Archive for August, 2007

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How to preserve and display your kids’ crafts

Friday, August 31st, 2007

Often, parents have a hard time throwing away the drawings and crafts their kids bring home from school. In many homes, the refrigerator is the chosen location for displaying children’s crafts and artwork. However, there are many other places and ways you can display you children’s crafts while preserving them at the same time, so you don’t have to throw them out.

The following are a few ideas of ways your can preserve and display your kids’ crafts:

Get a shelf
Many stores carry small shelves you can affix to the wall with nothing but a couple of screws or nails. These shelves are a great way to display your children’s crafts in their rooms. In addition, as they get older or their interest in crafts wears off, you can still use the shelf for other things.

Shadow boxes
For small crafts, you can purchase a shadow box and display them in there. This will preserve them as well as show them off. You could also put them in a glass-topped table for everyone to see.

Frames
If your kids tend to make flat or paper crafts, consider framing them with inexpensive plastic or glass frames and place them in the home. You can have a special area just for pictures of crafts, and rotate them occasionally to display the most recent work.

Bulletin board
A bulletin board is a good place to display crafts as well. Use tape instead of push pins if you don’t want to put marks in your kids’ work.

Window sills
Little 3-D projects can also be displayed on windowsills. This is a great way to let everyone in the neighborhood see what their child has done. It’s also nice for children’s rooms, so they can see their hard work displayed. Paper crafts can be taped to windows, and the reflection of the sun is often pretty.

Computer files
If you’re running out of space or you simply don’t like the idea of putting your kids crafts all over the house, consider scanning the paper ones and saving them to your computer or a disc. That way, you’ll always have them, and as they get older your kids will enjoy looking at them.

Scrapbook
You can put your children’s creations, or bits and pieces of them, into a scrapbook or memory book for them to look at later. Place the papers in between plastic sheet protectors to preserve them. For 3-D crafts, take a photograph of them and then print the picture off and put it in the scrapbook.

Tiles
Some places will scan your children’s artwork onto tiles, which you can use in the bathroom or kitchen if you ever remodel your home.

Storage
If you are finished displaying your child’s craft projects but still don’t want to throw them away, store them safely in an airtight box. Keep them in a dry area, such as a closet, instead of a damp basement or the garage, where they could mildew.

Let your child choose
If you have a lot of children, or if your home is becoming too cluttered with arts and crafts, consider letting your children pick 5 crafts of drawings they would like to keep and display in your house or their room.

There are many places you can display your children’s crafts and artwork.

 

 

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Where to sell metal crafts

Thursday, August 30th, 2007

Where to sell metal crafts? You can sell your metal crafts in many places. The main thing is selling your metal crafts someplace that will make it worth your time and money. If your metal crafts are good, then they will sell. It is just a matter of knowing how to get the best advertisements and recognition. Here is some information that should help.

Online!

The best, and easiest place to sell your metal crafts is through the Internet. The reason is that many people just do not have time anymore to go to swap meets, or craft shops as often. It will be important to also utilize those options for selling your metal crafts. However selling over the Internet will prove to be a much more effective selling place.

You can reach thousands of viewers every day through the Internet through listings like eBay and your own private web site. It really is simple to set up to use one of these options and it costs very little and is sometimes free.

You will also not have to spend as much time trying to sell your metal crafts, because the sites are pretty much self-maintaining. With the use of PayPal, it is even more convenient to complete the total transaction on the Internet, other than mailing the product to the customer.

Simply go to eBay online and start the process to become a seller. This takes a few minutes. There is a small fee, however when items sell, you make that money up.

 http://hub.ebay.com/buy

If you want to create your own web site, be sure to make an attractive site, with either a shopping cart, or a toll free phone number. The customers do not want to pay for a phone call to purchase an item. You can create your own web site for free through sites like these.

http://build-website.com/
http://www.homestead.com/
http://geocities.yahoo.com/

Here are some tips to selling on the Internet.

