tutorial tuesday: card making

due to the holiday and a few technical difficulties, this week's make it monday has turned into a tutorial tuesday instead. i'll try to be back to regularly scheduled blogging next week :)

today's project:



HOW TO MAKE A CARD

i love to make cards for people using scrapbook paper, stamps, embellishments, etc. i wanted to show you how to make a basic card!

STEP ONE:

get a blank card and envelope.



you can use cardstock to cut and make your blank card, but since i make many cards, i like to buy packages of blank cards so i have plenty on hand.

i have found good deals on large packs of cards or envelopes in the past HERE

next, fold the card in half.



STEP TWO:

find some scrapbook paper for the outside of the card.





(i have a ridiculous stash of paper that i have gathered over the past 6 years :O it can be from a small paper stack, a large paper stack, or just a single sheet that you bought from the store!)


STEP THREE:

attach the blank card front to the scrapbook paper.

you can use many different types of adhesive - double stick tape, glue stick, glue dots, etc.
for this card i used double stick tape.



put some pieces of tape around one side of the blank card, then turn it over and attach it to the back side of your decorated paper.





(sorry it's a little hard to see with the white on white!)

attach it:




STEP FOUR:

cut carefully around the edges to remove the excess paper.



then you are left with a pretty card front!



optional step here that i like to do sometimes is to use a corner cutter to round off the 2 bottom corners of the card.





STEP FIVE:

next you need to find a sentiment for the front of your card. i like to use stamps.

tip: i have gotten many stamps over the years in the $1 bins at michaels!

some of the sentiments you can use: "thank you" "thinking of you" "happy birthday" "congratulations!"

also find some coordinating cardstock to match your card that you can stamp on. i like to layer a few different colors of cardstock.



load up your stamp with some ink, and then stamp it on your cardstock.









tip: keep your stamps clean by using baby wipes to clean them after each use!

trim around the edges, and then use some adhesive to place that piece on your next color of cardstock. trim around that one leaving a border, and then adhere that one on your next color, etc.









once you like the way it looks, place it on your card! you can place it anywhere you think looks good, i usually tend to do the lower right corner but the lower left corner works as well.



sometimes i like to put a thin paper border across the card and then place the sentiment on top of that. it's really up to you! be creative! you can add buttons, paper flowers, glitter, you can emboss your stamps, the possibilities are really endless!

there are also many books out there that have different layouts of cards, as well. this is one i was given for christmas a few years back:



(amazon link HERE)

STEP SIX:



you are ready to fill out your card and mail it to someone special! :)

if you'd like to order any cards, please let me know! i love to make variety packs or take custom orders! here are a few i've made in the past:



send some sunshine in the mail to brighten someones day with a handwritten card! :)