When you are learning how to make handmade cards, it’s important to have a good selection of paper and card stock to choose from. Put some thought into things such as color, texture, thickness and texture when choosing your papers. A lot of people like to use recycled paper in their card making adventures, which can be found pretty much anywhere. Others re-use the gift paper from holiday celebrations, and even the packaging that is used in various consumer products.

Card stock can come in countless shapes, colors, textures and sizes. Pre-folded card stock is really nice to work with, but plain sheets of quality A4 are not to be ignored. A single sheet of A4 card stock can be used to produce one A5 card and two C6 cards. If handmade card making becomes a serious hobby for you, you’ll definitely want to learn how to conserve your cardmaking materials as much as possible.

Glues and adhesives are another important consideration for the crafty craftmaker. Tacky glue, white glue, and the good old glue stick are trusted tools for the avid home-made card making enthusiast. Additionally, you might consider using double-sided tape, sticky foam pads and glue dots. Double-sided tape is simple to apply, and holds incredibly well. Sticky foam pads adhere very well too, and can be cut into various shapes and sizes. Glue dots are great for use when experimenting with the positioning of elements on the card during the design stage.

It’s also important to consider the finishing touches, when you are learning how to make handmade cards. A decorative box or a handmade card envelope are especially nice touches, and often become keepsakes in their own right. They can be decorated with quilled flowers, rubber stamps, and more. So next time you’re thinking about making some handmade greetings cards, consider some of the tips above.

Graduation themed greeting cards don’t have to be strictly about caps and gowns or diplomas and tassels. You can certainly get a little creative and make a card that will stand out from the rest. One way to create a one-of-a-kind graduation card is to brainstorm ideas about your graduate and come up with a unique spin on their achievement. Here are some ideas to think about when brainstorming for ways to make your handmade graduation card extra special.

* Consider where they are graduating – does the school have a cool mascot or theme?
Could you find an image of the mascot online and use it for the front of the handmade graduation card? Or does the institution have an inspiring slogan that you can borrow?

* Consider the Graduate’s plans for after graduation.
Are they traveling or moving to a new state? If they are traveling, consider incorporating a map or other special item from their destination onto the card. Let the graduate know that you are excited for their accomplishment and that you know they have many other great things in store for their future.

* Consider their school colors, can you incorporate that into a card?
Embellishments in burgundy or ribbons in gold could show the graduate that you really took the extra effort to make them a personalized homemade graduation card. It may also become a part of a scrapbook or other memory keeper to help the graduate remember their special day.

* Consider where your graduate is graduating – is it cosmetology school, medical school, or another specialized school?
Can you incorporate cute embellishments with your graduation card that will celebrate that particular specialty? Images of hair brushes or mirrors for a newly licensed cosmetologist. For a medical student, maybe a cool picture of an x-ray or stethoscope image.

* Did your graduate attain an undergraduate degree in an interesting field or major?
Are there ways you could incorporate some themes related to the major into the card? For art majors, could you have an image of their favorite artist or use canvas instead of cardstock for the card? For business majors, consider an image of the stock market going up or stock exchange print outs as a background for the front of the handmade graduation card.

Mother’s Day is a special holiday to celebrate the Mothers in your life. Mothers have one of the hardest jobs on Earth and what better way to acknowledge their contribution than offering them a creative handmade Mother’s Day card?

Flowers and candy are a nice treat, but how about making a really unique Mother’s day greeting card that celebrates your relationship with your mom?

Here are some creative homemade Mother’s Day card ideas to help you get started:

* Special Moment or Memory
Do you have a special memory of your mother that you hold dear? Was it the time she baked you an apple pie after a bad break-up? Or did you guys always make a weekly movie date when you were growing up? Consider making a card to remember those lovely memories, so that your mom can enjoy the flashback too. A simple pie on the cover or two movie tickets on a handmade card with a special note inside will be perfect for dusting off those wonderful memories.

* Momma’s Cooking
There’s nothing better than your mom or grandmother’s cooking! Do you have a favorite dish she always cooked when you came home from college? How about yummy desserts that your grandmother always seemed to have baking when you stopped by? Consider decorating the front of your card with pictures of your favorite treat and a note saying how much you’ve always loved her cooking. Or you could add a recipe card of the dish on the cover of the card with some added ingredients – a dash of joy, a handful of love, a spoonful of happiness, etc… Moms love it when their kids realize the little things that they always did, so this would make a really special creative homemade Mother’s Day card.

