Store bought greeting cards are also becoming quite expensive.  For a nice greeting card, you are looking at spending at least $5.00, and sometimes much more. Instead of spending so much, why not make your own using leftover scrapbooking supplies or inexpensive items that can be found that any craft store or even around your house.

Now, if you have been to the craft supply store, you may be thinking that I am completely wrong – scrapbooking and card making embellishments are expensive. And yes, they can be but by using a little creativity you can easily find many supplies at very reasonable prices. Let’s take a look at where you might start:

1) Ribbon

Ribbon is one embellishment that is so simple, yet can add a unique beauty to any card. Most of us have some lying around the house and, if we don’t, it is very inexpensive to purchase. The best part about ribbon is that it comes in a variety of different colors and patterns and can be used in many different ways. Whether you use ribbons to create a card border or a bow, ribbon can be extremely versatile and is an excellent way to add a special touch to your card.

2) Buttons

Buttons are another type of embellishment that can often be found around the home or, at the very least, be purchased for an excellent price. While they are best suited towards cards with particular themes (for example, teddy bears or denim), buttons can add a sense of dimension to almost any card. One of the most popular ways to use buttons is as a border or to create or highlight words.

3) Faux flowers

Faux (or silk) flowers are another cheap yet stunning embellishment that can be used to decorate your handmade greeting cards. These embellishments are best used for cards directed towards weddings, thank you’s, anniversaries, or Mother’s day.

4) Fabric

Also inexpensive, fabric is probably one of the most versatile greeting card embellishments and can be used in many creative ways. Because fabric comes in so many different textures, colours and patterns, it allows you, the artist to be extremely creative. Whether you want to add a pattern, dimension or a special craft to your card, you can do so using fabric.

Because you are making your own cards, it is up to you how much you can spend. It can be as little or as much as you want. You don’t have to spend a great deal on embellishments unless you want to. Supplies such as fabric, flowers, buttons and ribbon are all inexpensive ways that you can spice up your handmade cards on a budget.

The Original Post is Located Here: Inexpensive Embellishments For Handmade Cards

When it comes to creating your own greeting cards you should begin by having your supplies ready. The most basic supplies that you will need to create your own card include glue, scissors, cardstock, colored pencils or markers and glitter. Of course, you can use pretty much anything you like to create a greeting card. The supplies you will use will depend on what you have lying around the house, how much you want to spend, how creative you are and how much effort you want to put into making the card. Remember, this is your creation so you can keep it as simple or make it as complex as you want.
 

Once you have all of your supplies collected, you need to choose a theme for your card. This theme can be anything and will generally be based around both the occasion and who the card is for. If the receiver of the card has any special interests, you may want to base the theme of the card around this. If not, you may wish to base your theme around age or gender. Children, for example, often like cards that are based around animals, a teddy bear or cartoon themes. Men, on the other hand, may prefer cards that are based around sports, fishing or cars. Once you have a theme, use your craft supplies to design a card based around it.
 

On top of theme based decorations, you may also want to use photographs to make the card more personal. If you have a favorite photo with the receiver like a baby photo of the receiver or a funny photo of them, each of these can add a personal touch to the card. By personalizing the card, you make it more meaningful so that it is a keepsake that will be around forever, rather than a card that will be thrown in the garbage tomorrow.
 

Finish your card by adding text. Whether you want to add a funny quote or a personal handwritten message, adding text is an extremely important part of making a handmade greeting card. Always be sure to know exactly what you are going to write before you begin. If you have already designed the rest of your card, you do not want to have to start all over again due to a simple wording error.
 

Creating your own handmade greeting cards is simple. Begin by collecting all of your supplies, then choose a theme that suits the person that you are giving the card to. Use this theme to decorate your card and, if you wish to make the card more personal, add a favorite photograph. Finish by adding quotes or handwritten messages. Then, admire your work, carefully place it into an envelope and hand it over to the guest of honor.

The Original Post is Located Here: How to Make Simple Handmade Cards

If you want to make the perfect greeting card for that special someone you need to know their interests. Their interests will determine the theme of the greeting card. If, for example, they are interested in cars, you can base the theme of your greeting card around this topic. You also need to know the interests of the recipient in order to know what tone you should use for the card. Is the person receiving the card the romantic type? Or would they prefer a funnier, more laidback card? The more you know about the recipient, the better you can create a card that is perfect for them.

You will also need materials. When creating a greeting card, the skies the limit. You can use pretty much anything you want within your card. Many people like to use supplies that are lying around the house, but you can also find many crafts and scrapbooking supplies for making greeting cards. Some of the most basic craft supplies include things such as papers, scissors, embellishments, inks, buttons and stamps.

When choosing your card supplies be sure to take the size of your card into consideration. Most people decide to go with standard size cards, but if you want your card to really stand out that you can make it larger or smaller than usual. If you are making a larger card, make sure that you have enough supplies to decorate it properly. Similarly, if you are making a smaller card make sure that you do not buy too many supplies that will make your card overwhelming to look at.

Another thing that you will need when making handmade greeting cards is time. In order to know how much time you will need to create your card, make a plan. Decide exactly how you want your card to look (card making sketches can really help  you here) and what techniques you want to use on it. By doing so, you will be better able to determine how much time will be needed to carry out your ideas.

Once you have set aside time, created a plan and have all of your supplies ready, you need to make a special space where you can work.  If the area you are working in is overcrowded you may become overwhelmed and your creative juices will diminish. Clean an area that is large enough to gather all of your materials. If you can, keep your materials in a workbox. The more organized you are, the better you will be able to make the perfect greeting card.

