Making Cards in a Weekend

Handmade cards are an ideal medium for self-expression: the small, event-oriented format means we can indulge our creativity fairly readily, while tailoring a greeting specifically to someone we care about. The colorful, clever cards in Jain Suckling's Making Cards in a Weekend offer ample opportunity for creative play: confetti fish swim in an acetate sea, eyed by a hopeful (rubber-stamped) kitty; a paper stork cut-out dangles a little bundle; a fun-foam clown becomes a finger puppet. Techniques include stamping, foil embossing, quilling, and collage. Good step-by-step directions, each accompanied by individual photos, make these mostly easy projects even easier, and seven eye-catching "gallery" spreads provide dozens of additional ideas to take your card creativity even further. --Amy Handy