Know your market. There are different items that will sell well than at other times. For instance, Christmas metal crafts will sell better from November through December than any other time. Get your focus on holidays, seasons and special occasions. This will help meet your markets needs.

Know your pricing. You may be able to over price and sell a few items to people who do not know what is available. However, it is better to sell many of those crafts at fair prices for creating a higher over all profit, and you will feel better about it.

Make sure your site, and selling information is accurate and professional looking. Even if you want to use a cozy font, it is important that the information is displayed correctly.

Good pictures are imperative. People hate to buy what they cannot see. This id because with out a visual of what they are getting, they may feel the risk is too high. Therefore, having at least one view of each of the craft projects you are selling is best. In some cases, it may be a good idea to get a couple views. You can purchase an inexpensive digital camera now days for $20.

Ask questions!

So many other people are selling their crafts over the Internet. How are they doing it? There are many options available for asking questions, groups, forums, and much more.

The more information you have the better your metal crafts will sell. This is where to sell metal crafts. You should be able to make enough money to pay for your work, supplies and time.

 

 

 

 

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Where to go to find the latest in metal/wire crafts

Thursday, August 30th, 2007

Where to go to find the latest in metal/wire crafts? You can find great new ideas for the latest options in both metal crafting and wire crafts. Here are a few ideas, and some sites you can check out.

Painting metal- whether you are going with an old metal piece that needs to be refinished, or you have made a metal object that you are painting for the first time. Here is a site that has good information. http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/decorating/article/0,1793,HGTV_3545_1464482,00.html

Decorating with wire- use wire to decorate vases, kitchen utensils, or candlesticks by wrapping the wire around the object. This not only creates an amazingly different look, but old items appear new. Here is a site with some good ideas of what is new.
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lv_budget_decorating/article/0,2041,DIY_14102_2269482,00.html

Pressed plate materials- you can use press plate to create a beautiful décor for ceilings, stove back splashes, umbrella stands, and wainscoting. You can look at some examples here. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lv_budget_decorating/article/0,2041,DIY_14102_2269482,00.html

Decorate with metal- you can use different types of metal items and crafts to decorate any part of your home. For example: a metal antique shower curtain rod can be the perfect look to an amazing bathroom. Here is how this works. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/la_fabric_accessories/article/0,2041,DIY_13987_2269484,00.html

Embossed metal- you can emboss frames, boxes, and much more. Here is a place that gives great instructions on creating amazing embossed metal boxes. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_boxes/article/0,2025,DIY_13747_2268192,00.html

Colorful copper wire- creating amazing metal wire art is easy with the use of colorful copper wire. You can make great wind chimes, sun catchers and much more. Here are some instructions to making a copper wire, and stained glass sun mobile. http://www.thisnext.com/item/964903C0/Copper-Wire-and-Stained-Glass

Slave bracelets, and other jewelry- there are so many places to find beautiful and fun wire jewelry options. Here is a site that makes an amazing butterfly harem bracelet. These items are new and the latest in beaded wire jewelry. http://www.thisnext.com/item/BCF328A1/Needle-Woven-Butterfly-Harem

Letter works for jewelry- this is a big thing with the teens today. Spell our your own special words on metal jewelry. You can put about anything you want on your bracelet or necklace. This type of wire and metal art creates a level of ownership and fun. Here is the basic idea. http://www.thisnext.com/item/F04326F0/LUCKY-Copper-and-Olivene

Or how about the shot gun earrings. They are fun, and different and definitely new.
http://www.thisnext.com/item/8DA1B10D/SHOGUN-Iridescent-White-Coin

Cover picture frames, boxes, and books with metal- you can emboss, wrap, and decorate many objects with metal. The ideas are all up to you. The old is back in fashion, so the old have become the new style.
The ideas that you find on the Internet or in craft stores leave plenty of room for your creativity, ideas and skill. Using your own skills is what is new in metal crafting, and metal wire crafting.

