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What Are the Best Tips for Making DIY Christmas Cards?
If you enjoy creating items or crafting, you might enjoy do-it-yourself (DIY) Christmas cards rather than purchasing them. For inspiration, you might look at books, magazines, and the Internet. If you are new to creating DIY Christmas cards it might be best to avoid designs that are intricate or complicated, or you could consider using a computer. Costs can rise when completing a project like this. To stay within your budget, keep an eye on your expenses.
Unless you already have an idea of what you would like your DIY Christmas cards to look like, perusing books, magazines, and the Internet is one way for you to gain inspiration. These do not need to be crafting resources exclusively. A variety of materials on different topics are potentially helpful since they can probably offer ideas about color, texture, and other decorative accents. Whatever you feel gives you the best ideas for your project is what you should think about viewing.
DIY Christmas cards usually come in a variety of shapes, colors, and level of detail. They can be simple designs with a heartfelt message or intricate paper crafts. Before settling on a design, keep in mind any experience you might have with card making and the number of cards you need to produce. The harder the design is to complete and the more cards you need to produce, the longer it will probably take you. Keeping this in mind will help you determine a start date for your project.
A computer can also be used to make your DIY Christmas cards. This is usually a good option if you are more comfortable on the computer, do not have paper crafting experience, or prefer to create a design that can be printed and mailed. A variety of software is available for use when designing your cards. Access to a printer is usually required unless you will send the cards via e-mail.
Depending upon the quantity of materials you buy and where you buy them from, DIY Christmas cards might cost more than factory made varieties. It is possible to avoid overspending by purchasing materials when they are on sale, creating a budget, and making purchases a little at a time. Also, buying a little more than you actually need can be helpful as well. This allows you to practice and ensure the design is correct before you begin assembling your cards in quantity.
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![There are many types of software that can be used to make DIY Christmas cards.]()
By: AllianceThere are many types of software that can be used to make DIY Christmas cards. -
![Cards might be folded into different holiday shapes for a unique touch.]()
By: lilyCards might be folded into different holiday shapes for a unique touch.
Discussion Comments
I am a graphic designer, so making DIY Christmas cards is easy for me. I have the software for it, and I also have card stock paper on hand.
My main challenge is remembering where the different sides of the card will be on the document. I first create a blank document that is 10.5 inches wide and 8 inches tall, and I use an guideline to mark the center of it.
Then, I put the design of the front of the card on the right. I put some sort of small trademark on the back, like regular cards have, with my name and a small logo.
I have a separate document of the same size that I use for the inside of the card. I print out the front first, and then I flip the paper over and run it through again to print the inside on the back. It can get pretty confusing, so I usually do a trial run with a marked sheet of paper so that I can get the layout straight in my mind.
I made all of my Christmas cards myself two years ago, and I discovered that the price of all that colored ink canceled out what I saved on the price of buying ready-made cards. I still wanted to design a couple of cards myself, so I decided to send store-bought ones to acquaintances and distant kin, saving the special ones for closer family and friends.
I tried to limit myself to a few spots of color on each card. I left the background white, and this saved a lot of ink. Colored ink cartridges for my computer cost a ridiculous amount of money, and keeping my designs simple was the only way to go.
Since there was just a bit of color here and there, I had to put a lot of thought into the design and make it special. I added a few elements after printing the cards out, like glitter and snowflake stickers.
@StarJo – I agree with you. There is something so nostalgic and special about making your own Christmas cards. I never send store-bought cards, because my family and friends have come to expect a personal touch from me.
I buy materials for the cards throughout the year. Whenever I see something I could use on sale, I snap it up and put it in my craft closet for the season. This keeps me from having to spend the extra money around Christmas time, when I really need to be using it for gifts and party food.
I like to print out wallet sized family photos and include them in the design of the card. I secure them to the paper with decorative edges and borders and glue, and I do something different with the design each year. I put a lot of thought into it, so it always turns out great.
I'm not computer savvy at all, so I make my own Christmas cards by hand. I'm good at designing things, so long as I can do it with raw materials.
This past year, I started with white card stock and some spray glitter. I used red and white felt to make peppermint candy shapes, and I used beige felt to make sugar cookie circles. Then, I sewed small, clear beads onto the cookie shapes to mimic sugar crystals.
I glued all of this to the front of the cards. I carefully scribed the words with a permanent marker, and I was very happy with the result.
When you make something with your hands and spend a long time on it, then it becomes more meaningful to both you and the recipient. A part of me went into those cards, and I learned new crafting skills that will stick with me for later use.
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