Thanksgiving is a favorite time of year for many people and a great opportunity to spend a holiday with friends and family in a cozy atmosphere. Many people think of the holidays and one of the first things they think of sending to friends is a Christmas card. Shake things up a little bit this year and send out Thanksgiving cards this year.
Making your own cards is a fairly simple idea, but the range of things you can make on your own is very broad depending on your skill level with crafts and the amount of time you have to spend on the craft. Thanksgiving cards can range from simple designs in fall colors to complex three dimensional cards with all kinds of decorations and embellishments. Decide what it is you want to make and how much time you have to dedicate to the project and then get started. A little imagination can really take you a long way with your Thanksgiving craft ideas.
If you are not very skilled with craft making or want to include your kids in the project, then working with premade pieces is a great idea to help you get started. Many craft stores even offer card kits that include everything you will need to get the project done from the paper and supplies to the fasteners and glue needed to wrap it all up. Make your choices based on how involved and customized you want the card to be. Many of these premade kits include die cut shapes that fit the Thanksgiving theme and are in the traditional fall colors. These shapes could include cornucopia, leaves, turkeys and fall fruits and veggies. If you want more flexibility in the card designs you make, then you can supplement the kit with more shapes and colors or just start customizing from the beginning.
For the intermediate card maker or crafter, you can experiment with the shape and size of the card by cutting the paper base with customized scissor shapes and also crafting your own envelopes along with the card. Start with cardstock in fall colors such as greens, browns, oranges and yellows for your base and then trim them and add shapes to make the outline of the card. Then you can cut out or buy shapes for the card theme and attach them using double sided tape or craft glue. Add your own personal touch by writing a special note in the card. You can also incorporate stamps into the card and many retailers offer customized seasonal sets all year. The stamps should also fit the general theme of the card and try to pull inspiration from one element into the others.
For more advanced crafters, you should start with your die cut machine and make some shapes that can be used for the embellishment. You can even use real autumn leaves in your card design. There are also many places that sell artificial leaves and you can find autumn colors almost all year round. If you want to use real leaves, press them flat and then spray both sides with hairspray to protect them from rotting and to give them a nice sheen. They can really add a lot of life and color to your special card. Another great way to make you card just a little nicer and more interesting is to raise certain shapes above others and add some three dimensional interest to the card. This can be done by using strips of paper to raise the embellishment off the face of the card or you can even use double sided sticky foam squares that are made especially for this task. No matter what kind of skills you have or what you plan on making, remember the season is for being thankful and that you should also have fun in the process.
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