Have you seen friends or loved ones making handmade greeting cards and you wanted to give it a go but don’t know where to start? Well today I have some tips to help you get started. There is no need to feel overwhelmed by paper crafting as it can be a very relaxing hobby and the results can be treasured forever. All you need to get started are a ruler, a pair of scissors, a craft knife, cutting mat and a computer to download graphics and illustrations.
You can go to cheap shops to find embellishments, gems, glitter etc. and they also sell coloured papers for you to start with. Check out stores online or scrapbook stores too for a few sheets of black and white card stock for framing elements or paper. You will also need some strong cardstock to make your base card. Make sure it has a good weight so that once you fold it in half it can stand without toppling over.
Buy some card making magazines to get a feel and see the latest trends in cardmaking. You should be able to get these cheaply enough at your local newsagent.
Follow card making blogs to see what card makers online are making too. You can search for these on google and they are a great source of inspiration.
Cards you see in magazines and online try and basically see how the card was used. How many layers were used to create it. As you read more magazines and experience the making of greeting cards you will see more ways of doing things quickly. You can use sgvs bundles to recreate this also. Sgvs are a graphics file that uses a two dimensional vector graphic.
Visit Design Bundle online where they have amazing digital products such as Graphics, Templates, Patterns, Mock Ups, Craft Files and Illustrations. You can browse over 150,000 Marketplace Products. So, this really is a great place to check out if you are now card making
Follow video tutorials of card making online or on YouTube. This is especially useful for visual types who struggle to figure out written instructions even when they have a photo attached.
Join some Facebook paper crafting groups for card making or forums online. These will be a wealth of information for you and you can speak to like minded card makers as well as seeing their latest creations and you can share yours too. Beginners are always welcomed so take advantage of the information that the others can offer you.
Finally, you should find your own style. Although there will be a lot of cards out there that you like don’t copy them add your own twist and make it your own style. Don’t be scared to experiment and see what works for you. Make new styles or trends by adding your own personal touch.
Are you a card maker and can help other beginners? If so let me know in the comments below if you have any more tips or tricks to help beginners. Anything small or big would be great to be shared. Thank you in advance from fellow paper crafters.