The Big Book of Handmade Cards and Gift Wrap: Over 50 Step-By-Step Projects

This book is very detailed. Although I've done some stamping, etc; I've just started getting involved with cards and this is a very good book for beginners and there is a listing in the back where products can be purchased. One of the things I've found most frustrating is trying to find the materials for the cards, etc.

I was still planning to do card making when stumbled into this book. Now I feel like I am an expert already (NOT! :). This book even tells you what basic things to buy IN DETAILS with pictures, including the places where you can get them. For a beginner, especially living overseas and only trust online shopping, it is not easy to get stuff without seeing it live, so this book really helps. The step-by-step instructions are very clear, simple, personal and the pictures are wonderful to follow. Its just an awesome book!

Every year, I make valentines for everyone in my family. Wanting to expand my range of techniques, it delighted me to find Bolton's Big Book of Handmade Cards and Gift Wrap. It demonstrates more than 50 projects with a full page photo of each followed by a page of step-by-step instructions. The projects show off different techniques like using beads on wire, using flower punches, using rub-off transfers, folding paper, making pop-up cards and many more methods to make exciting cards. It's great that it shows how to make gift pouches, gift bags, and unique wrapping paper too, but the cards fill most of the book. She also shows how to line an envelope with designs to match the card.

I am new to cardmaking and was looking for something that "held my hand" through a few projects and had lots of ideas. This book delivered on all accounts. Each of the 50+ projects are shown on a spread (2 facing pages) with the finished card and variations on the left and detailed how-to instructions, color photos, materials list, and variations on the right. Up front there is a friendly discussion of the materials used and how to make gift bags & pouches, and to decorate envelopes to coordinate with the finished card. I loved everything about this book--from the friendly British (?) tone and descriptions to the use of relatively simple materials (she uses 3-D paint instead of brads; that has to be a purse-stretcher!) and the "galleries" in the back that show many work-ups of one particular theme (e.g. 6 cards w/ rosebuds, with a peacock feather stamp). I pored over each page and really savored it--beginners need look no further for a 101 how-to guide, and more experienced card crafters could still find some ideas, I'm sure. Thank you, Vivienne!

Not only does it tell you how to make each card step by step, but it gives you coordinating items to match with the card or to make alone. It also gives you templates to trace or copy. Very nice!!!!