One of the earliest memories of my childhood was making cards. My mom saved practically every greeting card I made over the years. It is wonderful looking back and remembering how much she appreciated the simple artwork and the love it represented.

One of the most common and oldest traditions of Christmas is the exchanging of holiday greetings. Most sentiments are delivered in the form of cards, some are store bought, some are emailed, and some are handmade. From Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad, to Joyeux Noel, every language has its own way to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays!

There's nothing like getting a handmade Christmas card that you will cherish long after the holiday season is over. It's the time and consideration that is given to create a greeting of wishes for a happy and joyous time of celebration that makes them so special. It really doesn't matter if the letters are straight or the fold is perfect, it is truly the thought that counts. Even children like to take part in making these individual works of art. This is definitely an activity that the whole family can enjoy together.

Basically, all you need is card stock and color! Greeting Cards are usually made from 80 lb. paper and come with compatible envelopes. Cards are available in Ivory (off white) and Fluorescent (bright white), the choice is up to you. You can also choose a ragged edge called a deckle, which gives you the look of hand made paper, as well as a plain edge. There are many types of papers available, including bamboo, sugar cane, hemp,and 100% recycled, which are environmentally friendly. 80lb. greeting card stock should not be confused with watercolor cards which are 140lb.weight and 100% cotton rag, made especially for watercolor use. These cards readily accept most watercolor application, where as, the 80lb. greeting card stock will generally wrinkle or buckle when watercolor is applied. These lighter weight papers, however, are great to print on, as well as to use for mounting your artwork.

I also like using the Goof Proof Greeting Card System. You can purchase a set of 25 or 50, in deckle or plain edge, that include the cards, envelopes, 4 x 6 watercolor paper in 140lb weight and also the adhesive tabs to mount the artwork when you are done. The materials come in a sturdy box that can be used to present your gift of handmade cards to someone special.

Once you have chosen your foundation, the next step is to select the color and medium. This can be any water media, including watercolor, acrylic, pastel, watercolor pencil, colored pencil, markers, or a combination of any or all of these. You can also use stamps and collage methods to decorate your greeting cards. The possibilities are endless. The point is to have fun and create! Common materials such as markers and stamps can be manipulated for new and wonderful uses.

One such idea is to use a xylene-based colorless blender marker to make a transfer out of a black and white ink jet print. You can also use a common copy from a copier as well. First, you print off a design in black and white from your computer. It can be from a photo or magazine or something you created from scratch, just be aware of any copyrighted material which may not be used for reproduction. If you are transferring words, they must be printed in reverse or mirror image to read correctly after they are applied. The copy is laid on the card surface face down, then the colorless blender is marked across the the back of the copy until fully saturated in the areas that you wish to transfer. Apply pressure and burnish with a smooth tool such as a burnishing bone. This will help to fully transfer the design. The colorless blender is alcohol based and the moisture will completely evaporate from the paper, however, these areas may resist watercolor applications which can create some really neat textures. In the example shown, I transferred the design and then added watercolor on top.

Bring out the frills and spice up your handmade holiday cards and make someone you love very happy. These treasures can be displayed in mats and frames for lasting artwork that you can enjoy all year around!

Happy Handmade Holiday!