How to Make Greeting Cards

People send cards for every occasion—birthdays, weddings, graduations, new births—anytime communication is necessary. Making your own greeting cards can be cheaper than buying store-bought cards, but they are also more personal and fun to receive. By following these steps your cards can be as creative and intricate as you choose.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cardstock, any color
• Scrapbook paper, patterned
• Scrapbook paper, light solid color
• Scissors
• Markers or pens
• Rubber cement or glue
• Ruler
• Stickers or stamps and ink

1. Measure and cut a 9 inch by 8 inch rectangle on both the cardstock and the patterned paper.

2. Glue the patterned sheet to the cardstock and fold in half to make a 9 inch by 4 inch card.

3. Measure and cut a 6 inch by 3 inch block from the plain paper and glue to the front of the card.

4. Write a greeting on the front using markers or craft pens. For example, write "Happy Birthday!" or "Congratulations on your engagement!" in block letters or calligraphy.

5. Write your message inside using as much space as needed. If the cardstock color is too dark, paste a rectangle of light colored paper onto the cardstock to make writing visible.

6. Finish the card with stickers or stamps. Glue a light colored square to the back of the card for a place to draw a personal logo or quote.

Tips & Warnings

• Use different sized envelopes to determine dimensions of your cards. It is often easier to adapt your card to an envelope than to find an envelope to fit your card.
• Be creative in your presentation. Your greeting cards will always be personal and individual if you vary your use of papers, colors, textures and wording.
• Use rubber cement or a glue stick rather than liquid glue to get even coverage with no lumps in the paper.