A HOMEMADE GREETING CARD
It seems like there's a million websites that allow
you to "create" your own greeting cards. They provide
the primary digital components, and you choose how to
put them together.
Some kids' sites offer cards that can be printed out
and colored in. But whatever happened to "from scratch"
creativity?
For a truly personalized card that's
sure to be cherished, a handmade work of art can't be
beat. You don't have to be Michelangelo to pull off
this feat. It can be done with collage.
The Oxford Dictionary of English defines 'collage' as a "work of art in which
various materials are fixed to a backing."
Collage materials can be just about anything, including:
- Movie, concert or theme park ticket stubs
- Glitter
- Parts of old letters
- Pictures cut from magazines
- Parts of calendars
- Beads
- Aluminum foil
- Quotes cut from newspapers, etc.
- Pressed flowers, leaves, seeds & other plant parts
- Photos
- Stickers
- Ribbon, lace, yarn, felt and other material
- Coins
- Travel brochures
- Nail polish
- Stamps
- Thin buttons
- Pieces of old greeting cards
- Paper dolls and/or their accessories
- Parts of plane or cruise boarding passes
- Confetti
- Postcards
- Bottle caps
- Labels (from gourmet food, wine...)
- Pieces of unwanted CDs
- Colored rubber bands
- shells
- pebbles
- bits of colored glass (with adult supervision only)
As you can see, you're only limited by your
imagination. You can mix and match at will to create a
card that's funny, elegant, nostalgic or whatever your
heart desires. A popular approach is to cut out people or animals and then add the words you think they should be saying.
Make sure that the card stock you choose is hearty
enough to hold up to your plans. Save money by using boxboard. You should have
plenty... cereal boxes, TV dinner boxes and so on. You
can glue office paper or craft paper over the boxboard, or glue two pieces
of boxboard
together,
plain side out.
Fold your card, then decorate the whole thing.
You could even create
a
little
clasp
or
tie
to
hold it shut, adding to the card's impact.
Get the right glue. use the This
To That online guide to find the best adhesive for
your materials. A hot glue gun could come in handy,
but may be tough to use for complex designs.
Don't forget to leave room for your message and
signature. When you're ready to add these,
consider using colored markers or paint markers as your writing instruments. Metallic paint markers create an especially
elegant look.
If you'll be making lots of cards or doing this as a group project, here's some money-saving supplies
tips:
Go to your local recycling facility and see if they have
a magazine bin. You should find more than you'll ever need.
Then check out their cardboard bin for boxboard (or just
use a cereal box or frozen dinner carton from home). As
long as you're there, ask if any binders have been dropped
off. There are often perfectly good binders for your group
to keep their creations in.
Above all, have fun! ...And don't be surprised if the
recipient of your card keeps it for many years to come.
