Greeting cards are a great way to express your creativity and make something personal for the recipient. Making things with your hands can also relieve stress, like baking cookies or card making.
For me this works very well together with my office job which requires a lot of brain power. Therefore making things with my hands is a welcome change as it eases my mind. Your brain isn’t “switched on” all the time. You don’t have to multitask.
I started making greeting cards after reading in magazines about mindfulness and creativity. A friend’s birthday was coming up, so I decided to make her a birthday card by myself. The main reason for me was to make gifts more personal. I enjoyed the card making process so much that I decided to make more cards from that moment on. For example a love card for my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day.
Handmade cards are personal
It’s nice to make something personal for someone. To me that “something” are cards since they’re both fun to give and receive. By making the card yourself you can design the card the way you want to and personalize it. Plus you might be able to save some money, cause you don’t need to buy cards anymore. Except for a craft supplies store 😉
A card can be a gift by itself, especially if it’s handmade. There’s a lot of appreciation for something handmade. You’ve put your heart and effort into it. My family and friends often keep my handmade cards for years which is a nice compliment.
Apart from the card designs, cards can also be a nice way to share messages. It’s not just about the appearance of the card, but also about the content itself. How often do you get something handwritten in this digital era? That’s what makes it extra special.
Learn along the way
While making cards you’ll see that you’re capable of more than you think. You can learn a lot by looking at existing cards (for inspiration of course) and examine how they’re made. During the making process you’ll learn along the way. And remember: it’s about having fun and being creative. Enjoy the process, the result is only a part of it.
Even if you don’t know precisely what card you want to make, it will gradually come. You’ll get a feel for it. You’ll be able to tell if something could use more color, what could be the finishing touch etc. Whether you make the card for a family member or a friend, you can keep in mind his/her favorite color and hobbies for example.
As the saying goes: “Practice makes perfect”. It’s a matter of doing something. Just give it a try 😀
