A guide to making xmas greeting cards with children. Ideas about different projects, tips for saving money and having fun.
Take some card stock, cut and fold it into a greeting card. Give the child a piece of styrofoam cut to the size of the greeting card cover, and a popsicle stick. Let the child draw a simple picture outline on the styrofoam. If the child wants to write any words, help them write the letters backwards (if they are forward on the styrofoam, they'll come out backwards on the paper).
When the child is satisfied with the design, pour a little paint into a flat tray. Spread it around with a brush so that it is larger than the styrofoam. Press the styrofoam, picture side down, into the paint. Take it and press it directly onto the card stock cover. The drawing imprints will create a negative design. When the paint is dry, have the child write their greeting inside.
EMBOSSED CARD
This project must be done on a sunny day. Cut and fold a piece of card stock to the size card you want. Tape some plastic stencils to a sunny window, backwards. Give the child the card. Let the child place the cover of the card over the stencil design he wants to use. The sunny window will help him see through the card stock so he'll know precisely where the imprint will appear.
Give the child a paper clip. Show him to use the rounded end to rub the card stock into the stencil design, going over the edges of the design in particular. When the card stock is removed from the stencil, the image will be raised on the cover of the card. If the child wishes to color the design, the only way to do it without ruining the embossing is to take some chalk dust and brush it on gently with a very soft brush (natural bristle make up brushes work well).
WAX CRAYON MAGIC
Get a clear wax crayon (such as often come with Easter egg dye kits), or a white crayon will do. Have the child draw a picture on a piece of white card stock, cut and folded into a greeting card. Open the card and place it on newspaper.
Take some watercolor paints and a paintbrush. Let the child paint on the paper. Whereever the crayon was used, the paint will recede and not seep in, leaving the lines very distinct. Once the paint dries, the effect will be very beautiful. You may wish to experiment using different colored crayons for different effects.
HOME SEWN GREETING CARD
Take a piece of card stock, cut and folded to the size card you want. Take a small hole puncher and punch holes all around the edges of the card. Take a picture the child cut out, or die cuts, and place them where the child would want them on the card. Using a small hole puncher, or a metal skewer, poke holes that go through the cut out and the card cover. Give your child ribbon or yarn (roll a bit of tape on the edge to make it easy to poke through, like a shoe lace edge). Let them sew the element on the card, and weave ribbon in and out of the border holes. If you like, make holes for them to sew on decorative buttons.
HIDDEN MESSAGE CARD
Take a piece of card stock measuring 5" by 8", and another measuring 5" by 4". They can be of the same, or of different colors. However, the first time trying this technique, it might be easier to use different colors to get the hang of it. This technique is not nearly as complicated as it first sounds, but you might want to try it yourself first, and then teach the technique to the child.
Take the larger card stock and hold it horizontally, so that it is longer than it is tall. Fold it in half evenly and crease it well. Now, take the top page, and fold it back to meet the back edge evenly. Crease that fold well. Turn the card over, and fold back that side to meet the back edge evenly, and crease it well. Now, if you were to take that folded card stock and set it down on the table with the center creased point up, it would resemble a W. Grab hold of that center point of the W and push down the two sides, so that they lie flat on the table. You should now have what looks like an upside-down T.
Take a ruler to that center point still standing up. About 1 2/3 inches from the top of the page, take scissors and cut a slit down to where it meets the table. Cut another slit about 1 2/3 inches down from that. Now that you have the center point divided into three sections, put the center section flat down on the table to the right, and the top and bottom section flat down to the left. Take the smaller piece of card stock that you set aside. Cut it in half, so you have two strips measuring 5" by 2". Take scissors, and shave just 1/16 of an inch off the long edge, so your pieces are both 5" by just a hair under 2".
Take the larger piece of card stock and, on the left side with the two sections, slide one strip inside of the sections. Slip the other strip into the section on the right side. Even the strips out so they are even with the edges of the card. Turn the card over. Cut two pieces of scrap card stock into approximately 2" by 1" strips. Place one on each side, approximately half-way down the page, so that they overhang the card by about an inch, and tape the tabs to the back of the card. Turn the card over again.
Write the words "pull" on the front of each tab, with a little arrow indicating to pull them outward. Let the child draw pictures on the front of the card in the "squares" created by the strips. Now, when you pull the card open by the tabs, the original drawing will "disappear" and there will be a new, empty space for the secret message. To put the card back to the way it was, simply separate the original sections back to their original places.
