5 Quick & Easy Holiday Cards You Have To Try
Want an easy way to spread holiday cheer? Want to do something really nice (and really simple) for someone special this season?
Spread joy with your art! Share your talent with your friends and family by giving personalized cards that make a real connection. It’s so important to take a break from the digital world and give the special people in your life a thoughtful, hand-made card to show how much you care. And I don’t just mean greeting cards. I’ve got ideas to share that include gift tags, menu cards and even place cards too.
Here are just a few ideas for how to use these ideas this holiday season:
· Give any of these card types to friends and family
· Give them as a hostess gift or in a gift exchange
· Have a bunch of greeting cards handy to use for thank you cards
· Create pretty gift tags for yourself and/or friends
If you work in an office, spread the cheer there too by handing out greeting cards or giving small sets of gift tags as a token of your appreciation. I’m sure you know that a little gratitude goes a long way. If you’ll be mailing out packages this season, include a personalized thank you note with every order. Your customers will appreciate the extra touch. I highly encourage you to do this all year round!
Getting started is easy. Let’s go through the four simple steps together right now.
Step 1: Pick A Card Type
One of the many reasons I love surface pattern design is that you can create one design and use it on a whole bunch of different types of cards. Here are five options that are super helpful at this time of the year. Want to make your own holiday cards? Or put your own design on place cards to make your table extra special this year? Or even create a pretty menu card with your own design around the edges? The possibilities are endless and you can print them all at home. Here’s a list of handy supplies:
1. Greeting cards with a pre-scored fold or single sheet cards that you don’t need to fold
2. Menu cards to showcase your amazing holiday meal plan with so many delicious foods
3. Place cards to make the table even more festive and make sure you get to sit next to your favorite relative
4. Postcards to put your art on and send to friends near and far, and
5. Gift tags to personalize every gift under the tree
The only big piece of equipment that you need is an inkjet printer. I use an HP Color LaserJet CP 2025. The rest of the supplies are easy to find on Amazon. I’ve included links for you but you can also find many of these items at your local art supply store or at a big chain store like Michael’s.
Step 2: Pick Your Design
If you’re in my creative community, you likely have many designs that you can use. If not, check out my Black Friday Holiday Bundle to get started. I’m calling it the “Fun Pack”, because everything included is super fun and I break everything down for you step-by-step. This offer will vanish in a poof of smoke on Friday so don’t delay. Buy it now and start creating.
Still struggling with creative ideas? No problem! Check out my recent blog Think You Can’t Draw? Think Again and sketch some pretty flowers and sprigs along with me using the step by step guide provided.
Here are some more ideas for Hanukkah and Christmas that I hope will inspire you.
Step 3: Printing
Now comes the fun part because once you have some designs to play with, you can create templates in Adobe Illustrator for the various cards or tags that you want to print. Save these templates and you can print a card every time you need one!
I like to keep a stack of cards on my desk because inevitably, I need one. Who am I kidding - I usually need several! At this time of year, carry a bunch around with you so if you see a friend at the coffee shop, you can write a quick festive note and hand a card to them while they are waiting in line.
Just think of the possibilities. You may see a neighbor outside and remember that you need to thank them for something they did recently. Grab a card, write out sweet note and give it to them. When you have pretty cards with your own unique designs on them, you’ll come up with tons of reasons why your friends and family need a note from you. There are so many opportunities to share them and bring a smile to someone’s face while sharing your beautiful artwork.
Pro tip on printing:
· For smaller sized items like menu cards, place cards and gift tags, use supplies that are specifically meant to go through your printer and won’t get stuck. Gift tags that come in sheets are easy to feed into your printer and then separate later.
Step 4: Packaging
Greeting cards make lovely gifts, and packaging them individually or in sets of 3 to 5 cards is a thoughtful way to make your gift even more special. If you’ve created a series of holiday themed designs, put together a three-pack as a gift that contains one of each design.
Gift tags are another really fun present to give to your friends at this time of year. Who doesn’t need gift tags? Imagine your friend’s surprise and delight when they receive a set of unique gift tags that have your beautiful designs on them.
There are so many occasions during the holiday season when greeting cards, gift tags, place cards and even menu cards come in handy and can dress up your table and table settings with added flair.
Pro tips on packaging:
· Place individual greeting cards in vellum sleeves to protect them and use a pretty sticker with your logo on it on the back.
· Put 3 to 5 cards together in a clear see-through plastic holder along with the envelopes. Place your pretty logo sticker on the back of that too.
Spreading holiday cheer takes just a few minutes of your time and creativity. Put a card in the mail. Make a menu card for your holiday dinner. Make guests feel at home with a place card or a bespoke gift tag. There is something very special about creating and giving these personalized tokens of the season.
Don't miss the opportunity to share your art. And don't miss the opportunity to connect with others through your art. That connection is what the holiday season is all about!
Post your cards on Instagram with the tag #artwithanne. If you post on Facebook, mention me too using @annelafolletteart. I would LOVE to see your creations.
Remember,
It’s Never Too Late to Create
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MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
