Cards and card making

I remember that when I was little I used to make cards all the time: for birthdays, holidays, and any other occasion. I loved to make these special little gifts and give it to people I care about, and they were always happy to receive them and appreciated and cherished whatever childish scribbles and drawings I managed to produce.

But when I grew a bit older, I've started to judge my own work and to realize that it wasn't perfect, not even "good enough". I realized for a fact that I cannot draw or paint. I could not construct precise right angle for anything in the world. And that's how I gave up on card making (not that I was aware at that point that there is such a thing as card making craft) or any crafting to be honest. I found other things that I was good at and pursued them instead.

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Years and years later, a craft bug dormant inside of me for so long has woken up again and I've started to make my own cards once more. I guess I was older and wiser enough to realize that giving something special to someone you care about, and into what you invested your emotions, imagination and time, is much more valuable than being able to produce a masterpiece for everyone to marvel. Even with 20-something, I still had serious trouble with right angles. But I found myself enjoying the process of creating and trying more and more, so that in the end I stopped caring about imperfections and started giving the best I could. My blessing was (and still is) in the fact that around myself I have people who do appreciate an honest gift and can recognize emotions and intentions when they see them.

(a birthday card for my friend, made from read an black corrugated cardboard, golden foil, white copy paper and a cute little good luck sticker)

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Only later did I learn that there are many people who love to make cards, that there are books written on the subject and that there is a recognized craft called card making.

I don't have many pictures of the cards I've made, but here are some I've found, made in recent years.

(card for my friend's graduation, made from baby rose cardboard, white copy paper, silver foil from a pack of cigarettes - reuse whatever you can and YES smoking IS bad and NO I don't smoke, silver star stickers and a golden tread)

And remember, a single smile can be worth more than all the praise and flattery in the world!