Greeting cards have been a way of communicating with family and friends since early civilization. Both the ancient Chinese and the early Egyptians sent messages through greeting cards. From the 15th century until the late 1800’s, Europeans crafted handmade greeting cards from paper to deliver to loved ones. The cards made in this era were usually rather costly and ornate.
Card Making was much less common after technological advancements in printing allowed greeting cards to be manufactured in mass quantities for an affordable price. By the close of the 19th century, the greeting card industry had taken the place of most handmade cards. In 1980, scrapbooking, along with other paper crafts including cardmaking, begin to increase in popularity again.
Today, thousands of people enjoy the hobby of cardmaking. Handmade greeting cards are made using a variety of different methods and range in difficulty. Many of the same techniques used in scrapbooking can be applied to cardmaking. Stamping, foiling, and embossing are all popular techniques used in making greeting cards.
Rubber stamps are available in hundreds of different styles and designs. Most modern stamps are self-inking and can be used over and over again. Rubber stamps create beautiful images and calligraphic heartfelt wishes with no effort, producing original handmade cards.
The technique of embossing is a little more involved than stamping and generates gorgeous detailed images. With heat and a special embossing powder, a stamped image can be transformed into a vibrant, three-dimensional raised image. The picture can then be painted with gel pens for a colorful handmade card.
Foiling is an elegant technique using foil leaves to transfer classy foil images and designs to paper. Crafting foil is available in many colors and designs. Foiled cards can also be embossed for a raised, professional appearance.
Like the early days of cardmaking, today’s crafters use quality paper cardstock. Cardstock is available in various styles and colors and can be purchased in ready made card layouts. Pearlescent cards and envelopes are one of the most popular styles for cardmaking because the satin, shimmering effect of the paper gives handmade cards a rich look and feel.
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