Everyone of us has the bittersweet memory on cardmaking when we were little. That one fateful school day when our art teacher told us in a very cheerful manner that we will be spending the whole day making a card (and normally it is for our parents). This incident happens either when it is already nearing mother, father or even Christmas day. We all have the same reaction, each time the teacher announced this. We cringe. We are scared of starting yet another tedious project and not knowing how to end it. We are scared of the complications of card making knowing that in the end our cards would only look as sloppy and we will end up throwing it and buying mom or dad a card from the store instead.
Does the paragraph above ring a bell? Do you have similar experience on card making? Well maybe you can pretty well relate with the experience of Kate when she was in elementary but read carefully because in the last few notes you will be amazed how she transformed this seemingly pet peeve when she was a little kid into a hobby and eventually a source of income!
It was again that activity that everyone dreads, including Kate. These fifth graders hate surprise activities, especially art projects that come unannounced and yet your teachers expect you to come up with the most creative card. Similar handmade and personalized card in those samples that they brought with them to show us. Well, they can't fool these kids. Those samples are made by professionals, there is no way that these kids can came up with such adorable cards given the fact that they don't have any material with them and they are only instructed to make do with what they have.
For more than ten years, Kate would normally have this activity in school. Slowly, instead of being grumpy about it, she learned about the tricks of the trade. Knowing that card making is one of the most expected school activity every year, she tried her best to be ready all the time. She have some art materials neatly stacked inside her locker in case of emergency. Also, she have a small notebook where she writes every card idea that she could think of at any given day. Since then, Kate looks at card making with much excitement and anticipation. This was to the amusement of her classmates. She always earn an A for every card making activity this helped her to get good grades and eventually a scholarship.
Eventually, her classmates and teachers could already see her talent in card making and would normally ask her to make cards for them and they will pay her! Kate was very happy. Imagine doing one of the things she loved and being paid for it at the same time. It is more like a dream come true. After graduation, Kate started her homemade card making business and she still keeps her notebook of ideas up to this day.
Showing posts with label cardmaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cardmaking. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Menu Card making Bring about A difference In Your Restaurant
Has it always been your reverie to open a restaurant of your own and arrogantly serve the beef casserole that has earned you compliment since you made it at your cousin’s wedding eighteen years ago? Well, now that you have arranged strategies for setting up your own eating restaurant you will get compliments from those other than your husband and children as well.
The restaurant business is a competitive one. It is all about satisfying the customer. There are many eating restaurants between low, mid-range and high end dining experiences.
How your restaurant appearance is as significant as how the food tastes. This has much to do with customer feedback than anything else. But let’s be realistic. You don’t want to miss out on customers to the Chinese restaurant across your own just because their tables are better set with cleaner cloth than yours.
In the same way how you introduce your menu card making is as important as how you serve the real food. Most of the customers venture maximum time just after eating the food. Therefore, your menu card should have all the items listed conveniently for the customers to read. You should make certain that the print on the menu card is apparent in the lighting you have set up inside.
Resolve on how you plan to hand out your menu card making. Do you like the alcohol and food to be clubbed together? Or do you like breaking it down to the details. In the latter case, you have a menu each for the alcohol, appetizers and main course and a separate one for dessert, coffee and non-alcoholic beverages.
There are menu card making holders ready for you to place the menu in if you don’t like to bind it in a diary style. Take time in buying these holders in numbers. Buy as many as you like as you should put the menu card at every corner you possibly can. Every table should have their own menu, as should the bar and the waiting table near the reception right after the entrance.
You can select between wooden menu card holders, or the ones made from stainless steel. If you are on a budget crunch then you may even go for the acrylic ones which are easy to clean. The only thing you should make certain is that they are of the right size to suit the card in and they are cleaned always so that there are no spill of food or marks of oily finger prints left by customers on them the next day.
You will be astonished to know how many people determined to get into your restaurant on a day to eat because they thought yours was cleaner than the one across the street. What you choose for your menu cardmaking is up you as long as the people want to eat at a place that is clean and comfortable. That is all you need to have in mind when starting a restaurant of your own.
The restaurant business is a competitive one. It is all about satisfying the customer. There are many eating restaurants between low, mid-range and high end dining experiences.
How your restaurant appearance is as significant as how the food tastes. This has much to do with customer feedback than anything else. But let’s be realistic. You don’t want to miss out on customers to the Chinese restaurant across your own just because their tables are better set with cleaner cloth than yours.
In the same way how you introduce your menu card making is as important as how you serve the real food. Most of the customers venture maximum time just after eating the food. Therefore, your menu card should have all the items listed conveniently for the customers to read. You should make certain that the print on the menu card is apparent in the lighting you have set up inside.
Resolve on how you plan to hand out your menu card making. Do you like the alcohol and food to be clubbed together? Or do you like breaking it down to the details. In the latter case, you have a menu each for the alcohol, appetizers and main course and a separate one for dessert, coffee and non-alcoholic beverages.
