My Honest Advice to a New Crafter

Here's what I would tell someone who is thinking about starting card making or has recently started card making based on my personal experience. This video is not sponsored but some compensated affiliate links are used below to support my channel at no cost to you.
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The cross stitch patterns you might see in the background are Stitcher's Prayer from The Camping Stitcher and Kind Words from Primrose Cottage Stitches
#cardmaking #papercrafting

[@laraynespiczka3185]

I have been making cards for over 20 years and I know I don't save money, but I find I send or give more cards. For the most part everyone I send cards to realize what time and effort I put into making the card and truly appreciate the cards. I live in a very small town (20 people) kinda out in the boonies and everyone knows that if they need a card without having to go to town, I always have a stash.

[@monicahicks3037]

Great advice. Another thing I would add is that sometimes it feels like some receivers of a handmade card don't oooh and aaaw over a creation. Create any way. I've seen other card makers who lament taking the time to make a card because the recipient didn't understand the time they put in to it. Craft anyway. For each of those you will find many more people touched by the thought that someone took time to think of them and make a card. Their reaction will warm your heart in a way you would never expect.

[@JessCrafts]

Great point and important to remember!

[@karenbailey7109]

New to card making! 🤪 Agree with all your advice, wish I had found your channel 7 months ago, might have saved me a lot of $$. I would add…seek out a fellow card maker. In my case my BFF is a 15 yr + card maker who nurtured the creativity I didn’t know I had. She went on Amazon, found a beginner card making kit for me and that’s where I started. Several months and about $200 later, she came to my house, set up my new craft room “The studio” and the rest is history! ☺️ I absolutely love spending time creating cards! I constantly bounce ideas off my bff and bask in her continued encouragement! ❤️

[@angelag6156]

I vividly remember my journey with card making. It all started less than a year ago when I made numerous mistakes, such as opting for cheap stamps and die cuts, which unfortunately led to a lack of quality in my creations. I also fell into the trap of trying to keep up with all the latest crafting products, only to realize that many didn't align with my creative style. Additionally, I've learned that there are better approaches than purchasing the latest trendy products. When I first began, I used 65 lbs of white card stock, which I got on sale for about $5. I consciously decided not to splurge on expensive card stock as I knew I would be using it for many practice sessions involving cutting, stamping, and so on. As time went on, I decided to upgrade my crafting materials. I invested in high-quality card stock such as Accent Opaque, a top-notch paper trimmer, some excellent blending brushes from Amazon, a mini scoreboard, a Misti, and oxide distress inks. I also shifted my focus towards stencils and 3D embossing folders, as they are more versatile and cost-effective than stamps. Additionally, I now regularly seek out sales and websites that offer free shipping for orders of $50 or less.

[@pathoodjoy]

Great advice about trying one thing at a time. It helps you figure out why you want to make cards as opposed to any other hobby. What skills do you already have that you will use making cards? If you draw or paint, you have pencils, paints, brushes, paper and how to use them. If you've worked with acrylic paint you know that matte medium has been around for decades; it wasn't invented by card makers. If you sew or quilt, you can cut and trace and follow patterns and adjust patterns. Self healing mats, rolling cutters, special rulers and squares have been part of sewing and quilting since before card making came along. If you do woodworking, you already know how to measure twice, choose the right materials for the project, get the most out of piece of wood, cut and substitute materials and work with glues. Let the skills you already have lead you to make cards the way you want to, the way that gives you the most joy.

[@vickeyrhodes6101]

Loved this video!! I started experimenting with card making by recycling used Christmas cards. I would cut the image out & mount onto a new card front, and embellish with rhinestones or ephemera. I found it fairly cost effective and got the satisfaction of creating something new. While I now make “new” cards, recycling is still my favorite thing to do.

[@rebeccabrown3898]

I've been into crafting in one way or another for 50 years but I began card making about 20 years ago. At first I relied on images from CDs and Google. Around 2013, I met a Stamping Up representative while shopping in Michael's. I joined up as a demonstrator mainly for the discounts. I dove in whole hog, just had to have it all. Huge mistake! Today when I see a stamp set that I like, I stop and think before I buy; how many cards would I actually make, who would I make them for and would the purchase be practical. Currently I have completely revamped my craft supplies and craft space, only keeping what I liked most and would use more than a few times. My favorite tools are: the Misti stamp positioner, die snips for cutting dies apart when needed, a paper cutter/scoring with replaceable blades, glue with a fine tip and blending brushes of different sizes. I keep my cardstock to a minimum, not buying all colors under the sun as I can use inks on white cardstock to make whatever I need when using die cuts or Coloring backgrounds. I do prefer a heavy weight cardstock for card bases and less weight for layering and for most die cuts. A good pair of snips for fussy cutting as well as a pair of long blade scissors. A T-ruler comes in handy for lining up various die cuts. I hope this helps those who are getting started with card making as well as those who find themselves buried in a sea of supplies that are just sitting on your shelves.

[@monicalinerode1783]

Liked hearing about this topic. I use pattern paper, make my own pattern paper, use stamps, embossing folders, embossing powder, foiling, stencils and metal dies. Which leads to water based and alcohol based markers then to watercolor and acrylic paints. Found out that I love it all though and use them at different times. What got me hooked onto card making were embossing folder and embossing powders when I attended a church event when ladies on a certain day did scrapbooking and card making and shared their supplies and embossing folders. I thought, I can do this? lol

[@honeydiamond5013]

Thank you, Jess. I love that your card templates can be used for all different cardstocks. Very helpful. Keep up the great vlogs:)

[@Honeybee1975..]

I agree, card making can get really expensive! I do get a lot of satisfaction out of making cards though and like you, I donate a lot of them to charity and do small gift packs for gift giving!

[@Rosie-mz4bx]

Great tips! I would say don't get caught up in the trends and don't think you need the newest and greatest products and gadgets to make cards.

[@maggiebrinkley4760]

Great advice, Jess! And thank you so much for your no-scraps templates, they inspire me to use up the patterned papers that I have collected over the years. Funny story: in 2010 I said to my hubby 'I'm going to make our Christmas cards this year. It's bound to be cheaper.' Yes, I can hear you all laughing! I love this hobby, creating is so therapeutic.

[@michelleb4697]

The most important thing to keep in mind is that a large percentage of cardmakers sharing project videos and blogs are there to sell a product. The supply industry survives on constantly releasing new products and they create demand by creating beautiful beautiful cards for us to want to buy *all the things* used to make them. It is very hard to resist! For example, I have NO idea why I decided I needed wax seal making stuff, but i watched all the release videos and had to have it.

[@josephinemoyer8510]

Go slow with buying supplies and develop your own style. A crafting buddy or some one who will assist you on commenting on your card designs is helpful and appreciated even if they aren't into making cards but is vested in you and honesty are helpful!

[@craftcards_nl]

I have been a cardmaker for more than 10 years. I still use some of these tips for buying new things. I bought into the new distress spritz, i watched a few videos and then bought 3 colors to try them. I really like them so i then bought 4 other colors. I never buy a full set of anything from the start.

[@lizzystitch4842]

My advice to a new card maker is to buy good quality 80 lb. white cardstock, Canson Watercolor Paper, black dye ink pad, solvent-based or hybrid black ink, colored pencils, cotton baby wipes, and a bottle of stamp cleaner for the hybrid ink, a few acrylic blocks. Start there and see if you even like card making. Were I to do it again, I would SKIP buying dies and buy a scan & cut machine to cut out images and sentiments, but good scissors work well, also.

[@M1326]

Awesome video... I have been crafting for 40+ years and cardmaking for about 37 years... and boy has it changed... If asked, I would tell a new cardmaker, that it is okay to create what you like and don't feel as if you have to follow trends... they come and go, and what is old will be new again... and it can cost big $$$... invest in the designs you love and you will find you will reach for those over and over. And definitely, my favorite go-to is the Jess Crafts Paper Busting templates... those are so useful and fun, they definitely make it easy to use up your stash. Worth every penny...I buy the sets on esty...

[@paulineburns8446]

I found your channel by accident & love your cards…paper busting templates even though I live in Australia & make different sized cards…ty so much Jess…yep I still make my own stencils lol….laminate one side of Cardstock then die cut the pieces out..or go to cheap “Dollar Store” type of shops or The Reject Store

[@michellewoodward4698]

Excellent advice. Thank you so much for sharing ❤.

[@kathybost1879]

good comments Jess. 25+ yrs. of this for me. I have so much stuff I had to turn my master bedroom into my craft room, plus I have craft overflow into my sewing room and my actual small bedroom. sigh. Don't do this ! Just don't. My craft room is my Happy Place and my treasure cave of goodies. I'm in there every day, I'm retired and I still don't have enough time to make everything I want to make. Here's the thing, you Don't need All the colors, you don't need 5 die cutting machines, You don't need more paper than you'll ever use up. You get the picture. I love making cards and all my family and friends get them. I also love making charity cards. Set a budget and stick to it. And yes, I have finally stopped buying anymore stuff. Never got into the Cricut, or hot foil machine stuff. My regret purchase is the Minc machine which I've maybe used3X.

[@99zanne]

I use my Minc to flatten cardstock that has warped from water application and to dry cardstock after ink blending, too, if that will help u use it more often!

[@jaditelady173mary4]

I just purchased a Minc machine after mulling it over for more than a year. I had already received some rolls of foil free in one of my card kits and bought some additional supplies to use in it. Guess what...I've had it for 3 months and still not tried it. So yeah I got sucked back into the trend buying after watching it used in various videos. But on the brighter side, I have broke the Tim Holtz cult curse. I might buy 1 ink color, but that's it. I find it's best that I don't subscribe to these online stores newsletters, soI don't get notified about sales too. I have enough paper to last 3 lifetimes. So I'm trying to give away some to others. When I moved in Dec I did a huge purge in my craftroom, but I could still move more on.

[@animegirl8244]

@@jaditelady173mary4 I totally agree about not receiving store emails, they always suck me in, but even worse is all the ads I get when I'm on different websites. They are always ads for places I shop, things I've looked at or are similar. I don't know how to get rid of those, those trap me a lot too.

[@jettielewis8677]

Good advice for the new card maker! You always are great ar whart you do and teach!

[@patsybowman9426]

GREAT advice! Very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

[@paisana9378]

And be prepared to spend a fortune these days!

[@cindyhunt6397]

Great video. I have way more than I need or use. Love the advice to get the bare minimum to try a technique. Have found that I do not enjoy messy techniques. Could have saved myself some money.

[@susanpyra1339]

I agree with every point you expressed.

[@teresazuehls783]

I do believe if you have a computer or have pretty handwriting or can draw or like to recycle cards you can save money by making your own cards. I used to make a lot of my sentiments on the computer. Once in awhile I still have to use the computer to make my own but it's so much faster just to stamp it. I'm not very good at drawing (although I have done it in a pinch) and that's why I buy stamps or premade ephemera. That's the great thing about paper crafts there is no right or wrong way. You can do whatever you want. Thanks Jess for all that you do.❤

[@maggiebrinkley4760]

Another thought: a pack of handmade cards makes a really good gift for friends and relations!

[@JessCrafts]

So true! Great idea!

[@RachelUnruh-kd5cy]

I agree with a lot of the comments… card making is a hobby and when is a hobby inexpensive?! If u want it to save money then there are LESS expensive ways but it USUALLY morphs into an addiction for all the great stuff on the market for making cards…😣 I finally had to tell myself enough already ,what will I finally do with it all at some point & if I just go thru all what I have now I can come up with many variations to make a card… it is up to ourselves to use common sense, the makers of card making products sure hope you won’t use THAT tool ( common sense) however!!😅

[@barbmac8572]

Great video Jess.

[@kathyaclaude4966]

❤❤❤

[@Ninjamom4]

❤️❤️❤️