Creative card ideas

Creative cards are fun and easy to make. Making your own cards can be inexpensive too. They are great to give as they are almost gifts in themselves. We have a look at some ideas for creative cards and how to make them.

From glue to tissue paper cards

Gather your craft materials together before making your creative cards. You will need card, pens and possibly paint as well as other things like tissue paper, glitter and glue. You can purchase much of these from an arts shop, but you can also pick them up cheaply in discount or pound stores. Glue cards Great handmade cards can be made from glue, the PVA type. It creates a raised pattern that dries hard. When painted over, it gives a great effect and can be made to look antique. Choose your card and draw on your design. Next, go over it with the glue. Leave it to dry overnight. Paint it the next day. For an antique look, use gold, bronze or silver paint. When it is dry, rub over it with black or brown boot polish, to give an old world effect. Tissue paper cards Tissue paper makes some great cards. It can be layered up to form stand out flowers or scrunched into small balls for a textured picture. Making a stained glass effect can look really nice especially if you make it quite intricate. Mark out your design on your card and cut out where the colour will be. Stick on your tissue paper in different colours so as to create your stained glass look.

Using flowers and pastels

Homemade cards made using flowers and leaves are lovely to send to someone that can’t get to visit you like an elderly relative. You can cut and press flowers from your garden, hedgerows and pathways to create a little piece of where you live for them. The larger the flower, the longer it will take to dry out. You can buy flower presses, but you can also place them in a heavy book. When your flowers and leaves are ready, create a scene on your card. To make it last, cover with a thin coat of varnish or sticky back plastic. Pastels If you enjoy art, pastels make great pictures that can also be a keepsake for your card recipient. Think of an image they would love and draw it freehand. Don’t forget to fix pastels with an art shop fixing spray, so that they don’t continue to smudge.