Using up your scraps making cards

This card was really fast and easy to do. I made it for the teacher my DD will be getting next year when she starts prep (preschool). It was his birthday this week also. So I wanted to surprise him. He's such a fantastic teacher (DS had him when he did preschool) and I fought so long and hard to get him. I know DD will do really well with him and I think she will find the transition to being a big sister easier with some familiarities and expectations fulfilled (she thought she was starting school at the beginning of last year 2007 in his class, so it's been a long wait for her). Anyway all I did was attach a piece of patterned paper from the DCWV glitter stack range (left overs from previous projects.... see Friends layout) and then cut a square of foil cardstock larger than my stamped image and attached these using pop dots....

Pop dots are perfect for cards. They allow you to use a very simple design (aka: quick) but make it look good with the main elements popping off the page.

For cards I recommend using stamps as much as possible to cut your costs. Stickers and other alphabet ad ons can be costly and for an item that is likely to be thrown away in a week or two after receiving you really don't want to waste your supplies.

Here's a really quick card I made for DS's grade 2 teachers' birthday this week. I usually like to make a card out of my left over scraps as soon as I've finished my layout and all the co-ordinating pieces are still out....... but sometimes you're just too tired. In that case I go to my scraps folder and sift through all the papers until I find what I'm looking for. Once these scraps have been used too many times for me to be excited about anymore ... or there isn't much left of them, they go into my kids craft box for the kids to play with.

By making a card with every layout you also have a range of cards on hand for emergencies! I also really like making up a folder to hold a range of cards and giving this as a gift. I divide the folder into twelve sections (one for each month and then add a small calander to the front page so the recipient can write the birthdays or other events for that month and then place the right number of birthday, anniversary, congratulations etc cards in each section. This is a really great present for busy people as it can organise their entire year AND if they're not very crafty they appreciate being able to give people handmade cards.