Birthday Card Templates For Son’s Second Birthday - Noah's Ark Design Theme

How to Customize, Personalize And Modify Your Printable Template Using Adobe Acrobat

1. Download and Open Adobe Acrobat

   - If you haven't already, download and install Adobe Acrobat. 

   - Open Adobe Acrobat on your device.

2. Open the Downloaded Template

   - Locate the downloaded template file on your device.

   - Open Adobe Acrobat, then click on "File" in the top-left corner.

   - Select "Open" from the dropdown menu and navigate to your template file. Select the file and click "Open."

3. Enter Edit Mode

   - Click on the "Tools" tab in the upper-left corner of the window.

   - From the list of tools, select "Edit PDF." This will enable you to modify the content of your template.

4. Customize Text

   - Click on any text area in the template to edit the text. You can add, delete, or modify the existing text.

   - Use the formatting options in the right-hand pane to change the font, size, color, and alignment of the text.

5. Add Images or Graphics

   - To insert an image, click on "Add Image" from the toolbar.

   - Choose the image file you want to add from your device and place it on the template. You can resize and move the image as needed.

6. Personalize with Form Fields

   - If your template includes form fields, click on "Prepare Form" under the "Tools" tab.

   - Add or edit form fields such as text boxes, checkboxes, and drop-down menus to personalize the template for your specific needs.

7. Modify Layout and Design

   - Use the editing tools to move, resize, or delete elements within the template.

   - You can also draw shapes, lines, and other graphics using the "Drawing Tools" available under the "Edit PDF" option.

8. Save Your Customized Template

   - Once you have made all desired changes, save your work by clicking on "File" and selecting "Save As."

   - Choose a location on your device to save the customized template and give it a new name to differentiate it from the original file.

   - Click "Save."

9. Print or Share Your Customized Template

   - Your customized template is now ready to be printed or shared. To print, click on "File" and then "Print."

   - Adjust the print settings as needed and click "Print."

Where To Print Your Printable Greeting Card.

• Home

• Online printing options

• Local copy and print shops

• Public libraries and Universities

• United Parcel Service (UPS)  

• Canva

• Office supply stores

• Walmart

• Costo-co

• Walgreens

• CVS

• FedEx

• Staples

• Office Depot Office Max

• Malls

• Work

• Retail stores

• Shipping Providers

• Hotels and Apartments

• Community Centers

• Pharmacies and drug stores

Discover The Beauty Of PDF Printable Greeting Cards: Personalize, Print, And Share With Heart

In a world where digital communication dominates, there's something uniquely special about receiving a tangible expression of care and thoughtfulness. Enter PDF printable greeting cards—the perfect marriage of convenience, creativity, and sentiment. These digital designs offer a delightful twist to traditional paper cards, allowing you to personalize, print, and share your heartfelt messages with a touch of elegance. In this article, we'll explore the reasons why you should consider buying PDF printable greeting cards and how they can transform your way of sending wishes.

1. Unleash Your Creativity:

PDF printable greeting cards empower you to become the designer of your own heartfelt message. With a plethora of templates and designs available online, you have the freedom to choose the style that resonates with you and customize it to suit the occasion perfectly. Whether you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, holiday, or a simple "thinking of you" moment, these cards provide a canvas for your creativity to shine.

2. Thoughtful Personalization:

When it comes to conveying emotions, the power of personalization is unmatched. PDF printable greeting cards allow you to add your own messages, names, dates, and even photos. This personal touch elevates the card from a mere token to a cherished keepsake that captures the essence of your relationship with the recipient.

3. Instant Access and Convenience:

Gone are the days of rushing to the store in search of the perfect card. With PDF printable greeting cards, you gain instant access to a vast collection of designs at your fingertips. No need to worry about store hours, stock availability, or shipping delays. Simply download, print, and your heartfelt message is ready to be shared.

4. Budget-Friendly Brilliance:

Let's face it—greeting cards at traditional stores can be surprisingly pricey. PDF printable greeting cards offer a cost-effective solution without compromising on quality or sentiment. With a one-time purchase, you can print as many copies as you need, making them an economical choice for special occasions and everyday greetings alike.

