The Card Shop the Card Shop the Card Shop: A Dazzling Collection of Handmade Paper Greetings a Dazzling Collection of Handmade Paper Greetings a Dazzl

I really liked this book. It has great patterns to use with very simple instructions. The cards are very creative.

The instructions are excellent, all of the templates are included, and the end results are attractive & unique. You don't have to be an exceptional artist to make these cards, and basic supplies (rubber cement, scissors, & colored paper) can be used for all of the patterns. You can also easily vary the designs with different patterns/types of paper or add that extra touch with lettering. The cards can be used for all occasions or no occasion, and cover all four seasons and major holidays. A wonderful addition to any library--I would recommend it for all skill levels.

I have made about half of the cards in this book at least once since I bought it in January, and I look forward to making some more. In fact, I just finished making all of my Christmas and Hanukkah cards from patterns in this book, and they came out pretty well. Most of the patterns lend themselves to personal touches, which keeps things interesting and allows you to get more mileage out of them. I do, however, recommend a light box for making these cards. I got a cheap one for about $10. The light box gives you two advantages: one, you don't have to cut up your xerox copies of the patterns, which prevents you from losing the little pieces. Two, it's much easier to line up the placement of cutting lines, embellishments and the like. The only complaint I have about this book is that some of the cards come out a little small. To remedy this, I set the copier to an enlargement setting, resulting in larger patterns. I look forward to getting much more use out of this book!

Card givers desiring a more personal touch than Hallmarks or the computer can produce will find Sandra Lounsbury Foose's Card Shop packed with fresh new ideas for handmade cards. From a basic introduction to paper and supplies for ideas for year-round greetings, Card Shop includes ornament cards and bookmarks and provides an excellent, well-rounded set of project ideas.