Metal and wire jewelry have always been part of metal and wire working. However bringing the art of other countries is in! You can learn the metal and wire art of other countries and use these styles in your arts and crafts.

You can also look at your local craft store to find the newest metal and wire working styles, patterns and crafts available for the making. There are tons of magazines with great ideas that you can use, and then implement your own ideas.

These are some options for where to go to get the latest ideas for metal/wire crafting. So you will for sure be able to find just what you are looking for. The main thing is to create crafts that are within your expertise. This way as you learn the new ideas, you will have fun.

 

 

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What you need to know about counting in cross stitch

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

Now that you know the basics about cross stitching and you have the basic supplies you are ready to begin your project. But one thing that you want to do before you start your first project is to gather some important tips about counting in cross stitch. Counting is one of the most important things in cross stitching because in order to place the design on the material you have to match the weave of the fabric to the squares of the pattern. The way this is done is by counting the squares on the pattern and matching them to the threads of the fabric, which is what allows each stitch to appear in the right place.

Here are some tips about things you need to know about counting in cross stitch.

Tip one:
With cross stitching the first thing that you have to do before you start your project is to find the center of the fabric. The easiest way to find the center is to fold the piece of fabric in half both vertically and horizontally and where the points meet is in the center, even if you are off by a few fabric threads in most projects it won’t make that much of a difference. But if you are doing projects such as towels or mugs you need to find the exact center because you are working with a set number of threads. On of the easiest ways to find the vertical center of a towel is to count in from both ends and place pins every ten stitches.

Tip two:
If you are going to be stitching on a single weave fabric, such as linen, then you want to start stitching to the left of a vertical thread. The reason that you want to start stitching to the left of the vertical thread is that if you have made a mistake in counting it will be easier to spot. And the sooner you realize the mistake the less work you have to undo to correct that mistake.

Tip three:
One way to try and avoid counting mistakes is to stitch color areas right next to each other. What usually happens is that you can miscount the empty spaces when you are trying to switch to an area with the same colored floss rather than switching to a new color that is right next the previous color.

Tip four:
Another thing that you should know about counting for cross stitch is that you can buy certain types of fabrics called waste canvas. This canvas is a grid that is held together with water soluble glue and is available in various fabric counts. Waste canvas usually comes with a blue thread that is interwoven every ten stitches. The thread is woven in to help you with making counting easier and then at the end you simply pull out the blue thread. If you don’t want to buy waste canvas another thing you can do to help you keep track of your counting is to insert a pin every ten stitches so that you don’t lose track.

Tip five:
One other thing that you need to know about counting in cross stitch is how to count your stitches. Many times your project directions will tell you to complete twenty stitches of a certain color and a certain stitch, so you have to keep track of how many you have done, which can be hard if you get sidetracked and have to put down the project. The best way to count your stitches is to start counting from the end you began at, not at the end you left off at. This helps you keep an accurate count of how many stitches you have completed, and leaves off any uncompleted stitches.

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Scrapbooking, the king of paper crafts

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007

Scrapbooking is one of the funniest ways to store your pictures because aside from keeping your pictures in a safe place, you get to display your pictures in a fun and creative manner. You also can tell the story behind the picture with how you create the pages. One of the best things about scrapbooking is you don’t have to be a professional to do it, by simply using your imagination and being creative you can scrapbook with the best of them. One of the great things about scrapbooking is you can buy pre-made kits or you can create your own using stencils, paper, and other art and craft supplies. But the fun doesn’t stop there; the good news is with scrapbooking you can finally empty out those boxes of pictures that you have been storing in your closet for the last ten years.

