Property Malaysia

by lisabatty

Gifts With Homemade Greeting Cards Carry More Meaning! Handmade Cards With Friendship Verses Are Awesome!

Gifts With Homemade Greeting Cards Always Carry More Meaning! Handmade Cards With Friendship Verses Are Really Awesome!

Of course we know that Making Greeting Cards is a really huge and popular hobby these days, and grows more popular each day! This hobby is fun and therapeutic. When you give these handmade cards to someone that you love or care about, you will really brighten their day, and the cards mean so much more than a store-bought card, not to mention those horrible e-cards! I would rather receive nothing than to receive an e-card! 

When You Make Homemade Greeting Cards And Scrapbook Pages, It’s Much Easier When You Have Some Awesome Friendship & Love Verses And Quotes To Put Inside!

Making greeting cards is something that is extremely enjoyable and can easily help you spend some time productively rather than sitting around watching that silly, useless television! These cards can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish, and even if you don’t know what to write inside of them, you can always put a good quote from a famous person.

Greeting Card Verses And Quotes eBook From Father Time – Perfect Love or Friendship Verses And Quotes When You Need Them!

Hello, I am Father Time, a professional writer of greeting card verses, and I have compiled an eBook of 40 Verses that I Have Written plus 60 Quotes from Famous People! Click this link to have a look at it, and then you will also be on my fabulous website where you can see many other cool things, such as good luck charms, love attracting amulets, and money attracting charms!

“We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over. So in a series of kindnesses there is, at last, one which makes the heart run over.”  – James Boswell

I also write some awesome self-help materials that are extremely powerful and effective! My website located at www.FatherTimePublishing.com has some other really cool items, such as a Psychic Readings via e-mail or Kuan Yin Oracle Readings!

“Stay” is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary.  – Louisa May Alcott

One of my many projects is writing and sending a great Daily Motivational e-mail Message Seen Here and I have many subscribers who absolutely LOVE it! As a random act of kindness and for a limited time, I am giving away some free subscriptions, so come sign up while you can!

Please Note: you did not just happen to land here on this ArticlesBase.com piece by mistake or by accident…it was certainly meant to be! So, perhaps you need to get a good luck charm, or buy the eBook of card verses for your hobby of Making Greeting Cards!

Have Fun & Many Blessings!

Related Handmade Cards Articles

by emariecards

What’s Hot in Handmade Cards

Handmade cards are being hailed as one of the fast growing trends in the greeting card industry right now.

There’s some debate on what exactly constitutes a ‘handmade card’ in card circles and this category still includes “the look of a hand-assembled – yet manufactured” card.

The degree to which the handmade card has actually had mechanical manipulation is of course down to the nature of the card and its selling points. There’s no doubt though, that handmade is big business. And the more frippery, glittery and feathery you can make it – the better it is for business.

There seem to be a number of key words in the handmade category if you’re trawling around looking for inspiration. The main keyword is “embellishment”. Most of us know this to mean some extra facet added to the front of the card, often giving a 3D quality. That could be anything from beads, buttons, paper, fabric to wire or metal, to name a few. That list is by no means exhaustive, and any crafter worth their salt will know just how tempting it is to add any bit of dazzling finery to their card. Often though, less is best.

What seems to be catching the public’s eye this end of 2007 are cards incorporating glued or stitched on fabric. The card front though is only half the story.

One of the UK’s leading card industry magazines carries regular reports on best selling products in the handmade categories. Whilst smaller independent stores often speak of cards being ‘subtly sparkly’ they also mention the ‘beautiful board’ (or card stock). They talk of ‘delicate and feminine’ being in vogue too.

Whether you’re drawn to buy a handmade card or make one yourself, you’ll be up with the trends if you search out all things glittery and embellished. There’s sure to be a great range in your local stores to meet demand, and as craft retailers know, if its in demand in the card shops, then their craft buying public will want to purchase similar boards and bags of embellishments. Just take a look at the QVC shopping channel – or any one of the craft channels to check out what’s sizzling right now.

Trends continue to include a mix of materials, metal, glitz and fluff so the answer really is that anything goes.

Check out the better card shelves for ideas. See what workshops are being held locally and read magazines to get up-to-the-minute ideas for all things current. As in any market, things are always on the change but as magazines are planned up to several months in advance you’ve got comfort in knowing that trends will stay around for a little while.