5. Eco-Friendly Gesture:

Embracing digital designs also means embracing sustainability. By opting for PDF printable greeting cards, you're contributing to the reduction of paper waste and the environmental impact associated with traditional cards. It's a small yet significant step toward a greener planet.

6. Last-Minute Rescues:

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes special occasions sneak up on us. PDF printable greeting cards are your go-to solution for those last-minute celebrations. Forgot to pick up a card? No problem! With a few clicks, you can have a beautifully designed card ready to print and share.

7. Global Connection:

In our interconnected world, loved ones and friends might be scattered across the globe. PDF printable greeting cards transcend geographical distances, allowing you to send your warm wishes to anyone, anywhere, instantly. It's a digital bridge that brings hearts closer, no matter the miles.

8. Cherishable Memories:

Greeting cards are more than just words on paper; they're vessels of memories and emotions. A PDF printable card that captures a special moment or sentiment can be saved, framed, or tucked away as a timeless keepsake that holds meaning for years to come.

Conclusion: Print Your Heartfelt Wishes with PDF Printable Greeting Cards

PDF printable greeting cards offer a modern twist on a timeless tradition, enabling you to craft and share your warm wishes with the touch of a button. From personalized messages to instant access and eco-conscious choices, these digital designs bring convenience and creativity to your fingertips. Whether it's a birthday, holiday, or any moment worth celebrating, PDF printable greeting cards allow you to share your heart in the most delightful and memorable way. Embrace the beauty of customization and the joy of sending wishes with a personal touch—because every heartfelt gesture deserves to be celebrated.

History Of Greeting Cards

The custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese, who exchanged messages of good will to celebrate the New Year, and to the early Egyptians, who conveyed their greetings on papyrus scrolls. By the early 15th century, handmade paper greeting cards were being exchanged in Europe. The Germans are known to have printed New Year's greetings from woodcuts as early as 1400, and handmade paper Valentines were being exchanged in various parts of Europe in the early to mid-15th century,[dead link][9] with the oldest Valentine in existence being in the British Museum.[10] The card was written to Bonne of Armagnac by her husband, Charles Duke of Orleans, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time. Not surprisingly, its message is rather downbeat. Its opening reads: ‘I am already sick of love / my very gentle Valentine.’[11]

By the 1850s, the greeting card had been transformed from a relatively expensive, handmade and hand-delivered gift to a popular and affordable means of personal communication, due largely to advances in printing, mechanization, and a reduction in postal rates with the introduction of the postage stamp.[12] This was followed by new trends like Christmas cards, the first of which appeared in published form in London in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a holiday card that he could send to his friends and acquaintances. In the 1860s, companies like Marcus Ward & Co, Goodall and Charles Bennett began the mass production of greeting cards. They employed well known artists such as Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane as illustrators and card designers. The extensive Laura Seddon Greeting Card Collection from the Manchester Metropolitan University gathers 32,000 Victorian and Edwardian greeting cards and 450 Valentine's Day cards dating from the early nineteenth century, printed by the major publishers of the day.[13]

Technical developments like color lithography in 1930 propelled the manufactured greeting card industry forward. Humorous greeting cards, known as studio cards, became popular in the late 1940s and 1950s.

In the 1970s, Recycled Paper Greetings, a small company needing to establish a competing identity against the large companies like Hallmark Cards, began publishing humorous, whimsical card designs with the artist's name credited on the back. This was away from what was known as the standard look (sometimes called the Hallmark look.)[citation needed]

During the 1980s, reduced costs of small batch printing and die cutting together with a growing taste for handmade cards made it economically possible for smaller niche companies to set up in competition with the large established brands. Innovative companies such as Nobleworks and Meri Meri[14] grew from their foundation in the 1980s to becoming significant influencers in the industry. A thriving market was established for what were now called "alternative" greeting cards. The name stuck even though these "alternative" cards grew to embrace a vast range of styles and ultimately changed the look of the industry.

