratification however I have been known to spend hours working on one card. If you need alot of cards make some that are all the same. It saves alot of time and most likely the people you are mailing to won't even know that you made 12 of the same thing.

I too love splitcoast for ideas and do alot of stamping on mine too.

As for inside versus I'm not much for the wordy cards so I make the front really a WOW and then just the little sentiment on the inside.

 

[Goofysmate]

I have now taken up card making also. I've found that i did'nt need to buy anything other then blank cards as i'm a scrapper so had all the bits and pieces and a great way sometimes to use up those little left over bit.

 

[MazdaUK]

I also find it a good way to use anything really cute but maybe not "safe"

 

[LindaBabe]

Love Cardmaking! I got a couple quote books to use for verses, and a couple simple cardmaking books / magazines to use for ideas. One friend of mine sends tons of cards but it finally dawned on me - she uses the same basic pattern but varies the papers and embellishments and the direction (portrait or landscape) to get TOTALLY different looks.

My hints are to use standard size rectangular cards and envelopes - and not make the embellishments too thick. Odd size or shape envelopes like squares, and cards with thick embellishments cost more to mail because they have to be hand processed.

 

[vanyel]

Oooh! Lots of good ideas to "lift" on this thread! Thanks!

I love making cards too. All of my friends expect me to make their cards now and are mad if they get a pre-made card/purchased card.

I'm fairly new at this so I looked at a lot of websites and books for ideas. I do have some basic designs I use a lot and vary the paper/embellishments to fit the person (as LindaBabe mentioned). I buy envelopes at Hobby Lobby most of the time, when they're 50% off and usually use my own cardstock to make the card. The standard size is really important - you don't want to have to spend a lot in postage for odd sizes if you're mailing cards!

Recently, I discovered Bazzill Bling (thanks to someone here) and I like it for cards as it has the Bling side and the flat side which gives the card a contrast inside or if you do any punch outs.

I haven't found it saves money though, at least not yet!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I started making cards last year for xmas. Yeah ya'll might get them this year.
Anywhoo, I did one step at a time. I think I made 40 cards, so I cut out 40 cards, stamped 40 Santas added the photo corners on 40, then assembled them, well 1/2 of them.
Thanks for the reminder, I need to go find them and finish!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I have just started making my own cards and I am having so much fun doing it.

My DD 8 has started making her own birthday cards for her Friends parties. She is so proud of them and they are too darn cute.

 

[Faerie]

for the ladies with Cricut, check out the card area over there. There are some seriously talented people!

 

[MyGirlLovesMickey]

I've been making cards since I was 15 years old (I'm 35 now). I've sold a lot of them, but I mostly do it for fun. Now I use my Cricut all the time, and post all of my designs on the Cricut site, on the Cards forum.

I like to buy the pre-cut cards with envelopes. I'm completely incapable of designing anything simple, LOL! Wish I could! Some of my favorite things to use are my Cricut, my Cuttlebug (for textured backgrounds), brads, ribbon, Stickles glitter glue, and definitely pop dots!! For me, it's all about depth, color and texture.

 

[vanyel]

for the ladies with Cricut, check out the card area over there. There are some seriously talented people!

Did you see the criss cross card? And I don't have a cricut but looked for ideas.