Let’s admit, we put ‘made with love’ on our creations, because ‘made with cursing, two trips to the craft shop and lots of wine’ just won’t fit on a cute little label.
Card making is the craft of hand-making greeting cards. The custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese and the early Egyptians, and by the early 15th century, handmade paper greeting cards were being exchanged in Europe.
Here’s a look at the world’s first Christmas card, designed in 1843 by John Callcott Horsley:
These days, if you had a look at some card designers’ Instagram accounts, you may be discouraged thinking you would never be able to achieve that level of sophistication and creativity.
But, you absolutely can, and what’s great is that paper crafting design companies today make it easy with their offerings of coordinating products and loads of examples for inspiration.
Cardmaking is a hobby that is rewarding in two ways. One, you get to create with your hands, which is very satisfying, and a relaxing way to spend your free time. Two, and arguably more important, making and giving a handmade card to someone results in joy for both the giver and the receiver. It shows that person that you care and put a special effort into showing them.
I have put together a series of articles that explain the steps to getting started with this rewarding hobby. And once you’ve put together your beginner’s toolbox, you can start creating, and giving!
Firstly, we will look at cardstock and paper, then explore inks, stamps and dies, different techniques used in cardmaking, helpful tools, accessories and machines, embellishments to finish off your projects and finally, storage solutions.