• 100 Unconventional Reasons to Send a Card

• The Power of Greeting Cards

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A selection of birthday cards

A birthday card is a greeting card given or sent to a person to celebrate their birthday. Similar to a birthday cake, birthday card traditions vary by culture but the origin of birthday cards is unclear.[1] The advent of computing and introduction of the internet and social media has led to the use of electronic birthday cards or even Facebook posts to send birthday messages.[2]

Meaning and research[edit]

A 2009 birthday card that Barack Obama received from a group of White House interns.

As written in the encyclopedia Celebrating Life Customs Around the World, birthday cards are the "most popular greeting card to send and account for around 60 percent of all greeting cards bought" (Williams).[1] Birthday cards are an important part of different cultures, including, American culture.[3]

These cards deliver different meanings, both on a personal and cultural level.[4] Research suggests that birthday cards may be "indicators of societal attitudes towards aging, communication of love, and gender-based expressiveness."[3] For example, one study analyzing 150 birthday cards in 1981 found negative views on aging portrayed through humor.[5] A 2017 study of online greeting cards found similar portrayals.[4] Because of the ubiquity of the sentiments in cards, sociologist Dana Sawchuk recommended replicating this research with undergraduates as a form of active learning.[6]

In attempt to prevent high-risk drinking at 21st birthday celebrations in the United States, several public health studies have used birthday cards to try to modify drinking behavior. A 2009 survey of the attempts "indicated that the birthday card intervention was not successful at reducing drinking or consequences".[7]

History[edit]

There is evidence that the ancient Egyptians and the ancient Greeks celebrated certain days as the birthday of particular gods and the book of Genesis contains the description of a pharaoh’s birthday party, but it was the Romans who began the custom of celebrating the birth of ordinary men. Wooden tablets found at Vindolanda on Hadrian’s wall, record an invitation, dictated by Claudia Severa, inviting her friend to a birthday celebration and they probably represent the earliest form of birthday card yet discovered.

The mass-produced birthday card as we know it today, first made its appearance in mid-19th century Britain, shortly after the production of the first Christmas cards.[8]

Notable cards[edit]

Notable birthday cards include:

• A birthday card from the people of Poland to the United States in 1926, as part of the Sesquicentennial of the United States.[9]

References[edit]

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b Williams, Victoria (2016-11-21). Celebrating Life Customs around the World: From Baby Showers to Funerals. ABC-CLIO. pp. 38–39. ISBN 9781440836596.

• ^ Kim, J.G. (December 12, 2015). Labor Saving and Labor Making of Value in Online Congratulatory Messages. Social Informatics: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference, SocInfo 2015. Beijing, China: Springer. pp. 245–260. ISBN 9783319274331.

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b J., Dodson, Kimberly; W., Belk, Russell (1996). "The Birthday Card Minefield". ACR North American Advances. NA-23.

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b Zeman, Zdenko; Zeman, Marija Geiger (2017-04-25). "For Your Great and Important Day: Old Age, Humor and Online Birthday Cards". Narodna Umjetnost. 1 (54): 49–67. doi:10.15176/vol54no103. ISSN 1848-865X.

• ^ Demos, V.; Jache, A. (1981-04-01). "When You Care Enough: An Analysis of Attitudes Toward Aging In Humorous Birthday Cards". The Gerontologist. 21 (2): 209–215. doi:10.1093/geront/21.2.209. ISSN 0016-9013. PMID 7215897.

• ^ Sawchuk, Dana (2016-10-14). "The birthday card exercise: Replicating research as active learning". Gerontology & Geriatrics Education. 39 (4): 481–490. doi:10.1080/02701960.2016.1247071. ISSN 0270-1960. PMID 27740894. S2CID 39649297.

• ^ Lewis, Melissa A.; Neighbors, Clayton; Lee, Christine M.; Oster-Aaland, Laura (June 2008). "21st Birthday Celebratory Drinking: Evaluation of a Personalized Normative Feedback Card Intervention". Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 22 (2): 176–185. doi:10.1037/0893-164X.22.2.176. ISSN 0893-164X. PMC 2758637. PMID 18540715.

