1. You don’t have to stick to standard card sizes. If you can’t find the proper size envelope, use a template to make one. There are plenty of free templates online.
2. Save your expensive paper by making blank white cards from inexpensive white cardstock, available at most office supply stores. Then, you only need to make the card fronts from your expensive textured cardstock! Also, white cards make writing your inside message much easier.
3. Jazz up any card by edging it with colored ink, or add glitter glue, or glimmer spray for some sparkle or shine.
4. Stamps make card-making even more fun. Invest in a few versatile stamps: greetings and flowers are good investments. Alphabet stamps do double duty on your scrapbooking projects.
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5. If you don’t have greeting stamps, use your computer to type up your greetings, then print them on cardstock. You can download free fonts from a variety of internet sites.
6. Found objects (keys, paper clips, buttons, etc.) make great embellishments for cards. And, you don’t have to worry about them being acid free!
7. Put those scraps of ribbon and orphan brads to good use on your cards!
8. Silk flowers are all the rage in scrapbooking and you can use them on your cards too! Don’t have the proper color? Use re-inker to dye them! Want to make them sparkle? Add some bling with a glitter pen, glitter glue, glimmer spray, or rhinestones. Or use some fancy brads.
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9. Punches and die cut shapes add texture and dimension to cards, especially if you cut them from textured paper.
10. Have a new paper crafting technique you want to try, but are afraid of ruining your scrapbook page or mini album? Try it first on a card! It’s a smaller canvas, and if you make a mess, it’s just a card!
It’s also nice to have a box in which to store all your cards. You can make a simple box by decorating an old shoe box with scrapbook paper. Or you can purchase a tin or other box to decorate. Below you'll see my boxes, filled with an assortment of cards. Each box includes dividers for all the card types included in the box. Envelopes can also be included for each card.
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To find the products mentioned in this article and shown in these layouts, check with your local scrapbook retailer. Browse our Premier Retail Stores for coupons to a store near you.
Some of the cards displayed here were inspired by sketches from the Card Sketch A Day blog. The products used are too numerous to mention, but if you have a specific question, please contact the author via her blog at www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com.
