Cards

[Rose]

I am thinking that I would like to do some Christmas cards for family this year and I was wondering what to stitch them on. I have seen products such as perforated paper, plastic canvas (such as the prizes for this month) and I have a piece of what they called Aida plus I got it a few years back and have not seen it in a long time it may no longer be available. Anyway I was wondering which one you think is best. Pros and cons of the different options. My worry is that the preforated paper would tear and then all my work would be lost. Or should I just do it on regular Aida and glue it to some paper stock? Any and all ideas will be of help.

[catkin]

Any cards I have made have been with either aida or evenweave. I usually make my own card mounts and use Publisher 2003 to make the inside saying. I like to decorate the outside of the card using the clip art avilable with the programme. For example this year I did a 5"x7" dimensions santa design for my parents. I made a card with three sections and cut a window in the middle section so that the design could be mounted with wadding to give a padded effect. then I cut out some clip art bells from the publisher and glued them on the corners of the card. My mum usually frames them and uses them for decorations in following christmas's

Joan

[Becca]

I use normal aida, with either a bought or made coloured card with a hole in the front.

[Serinde]

Like Becca, I buy bi-fold cards with an aperture of various sizes or shapes. I stitch the design on aida usually, unless I'm doing hardanger which uses 22ct or smaller fabric. I have seen very handsome cards done on coloured Aida and then fringed and (I suppose) pasted onto folded card. I've also seen very nice present parcel bags with decoration like that.

I use Prit-stick for glue rather than double-sided tape. The tape will dry and crack over time. I know people that use UHU, but I think that's a bit extreme.

[fairie56]

I use aida, usually 14 ct, then I either: fringe and paste onto the front of a card I've cut out myself, or put into a bi-fold card (again, homemade). I was able to buy doubl-sided stitcky tape at a reasonable price, so I use that.
catkin: how do you use Publisher2003? Sounds interesting, and the clip art too. I've never used anything like that, so your help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[lindagibb]

I do the same as Fairie56, but count depends on what I lay my hands on. If I am going to put it on the front of a card, I fringe it then cut another piece of card which fits inside the fringed area then stick the card on the main card.

[catkin]

fairie56 : publisher is a really good software programme you can buy for your pc. You can use it not only for cards but for signs, flyers, banners, Cv's, web pages, news letters etc the list goes on.It's very easy to use as there are wizzards that will take you through steps or you can just start from scratch on your own. There are a number of other publishing programmes and card making ones which vary in cost depending on the amount of things they can do. Publisher I think is quite expensive but does do loads and the finished result is good.

Joan

[Serinde]

The problem I have is what to do with the cards later. My parents kept all the christmas cards, etc, that I made for them over the years. After they died, I got them ALL BACK. Is it ok to recycle them next holiday, do you think (in brand new cards, obviously..)? Or is that too tacky for words, I wonder?

[catkin]

Why don't you make them into a patchwork cushion or wallhanging as a christmas decoration. Or you could back them with christmas fabric and use them as tree decorations.

Joan

[fairie56]

Catkin: thanks ! I may have something like that already, but I will look into the possibility of buying something similar.
About recyling, it depends. Perhaps you could frame some, and then use as decorations, also if it's the right size, pop it into an acrylic coaster. The tree deocrations sounds good, too. Many options!

[inuyashagirl]

i would absolutely recycle them as i am sure your parents would love for you to spread the joy they got from the cards while they were still with us. They must have been very proud of them if they kept them over the years and would want you to share them

Debbie

[blackaraknia]

I agree with Inuyashagirl about using them again. If they made your parents happy they could make others happy. Who knows maybe someone wanted them and thought you would be upset if they took them.

[purple-footprints]

I have only donw a few cards.... and i used evenweave on some and aida. I pretty much have done the same as everyone has wrote, ie triple fold appeture card. The only thing i did different was I used 2 oz wadding behind the actual design about the same size as the appeture. it makes the stitching slightly 3 demensional, and i think it finishes it off nicely.

I like the sound of that software, and decorating the card and using inserts.... I may have to look into that. For those who previously wrote about pros and cons of different software, do any of you know if its possible to out a programme like that for free before committing to buying it.

[catkin]

I have just finished a card for my sons girlfriend. Its a picture of Archie bear from Cross stitcher mag. I fringed it and backed it with wadding so it would stand out from the card. Made a background on Publisher which I cut out and mounted the whole thing on card. I was really pleased with the finished result, I put a picture in my gallery if anyone wnats to see.

Purple-footprints:-The software is Microsoft Publisher so if you go to the website you may be able to try it I'm not sure. Try a search for publishing software You might get something out of that. It's a fun programme to play with but professional so you can use it for slick stuff too!