DIY: Easy and Easy-ish Cards

Jonathan and I hate greeting cards. A lot of them are painfully unfunny and others are creepily specific. ("Grandfather, thinking of you brings to mind a tall oak tree...")  It always takes us ages to find anything even remotely appropriate in the store. So for many occasions we opt to write a heartfelt note inside a blank card. And then comes the problem of finding blank cards that don't look awful. Eeek! We've found some that we love at Paper Source, but in a pinch, we'll throw one together at home.

See? Nicely done, Paper Source.

Here are some easy ones to make. Set yourself up an assembly line and you'll be cranking them out in no time. Make 'em cute enough and they can be a thoughtful gift, too. For all of these, I used pre-folded blank card stock cards like these, which are available at most craft stores. Bigger chains like Michael's or Jo-Ann pretty much always have a current percentage off coupon that you'll get if you're on their email list. I make it a rule not to pay more than $0.10 for a blank card with envelope. TMI? Oh, well. You could also just use a folded piece of card stock. I'm lazy, though.

Just a warning, the last card, the one with the martini glasses, is very quick and easy if you have a Xyron machine handy, but a huge pain in the butt if you don't.

 A) Paper Wrap: 1. Find a pretty piece of scrapbook paper, wallpaper, wrapping paper, shelving paper, etc... 2. Cut out a piece the same dimensions as your open card. 3. Line it up precisely and glue.

If you're lucky enough to have a Xyron machine nearby, you can just run the open card through and stick it onto a piece of paper, then cut around the edges using scissors or an Exacto knife and mat.

B) Giant Stamp: This is pretty self-explanatory.

C) Button: 1) Cut long strips of card stock and run them through a paper corrugator. 2) Chop them off into squares. I like to make mine slightly irregular. 3) Hot glue to card. You can arrange multiples on the same card in all kinds of patterns. 4) Hot glue button to square. Apply pressure.

If you don't have a corrugator handy, any textured paper would work.

D) Wavy Punch: 1) Make corrugated squares as in the Button card. 2) Cut out thinner strips of card stock in a second color. 3) Run those strips through Xyron machine. 4) Punch any shape over and over down the strips, leaving space between each punch. With each punch, a sticker will fall out.  5) Cut the strips between each punch, turning them into "negative space stickers." 6) Apply stickers and negative space stickers to the corrugate squares. (Stickers also look good decorating an envelope flap.) 7) Hot glue decorated corrugate squares to cards.

There. Now to send out some greetings!