There are menu card making holders ready for you to place the menu in if you don’t like to bind it in a diary style. Take time in buying these holders in numbers. Buy as many as you like as you should put the menu card at every corner you possibly can. Every table should have their own menu, as should the bar and the waiting table near the reception right after the entrance.
You can select between wooden menu card holders, or the ones made from stainless steel. If you are on a budget crunch then you may even go for the acrylic ones which are easy to clean. The only thing you should make certain is that they are of the right size to suit the card in and they are cleaned always so that there are no spill of food or marks of oily finger prints left by customers on them the next day.
You will be astonished to know how many people determined to get into your restaurant on a day to eat because they thought yours was cleaner than the one across the street. What you choose for your menu cardmaking is up you as long as the people want to eat at a place that is clean and comfortable. That is all you need to have in mind when starting a restaurant of your own.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
An Eco-Friendly Approach to Card Making
Have you ever seen art made from scrap, from discarded materials, empty bottles and soda cans, plastic containers and the like? Have you seen those colorful bags made of sewn-together tetra packs? People are becoming more and more environmentally aware of the negative impact that comes from the discarded wastes of our lifestyles. That is why the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – became a popular movement in the 1970s due to rising energy cost and global warming and is a continued practice today.
In card making and similar crafts like scrapbooking, there are many available materials that can be purchased in specialty stores and online markets. Yet during these times when being thrifty is a must and green-living is ideal, why not be practical in both your lifestyle and your art? Creativity, after all is reflected not in the price of the materials used, rather on the final product. If you are to use the 3Rs principle, you’d not only be saving dollars into purchasing expensive greeting cards, you’d also be saving the environment from much unnecessary waste, not to mention succeeding the challenge of producing something of value from discarded and pre-used items.
Card making is one of the crafts that anyone with a drop of creativity can do. It can be inexpensive and enjoyable to make and meaningful to the recipient. It can also be a means to reuse discarded items that would otherwise have ended up in the dumpster. Here are some ideas on how to use discarded items as card making accessories:
1. Used ribbons from gifts can be used as decorative ribbons in cards, and can be used to tie pages of the card together.
2. Old newspapers can be used in making paper mache.
3. Images from magazines can be cut and pasted to create a collage.
4. Discarded buttons, thread, beads, laces and other accessories used for sewing can be used as decoration.
5. Discarded cereal boxes can be used as the card itself, which can be covered by art paper or paper with print only on one side.
6. Used gift wrappers can be made into envelopes for the cards.
7. Used crayons can me melted and blown into the card for a unique design.
8. Cardboard could be replicated to make embossed designs.
Being practical doesn’t mean being cheap. Re-using and recycling materials definitely reduces wastes. By following the 3Rs in card making, objects that are wastes for many can be made to be something of value to some.
In card making and similar crafts like scrapbooking, there are many available materials that can be purchased in specialty stores and online markets. Yet during these times when being thrifty is a must and green-living is ideal, why not be practical in both your lifestyle and your art? Creativity, after all is reflected not in the price of the materials used, rather on the final product. If you are to use the 3Rs principle, you’d not only be saving dollars into purchasing expensive greeting cards, you’d also be saving the environment from much unnecessary waste, not to mention succeeding the challenge of producing something of value from discarded and pre-used items.
Card making is one of the crafts that anyone with a drop of creativity can do. It can be inexpensive and enjoyable to make and meaningful to the recipient. It can also be a means to reuse discarded items that would otherwise have ended up in the dumpster. Here are some ideas on how to use discarded items as card making accessories:
1. Used ribbons from gifts can be used as decorative ribbons in cards, and can be used to tie pages of the card together.
2. Old newspapers can be used in making paper mache.
3. Images from magazines can be cut and pasted to create a collage.
4. Discarded buttons, thread, beads, laces and other accessories used for sewing can be used as decoration.
5. Discarded cereal boxes can be used as the card itself, which can be covered by art paper or paper with print only on one side.
6. Used gift wrappers can be made into envelopes for the cards.
7. Used crayons can me melted and blown into the card for a unique design.
8. Cardboard could be replicated to make embossed designs.
Being practical doesn’t mean being cheap. Re-using and recycling materials definitely reduces wastes. By following the 3Rs in card making, objects that are wastes for many can be made to be something of value to some.