Finally, get to work! Remember, creating your own greeting cards should be fun. Use your imagination and create a card that is representative of your creativity and that will make the receiver smile. When you are finished, don’t forget to add a short message. A personalized message will make the card more sentimental and meaningful.

To make the perfect greeting card, follow the few simple steps above. If you acknowledge the interests of the receiver, gather all of the materials, set aside a proper amount of time and a clean working environment, you can let your creative juices flow and this will ultimately result in a perfect hand-made greeting card.

The Original Post is Located Here: Essentials For Making The Perfect Card

First off, know that if you are making a handmade card for your sweetheart, that will be plenty enough to show them how much you care – you could write nothing at all and you will still be expressing your sentiment! But if you want to write something, here is some advice to help you make the perfect card for your loved one.

Funny Greeting Cards

We all love to laugh. Making the tone of your handmade greeting card light and funny is a great way to avoid becoming overly sappy. If you have been with your significant other for a long period of time, there is a good chance that you share great deal of jokes and funny memories together. Feel free to use these jokes and amusing stories as part of your greeting card. If it is a birthday card and you are comfortable enough to make age jokes, go ahead and do just that.

Typically, funny greeting cards are mostly recommended for men. We all know that the majority of women would prefer something romantic to something funny, but if you are comfortable enough with your girlfriend or wife to make the card funny, feel free to do so.

Romantic Greeting Cards

Most woman prefer a romantic or sentimental greeting card to a funny one. With that said, romantic greeting cards can also be great for men. While they are especially recommended for anniversaries and Valentine’s Day, romantic greeting cards are great for any occasion. After all, there is no day that is inappropriate to tell your sweetheart how much you care.

When writing a romantic greeting card, remember to take the personality of the receiver into consideration. If you are making a card for your wife who is very passionate and emotional, let your feelings run free in your writing. If, however, you are writing for your boyfriend of one year who is afraid of commitment, keep things simple. Express how you feel without getting overly mushy.

Making the Perfect Card

The perfect card is one that your sweetheart will love. If your partner is a romantic individual, go with a romantic card. If they are more lighthearted and like to laugh, go with a funny card. Even if you choose to go funny (when you really should choose to go romantic), the simple fact that you put the time and effort into making your own handmade card will be plenty enough to show your partner how much you love and care about them.

The Original Post is Located Here: Romantic Handmade Cards – What To Say Inside

If you aren’t sure what an eyelet is, they are small metal embellishments with a hole through the middle. Traditionally, they are round, but thanks to the explosion of the papercraft industry, they now come in a wide range of colours, sizes and shapes.

You can use them to attach other items to your card, or as an embellishment as themselves.

To attach, you will need an eyelet setter, a relatively inexpensive tool available from most major craft stores.

Exactly what you need to do to attach your eyelet depends on the tool you use. The basic idea though, is that you punch a small hole in the material you are applying the eyelet to. You then put the eyelet in place and turn it upside down (so the top of the eyelet is now in contact with your desk and you are looking at the underside). You then use your eyelet setting tool to lock it in place. It’s very simple.

Once you know how to set eyelets, you won’t be able to resist using them on lots of your card making projects. Here are just a few uses for eyelets you might like to try.

1. Use round eyelets for the center of flowers.

2. Place them in the corners of your card or rectangular embellishment.

3. Place one at each end of your card and thread a ribbon through them.

4. Place them in a line to create a border down one side of your card.

5. Place them in a line to underline your title or sentiment.

6. Create a cake or cupcake embellishment from paper and use eyelets to create the sprinkles.

7. Use them as a substitute for buttons. For example, if you create a snowman embellishment, instead of buttons down his front, you could use eyelets.

8. Create a pizza embellishment from paper and use eyelets to create the toppings.

9. Use them as dots and spots. For example, if you create a ladybug embellishment, use black eyelets to create the spots on its back.

These are just some of literally hundreds of different things you can create for your card making projects using eyelets. Give them a go and see what you can create!

The Original Post is Located Here: Eyelets In Card Making

There are so many choices available when it comes to shopping for card making supplies. Stores are filled with so many pretty and cute items to choose from. So how do we know which ones are essential and which are the optional extras?

Here is a list of the must-haves for making special homemade cards you will just love:

1. Cardstock in a variety of colors. Cardstock is perhaps the most important of your card making supplies as it will form the base for most of your cards as well as be an essential element of your designs. Make sure you keep a wide range of colors in your craft room so you always have what you need on hand.

2. Patterned papers for color, texture and interest.

3. Adhesives and perhaps an adhesive remover like a glue eraser.

4. A pair of good quality scissors, a paper trimmer and perhaps a craft knife.

5. Embellishments

Here is where you can really have some fun. There are so many different embellishments available that you can select whatever appeals to you and suits your personality.

Types of card making embellishments include stickers, rub-ons, cut-outs, buttons, brads, eyelets, ribbons, deco tapes, flowers, fabric, lace, sewing thread, glitter and more. They all come in a wide range of colours, styles and designs so there’s sure to be something to suit everyone.

6. Tools

There are also a wide range of tools on the market that help you create your own card making embellishments. These include punches, stencils, stamps, circle cutters and die-cutting machines like the Cricut.

While tools can be very useful card making supplies and a lot of fun to play with, it is best to wait awhile before investing in a wide range of tools as you can easily end up with a lot of things you won’t use.

Making cards for the special people in your lives is a fun and rewarding hobby. I hope this guide has helped you choose the card making supplies you need to get started.

The Original Post is Located Here: Essential Card Making Supplies