Here is a list of the supplies you will need to start scrapbooking.
 Photo Albums – Photo albums come in two standard sizes, 8.5" x 11" and 12" x 12", but you can use smaller albums what you use is up to you. You can also choose from a variety of different kinds of albums such as 3-ring binders or D-ring binders, post-bound albums, or strap-hinge albums to name a few.
 Sheet protectors – you will need to buy these separately if you choose to use 3-ring or D-ring binders, otherwise most other types of photo albums come with their own sheet protectors.
 Adhesive – what kind of adhesive you use is going to depend on what you are doing and what you prefer. A favorite type of adhesive is glue sticks, most people use glue sticks for the embellishments and any journaling that is to be put on the page. Photo tabs are recommended for pictures because that way you don’t have to tear apart the page if you want to take the picture out to make copies. There are other adhesives out there, just keep in mind no matter what you use you need to make sure that it is acid-free.
 Paper – this besides pictures is probably the most important part of scrapbooking, without the paper you wouldn’t have the backgrounds and designs. You can choose patterned paper, but if using patterned paper you should mat your photo on solid paperYou can also choose solid colors, and if you mat your picture with a solid background you don’t want to use patterned paper for the same reason as above. You can also use old greeting cards to help add decoration to your page. No matter what paper you choose just make sure that it is acid-free, many craft stores sell scrapbooking paper.
 Journaling tools – You can use a black pen to journal by hand or you can use a typewriter or computer, but again make sure that you use acid-free paper.
 Photos – One thing that you can do is separate your photos into activities or ages and start from there or you can start with your most recent photos. Just choose whatever method you feel is the best.

While those are the basic supplies you are going to need to begin scrapbooking there are other supplies out there that you can buy. Many of these optional supplies are going to be tools that you can use to spice up your scrapbook pages. Here are some other popular supplies that are used in scrapbooking.
 Stickers – You can find stickers for almost every occasion, and best of all they are rather inexpensive.
 Tags – You can buy plain tags and decorate them yourself or you can buy pre-decorated tags that you cut out and add to your scrapbook.
 Cut-outs or punch-outs – both of these are the same thing except that one requires the use of scissors. But they can come in all types of forms including letters, numbers, tags, toys, etc.
 Punches – you can buy punches in a variety of shapes and sizes to use to punch your own shapes and stuff out of paper.
 Embellishments – this can include lace, stamps, glitter, craft beads, etc.

 

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Knitting for dolls, what you should know

Monday, August 27th, 2007

Knitting can be a fun way to do something productive and make something cool while also relaxing and having fun.  Knitting for friends and family is always a great way to give a gift that they’ll love and you’ll enjoy creating.  Another great way to use knitting is making clothing and accessories for dolls, or even making the dolls themselves.  So here are a few tip sand suggestions about what you should know when knitting for dolls. 

The best thing about knitting for dolls is that if you already know how to knit, learning to knit for dolls should be a piece of cake.  All you have to do is find some patterns for your dolls and then start knitting.  Naturally, everything you knit for dolls will be smaller, requiring smaller needles and probably a finer yarn.  But everything else- the stitch, the method, the colors.it’s all the same, making it extra easy for you to learn.  So now that you know that knitting for dolls is easy and fun, let’s go over a few questions that you might have about knitting in general. 

1. What should I know about yarn? 
First, you should be sure to read the label on the yarn.  It will help you select the type of yarn you want and the number of skeins you need for a project.  It should include the yarn brand name, fiber content, color name and number, dye lot number, plies (number of strands), weight classification, ounces or grams or meters, knitting gauge, and home laundering and dry cleaning instructions.   You should also know your yarn’s weight classification, which refers to the size (diameter) of the yarn. "Yarn weight classification" is a number and/or name assigned to yarn in the following designations:
 1 or Super Fine
 2 or Fine
 3 or Light
 4 or Medium
 5 or Bulky 
 6 or Super Bulky

2. What are double point and circular knitting needles used for?
Double point knitting needles come in sets of four or five and are used to make smaller round pieces such as cuffs, socks and mittens. Circular knitting needles come in various lengths and sizes, and are used for larger round sections such as sleeves, collars, and the body of a sweater.

