If
you want to give somebody a greetings card, then making one
yourself is so much more personal than buying one in a store.
There are a vast amount of different ways of doing this and
many tools and materials, but it all boils down to layout
and design. This is where this book, originally published
in South Africa, is a useful addition to any card maker’s
stash.
There are many ways of learning how to use the various machines
and materials from books to store demos; this is not that
type of book. Instead, it is a book of ideas and templates
for the layout of cards so you can see what goes where, see
why it looks good and concentrate on the actual making part.
There is a brief introduction showcasing some materials and
mentioning a few methods, plus a helpful chapter showing how
to do the basics, such as scoring cards, matting, attaching
various items and good design principles. The rest of the
book is divided into templates for four card shapes and types:
square, oblong, standard and large. Each template has a number
and a double page spread showing four examples. The template
is not the type to scan and print so much as a guideline diagram,
and each card has a skill rating from 1 to 4 plus a brief
description. Techniques shown include teabag folding, iris
folding, quilling, embossing, rubber stamping and many more.
Instructions are not given, making this not a book for the
beginner but for anybody with a few card making methods under
their belt who is looking for layout ideas. I have not seen
anything like this before and find it most useful, as will
anybody who has ever sat with a blank card and lots of materials
wondering how best to display it all.
If you cannot find a good range of card making materials locally,
try www.searchpress.com
for a list of suppliers.
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