How many times have you gone to the store to purchase a greeting card? Birthdays, Holidays, Anniversaries, Weddings, New Baby, Get Well and Sympathy - all of these occasions are usually marked by sending or receiving a card. Meant to convey your thoughts, concerns and wishes, greeting cards express your sentiments to the recipient. When you select the card that you want to send, did you ever think about what went into making that card? Well, let me assure you, members of the SaddleBrooke Paper Crafters Club think about these things a lot!
Each handmade card that is created by a SaddleBrooke paper crafter is carefully planned, designed, and constructed. The process of making a card is not just about its’ intended message, but includes decisions regarding size, shape and style. Will it be a standard center horizontal or vertical fold card? How about a fun fold, which requires several carefully cut and measured individual pieces of card stock. And then there are shaker cards! Not only are the folds critical, but the card maker must determine the materials to put in the shaker, and ensure that they are secured tightly. Otherwise, when the recipient opens the card there could be a mess of sequins, beads or whatever material was used all over the place.
After the base card size and format have been determined, the creative process continues. Decisions must be made regarding the selection of paper, number of layers, colors, designs and patterns that will reflect the sentiment, mood and feelings the card is intended to convey. Will the images be whimsical, traditional, modern or abstract? When we stamp an image or sentiment on the front of the card, what ink colors should we use, and should we use markers, pencils or paints to fill in the images… you get the idea.
Once all that is determined and materials are selected, the papers are cut and sized according to the lay out, then adhered together. At last we have a card front! But what do we do about the inside of the card? Can we find a stamp with an appropriate sentiment, or do we need to find something that we can print on the computer and use? Or should we just leave it empty and hand write the message to be sent?
When you receive a hand-made card from a paper crafter, please know that you are not just receiving a greeting card—you are getting a work of art and a labor of love. The paper artist has most likely spent hours designing and crafting this message just for you.
From experience I can tell you that nothing makes a paper crafter happier than hearing how much you appreciate the time and effort that goes into this wonderful hobby. I have friends that tell me they keep every hand-made card that I have sent them. Some friends have a collection that they display for each appropriate holiday. That feedback is the nicest compliment a paper crafter can receive, and is the reason we chose to make our cards!
If you are interested in knowing more about paper crafting, please feel free to visit one of our meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. We are temporarily meeting in the Coyote Room at HOA-1 Clubhouse until the new Arts and Crafts building is completed.