Craft stores will always carry a wide selection of card embellishments and if you’re canny you’ll also include flea markets, bargain stores and charity shops in your trawl for all things that could loosely be described as ‘surface decoration’. Make sure you store your favorite bits carefully so that you’ll be able to find them again when you need them. There’s nothing worse than tracking down the perfect addition to your handmade card, only to find yourself hunting feverishly for it, just when you’ve found the perfect place to use it!

Handmade cards are certainly hot news right now!

Pull apart worn out dresses for fab buttons, look at old watches with a new eye, and start to hoard interesting paper textures, fabrics and fluff. Maybe you’ve some fellow crafters who would welcome a ‘swap shop’ event or a workshop where you can pool ideas and learn from each other. Craft is definitely one area where it pays to share your enthusiasm, skills and resources. You never know who might have just the perfect piece to lift your current project.

Jumble sales can be great sources of card ephemera if you look beyond what you see.

Imagine how fabric flowers may look separated into individual petals.

What could you do with that feather duster?

How could you make the most of those metallic service buttons?

How could you weave that line of thin coated wire into your next card project?

Which bits of fabric and paper could you stitch or glue together to create a new base material?

Learn to look at things from different view points and keep abreast of colors, textures and trends to make the most of your current and future projects.

Time spent collecting and sorting is never wasted. You’re building up a supply of exciting embellishments to adorn your lovingly planned and assembled card.

If you want to ride the trends in handmade greeting cards just keep an eye on the market.

by lisabatty

So What Really is a Handmade Card?

What exactly is a handmade card? If you buy one what are you looking for? If you make one, how much help do you want? Do you go it alone, or dive into a mix of pre-formed shapes? The Handmade card category is big business “” in both the Craft arena and Greeting Cards and so it covers a variety of card combinations:

1. any hand made -or rather ‘home made’ cards

2. hand-embellished but pre-packaged

3. a card kit that you ‘hand-assembled’ at home.

The breadth of the category makes it more challenging for card retailers to classify for sale stock, but easier for the crafter to pass something essentially shop bought as handmade.

Let’s look at them more fully.

1. The handmade/home-made card

This one gets my thumbs up or rather a thumbs on! Homemade doesn’t mean cheap and tacky. With some excellent courses, books and tutorials out there, there’s no excuse for half-hearted efforts.

This category applies to any hand-made card made from scratch using your own ingenuity, creativity and resourcefulness. It certainly requires the most inventiveness and the likelihood is that a handmade card – made from either casual or carefully selected materials will be truly individual.

Such handmade cards are made with considerable love and attention and usually treasured by the lucky recipient.

2. The hand-embellished card

Interestingly the greeting card industry considers handmade to cover any ‘hand-assisted’ card, often with ‘proud’ features. That includes (but is not limited to) sequins, felt, glitter, ribbon, beads etc. Think base design, on a quality card stock. This background is then topped with a selection of hand-embellishments: anything from tinted photos to faceted beads.

Many publishers use emotive vocabulary such as ‘embossed, sophisticated and elegant’ – to attract customers to purchase what they (both public and customer) consider one step above the mass market crowd.

3. The card kit

Card kits are increasingly popular with all age groups. You know the thing – a complete set of blank cards and envelopes, with inclusive, inviting little thingummies that you hand assemble to create new. You might get some templates as to layout, or be inventive in laying out your surface additions. Card kits include all the embellishments and card blanks you need to create your own handmade card. Detailed instruction may, or may not be included.

There are a number of advantages to card kits: a. everything (and sometimes this means glue too) is included, ready-to-go b. placement and assembly is directed by the materials. instructions come as standard – so no need to be inventive in your use of the materials – unless you want to.

On the other hand, whilst card kits don’t give you too much freedom of choice they can give you a way into testing your creativity. With a great range of kits to choose from it shouldn’t take long to find the right kind for you. A number of sites and stations have tantalising packages to buy and the immediacy of them makes card making fun.

There’s no reason to lessen your sense of achievement in using card kits and they are often one move up from the hand embellished card, and a pre-cursor to going it alone – in free thinking creativity.

Whatever you opt for, making or giving a handmade card shows your willingness to go the extra mile for something extra special. How much or how little you do, depends on the type of card you buy and how handmade you want your handmade card to be.