3. What is "gauge" and how is it determined?
Gauge is the number of stitches and rows in every inch of knitting.  Each pattern you use should have a required gauge listed in order to determine the finished size of the project.  It is very important that you make a gauge swatch and match it with the gauge specified in the project pattern because everyone knits differently. 

4. How do I cast on?
Make a slip knot on the needle about two yards from the end of the yarn. (This amount varies according to the number of stitches to be cast on, but always allow plenty!) Holding needle in right hand, loop end of yarn around left thumb and hold it in the left palm. Insert tip of needle into loop on thumb, pass yarn leading to the ball around needle from back to front, draw yarn through loop. Slip loop off thumb and tighten stitch thus formed on needle.

5. How to I purl knit?
Holding needle with stitches in your left hand and second needle in your right, with yarn at front insert tip of right-hand needle into first stitch from right to left, back to front. With right hand, pass yarn over and under tip of right-hand needle, draw yarn through stitch, and slip stitch just worked in off left-hand needle.

6. How do I cast off?
(1) Work the first two stitches as you would in a regular pattern row.  (2) Then, insert tip of left-hand needle from left to right into first stitch worked.  (3) Pass first stitch over second stitch and off right-hand needle. Work the next stitch and repeat from (2)

 

 

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How to make kids crafts safer

Friday, August 24th, 2007

Crafts are a fun activity for kids of all ages. They encourage creativity while keeping children occupied when school is out or on rainy days.

While crafts are good for kids, it is important to remember that not all crafts and items used to make them are safe for children. Smaller children can choke on tiny objects, have mishaps with superglue, or cut themselves with scissors or other sharp objects.

However, this is no reason to keep kids from doing crafts. The following are some ideas on how to make kids crafts safer for children of all ages.
 Always supervise. When kids are making crafts, it’s important to always supervise them. With younger kids, for example 3 or 4 year olds, you should sit at the table with them and help them do the crafts. This is important not only to make sure they don’t hurt themselves or try and "help" by using materials that might be harmful to them, but it also helps prevent unnecessary messes, like kids who get carried away with the glue or who want to put stickers and tape on everything but their crafts. With older children, peek your head in every now and again to see how things are going, but it’s not necessary to supervise them constantly, as you would younger children.
 Keep sharp objects away. This is common sense, but be careful not to leave sharp objects around and in reach of young children. Sharp scissors and Xacto knives are sometimes used for crafts, and these should not be in the reach of young children.
 Keep windows open. Sometimes, fumes from paints, glue, and other materials can cause dizziness or headaches. You can prevent this by keeping windows open to let air circulate, and be careful not to use any toxic varnishes, glues, or paints.
 Use kid-friendly objects. That’s not to say kids shouldn’t be allowed to use scissors or glue. Make sure kids have kids’ scissors, which have safety tips so they’re not as sharp and are specially sized for little fingers. Glue sticks are a better choice for children than super glue or glue, as they work just as well without the mess or potential for harm.
 Choose age-appropriate crafts. You can make kids crafts safer by choosing ones that are appropriate for the child’s age and skill level. For example, you don’t provide pre-school ages children with crafts that require needles and thread, a lot of cutting that requires sharp objects (like cutting felt or thicker materials that can’t be done with safety scissors), or super glue or fasteners that are difficult for little fingers to hold onto.
 Do the potential safety hazards before hand. If you want kids to do a craft that requires cutting things with an Xacto knife, or sanding wood, or something else that could be potentially dangerous, do these things yourself before the kids start the crafts. There will still be plenty for kids to do, like painting, decorating, gluing, and assembling.

Crafts are fun for kids, but it’s important to make sure they are safe. You can make kids crafts safer by supervising them while they do their crafts, making sure crafts are appropriate for the age group, and by using safe materials like safety scissors, glue sticks, and non toxic paints. 