* What are you proud of?
As children, we are always looking for approval and ways to make our parents proud. And little do we realize parents sometimes seek that same approval. Consider a huge accomplishment or major feat that your mom or grandmother have just completed. Celebrate their being by telling them how proud you are of their recent endeavors and how lucky you are to have such a strong/determined/go-getter/successful/creative/smart Mom.

Mother’s Day is more than just saying “I love you, Mom,” it is a holiday to express what is unique and special about your relationship. It is a time to celebrate your mom and grandmother as a person. Think of a creative way to recognize times and memories you share with your mom that make you especially warm and fuzzy because more often than not your mom will feel the same way.

A specially created handmade Mother’s Day card can be more than just a once a year greeting card, it can be a chance to really express your love and share your past memories while looking forward to many more!

Making a handmade birthday card is an enjoyable activity for they allow an individual to explore his own imagination and creativity. Card making is not at all an expensive task for most of the supplies needed for this are present in all homes. If you have kids then chances are that you have a lot of colors and crayons which you can use to decorate and color the paper. Furthermore, simple birthday cards do not require the creator to be an origami expert. All you have to do is fold a sheet of paper and decorate it with whatever you please. You may chose colored paper or beads from broken necklaces and jewelry or you may draw a colorful design or a large birthday cake on the paper and color or paint it with bold, bright shades.

One of the easiest ways of making a card is to make use of crayons or pastel shades. If you have a few broken pieces of these colorful wonders that are too difficult to hold and color then here’s an exciting new way to make use of them. All you need is two sheets of card paper, a knife or cutter to chop these pieces into finer ones, and an iron. Use a combination of striking colors and spread these randomly over a card paper. Now place the other piece over it and place a hot iron over the two pieces. This will melt the crayons pieces, beautifully blending the shades and once you separate the two card pieces you will get two colorful and abstract designed birthday cards!

Creating beautiful homemade birthday cards is indeed a rewarding way of making use of the left over things that we tend to throw away.
Furthermore, the joy of receiving a handmade birthday card is far greater than that any e-card or ready made ones. Use your imagination and embellish these cards with neatly cut colored paper designs. Or use glue and stick colorful buttons over the cards to give the effect of balloons. You can even make an origami flower and stitch it to the card using a thread and a needle. But make sure that the stitch is small enough not to show and the thread color matches the flower.

Making use of old items and accessories for the collage work on a birthday card is not only creative but the costs are a lot less than actually buying some from the market. Your loved one is sure to prefer the hand made variety that is uniquely distinct and beautiful!

There are many variations and ways to enhance the wedding invitation. When you contact a company for a custom wedding invitation you have the ability to decide exactly what you want. There are many types of paper, colors of typeset, designs and even themes that you can specify. If you are having a seaside wedding than designate that your wedding invitation be a custom handmade wedding invitation. Sand could be sprinkled on the invitation or there could be a use of sea shells or pictures of the nautical theme. What ever the theme, it can be achieved through the customization of the wedding invitation.

Other custom wedding invitations include special paper. This paper is certainly not traditional and set the invitation apart from the rest. There are companies that specialize in paper made from special products. Paper made from flowers has become increasingly popular. Not only is the texture an excellent choice for the custom wedding invitation, but it is beautiful as well. This paper is a hand made paper that yells to your guest’s class and style. The paper is made through a process of pressed flowers that you choose. It may be the favorite flower of the bride and groom or one that picks up the colors of the wedding. Other versions that are used with handmade wedding invitations are baby’s breath and leaves.

PAPER-NOLA is dedicated to creating beautiful, high quality work that is made by the most environmentally friendly means. They specialize in creating custom handmade
eco-friendly gifts and special occasion invitations. They offer services for Wedding Invitations, Save-the-Date Cards, R.S.V.P Cards, Seeded Cards, Bar/Bat Mitzvah Invitation, Birthday Invitation, Graduation Announcement, Thank You Cards, Fundraiser Invitations, and more!

With so many weddings taking place it is important to set your wedding apart from the others. One of the best ways to do this is customize everything. Whether it is a custom wedding invitation or a handmade wedding invitation that is unique only to you as a couple. There are many decorations, ribbons, photos and other backgrounds that you can choose from when picking the invitation. Whether they know it or not people judge your wedding by what they see. The first thing they see is the custom wedding invitation. If you have taken the time and effort it will show. So move away from the traditional and into a custom wedding invitation, you will be proud of the uniqueness years down the road.