Card Fronts

[Weathergirl]

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of making my Christmas cards and am facing a bit of a dilemma. Should I make full cards or card fronts? I'm not sure if just making card fronts may be perceived as being cheap (as I can't be bothered to use the half sheet of paper required). My reasoning for making card fronts is that I have found that when I am using a dark piece of cardstock, it's really hard to write a message in it unless you use a gold or silver pen (which I don't always have available).

What do you guys think?

Thanks!!! :-D

[dstfrommi]

I think it might seem a little strange to just do card fronts unless you do them in a postcard style.

I take a piece of thinner white cardstock and tape it down inside the card on the dark panel you are talking about. Make it slightly smaller so the dark CS will be it's border and you can even use corner punches and dress it up a little.

Or you can mount your card front to a white card base.

Hope this helps!

[Weathergirl]

Sorry, I thought I'd better clarify...I was going to do the card fronts and then mount them on white c/s.

But I also like the idea of adding some white c/s on the inside to write on- thanks Debbie!

[dstfrommi]

You might do one each way and then weigh them. One year I had so many layers on my cards and then my husband added one of those lengthy Christmas newsletters and when we got done they weighed over an oz. Now I always do a prototype. Isn't if fun to do Christmas cards? How many do you have to do?

[Weathergirl]

Man alive, I have about 100 cards to do...I have about 20 done so I am going to hunker down over the next couple of weekends and stamp, stamp, stamp!!!

[dstfrommi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weathergirl

Man alive, I have about 100 cards to do...I have about 20 done so I am going to hunker down over the next couple of weekends and stamp, stamp, stamp!!!

Yikes!!

[JanTInk]

I have also liked buying calligraphy parchment or resume paper to put on the insides of cards that were made from dark cardstock. It doesn't cost as much as cardstock, but it looks very classy on more elegant style cards.

[airbornewife]

That's a whole lot of cards! I usually start making my Christmas cards late in the year.. I tell myself every year that I really need to make them throughout the year, but it never happens that way.

I found that when I buy a pack of stamps.. I buy the same amount of the .17 cent stamps and just use one of them along with one stamp to send my cards.

[jdmeeks]

IMO card fronts would be a bit odd for the recipient. I'd recommend either cutting out a lighter color for the sentiment or computer generating the sentiment on vanilla or white CS and then placing it inside. That always looks nice and can even be deocorated then too!

Happy card-making!

[momis mama]

i always make card fronts and attach them to a card base.

i love to use dark colors as a base and as you mention it is hard to see what you write inside.

i don't always use a dark color for a base but it has just become 'normal' for me to create a card front & a card base.


i hope you find what will work best for you!


happy stamping! and i hope it goes quickly for you too!

[Sophia_77]

I'd vote to go ahead with the white card base, although it seems I'm in the minority. Dark cardstock with a gold/silver gel pen can be a bit hard on not-so-perfect eyes. It's much easier to read something written on white cardstock with a dark ink, and I doubt any non-cardmakers would even notice you used a different color for the card base.

[sprtchick]

I make thousands of Christmas cards. 90% of them are fronts mounted on white cardstock. They look very nice this way. I send a lot to our troops.
blessings.

[jazzytobi]

I usually make card fronts then mount them to white.
if i DON'T make a card front it's because i use kraft CS base, which is a love of mine.

[stampinjewelsd]

Another option if you want to use a darker card base is to cut out a piece of lighter cardstock using the Top Note die add that onto the darker base and write your message on there. It really looks like a wow card when you do that and your friends and family will feel extra special!

[wenchie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophia_77

I'd vote to go ahead with the white card base, although it seems I'm in the minority.

I'm with you Sophia. I didn't used to worry about how much paper I was using, but with rising prices and declining budgets, I'm a lot more frugal and discriminating about when I'll use colored CS as my card base.

If I was making the 100 cards that the OP is making, it'd be card fronts all the way. The majority of people don't appreciate the quality of the materials used and nor the love and care that went into the making of it. The majority won't be keeping the card for display the following year. It probably won't get passed around the dinner table, and it probably won't get a lot of ohhh's and ahhhhh's.

I reserve "full" cards for a select and special few.

[jpmayo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weathergirl

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of making my Christmas cards and am facing a bit of a dilemma. Should I make full cards or card fronts? I'm not sure if just making card fronts may be perceived as being cheap (as I can't be bothered to use the half sheet of paper required). My reasoning for making card fronts is that I have found that when I am using a dark piece of cardstock, it's really hard to write a message in it unless you use a gold or silver pen (which I don't always have available).

What do you guys think?

Thanks!!! :-D

I definitely say do whole cards and then layer a piece of white or cream cardstock inside to write on, you can also stamp on that piece to match the outside.

I'm not a fan of white card bases but that is just my personal preference as I like everything to be matchy-matchy inside and out.