When you want to express yourself with a small token, there’s nothing like a greeting card to say best what is on your mind. You can tell people thank you, sorry, happy birthday, happy anniversary, and wish them luck or farewell with a single greeting card. A greeting card is something that lasts, if you keep it, and it is a wonderful feeling taking them out after years and going through them, feeling the same lovely sentiments all over again.
Making greeting cards is something you can make a hobby out of, especially if you are into art and crafts. You wouldn’t need much to start with. Blank cards, paints or crayons or watercolor pens, a pair of scissors, glue and random pretty objects to decorate with are enough to begin. You can buy these at any crafts store. They won’t cost you anything over $50. Besides these, you would need oodles of creativity and a lively imagination.
To get started, think of why you are making the greeting card. Is it for a birthday? Or a wedding? Is it a gesture of thanks or a just because card? Once you know what occasion you are making the card for, you can decide on a design. Think of what graphics are appropriate for the occasion. A birthday card should be bright and cheerful. You can use the motif of a cake, or comic’s characters if it is for a child’s birthday. You can have flowers and candles on an anniversary card. On a thank you card, a good idea is to have that same phrase written in different colors all over the front flap of the card. You could do a sorry card in black and white geometric prints, and have the letters S-O-R-R-Y in bold red or yellow bang in the middle. Valentines’ day cards might carry heart shaped motifs, and be done in lots of pink and red. For mother’s day and father’s day, put pictures of your parents’ favorite things on the card and do an elaborate Happy Mother’s Day or Happy Father’s Day in shiny ink on top.
If you think you are not that good with your hands, there is no reason to despair. You can use your computer and a digital camera to make your own greeting cards. Go out with your camera and click interesting pictures. It could be shots of birds, woods or animals. You can also click pictures of your family all dressed up. Upload the pictures on your computer and do some editing with software like Picasa or Adobe Photoshop. Once you have the desired effect, take a print out. You can scrawl your message inside, which adds the personal touch. But if you like you can get a color print out of your message in a bright shade of ink.
Put your very own handmade greeting card in an envelope and send them out. Your family and friends will love it that you put something together from scratch exclusively for them.
