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Lately, I've been considering doing this. Kind of like a postcard-style greeting card; in an envelope, but a front and back instead of a folding card.
If you make it postcard style, the recipients see the pretty front when they pull it out, and then they just flip it over to see a little coordinating decoration, stamped sentiment and/or handwritten message.
I'm just starting to feel like a traditional style card isn't really that sensible.
I made quite a few Christmas cards like that last year. I bought a big, scenic wintery stamp and stamped it on SU's Naturals Ivory in the retired Handsome Hunter ink. I layered that on a single piece of Hunter paper, attached a much thinner ivory paper to the back with a small stamped image in the corner and wrote my greeting.
There were three layers of paper but it was postcard style.
We did something a bit similar for my mom's Christmas cards this year. We had a red base that was 8.5 x 5.5, and layered on top was a Memory Box door die cut in white. The door was decorated with a sprig of Christmas greenery. The door opened to reveal a short message and signature.
I have also thought about making true post cards -- stamp the front, and then write a message, address, and stamp the back. The only thing holding me back is the thought of the front getting dirty. Does anyone send hand-made post cards?
Oh, that is a great idea, Krista! Such a special Christmas card .
Even though I'm thinking of doing simple two-sided cards for most occasions, I like the idea of doing something more creative for extra-special events.
I used to avoid odd-sized cards but just when I discovered that it's not that hard to make a custom envelope, the We R Memory Keepers envelope punch board came out and now it's even easier.
I have also thought about making true post cards -- stamp the front, and then write a message, address, and stamp the back. The only thing holding me back is the thought of the front getting dirty. Does anyone send hand-made post cards?
I wondered about that when I saw this product in the store awhile back:
I had this self same discussion on UK Scrappers a couple of weeks ago. Maybe this could be the next BIG THING. Most people recommended some kind of sealant for the front of the card, like a spray fixative. I was in a hurry to make mine so ended up sending it in an envelope. My idea was to print an image and colour with pro markers. The only trouble was the bleeding through of the pro markers so it was either using something else to colour with or back with another piece of card, which strengthens it.
Ruth
Last edited by BathBelle; 07-08-2013 at 10:24 PM..
Reason: Forgot to sign off!
I'm just curious as to what's not "quite sensible" about traditional cards??
Unless it's postage? Which isn't relevant here, it's the same for a card or a letter, unless it's a very bulky card. Almost none of mine require extra post, the ones that do are usually so bulky I put them in with gifts.
Personally I love getting a real card that opens, and DH is even pickier and doesn't like the unusual formats that don't open in the old-fashioned way, but on the basis that any happy snail mail is better than none, I'm sure postcards would be welcome.
Yes, I do! I take part in a regular swap on a UK forum I'm part of and a condition of the swap is that our postcards are sent as true PCs (ie with no envelope). We've been doing it for a couple of years and there are typically 10-15 of us taking part each month so that's a lot of postcards! We've only had a couple of problems in all that time, one was some die cut lettering that dropped off (may well have been that the maker didn't stick it down well enough) and one dirty mark on the front of the card that looked like it came from a franking machine. That's a pretty good track record, I think.
I usually go completely flat these days, (just stamps and ink) but the first postcard swap I took part in, I actually used lace and sequins on there and it made it through with no problems. I made sure everything was stuck and stitched firmly in place and crossed my fingers! I've also clustered gems on a PC using lots of Glossy Accents to embed them and again, they made it through absolutely intact - hooray!
If I've used inks that are likely to react to water (since our British weather is reliable only in the sense that your chances of getting caught in rain are high!) I do give the card a quick spritz with something like Krylon matt spray sealant.
If anyone's interested, everything with a postcard label is here on my blog - might give you some ideas about what's possible!
The only trouble was the bleeding through of the pro markers so it was either using something else to colour with or back with another piece of card, which strengthens it.