Perhaps it comes down to semantics. I often used to equate handmade with homemade which meant (to me) a cheap version of shop bought. What I didn’t know then was that handmade really gives you a chance to shine in your particular avenue of creativity. And if you are an aspiring free thinker then the card kit will naturally impose just one too many restrictions on your ability to go with the flow. If however it allows you, with good conscience to say ‘handmade’ with pride then it has great appeal.

The craft market is in boom time right now and card making is enjoying a high too. Hence the number of card making magazines available marrying these two great trends perfectly.

So handmade need not mean a ‘less than’ card. It certainly shouldn’t. Personally I’d favor handmade over bought. Where you step into the realms of making or buying a handmade card lies in your needs, abilities and pocket.

Choose what’s right for you and give or make a handmade card with pride. It will always single your card giving out from the crowd and say much about how you see the act of giving as well as the art of making.

by yuankuei

Making Handmade Cards – Easy and Fun Way to Express Unique Messages

Life is scattered with many important occasions. We have big days like Christmas Days, Valentine’s Days, Thanksgiving Day and we also have days that are personally special to us like birthdays, graduation days, christenings and even anniversaries.

Of course, greeting cards play a huge role in the special occasions scattered through our lives. It is not uncommon for us to receive a birthday card, a Valentine’s card, a congratulatory card or even a good luck card. Now, if you are one of those people who simply love to receive cards, then it is high time to turn the table around. Why not start giving out really great cards to those people who matter to you? And the best thing about this plan is that you can make card-giving extra special for those people — by creating handmade cards or personalised cards.

Hesitant to try out your luck in card making? Here are the best reasons why you should try it out…

1. Cardmaking is fun and easy.
One of the best reasons why you should make your own cards is because it is easy and fun. Card making can make idle hands work and be creative. Imagine yourself enjoying conceptualizing of card themes, thinking of concepts, creating personalized messages and adding color and spice to each card you make. Making cards at home can be a family activity as well. It can certainly be exciting to gather round the entire family (adults, teens and kids alike) to go shopping for card making supplies and set the weekend for a fun card creation activity.

2. Cardmaking allows you to express your creativity.
If you have always wanted to put a part of you in a work of art, then card making can be one way to do so. Making personalized cards allow you to harness your creative skills. This can easily be done as you try using various card making materials just to end up with the perfect card you have in mind for a special person.

3. There are a lot of tools that can make card making easier and more enjoyable.
Nowadays, making handmade cards is no longer that difficult as there are different tools that can be used. For example, there are decoupage card making materials that can easily be bought online. You can even have embosser machines or even stamp blocks to use for your card making activities.

4. Handmade cards show your sincerity.
Most people opt to receive greeting cards that have the personal touch. While store-bought cards still have their value, handmade cards automatically touches us deeply. When we receive cards that were handmade, we often feel very special.

5. There are tons of card making materials to use.
Since there are practically no rules in personalized card making, anyone can use all sorts of materials to create a unique greeting card. Many card making materials can be used including stickers, stamps, glitters, glitter pens, paint, stencils, stick-ons, ribbons, laces and even cut-outs.

6. Making your own cards can be a good alternative to store-bought cards.
If you simply do not have the patience to buy greeting cards from malls or bookstores, then making your own cards can be a good alternative to the usual cards which are bought from a store. Also, your own cards can prove to be a relief from the generic themes and ideas found on commercially-made cards.

The best handmade cards and envelopes! Learn how to make a creative pop-up birthday card from scratch in this free video. Expert: Karen Weisman Bio: Karen Weisman graduated from Boston University with a degree in Hotel and Food Management. Since then, she has helped a national grocery store chain develop and launch a gourmet food division. Filmmaker: Karen Weisman

by Boby Dimitrov

How to Sell Handmade Cards to Create Extra Income

Handmade cards are one of the most popular and intimate ways of sending that special message, be it happy birthday or good luck to that special someone and more and more people are starting to get in on the action.

And why wouldn’t they, the greeting card market in the UK in worth £1.2 billion a year.