• ^ "Greeting Cards - History, Origins & Uses".

• ^ Ruane, Michael E. (2017-07-02). "Poland once sent the U.S. a birthday card. With 5 million signatures". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-10-12.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Greeting cards on display at retail.

Birthday cards up close.

A greeting card is a piece of card stock, usually with an illustration or photo, made of high quality paper featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, such as Halloween, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feelings (such as condolences or best wishes to get well from illness).

Greeting cards are usually packaged using an envelope and come in a variety of styles. There are both mass-produced and handmade versions available and they may be distributed by hundreds of companies large and small. While typically inexpensive, more elaborate cards with die-cuts, pop-ups, sound elements or glued-on decorations may be more expensive.

Hallmark Cards and American Greetings, both U.S.-based companies, are the two largest producers of greeting cards in the world today.

In Western countries and increasingly in other societies, many people traditionally mail seasonally themed cards to their friends and relatives in December. Many service businesses also send cards to their customers in this season, usually with a universally acceptable non-religious message such as "happy holidays" or "season's greetings."

Types[edit]

Greeting card (example)

Counter cards: Greeting cards that are sold individually. This contrasts with boxed cards.[1]

Standard

A standard greeting card is printed on high-quality paper (such as card stock), and is rectangular and folded, with a picture or decorative motif on the front. Inside is a pre-printed message appropriate for the occasion, along with a blank space for the sender to add a signature or handwritten message. A matching envelope is sold with the card. Some cards and envelopes feature fancy materials, such as gold leaf, ribbons, or glitter.

Handmade

A Handmade card[2] is a card which includes a production stage or a feature that is made by hand. The term covers a wide range of products including not only for example, applique items or ribbons but also pop-up and 3-D cards as well as cards made with mixed materials. The term "Handmade" is applied both to cards made by amateurs and to volume-production cards that include stages made by hand.

Photo

A photo card is a card which features a photograph chosen by the sender. There are two main types of photo card. The first is the photo insert card which is designed to display a sender's own photo. Depending on the card design, the photo is stuck to the card, clipped to the card or slid into a pocket in the card into which a hole has been cut to act as a frame. The second type is the printed photo card, in which the photo is combined with artwork and printed directly onto the face of the card. Both types are popular for sending holiday greetings such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and for baby showers, where the sender wishes to send a memento of their own family. See also Personalised cards.

Personalised

A personalised card is a card which is personalised with the sender's own pictures or a personal audible message. Websites using special print-personalisation technology, such as Moonpig, allow consumers to personalise a card which is then printed and sent directly to the recipient. Sound personalization is also possible using a small recording device called a Botski, which is a sticker-based recordable medium allowing users to record songs, sounds or spoken words and include them in a greeting card.

Reusable

These are greeting cards for the budget conscious. There are two common formats for reusable cards. Firstly, there are cards with slits in them positioned to hold pages. Secondly, there are notepad style cards where pages stick to the back of the cards. The pages that have been used for reusable cards can be removed after being received and fresh pages can be used to reuse the cards.[3]

Sound-based or Musical

Some greeting cards play music or other sound when they are opened. They are commonly 3D handmade cards which play traditional celebration songs such as "Happy Birthday To You.” They also may be personalized using a Botski which is a small, sticker-based recordable medium which users can record their own music, sounds or voice greeting and apply it to a card.[4]

Electronic

(also called e-cards) Greeting cards can also be sent electronically. Flash-based cards can be sent by email, and many sites such as Facebook enable users to send greetings. More recently, companies such as 2050cards[5] have started providing ecards as downloadable videos that can be sent mobile-to-mobile via instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook.

Quilling Cards

Quilling cards are greeting cards that contain a Quilled design on the front of the card. Quilling is an artform where strips of paper are rolled to make intricate designs. These cards are unique and handcrafted and are often framed as works of art.

