Card Making Challenge and Tips

Making cards - that is where I started, and my first love creative wise!  For the rest of this month, I am planning on getting a bunch of cards made up - different cards I use often...ones that are JUST MY OWN, not to sell to anyone!   My sister has a huge supply of different cards to give to people when the need arises - I decided to take a page from her book, thus this challenge started, and my own personal card stash began!  

Today, we have a few challenges to get you started!  

1. Start to look at different type of cards you send out, or would send out if you had them ready to go.  Make a list - and decide how many of each style you want to keep on hand. 
2. Do you have any stamps, die cuts, stickers, or paper (scraps or not) you would like to use?  Make a list of what you want to use out of what you have at home already!  
3. Where and how are you going to store the cards?  What else will you keep with them such as envelopes, stamps, address labels, etc.
4. Pick 5 cards and make them if you have the supplies to use!  

Handmade cards are best when you make them with love...  They also end up saving you money when you create your own!  Some ways you can save money by making your cards are:

• Take 8.5 x 11 sheets of cardstock, cut in half either way - and then folded in half, makes PERFECT card bases!  Add the envelopes you can purchase separately!  
• Using scraps of paper from scrapbook projects, make wonderful one of a kind cards when you use them for bases, die cuts,  stamps, paper piecing's, etc!  
• Stamps make wonderful one of a kind embellishments, as well as cards! Take a look at different stamps you can use, making sure you have more than one "thing" you can use it on!  
• Don't buy everything you see - be choosy!  On the other hand - look at places like Walmart, Target, and craft stores for less expensive stamps and ink pads.  They are great to start out with, while you figure out if you like to use stamps!

So, make a few cards for your stash of cards...look at your scraps and supplies you purchase a bit differently - and learn to make your crafting dollar work for you - not against you!  See you next time!

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme