Festive Friday is a special day for everyone in the card industry (or for those who enjoy making them) to send out their Christmas greetings to loved ones, which this year falls on 27th November. Not only will you have a fantastic time getting creative, but you’ll put family and friends into the festive spirit when the card pops through their letter boxes!

If you’re unsure of how to go about creating a batch of cards in a short space of time, don’t fret – we’ve put together some organisation suggestions for you. Merry Christmas!

1 Preparation

First you need to figure out how many people you would like to send cards to. Create a document on your computer or write up a list of names and addresses so you won’t have to worry about them later.

Next is the fun part: go and look at lots of lovely designs! Visit shops, blogs, Pinterest and our card making projects to see what inspires you. You may wish to sketch some ideas too. Consider making simpler designs to save on time and money.

2 Supplies

You’ll need the following to get started: card and paper (both plain and patterned), scissors, a pencil, ruler and adhesives. It would be easier to buy pre-made blanks with envelopes, though you may wish to invest in a few other bits too. Stamps and ink-pads are handy for creating images and sentiments, whilst a die-cutting machine creates crisp, flawless images in no time at all. Both are sound investments if you wish to continue making cards, or if you do already, treat yourself to something new!

3 Organisation

Now it’s time to create your own personal card factory! Set yourself a dedicated time in which to work in, whether it’s an entire weekend devoted to creating them in one go or spreading the work out over a couple of weeks. Next you’ll need to organise your workspace and supplies. You may wish to cut and create elements in batches to save on time, for example trimming paper to fit on blanks or die-cutting motifs. After everything has been prepared, sort the materials into piles and start piecing your cards together.

4 Sending Out

Finished making all of your cards? Perfect! Now it’s time to write your greetings inside them. You might find it easier to write the names and addresses of each person onto the envelopes first, then select one and fill in a card to match it. Finally, pop them all in the post on the big day!

For more information on Festive Friday visit The Greeting Card Association. We’ve also got a card project specifically for the event which you can find here.