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<< backGreeting Cards
Supplies: "the basics" plus card stock & envelopes; assorted decorative papers (origami papers, scrapbooking papers, etc.), decorative stamps and ink pads.
Optional supplies: embossing powder, heat gun, bone folder, raffia, scrapbooking cutouts, computer print out of common phrases for various greeting cards (Happy Birthday, Congratulations, Best Wishes, etc.)
Getting started: You'll need a family calendar or a list of special dates throughout the year - birthdays, anniversaries, upcoming wedding or graduation dates, etc. there are two ways to organize things: by month (creating a card fro every event in a given month) or by occasion (creating a card for every birthday, then moving on to anniversaries, etc.).
Have the kids think about the person and their interests before making the card; you don't want a baseball-themed card for Cousin Judy's wedding. Colors also play an important part in card design, and kids will play into the stereotypical "pink is for girls and blue is for boys" way of thinking if you let them. Encourage them to individualize the cards for the recipient and the occasion.
This project, like scrap booking, can be as involved or as simple as you like. The cards will benefit from layers of materials though, as well as clean cutting and gluing. Have the kids place different papers on top of eachother to see how they look together; certain colors look good together, but do you really want the cute green paper with the photographic red roses paper?
Card stock is available in multicolored packages (bright, pastels, dark colors, earth tones, etc.) and the sheets are 8 1/2" x 11". For these cards, cut the sheet in half (4 1/4 x 5 1/2") and then folds in half to form the card. A bone folder will help create a sharp crease. You can purchase a package of enevelopes sized for this paper at Staple; a box of 50 cost $3.09.
Optional supplies: embossing powder, heat gun, bone folder, raffia, scrapbooking cutouts, computer print out of common phrases for various greeting cards (Happy Birthday, Congratulations, Best Wishes, etc.)
Getting started: You'll need a family calendar or a list of special dates throughout the year - birthdays, anniversaries, upcoming wedding or graduation dates, etc. there are two ways to organize things: by month (creating a card fro every event in a given month) or by occasion (creating a card for every birthday, then moving on to anniversaries, etc.).
Have the kids think about the person and their interests before making the card; you don't want a baseball-themed card for Cousin Judy's wedding. Colors also play an important part in card design, and kids will play into the stereotypical "pink is for girls and blue is for boys" way of thinking if you let them. Encourage them to individualize the cards for the recipient and the occasion.
This project, like scrap booking, can be as involved or as simple as you like. The cards will benefit from layers of materials though, as well as clean cutting and gluing. Have the kids place different papers on top of eachother to see how they look together; certain colors look good together, but do you really want the cute green paper with the photographic red roses paper?
Card stock is available in multicolored packages (bright, pastels, dark colors, earth tones, etc.) and the sheets are 8 1/2" x 11". For these cards, cut the sheet in half (4 1/4 x 5 1/2") and then folds in half to form the card. A bone folder will help create a sharp crease. You can purchase a package of enevelopes sized for this paper at Staple; a box of 50 cost $3.09.
If all that cutting and folding doesn't interest you, packages of blank cards with envelopes are available (I bought a package of 50 cards with envelopes at JoAnn Fabrics for $9.99
Another tip: if using phrases printed out from a computer, let kids play around woth the font, or style, of lettering as an added way to personalize the cards (see examples below).
Common phrases fro greeting cards: below are some examples of phrases rendered in a variety of fonts... try to match the style to the recipient.
<< download example (pdf)
