It’s easy to start feeling detached and dull because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Milestones and holidays come and go without the traditional channels of celebration that make us all feel connected. Nevertheless, life has to go on, and special occasions must be celebrated in style. Most holidays won’t be complete without expressing your thoughts on a card to that special person.
You may not be in a position to shop for cards for the ceremony at hand. This is where the idea of having your DIY cards comes in. This is the time to be creative, and better still, engage your kids and family in this exciting DIY project.
Have you ever tried your hand at homemade cards? If not, here are some tips on how to go about it. Whether it’s graduation, Halloween, or anniversary cards, you’ll be proud of your achievements.
Benefits of Homemade Cards
One of the advantages of designing your own greeting cards at home is associated with the cost. Store-bought versions come at a high price because of all the expenses that go into them. Besides, the stores are in business and want to make a profit.
Making cards at home can be an enjoyable hobby for you and the whole family. It gives you full control over the look and message. The cards allow you enough room to pass the message to the reader, exactly the way you’d like it to appear.
Handmade cards are also a way to express how much you care to the receiver of the card. Adding a personal touch to the message and outlook lets the reader know you have them in mind. It’s an excellent way to show how much you know the recipient as you tailor the message to the occasion.
Tips for Making Unique DIY Cards
Having in mind some tips and tricks while making greeting cards will save you from several mistakes.
Determine the Background Color to Use
Choosing the appropriate color for your card is an excellent place to start. It helps you to pick out the materials to use with more ease. One way to select the color is to go by the recipient’s favorite color.
Once you have the primary card color, mix and match it with others that strike a balance or complement each other. For some occasions, picking out the colors might be a relatively simple affair. Red or white will do for Valentine’s cards, while Christmas cards could do well with red, green, white, silver, and gold shades.
The images you use on the card can also determine the color scheme to incorporate. Draw one or two color ideas from the image and add similar embellishments, and you’ll be good to go.
Handmade Birthday Cards Ideas
There are several birthday card ideas you can try to achieve desirable results. The tips here are drawn from objects you already have around the house. It’s all a matter of creativity and how you want the card to look at the end.
Keep in mind that the final design also depends on the recipient of the card. For example, whimsical, colorful, or superhero-inspired cards are ideal for kids. Simple cards with a personalized message will appeal to most adults.
I). Leafy Card
A leafy birthday card is gender-neutral and incorporates rather cool colors. The hues here revolve around green, yellows, and shades of brown. Think of a tree and draw inspiration from it. Let your creativity allow you to incorporate other colors and materials (dried leaves and some decoupage? leaf silhouettes?) as you see fit.
II) Ice Cream Cone Card
The ice cream design idea for a birthday card is perfect for children. It makes the card a delectable treat, especially when you try differently colored paper to achieve the design. Complete the look by adding a cherry on top.
III). Glitter Birthday Card
The best thing with glitter on a happy birthday card is that both children and adults love a little shine. A DIY birthday card with a chunk of glitter will do well when combined with rainbow colors. The brighter the shades of colors, the more attractive the card will be.
Think About Your Source of Paper
Now that you don’t want to go out to the store, where will the paper to make the greeting cards come from? Don’t overthink your answer. Consider buying some card paper from affordable online marketplaces like Fine Cardstock.
Your choices are unlimited, ranging from small cards to large ones. You’ll also choose from an assortment of colors to match the occasion. The best part is that card stocks come already designed for the occasion.
All you need to do is add a few final touches to personalize the card and meet your needs. The final result will be just like you bought a ready-made greeting card from the store.
Alternatives
Alternatively, do some recycling. Consider reusing those beautiful gift bags and wrappings lying idle somewhere in your house. They’re inexpensive, yet will give you some beautiful final products depending on your creativity.
Gift bags are usually made from heavy paper, which makes them ideal for card making. Unfold the bags and cut the paper into the shapes and design you want. Use your leftover paper scraps to make different shapes to embellish the cards.
The wrapping papers are a bit light and thin and will require cardboard as a backer. Use spray adhesive to attach the wrapper paper to the card stock. Lay it down before flattening it out with your finger or bone folder.
Gift bags and wrappers are more demanding to work with than card stocks. However, they’ll still make beautiful Easter, mother’s day, or father’s day cards.
Round the Corners
You’re used to cards with sharp, square corners, but there’s no harm in experimenting a little. For a more professional look of your thank you cards and other greeting cards, use some corner punches.
By attending to the details, you’ll improve the look of your cards a great deal. With a puncher, you’ll not only achieve this look quickly but also end up with a clean, crisp, and reliable cut that makes the cards easy to hold.
Create Some Generic Cards
You don’t know how long it’ll be until you will feel comfortable going out again to buy cards from the store. As you start your DIY card project, consider making some in simple designs, and use them later for various occasions. When the need arises, all you need to do is pull out a card and write the appropriate sentiment, and you’re ready.
A card box will come in handy where you can store the generic cards. If possible, have a storage box with folders for each month. When the time comes, mail them in good time without feeling rushed to make a card again.
Take Away
Making cards at home is fun and also a good way to save money. Your family can help you choose the designs and colors depending on who the recipient is, and the occasion. Homemade cards give you room for personalization and lets you connect with the reader intimately.
Use the above tips and tricks to pull off beautiful greeting cards that spell love and thoughtfulness. You even could make a little money out of the project by selling to friends and neighbors.