Card making on the cheap

If you know me, you know my cards are all about affordable and easy! I'm not into these ridiculously ornate or overly-complicated cards that take an entire day to make. I try to buy my components for as cheap as I can and recycle when possible.

SO! Here's some ideas for how I do it, in case you're like me and try to make wonderful cards for just a little dough!

For my 31st birthday now merely a month away, I'm throwing myself a cupcake-themed party. I needed to make invitations and QUICK! So I headed for the clearance stationary at Target after a tip from a friend that they had stuff deeply discounted.

Here's s tip: Thank You cards are the ones most often on clearance. If the card is lovely and the "Thank You" sentiment is small, you can easily cover it up and make it whatever you want it to be!! You have to keep an open mind in the clearance section! Cheap cards can also be cut apart to be used for other projects!

This set of 12 note cards set me back a mere $1.32 for the set! The cupcake embellishments were $3.19 for 6...making the grand total for my entire card...$0.64!! Now, that is budget friendly!

Here's the cards and cupcakes.



So I used pink card stock and my scalloped-edge punch, then adhered that bad boy over the "Thank You" and slapped on a cupcake! DONE! I could add a "You're invited" stamp, but if I don't find the time, I am happy with these "as-is."

To my delight, when I opened this package, not only are the cards a matte finish, which I love...but the inside was green (my favorite color) and the enveloped were green and blue! YES!!





Here's the set of six. I think I'll use lime green paper for the scalloped punch on the next set.



And here are some other bargains you may want to be on the look-out for. These pretty note cards (printed the same on the front and back, blank in the middle) were 12 for $1.44. That's $0.12 each!! Ridiculous. They're pretty enough as-is, especially with the nice envelope BUT with a simple stamp in brown ink on plain or printed coordinating paper and you've got yourself an extra-special card! I wish I'd have gotten more. I could sell one card and make all my money back!! These would be great as a set to give as a gift!



And this raffia was $0.25 each, perfect for tags or to wrap packages!



Happy bargain hunting! Let me know what you find!