McGray - 175 fresh card ideas: designs to make and give throughout the year

This became clearer to me while my husband was deployed to Iraq for a year. A group of wonderful card makers sent over boxes of handmade cards for the soldiers to send back to their families and friends. While I got to e-mail with my husband on a fairly regular basis, it was such a nice surprise to have cards in my mailbox for both me and my children to show he was thinking of us. There is just something about real mail that made us smile that much brighter. All the cards featured in this book will be donated to the group that is instrumental in supplying my husband's group of soldiers and many others that are stationed around the world serving our country, Operation Write Home (operationwritehome.org). I want to thank the members of Operation Write Home from the bottom of my heart for supporting the troops and, by doing so, my family.

Your hard work is truly inspiring. I would also like to thank my family and friends that supported me again while working on this project. Their patience and understanding make doing these projects more enjoyable. To the fantastic contributors, your cards were truly inspiring to me as I worked on projects for the book. Thank you for creating the wonderful cards and then donating them to Operation Write Home. A special thank you to Paula Gilarde who assisted in turning my hand drawn sketches into digital images featured on pages 122123.

Also, thanks goes to my acquisitions editor, Kristin Boys, and editor, Julie Hollyday, who were instrumental from the beginning in getting this project off the ground quickly and believing in me.

About the Author

Kimber McGray is a 2007 Creative Keepsakes Hall of Fame winner who teaches at her local scrapbook store and guest teaches at other locations across the United States and Canada, including at a Creating Keepsakes Convention and the Canada's Scrapbooking Crop for the Kids. She currently works on the design teams for the following manufacturers and regularly attends CHA with them: We R Memory Keepers, Core'dinations, Jillibean Soup and Unity Stamp Company. Kimber is the co-author of Remember This, the author of Scrapbook Secrets and has contributed artwork to numerous other books and magazines.

Introduction

We live in a fast-paced world, full of commotion and obligations that vie for our time. When you have friends and family all over the country and the world, keeping in touch usually means a quick e-mail or a lengthy telephone conversation.

These are convenient ways to stay connected to the ones you love. But think about seeing your name handwritten on an envelope that contains a simple card. This card might make you laugh, it might make you cry, but it will certainly make you feel special. There is nothing better than getting a handmade card in the mail. Making and sending cards can be just as quick and easy as sending an e-mail, and can say as much as a lengthy phone conversation. My children love to make cards to send to their grandparents.

We cherished receiving cards from my husband while he was deployed in Iraq. The unexpected note from a friend that simply says she is thinking about you makes your day brighter. These are the reasons we make and send cards. Of course, we crafters enjoy the process of creating the card but, I can tell you, the recipient will enjoy it even more. In this book, I gathered some of the best card makers out there to give you new ideas to put to use in your card making. Use the simple techniques to build beautiful cards that can say anything from Happy Birthday to Happy Holidays to Just thinking about you.

As a bonus, you'll get ideas for presenting gifts that accompany your cards, and galleries full of inspiration. As easy as sending an e-mail, make a card today, and let someone know they're special.

Card Maker's Toolbox

Compared to the amount of materials necessary to some crafts, the supplies you need to make beautiful cards are relatively few. But within this basic list, including paper, punches and embellishments, your options are almost unlimited. Add your fabulous imagination, and you'll be making beautiful handmade cards in no time!

Papers

Paper can bring a lot to a design, whether it be whimsy, beauty or even structure. Heavyweight cardstock is the base of your card design.