Pop-up

Pop-up cards are normally cards that, once opened, have a picture coming outward, giving the reader a surprise. Pictures and printed messages in greeting cards come in various styles, from fine art to humorous to profane. Non-specific cards, unrelated to any occasion, might feature a picture (or a pocket to paste in a personal photograph) but no pre-printed message. Paper Pop Cards has a patent for detachable pop-up cards[6] which lets the pop-up be saved as Keepsake.:Pop Up card designs are inspired by the Kirigami art form, which originated in Japan[citation needed]. This card style has spread to the US, U.K., India and elsewhere.[citation needed] In Shark Tank episode 605 in season 11, the startup Lovepop cards founded by Wombi Rose and John Wise appeared with Kirigami art inspired pop up cards and raised $300,000 of funding.[7][8]

Printable[edit]

Also known as digital greeting cards, they can be found online through shopping platforms such as Etsy and some blogs. Usually available in the form of a PDF document, the design for a card can be printed out at home or a local print shop. Printable cards have allowed designers to make cards readily available to customers all over the world.

Get Well[edit]

A get-well card is a greeting card which is sent to someone when they are ill.[9] Their use in the case of chronic and terminal illness is problematic because the patient may not be expected to recover but they may still offer comfort to the invalid.[10][11]

Fabric[edit]

The concept of a khaki fabric card appeared in 1899 during the first Christmas of the Boer War and was issued by a business in Glasgow. In New Zealand, it was not uncommon to receive a khaki greeting card, even the premier, RJ Seddon is said to have received one. An example of a fabric card is held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and is a small square of fabric with a heavy fringe created by threads with a hand written greeting.  [12]

History[edit]

A get well card from 1949

The custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese who exchanged messages of good will to celebrate the New Year, and to the early Egyptians, who conveyed their greetings on papyrus scrolls.[13] By the early 15th century, handmade paper greeting cards were being exchanged in Europe. The Germans are known to have printed New Year's greetings from woodcuts as early as 1400, and handmade paper Valentines were being exchanged in various parts of Europe in the early to mid-15th century, with the oldest Valentine in existence being in the British Museum.[13][14] The card was written to Bonne of Armagnac by her husband, Charles Duke of Orleans, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time. Not surprisingly, its message is rather downbeat. Its opening reads: ‘I am already sick of love / my very gentle Valentine.’[15]

By the 1850s, the greeting card had been transformed from a relatively expensive, handmade and hand-delivered gift to a popular and affordable means of personal communication, due largely to advances in printing, mechanization, and a reduction in postal rates with the introduction of the postage stamp.[16] This was followed by new trends like Christmas cards, the first of which appeared in published form in London in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a holiday card that he could send to his friends and acquaintances. In the 1860s, companies like Marcus Ward & Co, Charles Goodall & Son, and Charles Bennett began the mass production of greeting cards. They employed well-known artists such as Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane as illustrators and card designers. The extensive Laura Seddon Greeting Card Collection from the Manchester Metropolitan University gathers 32,000 Victorian and Edwardian greeting cards and 450 Valentine's Day cards dating from the early nineteenth century, printed by the major publishers of the day.[17]

Technical developments like color lithography in 1930 propelled the manufactured greeting card industry forward. Humorous greeting cards, known as studio cards, became popular in the late 1940s and 1950s.

In the 1970s, Recycled Paper Greetings, a small company needing to establish a competing identity against the large companies like Hallmark Cards, began publishing humorous, whimsical card designs with the artist's name credited on the back. This was away from what was known as the standard look (sometimes called the Hallmark look.)[citation needed]

During the 1980s, reduced costs of small batch printing and die cutting together with a growing taste for handmade cards made it economically possible for smaller niche companies to set up in competition with the large established brands. Innovative companies such as Nobleworks and Meri Meri[18] grew from their foundation in the 1980s to becoming significant influencers in the industry. A thriving market was established for what were now called "alternative" greeting cards. The name stuck even though these "alternative" cards grew to embrace a vast range of styles and ultimately changed the look of the industry.

