How to Make a Layered Greeting Card

Handmade greeting cards evoke special warmth that mass produced or e-cards simply don't. A handmade card is not only a way to express yourself through art but to give a bit of your art to a friend or special someone. Layered greeting cards are easy to make and give the appeal of depth. These steps will help you to make your own layered greeting card.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Variety of paper stock and vellum Scissors X-acto knife Pencil Glue stick

1. 
    

   Cut out a rectangle of card stock that is approximately 6 x 9" and fold it in half so that you get a card that is 4 1/2 x 6".

2. 
    

   Cut out a piece of translucent vellum for the top of your card. This will act as a base for all the layers of the scene. In this example a mountain scene is made. This base layer should be the same dimensions of the card, 4 1/2 x 6."

3. 
    

   Choose from an array of vellum colors to make your cutouts.

4. 
    

   Cut out the central pieces of your scene, in this case mountains, using an X-acto knife or scissors depending on the nature of the cuts you need to make.

5. 
    

   Cut out smaller accent pieces for your scene. In this example, a cloud is cut out of pearlescent vellum to go behind the mountain peaks.

6. 
    

   Layer all your pieces--the foreground, middle ground and background--before gluing to make sure everything layers and lines up the way you would like. Cut a flap for the foreground to slip into.

7. 
    

   Glue all the pieces together and then layer glue on the back of the entire layered piece to glue to the front of your card.

8. 
    

   Cut strips of colored paper for accents on the inside and glue down. Press the entire card flat under weight for an hour.