The big question is, ‘how do I sell my handmade cards? You might want to sell them because your friends and family think there’re good, you want to create some extra income to help fund your passionate hobby or just to set up a business and one day become one of the big players in the greeting card market

 

The first step we would recommend any crafter to do is to research their local market. Try to find out if anyone else in your local area is selling handmade cards, look at their designs, look at their prices and where they are selling them. You could even go to the extent of phoning them up to see how selling their cards are going for them and how they operate.  Basically gain all the information you think you need to set up and run your own card business.

 

The next step for any handmade card crafter is to do is do what they do best, and that’s create some designs. Ideally you should be looking at a wide range to begin with to see what works and which designs you like. Be creative. That’s one of the main things people like about handmade cards, their originality. However don’t make them too complicated. After all you don’t want to spend four hours making one card, when might have hundreds to make!  Keep in mind (with the exception of Valentine cards) around 80% of cards are purchased by women.

 

The next question is ‘How much should I sell my cards for?’ Set the price too low and you won’t make any money but set the price too high and no one will buy your cards. The first step is to work out how much your cards cost to make. There are numerous costs to consider and it this depends on how far you want to take it. Some common examples of costs that you should consider are: Supplies e.g. Paper, glue, ribbon, envelopes.

 

Equipment – do you need to buy new equipment to make cards? E.g. a laminator, trimmer or a stand to display your cards

Labour – how much are you going to pay yourself?

Postage and packaging e.g. stamps, boxes, petrol if you deliver them.

 

Once you have this information you can then work out a selling price. Pricing strategy is quite important and you should look at the prices of other peoples handmade cards in your area to ensure that yours are similar.

 

Now here comes the fun part, selling your cards. You should by now have about six designs of cards, some stock, know how much each design costs to make and know how much you want to sell them for. There is a number of different ways you can sell your cards and different methods work for different people so don’t give up if you don’t get any sales to begin with.

 

One of the most popular methods of selling handmade cards is at craft fairs and car boot sales. These are good because they are easy to attend and set up costs are relatively cheap. Simply research you local fairs to get more information. Other people will also be selling cards at these fairs so the competition for customers will be quite high. Ensure your stand is presented well, invest in display stands that give good visibility for your cards and are easy for your potential customers to browse. Make sure prices are clearly shown.

 

The internet is a good way to start selling. EBay is the most obvious choice, easy to use and set up therefore making it ideal to sell cards on. However lot of people are selling handmade cards on eBay for very low prices so be prepared not to sell your cards for a high price. Also there are listing fees and commissions to be paid which will take away from your profit.

A more complex way of selling on the internet is to set up your own website. There are a lot of handmade card websites out there so looking at those for inspiration is a good idea. The downside is it will take time and patience and some knowledge of computers will be required.  Selling to Retail outlets is one of the more challenging ways to sell cards, but also has the potential to be very successful.

Keep a few points in mind.

Retailers typically look to sell cards around 2.3 times the purchase price, so if they buy at £1 they will look to sell around £2.30 including the VAT.

 

Retailers are people too, if having a bad day, they’re unlikely to buy your cards, but if in a good mood and like your designs, and the chances are they will give you a try.

It’s not unusual for retailers to request greeting cards be supplied on a sale or return or consignment basis, this involves you supplying the cards and quite often a suitable display stand free of charge and returning at agreed intervals to replenish and charge for any cards sold. An easier way to get space in the shop, but more time consuming and with you carrying all the risk.

 

Even if purchasing outright retails will often expect a display stand to be supplied, normally on the basis of buy £xxx of cards and get a free stand.

The most common reason for rejection is “we don’t have any space”.  Look around as you go in and suggest possible locations (make sure you have display solutions for wall, counters and free standing)

 

Cards tend to sell better when they are well lit so don’t go and put them in that dark corner of the shop. Try to get somewhere near a window with plenty of day light or under strong lighting to really emphasise them.

‘Eye level is buy level’, tries and locates where customers can see easily and not have to bend down or search.

The busier the shop, the more cards are likely to sell. Hairdressers and cafes are easier to get into, but sell less due to limited number of people entering each day.

Have a good pitch for the shop owner, tell them about yourself and take a stock of cards into the shop already in a display stand so they can see how it will look and make it easy for them to say yes

Some more ideas of where you could sell your cards are listed to below.

Craft fairs

Car boot sales

EBay

Own website

Farmer markets

Local shops

Post offices

Family and friends

Cafés

Good luck selling your cards; we hope this guide is helpful.

Find More Handmade Cards Articles