The largest recorded number of greeting cards sent to a single person went to Craig Shergold, a beneficiary/victim of chain letters and later chain emails.

Economic effects[edit]

In the United Kingdom, an estimated one billion pounds are spent on greeting cards every year, with the average person sending 55 cards annually.[19] In the United States, approximately 6.5 billion greeting cards are bought each year, at a total cost of more than US$7 billion.[1]

A counter card in the U.S. typically sells for $2 to $4.[1] Boxed cards, which are a popular option for Christmas cards or other times when multiple cards are sent, tend to cost less.

Greeting Card Association[edit]

The Greeting Card Association is a U.S. trade organization representing the interests of greeting card and stationery manufacturers.[20] John Beeder, former president of the Greeting Card Association, says greeting cards are effective tools to communicate important feelings to people you care about: "Anyone feels great when they receive an unexpected card in the mail. For me, there’s nothing like a greeting card to send a special message. I’m proud to be a part of an industry that not only keeps people connected, but uses both imagery and the power of words to help us express our emotions.”

Louie Awards[edit]

Since 1988, the Greeting Card Association has held an annual award ceremony for the best greetings cards published that year. The awards are called Louies in recognition of Louis Prang, described as the Father of the American Christmas Card.[21]

Postcards[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Postcard.[edit]

Example of a court card, postmarked 1899, showing Robert Burns and his cottage and monument in Ayr

A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare.

In some places, one can send a postcard for a lower fee than a letter. Stamp collectors distinguish between postcards (which require a postage stamp) and postal cards (which have the postage pre-printed on them). While a postcard is usually printed and sold by a private company, individual or organization, a postal card is issued by the relevant postal authority (often with pre-printed postage).[22]

Production of postcards blossomed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[23] As an easy and quick way for individuals to communicate, they became extremely popular.[23] The study and collecting of postcards is termed deltiology (from Greek deltion, small writing tablet, and the also Greek -logy, the study of).[22]

See also[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Greeting cards.

• Birth announcement

• Cardboard engineering

• Cardmaking

• Birthday card

• Christmas card

• E-card

• Postcard

• Valentine's Day

• Card (disambiguation)

References[edit]

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b c "About Greeting Cards - General Facts". Greeting Card Association. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.

• ^ "Handmade Greeting Card Ideas". gocrafta.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.

• ^ "5 Creative Holiday Cards that Won't End up in the Landfill".

• ^ United States Patent & Trademark Office. Botski Registered Trademark Archived 2022-12-06 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3/2/21.

• ^ Tucker, Charlotte (2019-12-10). "UK startup 2050.cards launches first mobile-to-mobile Whatsapp sustainable Christmas card, with British Heart Foundation".

• ^ "US Patent Application for ARTICLE WITH REMOVABLE THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT Patent Application (Application #20180102071 issued April 12, 2018) - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2019-01-09.

• ^ O'Brien, Kelly J. (January 2018). "'Shark Tank' success story Lovepop raises $12.5M from Highland Capital".

• ^ "Wombi Rose and John Wise". Stationery Trends Magazine. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-11.

• ^ The encyclopedia of ephemera, Routledge, 2000, pp. 166, 271, ISBN 978-0-415-92648-5

• ^ "The stay ill card", British Medical Journal, 315: 1125, 1997, doi:10.1136/bmj.315.7116.0h, S2CID 71174001

• ^ Ernest Dudley Chase (1956), "Sunshine for the Shut-In and Get-Well cards for the Ill", The romance of greeting cards, pp. 148–152

• ^ Romano, Gail. "A khaki valentine". Auckland Museum. Retrieved 7 June 2021.

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b "The History of Greeting Cards". Souvenirs, Gifts, & Novelties. 50 (7): 254–255. October 2011.

• ^ Michele Karl (January 2003). Greetings With Love: The Book of Valentines. Pelican Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-56554-993-7.

