Biblio File

Homemade Holiday: Greeting Cards by Amanda Pagan, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL)December 11, 2020

different types of greeting cards and books on making greeting cards

Reconnect with your family the old fashioned way this holiday season by sending them a card. All you need is a piece of construction paper or card stock, markers, and a bit of creativity!

Or, if you feel that a card is simply not enough to express your feelings, why not send them a letter? Check out our guide You've Got Mail: Old-Fashioned Letter Writing for Fun for inspiration.

Greeting cards are a great way to express your creativity because there really is no right or wrong way to decorate them. You can definitely do your own thing, but if you are looking for inspiration then you are in luck! We have tons of great resources at your disposal. Check out the Library's craft books on making your own greeting cards for fun new projects and easy-to-follow designs. Picture books and art books are also a great source of design inspiration. The possibilities are endless!

Children will love making their own cards to send to their family and friends, and it’s a great way to keep them entertained during a winter afternoon. We have listed a few common and easy-to-do styles of greeting cards below that require minimal materials and should be little-to-no cost. The whole goal of this project is to be as free and as easy as possible.

If you complete any of the projects below, be sure to tag us on our social media! (Instagram: @nyplsnflkids Twitter: @NYPLSNFL)

Collage

Collage style greeting cards are perfect for using up leftover paper scraps from previous projects. Simply grab a piece of cardstock, construction paper, or printer paper to use as a base. Layer your collage pieces on top of each other and apply glue in between each layer to hold them in place. Have fun with markers, magazine scraps, ribbons, etc. and decorate to your heart’s content!

Book inspiration: The Complete Photo Guide to Cardmaking by Judi Watanabe

Household Materials

Do you have a junk drawer full of buttons, bottle caps, or just random things you swear you’re going to use one day? Put it on your card! Make a bear out of buttons or use cupcake liners to make paper flowers.

Book inspiration: The Complete Photo Guide to Cardmaking by Judi Watanabe

Craft Books

When in doubt, check out a craft book! We have tons of great books on how to make greeting cards that range from your standard folded card to really fun and elaborate designs.

Book inspiration: Making Your Own Greeting Cards & Gift Wrap: More Than 50 Step-by-Step Papercrafting Projects for Every Occasion by Vivienne Bolton

Stamps, lever punches, and stickers!

If you are a stickler for making things even and neat, then stamps and lever punches are a fun way to add some pizzazz to your cards. While there are ways to make your own stamps out of household items like vegetables, you might have to purchase a lever punch if you do not already own one. If you or your little one have a bunch of fun stickers you have been holding onto, here’s your sign to start using them!

This greeting card was inspired by a page from Winter Lights: A Season in Poems & Quilts by Anna Grossnickle Hines.

Crochet

If you have a bit of leftover yarn in your yarn stash, why not use it to make fun little appliques that you can use to decorate the front of your card. Better yet, if you tape them to the front of your greeting card, your recipient can easily remove them and use them as an ornament! It’s two gifts in one!

For our guide on how to make this snow man and teddy bear, check out Homemade Holiday: Kids Learn to Crochet.

Book inspiration: Kids Learn to Crochet by Lucinda Guy and François Hall