 

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Tools needed for wire crafts

Thursday, August 23rd, 2007

What tools are needed for wire crafts? This is really pretty simple when it comes down to the basic tools. There are additional tools that you can get that will make the wire crafting easier and more professional, however lets start with the basics.

#1 Wire Cutters

The best wire cutters to start with are a small flush cut set. The way this looks is that one side of the cutters is angled. This way it makes a v-shape cut in the wire on one side, and a straight cut on the other side.

There are many different sizes of wire cutters available. There are also different styles and brands. It is a good idea to get a good set that will last for a while. Cheap tools are often times cause for injury and mistakes.

#2 Round Nose Pliers

It is important to get a good set of round nose pliers. The reason they are called round nose pliers is because both sides of these pliers are rounded on all sides.

These pliers are used for making different types of loops, smooth bends and curves with the metal wire.

These round nose pliers will be used on pretty much all of your wire metal crafts. They are the only tools that can do this type of job. Therefore you need at least one pair. You will likely find different types and brands. Just make sure you get a versatile pair that is durable, as you will be using them often.

#3Chain Nose Pliers

The way these pliers work is that on the inside, they are flat. Then on the outside, they are rounded. The tips of these chain nose pliers are sharp and are shaped to a point. That is why these pliers are necessary for reaching into small places.

It is very important that the inside jaw of these pliers are very smooth. The reason is that if there are ridges, scratches or grooves of any kind, which will be transferred to the metal.

The metal you are working with is easier to damage than most people would think. This then will be a cause for issues with your wire-crafting project.

You will also be able to use these chain nose pliers to make angled bends. You will also need probably two sets of these chain nose pliers for different uses.

Sets

These tools listed above, are usually sold in sets. Here is a site that you can check out what the sets look like and the price they run. http://www.artbeads.com/wire-craft-tools.html

#4 Bench Block and Chasing Hammer

Wow, that is a mouth full.  The reason is that it is actually two tools used together. They are usually sold separately of most kits. They will cost around $40.00

The bench block it self has a smooth satiny looking surface. You will want to make sure there are not dings, grooves or scratches. This will help to prevent damage to the wire craft.

The way these tools work are that you lay the wire on the block and use the chasing hammer to flatten or shape the wire to be the needed shape for the wire craft.

The main thing is that you want to only hit the wire, and not the block. This way the block stays shinny and smooth. Therefore protecting your future wire crafting projects.

There are also other tools that you can purchase as said earlier for wire crafting. However these are the ones you will for sure need for all wire crafting projects. If you get into more advanced projects, you will likely need additional tools.

 

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What types of yarn do you need for cross stitch?

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007

When it comes to cross stitching what you might not know is that you don’t have to just use embroidery floss, you can also use yarn for doing cross stitching. Yarn is often used to cross stitch designs on afghans or to cross stitch designs on sweaters. Another thing that you might not know about using yarn for cross stitching is what type of yarn you can use.

Basically when it comes to cross stitching with yarn you can use any type of yarn. What you want to keep in mind is that if you are cross stitching a design on something that you have knitted or crocheted you are going to want to use yarn that is smaller than the yarn you used to knit or crochet your project, if you use yarn that is the same size it will cause your project to "grow".

One way to make sure that your project doesn’t grow is to use a smaller yarn. By smaller yarn we are referring to a smaller weight or number. Basically what yarn weight refers to is the thickness of the yarn and it can range from super fine to super bulky. Currently there are six different categories of yarn weights and they are referred to by their weight or by a number. An example of this process would be if you used a medium yarn you would want to use a light, fine or super fine yarn.

