In order to make your own Christmas cards, start with the basics: Determine how many cards you will need and whether each card will be different or the same.
If each card will be different, plan on using a variety of scraps and incorporating lots of different ideas. If each card will be the same, purchase an entire ream of the same type of cardstock and other embellishments. Depending on your ideas, you may be able to save money both ways. If you have already been scrapbooking and making rubber stamp projects, you probably have a huge scrap pile, which will come in handy when making different cards. If you are not a crafter, or if this is your first craft project, you may be starting fresh. Only purchase what you need. And don't forget photos! Photos are the best and easiest way to personalize a card.
Use Your Imagination
Even if you are starting from scratch, there is never a need to purchase all of the materials. The necessary materials might be lying around your house waiting for you to figure out a good use for them. Buttons can accumulate in junk drawers and sewing baskets and are perfect embellishments for cards. White buttons, rhinestone buttons and very pale blue buttons can be used to create snowmen or snowflakes. Square buttons can be used to represent gifts beneath the tree. Multicolored buttons can represent balls or marbles, and a red button would be perfect as Rudolph's nose!
When you make your own Christmas cards, don't overlook a bit of lace or ribbon. Ribbon or lace can be stitched or glued across the top of the card or draped across the bottom as an embellishment. Use paper punches to make decorative holes or cut outs in the card. Thread the remaining ribbon through the holes. Tie a tiny plain or glitzy bow to the card.
Card making designs can vary from inspirational or religious to silly and hilarious. Glitter always works well for holiday cards and one should never underestimate the use of last year's Christmas cards.
Add Depth and Dimension
Use double-sided sticky tape to raise an object from the card and give it depth. Try cutting out a Christmas tree from one of last year's cards, and using a piece of double-sided sticky tape to place it on the card, creating a three-dimensional look. Using the same technique, add ornaments to the tree and a glitter covered star on top. Again, using last year's cards, cut out pictures of Christmas presents or use a rubber stamp depicting holiday toys, and add presents and treats beneath the tree. Use markers and blender pens to color the items. For a finishing touch, glue cut-out paper punches-the pieces of paper that you punch out-to the gift wrap as additional decoration.
Christmas card making might be one of the most fun forms of card making. Not only are you creating memories for the recipients of your Christmas cards, you are creating memories for yourself. Years from now, you'll still recall cutting out items, snipping corners, lacing ribbon through the holes and adding glitter and glitz to the specialty cards you created for those you love the best.
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