Photo: isazappy / Flickr

Everyone knows that homemade greeting cards are more personal and special than the shop-bought kind, but you might find that your efforts just don’t look quite right. Fortunately, making gorgeous cards at home can be very simple if you follow a few easy steps – and you’ll find that the more you begin to enjoy it, the better your creations will look.

Get it together

Before you get started with the really fun stuff, get your materials ready. You probably already have scissors and glue at home, but you can invest in more elaborate craft supplies if they take your fancy – try stickers and other embellishments, coloured pens, decorative punches, and glitter. Choose sturdy card in the colour of your choice and rule a pencil line precisely down a sheet before folding it as neatly as possible, along that line, to produce the first stage of a greeting card.

Get creative

Photo: isazappy / Flickr

If there’s a part of making a greeting card that you’re not confident about, it’s easy to get around it – if you’re not good at cutting straight lines, get pinking shears that will make curves less noticeable, or if you don’t like your handwriting, print the card’s cover message or get pre-cut letters to stick into place. Once you’ve solved all of the little problems, all that’s really left to do is position all of your decorations as attractively as possible. Try choosing a theme or colour scheme to keep things looking tidy.

Get together

Card-making is a fun activity to try with your friends, especially around the festive season or if there’s a big occasion coming up. Kids will love making cards too, so you’ll be able to keep them busy for a few hours in the holiday and have some great results that relatives will be touched to receive. It’s the thought that counts – so express your good wishes beautifully.