• ^ "Greeting Cards - History, Origins & Uses". LEMON LOCO. Retrieved 2020-11-07.

• ^ "The British Postal Museum & Archive — Rowland Hill's Postal Reforms". Archived from the original on 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2010-09-11.

• ^ "MMU Special Collections - Victorian Ephemera". Manchester Metropolitan University. Retrieved November 8, 2013.

• ^ "Greeting cards take Belmont company on a successful ride". 25 November 2005.

• ^ Sean Coughlan (12 October 2006). "Card sharps". BBC News. Retrieved 2006-10-14.

• ^ "About the GCA". 17 November 2015.

• ^ "Greeting Card Association -".

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b United States Postal Service (September 2014). "Stamped Cards and Postcards" (PDF). United States Postal Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-08-26. Retrieved 2020-03-31.

• ^ 

• Jump up to:

• a b "Postcard History | Smithsonian Institution Archives". 2018-11-23. Archived from the original on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2020-04-01.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.

Find sources: "Cardmaking" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Hand made greeting card

Card making is the craft of hand-making greeting cards. Many people with interests in allied crafts such as scrapbooking and stamping have begun to use their skills to start making handmade cards. This has contributed to cardmaking becoming a popular hobby.

Traditional high street stores have begun to devote an increasing amount of their floorspace to handmade cards.[citation needed] Handmade products are now being seen by retailers as a way to increase margins, and handmade cards are no exception. This is particularly the case as mass-produced printed greeting cards have been faced with competition from electronic greeting cards. Over seven billion greeting cards were sent in the US alone last year [which year?]; greeting cards are a multibillion-dollar business.

In contrast, hundreds of small businesses have been set up by avid crafters keen to make a return on their cardmaking efforts. Many of these are taking advantage of the low setup costs of web-based selling and the wide customer-base of auction sites like eBay. Many others continue to sell their creations at craft fairs, markets and fêtes. Others use their cardmaking skills to turn a profit in the wedding planning market making handmade wedding invitations and favors.

There are many different variations of handmade cards including decoupage, more commonly known as 3D, where a design is printed a number of times, then various areas of the design are cut and layered on top of each other using double-sided sticky foam squares to mount the layers together to create the 3D effect making a very attractive greeting card.

History[edit]

The custom of sending greeting cards can be traced back to the ancient Chinese, who exchanged messages of good will to celebrate the New Year, and to the early Egyptians, who conveyed their greetings on papyrus scrolls.

By the early 15th century, handmade paper greeting cards were being exchanged in Europe. The Germans are known to have printed New Year's greetings from woodcuts as early as 1400, and handmade paper Valentines were being exchanged in various parts of Europe in the early to mid-15th century.

However, by the 1850s, the greeting card had been transformed from a relatively expensive, handmade and hand-delivered gift to a popular and affordable means of personal communication, due largely to advances in printing and mechanization.

This trend continued, followed by new trends like Christmas cards, the first of which appeared in published form in London in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole hired artist John Calcott Horsley to design a holiday card that he could send to his friends and acquaintances. Technical developments like color lithography in 1930 propelled the manufactured greeting card industry forward.

During the 1980s, the trend began to turn, with consumers increasing looking for greeting cards that were differentiated from the standard offering. In the late 1990s, e-cards made their way into the market.

Materials[edit]

Common cardmaking materials include: cardstock, stencils, markers, vellum, tissue paper, glue, rulers and t-squares, rickrack, foil, sequins, beads, ribbon, acetate, paper embossing, die cutting machines and more. Other materials that can be used in cardmaking are brads, eyelets, tea bag medallions, and buttons. Brads can be used to hold the four corners of one piece of cardstock on top of another to create a layered effect. Eyelets can be used to draw a piece of string or ribbon from one side of the card to another. Tea bag medallions are a type of origami that makes a wonderful decoration for the front of a card. Pretty shaped buttons make nice additions to a design. Other ways of decorating cards include using rubber or polymer stamps to add images or sentiments to the card which can then be coloured or decorated using a wide variety of paint or ink techniques.