I forgot to say earlier - I usually do this. It not only makes it a bit sturdier, it means I don't have to worry about about keeping the back clean, I can do stitching or piercing without it looking a mess on the back and I can use any colouring medium I like without worrying about bleed through. I have to confess that I'm a messy enough crafter that the first of those reasons is actually the biggest for me :oops:
I have toyed with doing the postcard style card for quick things like thank you cards for students at school after Christmas. What holds me back is that I like a stand up card -old fashioned style, if you will. I like to have cards standing on my buffet for a couple weeks after an event at home. Postcards just aren't that easy to stand up... unless they lean against something. So I prefer to make the traditional cards myself.
I do agree with cardmaker2 in that postcards are not so good for displaying. Sometimes I just think
I would like to do something a little more 'casual' than a traditional card.
I'm just curious as to what's not "quite sensible" about traditional cards??
Unless it's postage? Which isn't relevant here, it's the same for a card or a letter, unless it's a very bulky card. Almost none of mine require extra post, the ones that do are usually so bulky I put them in with gifts.
Personally I love getting a real card that opens, and DH is even pickier and doesn't like the unusual formats that don't open in the old-fashioned way, but on the basis that any happy snail mail is better than none, I'm sure postcards would be welcome.
I agree with you, Sabrina. Until it takes TWO stamps to mail a card, I will stick to the standard folded format. We get so many "junk mail" postcards these days. I would worry a little that a postcard-type card would get accidentally tossed in the trash.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Sabrina, to me, the "not quite sensible" part comes in because out of four surface areas in a traditional card, only two are really necessary most of the time, with only the front and the right-hand side of the interior being used.
Also, when I use cardstock that is colored on both sides, especially darker colors, the inside looks SO dark. Even if I add a light panel for the right-hand side, I sometimes still add one (or patterned paper) to the left-hand side to brighten it up a bit.
I also was thinking about the display option. One of my sisters saves all of the cards I make her and has a display on her wall - they aren't freestanding. Others I know use a bulletin board or a fridge magnet/clip. I used to like keeping cards around and would stand them up on a cabinet or table, but they would always fall over (sometimes with a little help from one of the cats). Because of the cats, we have a couple of tables with a piece of plexiglass cut to fit (to prevent scratch marks from their back claws) and now I slip cards under the glass instead. And for any other places I would display them, since I expect a breeze or someone walking by or a cat to knock them over, even a folded card is just going to get propped up anyway.
Kind of funny that whenever I would show DH a card, as I'd hand it to him I would say, "Don't bother opening it, there's nothing on the inside yet." 99% of the time, he'd open it anyway, lol! So I get that it's such a natural, reflexive thing. But lately we've been getting a lot of announcements (grad, save the date, etc.) that are postcard style (usually in an envelope) and that just makes sense and the idea is starting to grow on me.
I'm not sure if I'd make just postcards or not. I'd have to think about that. For now, I think I'll at least just start making unfolded cards and use envelopes.
My ideal would be to have cards be a single piece, front and back, and for 4 x 6 to be the standard size! Then they could go in sleeves in a photo album and you could see the front and back easily. That would be cool ;) .
Thanks for sharing all of your thoughts and opinions!
Oh, I can definitely understand it for announcements and suchlike.
Display - hmm, that must be a personal thing. If I try out something and give it to DH and it doesn't open so that he can set it somewhere free-standing, for him that's not a "real" card, and there are quite a few of the tutorials here where I often mount what would be a "flat" card onto a regular card base.
Funny, too, because my ATC collection is much more prone to blowing down in a draught than the free-standing cards on almost every available surface in the sitting-room.
I guess also that because I usually write in ones I'm sending to friends, I like the space. And personally, if I pick up a card on someone's mantelpiece, I look at the front and back (to see if there sany information or anything) but I'd feel I was being intrusive to look at the inside. That's just me ;-).
And oh my, when I read Joanne's post about the weather, that chimed so true. I've had some very wet and soggy envelopes come in to me, including a couple with footprints on them, and very occasionally a card that has got wet even through the envelope. So thank goodness for envelopes and the protection they mostly do afford!
Thanks for explaining what you meant by "not quite sensible" . Now I see where you're coming from!
"Front and Back Only" Cards??
