Beginner’s Guide to Cardmaking

…to The Beginner’s Guide To Cardmaking! Whether you’re new to this versatile hobby or simply looking to refresh your skills, we’re here to guide you through all the basics, so that you can confidently create fabulous cards and gifts for your loved ones this Christmas… and beyond! Cardmaking is a fun and accessible craft for all ages, and you really only need a few basic supplies in order to get started. In fact, you probably have most of these in your home already! But, if you’re keen to expand your craft stash beyond the holy trinity of card, scissors and glue, turn to page 8 where we introduce you to the equipment you’ll need to get the most out of this hobby. We’ll also talk you through the most popular…

Patterned paper This essential part of your craft kit is one of the biggest joys of papercrafting! It’s at the heart of everything you’ll make. You can use it for your card backgrounds, or you can cut out elements from the patterns to make your own card toppers. Whatever kind of prints or colours you want, and whatever kind of occasion you’d like to make a card for, you’ll find a patterned paper to suit. Most single patterned paper sheets come in either A4 or 12x12in size (based on the traditional size of scrapbooking pages), but you can easily cut them to fit your requirements. You can also get packs of smaller-sized papers, such as 6x6in, which are ideal for cardmaking. These tend to have smaller patterns on them, too.…

Acetate Acetate is completely transparent plastic, and it comes in sheets in a variety of thicknesses. It’s great for creating ‘windows’ for cards, or adding a protective layer over delicate materials. Vellum Vellum is a very smooth, thin, translucent type of parchment paper, which is nevertheless very strong and easy to use. Chipboard Chipboard for papercrafting is made up of compressed layers of card a few millimetres thick. You can buy it in sheets to punch or cut out your own shapes, or buy it in pre-cut shapes.…

TIN FOIL Emboss textured shapes onto this kitchen staple to create shiny card accents. It also works as a handy blade sharperner for your paper punches! SWEET WRAPPERS Sweet wrappers come in a range of metallic and semi-transparent coloured papers, ideal for embellishments. PARCEL WRAPPING Kraft paper is all the rage, so save that brown paper your deliveries come in! MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS Before you recycle them, have a flick through your old magazines for any interesting patterned backgrounds or photographs – they can make fun themed cards. Newspaper may not seem pretty but it works well torn as detail on shabby chic cards.…

Sheets of fun Card is the single most important ingredient for cardmaking! You can buy it in a whole rainbow of colours, and also in different thicknesses. Good quality card is often called ‘cardstock’ in the papercrafting world and is worth the small extra cost because it folds and cuts beautifully. You can buy card in a variety of finishes – some is smooth, some slightly textured and some is ‘embossed’, which means it has a pattern all over it, such as dots. This gives lots of options for fun creativity. You can even get patterned or flocked card, too. Card blanks If you want to get your cardmaking off to a quick start, you can buy ready-made card blanks in all shapes, colours and sizes. These time-savers are also…

American Crafts This beautiful brand brings out regular collections of new patterned papers by talented designers, such as Amy Tangerine and ‘Dear Lizzy’. www.americancrafts.com Crafter’s Companion Founded by Sara Davies, Crafters’ Companion is your one-stop shop for all your crafting materials and tools! It’s also home to lots of trusted crafting brands, such as Spectrum Noir. www.crafterscompanion.co.uk Hunkydory This British company has come a long way from its humble roots in Preston, and is now a much-loved brand, famed for its premier paper collections, tools and mirri card. www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk Kaisercraft Kaisercraft has a vast set of patterned paper collections to cover every conceivable style preference and cardmaking occasion. Most collections include sheets printed with greetings or toppers, especially designed for you to cut out. www.kaisercraft.com.au Stampin’ Up! Stampin’ Up!’s annual…