a few tips on card making

With our recent card challenge over on the blog, we got a few questions on card making... It was fun to think about the process a little bit and come up with a few tips!
Choose a standard size. Some of the best I've found  to work with are 5x7, 4x6, 6x6.  {remember when cutting that you'll be folding your paper over, so start with one end twice what you need. For example, cut a 10x7 piece of paper to create a 5x7 card. 8x6 makes a 4x6 card, and 12x6 makes a 6x6 card. An 8.5x11 sheet folded makes a "standard greeting card" size.
Buy envelopes in bulk at the office supply store. You can purchase any of the listed sizes, or just grab a box of the greeting card size to fit just about anything that you make. Just remember if you add any bulky embellishments, the card may need to be hand sorted, or require extra postage.
Think of your card as a mini layout - but without the pressure. I always feel a little pressure when creating a layout. At the very least, I'm trying to match a product to a photo, and make things fit in with the story I'm trying to tell. With a card, nothing. I'm just trying to brighten a friend's day - which doesn't come with any pressure, just fun!

Here are the cards I made:

I hope these help you give cardmaking a try!