Here are the yarn weights in case you need to make adjustments when cross stitching with yarn.
 1: Super fine – the yarns in this weight are baby, fingering and sock. The needle size used for this weight would be between a 1 and a 3 and you can usually get 27 to 32 stitches per 4 inches.
 2: Fine – the yarns in this weight are baby and sport. The needle size for this weight would be between a 3 and a 5 and you would get about 23 to 26 stitches per 4 inches.
 3: Light – the yarns in this weight would be DK, light, and worsted. The needle size for this weight would be between a 5 and a 7 and you would get about 16 to 20 stitches per 4 inches.
 4: Medium – the yarns in this weight would be Afghan, aran and worsted. The needle size that would be used for this weight would be between a 7 and a 9 and you could get between 16 to 20 stitches per 4 inches.
 5: Bulky – the yarns in this weight would be chunky, craft and rug. The needle sizes that you could use for this weight would be between 9 and an 11 and you could get about 12 to 15 stitches per four inches.
 6: Super bulky – the yarns in this weight would be bulky and roving. The needle sizes that you could use with this type of yarn would be from an 11 or anything bigger than that and you would be able to get anywhere from 6 to 11 stitches per 4 inches.

Another thing that you can do to prevent your project from "growing" is to separate the ply’s of the yarn that you are using. Yarn comes in a variety of different ply, the higher the ply the thicker the yarn is going to be. This process is a good idea to use if you are knitting or crocheting with super fine yarn because you can’t get a smaller yarn than super fine so you would need to reduce the ply by at least half. You can also do this if you want to use the same type of yarn throughout your entire project, just make sure that when you start you use a type of yran that is higher than 1 ply.

 

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How to make greeting cards for every occasion

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007

Are you one of those people who send out greeting cards for every occasion? Are you tired of buying your own greeting cards? Do you think you can create better greeting cards than what is currently being offered? No matter what the situation is the good news is you can now create your own greeting cards on the computer that are just as good as any greeting card you purchase in the store. You can create cards for any type of occasion, such as birthdays, Christmas, New Year’s, and Groundhog’s Day. You can even create greeting cards for your own special occasions.

Here are the steps you should follow to create a greeting card for any occasion.

Step one:
The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you have the right kind of saoftware on your computer to create greeting cards. You can use desktop publishing software such as PageMaker or InDesign or you can buy software that is specifically designed for creating greeting cards, such as Hallmark Card Studio or Art Explosion Greeting Card Factory. But whichever software you are going to use you want to become familiar with the basic operation of the software before you begin making greeting cards.

Step two:
Now you are going to need to think about what kind of greeting card format you are going to create. You are going to need to decide what you are making the card for, what style of card you want to use and what size card you are going to create. Knowing this stuff ahead of time will help speed up the process of making the greeting card.

Step three:
Now you are going to need to set up a greeting card document. Depending on what kind of software you are using you can use a wizard to help you create a greeting card, use a blank template or create your own template. If you are using letter sized paper rather than specialty paper you should create a folded dummy and mark the various sections of the card so you know which way to insert the paper when you are going to print.

Step four:
Now you need to choose the graphics that are going to be displayed in your card. You can choose one or two images or you can choose five to six, how many you choose depends on what you want to do and how much room you have. You can use images that come with your software or you can find other images online. Images can be found for any type of situation. After you have placed the graphics on the card you should make any modifications to size or color that need to be made, but some graphics won’t require these modifications.

Step five:
Now you need to choose a font style and size for your greeting card. You can use various styles and sizes on your greeting card depending on what you are doing. If you want to give it a more uniform look you should stick with the same font throughout the card. Just remember your font and graphics should both match the message you are trying to send, don’t use fun types of font with somber images. After choosing the font you are going to need to arrange where your font is going to go, sometimes using grids can help you figure out the right places for the various images and text that will be included in your card.

Step six:
Now that everything has been done you need to double check to make sure that your card has a consistent look and feel to it. You also need to proofread your card for spelling errors.

Step seven:
Now you need to print a practice card before printing it on the specialty paper. After printing the practice card you need to make sure everything lines up correctly when the card is folded, that the margins and alignment are correct and that the card printed out correctly.

While using computer software is a easy way to make greeting cards for all occasions you can also create your own cards by using heavy duty paper, markers, pictures, embellishments, and glue.

 

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