Card Making Craft Ideas - 6 Sources Of Inspiration That Are Often Overlooked
By Poppy HillLet's face it, when it comes to card making, we can all run low on inspiration sometimes.
So what do you do when that 'pool of creativity' dries up?
Struggle onwards? Most likely that produces some
not-so-great cards right?
Funnily enough though, your imagination can be sparked
very easily - if you know where to look. Perhaps most
surprising, is that some of the most powerful sources of
inspiration for card making ideas are sitting right under your nose!
Let's revisit some of the more 'obvious' sources of
inspiration that we can often overlook when we're stuck
for card making ideas. But this time, let's look at them
through fresh eyes...
1. The Occasion
There are so many potential occasions for which you can
choose to make a card. It doesn't just stop at birthdays
or Christmas. And each occasion or event is loaded with
meaning, whatever it may be. So how do you transform the
'message' into an eye-catching, meaningful, handmade
greeting card design?
Exploring the motivation behind the card you're
making, is a good place to start. Is the recipient having
a hard time right now and you want to cheer them up?
Or perhaps they're moving house or are starting a new job?
Take some time to really think about why you're
making the card.
And how is the occasion or event making the repicient feel?
Happy? Sad? Excited? Apprehensive? If you can pinpoint why you're making a little creation for that
special someone, and how they feel about this
particular event, it can help immensely in your creative
card making process.
A cheery card design with vibrant colors would be great
to give to someone who's having a hard time at the moment.
A house-shaped card, or even a tapestry-esque,
'Home Sweet Home' -inspired card idea could be great
for someone who's moving house or returning from a long
journey.
Every occasion or event (no matter how obscure) has it's
own visual associations and icons from which you can
gather your inspiration. So if you're stuck for card
making ideas, take a few moments to think about why
you're making them the card in the first place, and how
that particular occasion is making the recipient feel.
That can really help you to translate your message into
a visual representation in your card making designs.
2. The Person
Another, perhaps obvious, but often overlooked factor is
the recipient. Who are you making the card for? Everyone
is different! And the beauty of making handmade cards is
that you really can personalize them. So, make a card
that compliments their energy, their 'aura', their
personality.
Are they free and breezy? Traditional and conservative?
A bundle of fun? Too cute for words? So energetic they
can't sit still? Focusing on a person's attributes,
likes, and dislikes, can spark off a million of ideas.
In which creative direction will YOU go?
3. Quotes
It's always a nice touch to add a quote to a
card. But apart from being center-pieces themselves,
quotes can also provide you with inspiration for
your card making ideas and their color palettes. After all, different quotes evoke different sentiments,
emotions, and visual associations.
There are different ways to collect quotes. I like to
keep a notebook that I use specifically for noting down
inspirational, funny and cute quotes. Every time I read
a book, magazine, or web page, and see a phrase I like,
I note it down (making sure I also note down the author's
name and where I found it). You can grow a great
little personal collection of quotes that way.
If you have neither the time nor patience for that though,
you can buy yourself a book of quotes from your local
bookstore, or check out some quote sites online. Either
way, quotations are great ways of adding an extra
'something' to a card and can really play a role in your
final card making ideas.
4. Greeting Card Shops
An obvious option, you might think, but it's true!
Take a look at what the professional card designers
are doing. Many greeting card shops stock both the
manufactured and the handmade card varieties. You
can get some great card making ideas just by strolling through
the isles!
5. Gift Wrap
Another great source for card making ideas!
There are some simply gorgeous wrapping papers out
there. They're a great way of getting more
color scheme ideas too. See what works,
see what doesn't.
6. Crafting Magazines
Craft magazines are such fun! For me, it's
always a real pleasure to leisurely flick through
a papercraft magazine on the sofa, magazine
in one hand and cup of tea in the other!
Good crafting magazines are made to inspire
you do make great things. So they are
definitely worth checking out.
For a list of some good crafting magazines, visit:
http://www.making-handmade-cards.com/card-making-magazines.html
These 6 sources of inspiration may well seem obvious,
but do we actually stop and refer to any of them when
we're stuck for inspiration? Sometimes, it's the most
obvious sources of inspiration that we need to remind
ourselves of when our imaginations get stuck in a rut.
Today's Crafty Card Making Mission...
All set for a mission? Let's put your creativity to
work! Think of a person you know, who's going through a
difficult or trying time at the moment, and design a card
for them. Use the sources of inspiration we've explored
in this article, and see what you can come up with. Let's
spread a little sunshine guys!
Happy Card Making!
Copyright, Making-Handmade-Cards.com, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
About The Author:
Poppy Hill is one of the UK's top card making experts, and has been creating card ideas and making handmade cards
for years. You can find lots of her funky 'n' fun card making ideas at her paper crafts and card making resource:
http://www.making-handmade-cards.com Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Poppy_Hill
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