Woman's World - Creative card tricks

Creative card tricks

Written by Clare Royals, 2006

Attractive shop-bought greetings cards can cost upwards of a couple of pounds. No wonder so many people have taken to making their own, as Clare Royals discovers.

Card-making has become the craft craze of the moment. Look in any good newsagent’s and you’ll find an array of card-making magazines – proof of just how popular it is. There are so many occasions throughout the year that require a card and one that is handmade makes the gesture extra special.

For the maker, part of the appeal is being able to use existing craft skills in a different way or to take the opportunity to learn some new ones. And with a wonderful choice of papers and embellishments to choose from, you can create cards that look professional but have that special personal touch. What’s more, they will cost a fraction of the shop-bought equivalents.

If you don’t regard yourself as particularly creative, don’t be discouraged. Books and magazines will provide you with plenty of step-by-step ideas.

Note 1: The projects and images shown in these pages are taken from books and will give you some idea of the scope of this craft. Details of these books, including special offers for Woman’s World readers, are given below.

Note 2: Suppliers of the craft materials used for these projects are listed in the books but you should also be able to buy them at good local craft suppliers. There are also a large number of websites dedicated to craft materials on the Internet. Recommendations from WI Home & Country staff members Diane Lilley and Latel Smith (both keen card-makers): www.hobbycraft.co.uk, www.craftworkcards.co.uk, www.cardcraftplus.co.uk and www.cranberrycards.co.uk

Christmas handbag

These Christmas cards with a difference will add a surprise to the festive celebrations. The little bags of translucent paper contain a folded message and a scattering of Christmas sequins. Once the contents have been revealed, the handbags can be hung on the Christmas tree.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Materials
A5 sheet of coloured translucent paper, double-sided tape, tracing paper, scrap of thin card (optional), gold glitter relief paint, 30cm (12in) fine gold cord, festive sequin shapes, all-purpose household glue, A5 sheet of gold paper

Tools
Scissors, pencil, craft knife, metal ruler, cutting mat, bone folder (optional), bradawl

TO MAKE THE CARD

1. Cut an 18x7.5cm (7x3in) rectangle of coloured translucent paper. Score across the centre, parallel with the short edges, and fold in half. Cut double-sided tape into two 8.5cm (31⁄4in) long, 5mm (1⁄4in) wide strips and stick them along the long edges on one half. Fold down the other half to make the bag.

2. The handbag template is shown opposite. To bring it up to full size, enlarge it on a photocopier. Trace the handbag template onto tracing paper and cut it out. (If you wish to make a number of bags, cut the handbag template from thin card to use as a durable template.) Align the template and draw round the scallops on the handbag. Cut along the scallops.

Handbag template. Enlarge on a photocopier to measure 9x6cm.

3. Starting 2cm (3⁄4in) below the upper edge, apply a row of dots just inside the long edges with gold glitter relief paint. Leave the glitter to dry. Note: Loose glitter can be used instead of glitter relief paint. Dot PVA glue on the bag, sprinkle with loose glitter and shake off the excess.

4. Resting on the cutting mat, pierce a hole at the top corners of the bag with the bradawl. Thread the cord through the holes and knot the ends on the front. Cut off the excess cord.

5. Glue a festive sequin to the front of the bag. Make sure that you apply the glue sparingly so it does not seep on to the paper. Alternatively, stick the sequin with a piece of double-sided tape.

6. Cut an 18x6cm (7x21⁄2in) rectangle of gold paper. Write a message on the paper and fold it in half parallel with the short edges. Slip the message into the bag, folded edge first. Carefully pour some sequins inside the message.

The pitter patter...

What a wonderful way to announce the arrival of twins: a cute stamp creates the effect of printed baby feet in a fraction of the time and without the mess! This card was made to welcome a multiple birth, but just one pair of feet on a slightly smaller card is perfect for a single bundle of joy!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Materials
20cm (8in) square blue card, scored and folded to make 10x20cm (4x8in), blue pearl and white card, blue striped paper, blue embroidery thread, 2 each of large, medium and small blue buttons, all-purpose sticky craft glue

Tools
Blue inkpad, craft knife, footprint rubber stamps

TO MAKE THE CARD
1. Using the blue inkpad, stamp a pair of feet on the white card. Repeat to make
a second pair. Leave to dry.

2. Cut around the feet stamps with a craft knife to make two 5.5cm (21⁄8in) squares. Stick these squares on the blue pearl card using double-sided tape and cut out with the craft knife so that a small border of blue is showing. Cut a 3x20cm (11⁄4x8in) panel of striped blue paper and stick to the front of the card using double-sided tape.

3. Position the stamped feet on the striped paper panel and stick in place using adhesive foam pads. Thread two strands of embroidery thread through each of the large buttons and tie in a double knot. Use single strands of thread for the medium and small buttons. Arrange the buttons at each end of the striped paper panel and attach using all-purpose sticky craft glue. Leave to dry.

Embossed metal fern

Subtle effects are achieved by embossing designs on fine metal, which is available in sheet form from craft shops. This handsome fern is set off by the metal stud fastening. An insert of matching translucent paper lends a formal tone to this greetings card.
(From Quick and Easy Greetings Cards.)

