Distinguish yourself by creating handmade, intimate greeting cards for any occasion

BY ASSIA MORTENSEN

Making your own greeting cards is a pleasurable craft project, which can be done solo, with a partner or friends, or with kids. It can be a delightful experience to find a personalized greeting card in your mailbox. Especially in the “digital age,” when e-mails and text messages have reduced the amount of personal correspondence, they tend to impress the receiver — they know you took the time to make a card just for them. Let’s face it, sometimes you just can’t find the perfect thing on the Hallmark rack at the local drugstore, as card-makers don’t represent all of us. There are occasions for which only handmade cards will do.

I treasure the homemade cards I’ve been sent, with photos of a new baby, or a sentimental locale. Some have come with personalized greetings, a poem, a painting or drawing, or simply, a funny joke. Other card-makers have used pressed flowers, colorful material, unique papers, ribbons, or cut-outs. “A greeting card you make yourself can be more meaningful to the recipient, and just as attractive as any store-bought greeting card,” said Jacci Howard Bear, who offers great desktop publishing advice in her article, “How to Make your Own Greeting Card” (www.about.com).

The options are infinite: you can create a card completely on a computer using a desktop publishing program like PageMaker, or InDesign. Even software programs like Microsoft Publisher and Word have templates and tools you can use to make your own designs—or you can access a variety of attractive, free cards at the Hewlett Packard Activity Center (best if you have an HP printer). Or avoid the computer altogether, gathering supplies you probably already have at home: paper, scissors (or a paper-cutter,) glue, some colored pencils, pens or paints. A visit to a stationary or craft store can be inspiring in itself, with all the fancy cardstock papers, envelopes, glitter, stamps, and other add-ons available. One caveat: Making cards tends to be addicting. Store-bought cards won’t really seem to have the same appeal any more, and receivers may come to expect them.

Computer-crafted Cards

The computer savvy among us might opt to design cards using design software, and print them on card stock paper. It can be especially rewarding to add photographs and choose your own greetings, backgrounds, colors, and fonts. Desktop publishing software or greeting card software is helpful; these can range from The Print Shop, QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign, or Microsoft Publisher, among many others. It will also be necessary to buy card stock, photo paper, or other specialty papers. One valuable tip: Print your card on plain paper first! Once you are happy with the design, print again using the expensive paper. Lastly, don’t forget to sign or print your name on the back, that way the recipient will know that you made it just for them.

Here are a few Web sites that we found offer helpful, free advice about how to make your own computer-generated greeting cards, as well as free templates and/or clip art.

www.making-greeting-cards.com
Tips and directions about how to start card-making as a new hobby.

www.about.com
Offers a free, in-depth “Make a Greeting Card” online class, as well as several helpful articles on desktop publishing

www.every-e-card.com
Offers free e-cards to e-mail or print out, can be personalized.

www.cardsandscreensavers.com
A vast section of free printable cards, which can be modified—free screensavers as well

www.homeandoffice.hp.com
Tips and tricks for making cards, designed for people with HP printers.

www.freewebcards.com
Create your own free animated cards, modify a design, or choose a template

www.buzzle.com
Offers some free e-photo cards, good for people who wish to include photo clip-art

—A.M.

Inspiring Supplies

If you plan a trip to the stationary or craft store, several items will help you make unique cards. A variety of white and colored card-stock papers are a must; some find buying a “starter pack” paper assortment a good way to begin. Pre-folded blank cards with envelopes can be quite helpful as well. Then, look for specialty papers like velum, cork, themed or patterned ones, as well as handmade, organic, or opaque (great for a layering effect) papers. Additional items that can be used for cards include pressed flowers, leaves, feathers, beads, pieces of broken jewelry, fabrics like velvet, silk, or burlap, and various kinds of glitter. Sharp scissors are a necessity, but if you have a paper cutter, it will make cutting straight lines easier, and often can cut more than one piece of paper at a time. Paper glue or spray adhesive will also come in handy when putting your cards together. Colored pens, pencils, watercolors, or tempura paint will be useful for creating one-of-a-kind ideas. Stamps and ink, wax seals, and even stickers can also be added for final touches.

Most stationary or arts and craft stores will carry many of the supplies you need to make personalized greetings cards; here are a few specialty shops we like:

Blick Art Materials
7301 W. Beverly Blvd.; 323/933-9284
Carries a large selection of supplies for painting, drawing, graphic design, print making, and calligraphy.

Brentwood Stationers Inc.
11760 San Vicente Blvd.; 310/826-6656
Find stationary, as well as rubber, metal, and plastic stamps.

Flax Pen to Paper
1078 Gayley Ave.; 310/208-3529
Find handmade papers and a terrific supply of little embellishments.

Lucky Paperie
985 E. Green St., Pasadena; 626/440-9440
Good selection of exotic papers and pens.

Pearl Art Supplies
1250 S. La Cienega Blvd.; 310/854-4900
Paints, pens, glue, and exotic papers.

Pulp
452 S. La Brea Ave.; 323/937-3505
Japanese sticker sets, hound-themed products, and a fine collection of writing instruments.

Soolip
8646 Melrose Ave.; 310/360-0545
A fine art gallery, a stationary store and a home furnishings/clothing boutique all in one complex, Soolip carries an impressive array of ribbons, cards, and paper by the sheet.

Utrecht Art Supplies
11677 Santa Monica Blvd.; 310/ 478-5775
Carries a large selection of art supplies, paints, glues, calligraphy supplies, specialty papers, and stickers.

—A.M.