How to make unique greeting cards

What you will need...
1. Photos from your computer   2. Printer   3. Textured colored paper   4. Craft knife   5. Ruler   6. Cutting board

A few pics followed by the 'how-to' write-up

One day we experimented with printing photos on some textured colored paper. The results were surprisingly incredible; adding new depth, mood and texture to each photo. And you can never be quite certain which ones look good with what paper until you try. It's rather exciting to check each one as it comes out of the printer.

First you must find a photo from your computer (e.g. one saved from your digital camera or from your computer's Clip Art) or you could scan in an image that you like. We altered some of our images slightly using a program called Photoshop.

If you're familiar with a paint or photo editor program, you can use this to: 1: size the image to the exact proportions you want printed out for your card, and, 2: adjust the colors and contrast depending on the effect you desire.

If you are unfamiliar with such programs, some computers have an option of choosing a predetermined print size from a list. This is usually sufficient, however sometimes this option can automatically crop your image where you do not want it cropped.

Choose one of the smaller sized print options to ensure you have enough blank textured paper on one side of the image to create the back of the card.

Print out your image/s on your textured paper and see how it looks. Some photos look better on certain textures than others. Just experiment to see.

Now you need to fold the paper from one side of the image to create the back of the card. To make this job easy, use your ruler and back of the craft knife blade to score along that edge of the image. It is now easy to make the fold in that exact position.

Now, using your craft knife and ruler, trim off the excess paper around your print of your photo. Be sure to hold your ruler over the print and cut so that if you slip with the craft knife, you can only cut into the excess paper you are cutting away anyway.

Hold the ruler tightly in place until you are sure you have cut through the two layers of paper. Sometimes two or three cuts alongside the ruler may be necessary. A sharp blade makes this process much easier, also.

You could perhaps use a calligraphy pen to write inside for more of that homemade effect. Make sure you practice on cutoff paper first to check the ink does not bleed into the paper.

And that's it: a very easy and very effective way to make your own unique greeting cards.