Pressed Flower Trellis

Gather pretty flowers from the garden to make this beautiful greetings card. The trellis effect is made from pressed lavender sprigs and stems fastened with raffia. The trellis then frames a
set of colourful pressed flowers. Applying the design to handmade paper embedded with petals emphasises the floral theme.
(From Quick and Easy Greetings Cards.)

Gardener’s Memory Album

Découpage and flower pressing are great hobbies and come together to make an excellent card for a gardening friend. This is the ideal card to send to someone with green fingers, and you might like to enclose a real packet of seeds!
(From The Big Book of Greetings Cards.)

Read all about it – books and magazines to inspire you

Newcomers to card-making will find plenty of information and ideas in the growing range of card-making magazines. As well as providing designs and instructions for all types of cards, they offer news, advice, ideas and free gifts and are a great source of information about products and suppliers. You can also find out about the card-making and scrapbooking shows around the country at which you can see new products, watch demonstrations and stock up on card-making supplies.

Making Cards
This was the first card-making magazine to be launched (in 1999), and is published monthly by Magmaker, price £3.25. It’s available from around 380 selected craft shops throughout the country or on subscription. Every issue features step-by-step projects involving different craft skills plus a list of products needed and where to buy them. It also includes a set of free gifts - all quality craft materials to enable you to make at least four cards.
To subscribe, tel: 01480 496130 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Card Making & Papercraft
Launched in spring 2004 by Origin Publishing, this magazine features more than 50 cards to make in each issue, for card-makers of all abilities, plus ideas for papercraft projects, scrapbooking tips, technical advice from the experts, news, reviews, gossip, events and more. (£3.35, 13 issues a year)

Quick Cards
Launched in September 2004 by Origin Publishing, this magazine features more than 80 cards to make in each issue including last-minute card ideas and ones for beginners. There’s plenty of new product information, reader stories and expert advice. (£3.35, 13 issues a year)

Beautiful Cards
Launched in September 2005 by Origin Publishing, this magazine features more than 100 cards and tags with designs for just about any occasion created by Britain’s top card-making experts. It’s the magazine for card-making enthusiasts looking for inspiring ideas for special events and tips and tricks to add to their skills. (£4.99, 8 issues a year) Origin titles are available from good newsagents or tel: 01858 438822 to subscribe.

Search Press paperbacks
If you want to concentrate on a particular craft for your cards, then try one of the handmade greetings cards series of paperback books, published by Search Press at £6.99 each. Step-by-step photos and patterns, together with easy instructions for the skills involved, are contained in 21 titles covering rubber-stamping, quilling, parchment craft, teabag folding, embossing, embroidery and many more.

Three Special Reader Offers
Quick and Easy Greetings Cards by Cheryl Owen, from which the Christmas handbag project is taken, is published in hardback by New Holland. The book features 15 simple step-by-step projects plus information on tools, materials, techniques and suppliers. The normal price is £12.99 but Woman’s World readers can buy it for £10.99, including UK postage and packing.
To order tel: 01903 828503 and quote ISBN 1843306948 plus the offer code NHWI/1.

The Big Book of Greetings Cards by Vivienne Bolton, from which the picture of the Gardener’s Memory Album is taken, is published in hardback by New Holland and features 45 step-by-step projects plus information on tools, materials, techniques and suppliers. The normal price is £14.99 but Woman’s World readers can buy it for £12.99 including UK postage and packing.
To order tel: 01903 828503 and quote ISBN 1859749933 plus the offer code NHWI/1.

Quick and Clever Instant Cards by Julie Hickey, from which the Pitter Patter feature is taken is published in paperback by David & Charles. The book features 16 simple projects plus 10 pages of extra ideas for creating more cards. There’s information on tools, materials, techniques and suppliers, plus advice on design and layout, information on producing cards in bulk and guidance on selling your cards. The normal price is £12.99 but Woman’s World readers can buy it for £11.99 including UK postage and packing.
To order, tel: 0870 9908222 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it quoting the code WO48.

A Birthday Catch
An angler’s dream: this greetings card makes use of embossed card and paper vellum both with a fishy theme. Keep an eye out for materials that reflect the interests of your nearest and dearest and adapt this design to make a unique card that will be truly treasured by the recipient.
(From Quick and Clever Instant Cards.)

Enterprising young card-maker
Although Chanel Bray, 27, has been making beautiful and imaginative cards since her schooldays, when they won her plaudits for Young Enterprise, it is only now that she has gained the confidence to expand her commercial horizons. When Woman’s World caught up with her she was going into ‘overdrive’ to prepare for her first craft fair.

Chanel attended the Arts Institute at Bournemouth and now works for a brewery near her home in Addlestone, Surrey, where the spare bedroom doubles as her workroom. The company has been very supportive of Chanel’s creative sideline and her work colleagues are enthusiastic customers.

“The problem with making handmade cards to sell,” she explains, “is that it is often difficult to repeat a certain design. I collect paper and buttons and little trinkets on my travels and hoard them away to decorate my cards – but once the items run out I can’t easily replace them. For that reason some of my cards are unique, one-offs.”

Chanel can be contacted by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit her website: www.cardsbychanel.co.uk

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