How to Make a Card

Easy Card Making with a Card Blank

Everyone should know how to make a card. But if you've never made one before, your first try might be intimidating. You might even find yourself putting it off as a "some day event" that may never get done.

Don't do this! That's my advice. Cardmaking can be so easy and it's such a fun and simple way to do something nice for someone you care about.

Easy Card Making with a Card Blank Recently, my daughter and I have been making cards together. She's just a little person, but she loves cardmaking.

We went from folding copy paper in half to actually providing her with folded card stock and sometimes single-sided patterned paper.

I think starting with a card blank makes cardmaking easy for both kids and adults. It's like having a painter start with a blank canvas. It's your foundation.

The purpose of this page is simply to point out the benefits of using a card blank as a foundation for cards and to provide some helpful tips for making them.

And when you're ready, here's some card making ideas that don't depend on expensive card making supplies.

Card Blanks Make For Easy Canvases

Card blanks are a quick and easy way to get started with card making. In fact, I enjoy using card blanks so much that I almost always start my card making projects with one.

You can make the basic card blank or you can try something different...

Starting your kids off with card blanks makes it easy for them to learn and experiment with how to make a card... My daughter especially likes accordion folded card blanks, card blanks with each side folded to the center (like double doors) and standard card blanks (paper scored and folded in half).

Card blanks can be made with paper that is printable for direct printing of photos or graphics. Or you can make them with colored paper, choosing from a variety of card blank sizes.

Card blanks provide:

added sturdiness
easy to write in even if your card is made with bold colors/patterns
provides a comforting "canvas" to start with
increased options for decorative materials since the base is strong

How to Make a Card Blank

Choose a heavy card stock preferably in a light shade such as white, cream or lilac.

Note: The heavier the card stock, the sturdier your card will be. Light shades, especially white, allow easy writing inside if you choose to write a personal message.
Choose the size of your card. See common greeting card sizes below.
Cut your paper twice the width of your finished card to create the front and back.
Score paper before folding. Using a ruler for a guide (press ruler down firmly), run the tip of a bone folder or even the blunt top of a butter knife or empty ball point pen across the paper where you plan to fold it in half.

Note: The resulting ridge ensures that the paper folds evenly and does not crack along the outer fold.
Now fold the paper in upon itself with the part you just scored facing out...

... In other words, the indentation will be on the outside and the thin line of paper protruding will be on the inside. (It seems backwards but this prevents cracking due to the stress of stretching).