Card Making - Guest Post

I have another great guest post from my mother Annette! She is fabulous at making cards for any occassion! She made my birthday card this year and it said Happy Birthday to the Coupon Queen and was decorated with coupons and such - It is my favorite card ever!! In fact I love it so much it's hanging in my kitchen! Most of the time after enjoyig a card for few days, they get thrown away. My husband and I don't even trade cards anymore becasue we were spending $1-3 on a nice card only to throw it away some time later. So making cards makes perfect sense!! 1. Collect old writing paper, cards and the envelopes from yard sales, and goodwill. Even if you don’t like the picture there is usually something on the card you can use-a border, saying, simple happy birthday, butterfly, etc. Wrapping paper is another good resource!

2. BUY Card stock paper – it’s definitely worth it and get a good glue stick. The children's glue sticks do not work as well.

4.Get a paper cutter if you can, or have a good ruler 12" and scissors you like.

5. Go through cards, old cards, magazines you buy at yard sales (I have found magazine paper not good to use except small things)-even a small catalogue of cross stitch patterns is good can be used for pictures.

6. Cut your picture to fit on smallish piece of card stock – don’t be afraid to trim down and get picture effect you want.

7. Glue picture onto card stock piece.

8. Sew straight stitch with color thread around it, starting at bottom. Move it gently or zig zag it – cut thread strings off after you go 1 ½ inches so won’t tangle on next pass. I have to turn card picture at corners with needle in. Do 4 arounds. If you don't have a sewing machine you can do by hand being sure not to bend paper - embroidery would be wonderful ! Painting a border or fake stitches is pretty too.

9. Pick envelope bigger than picture. Measure card stock double width of envelope minus ¼ inch. Measure height of card minus ¼ inch of envelope. You will figure out quickly how to do this by eye. Fold card in half.

10. Make SURE you know how card is to open before you place your picture. Glue it on well. I use a matt knife to add glue under parts of rim when I have to – if you glue well the first time on back of picture you won’t need to do this.

11. Finish your card with a happy birthday you cut out or use your computer and colors to print out message. OR use message from another card. This wishing well is from a get well card and I wanted it for a niece’s birthday.I had the sticker.

12. SAVE SAVE SAVE leftover card stock and keep it flat or stacked so won’t wrinkle. I had one piece leftover for card pictures and one good piece for another card. THIS CARD TOOK ONLY 15 MINUTES.