Cardmaking for the Handicapped and Elderly
Cardmaking and sending has become a multi-billion business in the world. Who could deny the happiness a simple card could bring during an occasion? The wonderful thing about cardmaking is that anyone can do it. Not only do the huge mass-producing companies and small businesses profit from this business, even those who are handicapped and elderly have found their own niche and are earning from this craft. Many different institutions were established to cater to help the handicapped and the elderly to be able to earn a living. One company is called THASC (The Handicapped and Senior Citizens) Sales Company, Inc. It has been around since 1977 and has under their employment more than a hundred handicapped, disabled and elderly artists. It is common now to see cards in the book and stationery stores that are made by these artists. Some are wonderful paintings that were made using the mouth or the foot of the handicapped or disabled. Their products not only feature greeting cards for all occasions, they also make business cards, address books and pocket planners. Income from the sales of these cards profits the institution allowing them to not only continue, but expand their operations which in turn benefits many.
Cardmaking for the handicapped and the elderly has not only profited them financially, it has also proven to be therapeutic. Being creative is an expression of the soul which is often times stifled with the pressures of everyday living. What more for the handicapped and elderly who must more often than not feel that they are already useless and are unable to contribute even for their own means of living? Aside from increasing ones self esteem from being able to earn money, cardmaking is a kind of healing art, which unlike traditional art where there are certain standards that the end products that need to meet; healing arts like intuitive painting is more expressive and lets one surrender to the creative process. Practicing art therapy, in methods such as cardmaking, painting and even the writing of messages, can have significant healing in the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual faculties of the person. For example, repressed emotions can be released when painting or when writing messages in greeting cards. Devotions of faith can be shared; and even physical activity and exercise is promoted.
Indeed, cardmaking for the handicapped and elderly has a plethora of benefits; and it would be a good thing to support these kinds of endeavors.
Cardmaking for the handicapped and the elderly has not only profited them financially, it has also proven to be therapeutic. Being creative is an expression of the soul which is often times stifled with the pressures of everyday living. What more for the handicapped and elderly who must more often than not feel that they are already useless and are unable to contribute even for their own means of living? Aside from increasing ones self esteem from being able to earn money, cardmaking is a kind of healing art, which unlike traditional art where there are certain standards that the end products that need to meet; healing arts like intuitive painting is more expressive and lets one surrender to the creative process. Practicing art therapy, in methods such as cardmaking, painting and even the writing of messages, can have significant healing in the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual faculties of the person. For example, repressed emotions can be released when painting or when writing messages in greeting cards. Devotions of faith can be shared; and even physical activity and exercise is promoted.
Indeed, cardmaking for the handicapped and elderly has a plethora of benefits; and it would be a good thing to support these kinds of endeavors.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Incorporating Different Techniques on Cardmaking
When you seek for something to do during vacation time or during a bad weather, you will find cardmaking as one of the simplest yet interesting form of hobby. It will not just make you relaxed, it will also help you find new venture to earn some more income through simple ways which you can do at home. The fact that you don’t need capital to create a card is one of the most interesting parts of it. You will be able to earn without spending anything at all. What you need to do is to study the basic principles of cardmaking and try to use them with your own ideas. It will be very helpful to you if you will make a simple research regarding the complex steps of making simple cards.
Before you start with the advance forms, you need to make basic cards first before you go into the next level. Simple and hand crafted cards is fun and rewarding too. It can be given to someone special anytime of the year. When you prepare for a special occasion, you don’t need to rush in preparing for a card because you can do that ahead of time. There are lots of techniques for cardmaking; all these techniques will be very helpful to you along the way.
1. Punching papers –you don’t have to suffer cutting parts of the cards to make small circles. You can do that using punchers. Most punchers today come in variety of shapes. Through this tool, you will be able to make different shapes into the card and make it accessorized through it. It is available in these shapes:
a. Squares
b. Hearts
c. Flowers
d. Circles
e. Border designs
2. Rubber stamping – most people are thinking that rubber stamps are just of certified artists and for office use. What you don’t know is that it can be used for simple handcrafting needs. You can easily choose from variety of designs, letters, numbers, and phrases at a very affordable size. Rubber stamps can help you save time if you ought to make lots of cards. This is ideal for business use. Before opting to use rubber stamps for making cards, you need to check first if the design or logo you acquired doesn’t have a previous owner because it may cause trouble later on.
3. Quilting –this is one of the most artistic ways to make a card but it is also very time consuming. This is not ideal for business use unless you have quilting machines.
4. Embossing –it gives a different appeal onto the texture and looks of the card. It will make its texture raised up by using a stencil or power. Stencil is one of the best ways to make an embossed look on card for beginners. Heat embossing is another way to emboss a card but make sure you are knowledgeable in this area of expertise because it can be hazardous for beginners especially if you don’t have any background at all.
Before you start with the advance forms, you need to make basic cards first before you go into the next level. Simple and hand crafted cards is fun and rewarding too. It can be given to someone special anytime of the year. When you prepare for a special occasion, you don’t need to rush in preparing for a card because you can do that ahead of time. There are lots of techniques for cardmaking; all these techniques will be very helpful to you along the way.
