Even the post office has cottoned onto the fact that thousands of us are now enjoying the wonderfully rewarding hobby ofCard Making – they are having to reassess their postage rates to take account of the odd sizes and weighty specials we`re all creating at our home crafting tables! Companies are springing up everywhere, offering all sorts of paper, card, vellum, glitter, sparkles, stickers and peel-offs to get our creative juices flowing and just about everywhere you look there`s a bit of this and tha,t just right for another gorgeous greetings card, invitation, party menu or gift tag. The last homemade card I received was amazing in that my friend had used up the spare slivers of wood from a self-assembly doll`s house I`d given her as a birthday gift along with a piece of the wrapping paper I`d used to complete this particular `thank you`Card Making exercise. And how special did that feel for me to receive! Apart from the mail order companies who`ve jumped on theCard Making bandwagon, there are true specialists like Twiddleys on the internet who are really worth a visit because they`re in the perfect position to offer time-sensitive products, for example for Valentine`s Day, Christmas, Easter and for the Holiday Season. They`re artists at keeping their offering current so you don`t have to hunt to find items that are right up to the minute. Don`t forget too that you can augment yourCard Making with computer graphics and printed inserts to add clever touches of pure imagination and personalisation. Card making is certainly a very absorbing hobby and once you`ve found a reputable supplier, it needn`t be expensive but remember to keep your eyes open for all the little frills and fancies in everyday life and store them in yourCard Making treasury – they`ll be an endless source of inspiration whenever you feel the muse move you!

If you`ve perused the supermarket shelves, it`s hard to find a nice card these days for under £1 and the really special Handmade Cards are upwards of £3.50 so, if you`re thinking of economising on all the countless gift and card giving occasions throughout the year, why not try your creativity and create your own Handmade Cards? Start on the internet with companies like Twiddleys who specialise in providing all you need to make Handmade Cards and you just can`t help but feel inspired. One quick glance will reveal everything from little padded teddies, just right for a child`s card right up to beautifully elegant gold and silver accessories to create a complete set of wedding stationery, unlike any other. The art of Handmade Cards is to get a good grounding in design and balance. At first, you might not know why the balance isn`t quite right but one simple trick is to remember the thirds rule and divide your card into imaginary thirds and then see if your design elements fall within these segments. It will make sense to your eye if they do and it won`t if they don`t! Keeping it simple is often the key. Too many bits and pieces and you`re likely to lose the plot but a good mooch around the garden centres and craft shops will help you to get your eye in for what works and what doesn`t. Get it right and you could even make a living at Handmade Cards but remember you`ll need something unique to set your design work apart from all the others. Devise a wrinkle all your own and you could be in business before you know it!

Dream weddings are all in the detail and the Wedding Stationery sets the mood and the tone long before the actual ceremony takes place. Indeed, the special day starts to take shape the very moment the first wedding invitation arrives! It`s the first impression of what you have planned and so it`s important that it reflects your dreams. What better way to do this than to try you hand at creating your own handmade Wedding Stationery and there`s endless inspiration out there, from companies like Twiddleys on the internet to get you started. You can buy card and vellum to match your bridal gown, choose silver or gold peel-offs that say `Invitation`, `Menu`, `Thank You` or whatever else you`d like to say, you can opt for little cherub motifs, wedding cars, top hats, waistcoats, wedding shoes…you name it … so your Wedding Stationery picks up on all your themes from the vintage Rolls Royce to the little bridesmaid`s posies. If you don`t feel like making your own cards, you`ll find lots of printers who`ll provide personalised Wedding Stationery, individually printed in small quantities but, these days, something personal has the edge and shows you`ve gone the extra mile to make your very important day a special event for all your family, friends and guests. Browse around your local stores, supermarkets and even garden centres where the pick of the handmade cards is available and perhaps you`ll start to pick up ideas for your Wedding Stationery but don`t be surprised if this little sojourn slowly turns into a lifelong delight because making cards and stationery is utterly addictive as thousands of people will gladly tell you!