1. Punching papers –you don’t have to suffer cutting parts of the cards to make small circles. You can do that using punchers. Most punchers today come in variety of shapes. Through this tool, you will be able to make different shapes into the card and make it accessorized through it. It is available in these shapes:
a. Squares
b. Hearts
c. Flowers
d. Circles
e. Border designs
2. Rubber stamping – most people are thinking that rubber stamps are just of certified artists and for office use. What you don’t know is that it can be used for simple handcrafting needs. You can easily choose from variety of designs, letters, numbers, and phrases at a very affordable size. Rubber stamps can help you save time if you ought to make lots of cards. This is ideal for business use. Before opting to use rubber stamps for making cards, you need to check first if the design or logo you acquired doesn’t have a previous owner because it may cause trouble later on.
3. Quilting –this is one of the most artistic ways to make a card but it is also very time consuming. This is not ideal for business use unless you have quilting machines.
4. Embossing –it gives a different appeal onto the texture and looks of the card. It will make its texture raised up by using a stencil or power. Stencil is one of the best ways to make an embossed look on card for beginners. Heat embossing is another way to emboss a card but make sure you are knowledgeable in this area of expertise because it can be hazardous for beginners especially if you don’t have any background at all.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Cardmaking Thank You Card for Teachers
Teachers are important person of every person’s life, without them you will not be able to learn many things. Many students do not know the importance of teachers in their life. The roles of teachers are important especially for pre-schoolers because they are the first one to teach your kid on how write and read properly. It is worthy to give honor to teachers especially during teacher’s day. Actually, you do not have to give them expensive or material gifts.
A simple thank you card for your beloved teacher will do. Thank you cards are the nicest way to express your gratitude to someone who had helped you a lot. Thank you card should be as simple as possible. For kids thank you card are very easy to do, if you want to send smile to the face of your teacher. Cardmaking for kids are useful activity that they can do with the supervision of their parents. The following are ideas that you can do to be able to create thank you cards for your teachers in school.
1. The first thing that you have to do is to ask your parents to help you pick and purchase stationery for your thank you card. It is better if you know the favorite color of your teacher and pick a stationery base on their favorite color. You may ask your teacher about his or her favorite color without mentioning that you are going to make a thank you card for them. Your parents will surely be the one to pay for all the materials that you need, but if you want to use your own money, it is better if you will save some from your allowance.
2. The next thing that you have to do is to start preparing for your cardmaking. Prepare all the needed materials and tools such as papers, designs, glue, sticker, and scissors. If you think that you cannot handle all the things that you should cut with the use of a scissor then it is better if you will ask the help of one of your parents. You can draw your own design using crayons or colored pens. Create you own heart felt messages for your teacher. It can be sort or long depends upon what you want to say and feel.
3. If you are a kid that is an internet savvy, you may choose to crate your card using any software in the internet or locate a website where you can create your own card for free. There are lots of free websites that you can use for your cardmaking. Do not settle for websites who are asking for fee. You will surely fin lots of website offering their free service, but some them am yaks you to sign up. You can sign up if you want to take advantage of the privilege to create our own card. Some of these websites just need your email address. You can also edit text to insert your special message for your teacher.
This is the right time to give acknowledgment to your teachers by giving a simple thank you cards.
A simple thank you card for your beloved teacher will do. Thank you cards are the nicest way to express your gratitude to someone who had helped you a lot. Thank you card should be as simple as possible. For kids thank you card are very easy to do, if you want to send smile to the face of your teacher. Cardmaking for kids are useful activity that they can do with the supervision of their parents. The following are ideas that you can do to be able to create thank you cards for your teachers in school.
1. The first thing that you have to do is to ask your parents to help you pick and purchase stationery for your thank you card. It is better if you know the favorite color of your teacher and pick a stationery base on their favorite color. You may ask your teacher about his or her favorite color without mentioning that you are going to make a thank you card for them. Your parents will surely be the one to pay for all the materials that you need, but if you want to use your own money, it is better if you will save some from your allowance.
2. The next thing that you have to do is to start preparing for your cardmaking. Prepare all the needed materials and tools such as papers, designs, glue, sticker, and scissors. If you think that you cannot handle all the things that you should cut with the use of a scissor then it is better if you will ask the help of one of your parents. You can draw your own design using crayons or colored pens. Create you own heart felt messages for your teacher. It can be sort or long depends upon what you want to say and feel.
3. If you are a kid that is an internet savvy, you may choose to crate your card using any software in the internet or locate a website where you can create your own card for free. There are lots of free websites that you can use for your cardmaking. Do not settle for websites who are asking for fee. You will surely fin lots of website offering their free service, but some them am yaks you to sign up. You can sign up if you want to take advantage of the privilege to create our own card. Some of these websites just need your email address. You can also edit text to insert your special message for your teacher.
This is the right time to give acknowledgment to your teachers by giving a simple thank you cards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)