introduction

HOW WE GOT HOOKED ON HANDMADE CARDS

We grew up in Asia and traveled the world from the time we were two years old; our mom was a domestic goddess and our dad was a diplomat. As far back as we can remember, we were surrounded by artisan objects from around the world—embroidered smocks, quilts, ceramics, and, of course, handcrafted cards.

We especially remember the wonderful cut-paper cards we used to find at street fairs growing up in China. Colorful, intricate scenes of dragons, phoenixes, horses, and tigers hand-cut from diaphanous tissue paper and glued daintily to a piece of card stock. Back in the United States, we remember discovering the wonderful, graphic woodblock print cards of nature scenes (everything from lizards to spider monkeys) that our biologist Aunt Ginny made for special occasions.

Years later, we channeled our love of handcrafted goods into starting Hello!Lucky, a small stationery company specializing in making cards and invitations the old-fashioned way, using vintage letterpress printing presses from the 1950s. To this day, our favorite pastime is brainstorming new card ideas, making them ourselves, and watching the delighted reactions of the people who receive them. There is nothing more satisfying in the world!

Hello!Lucky has also allowed us to join a vibrant artistic community of like-minded crafters who have chosen paper goods as their medium. Like us, these artists, many of whom contributed the wonderful projects in this book, create their own cards from start to finish using hands-on, labor-intensive techniques (read more about the artists at the end of each project). As you make your own cards, we encourage you to seek out the work of these artists for ideas and inspiration!

The genius of a handmade card is that it’s truly personal.

Sure, professionally printed cards are convenient, but quite often that airbrushed flower bouquet paired with the rhyming verse misses the mark completely. So many occasions—from a new home to an old joke, a big birthday to a small raise—deserve nothing short of a personal tribute. This is when you need something much more special than a mass-produced greeting card.

You can tailor everything about a handmade card, from design to words, to reflect the personalities of both you and your card’s recipient. Buttons. Balsa wood. Fabric scraps. Thumbprints. Thread. Googly eyes. Newspaper horoscopes. You can make creative cards using all kinds of unexpected materials, many of which you may already have around your home; other materials you can find at your local craft store. The abundance and affordability of supplies are a huge part of why we love making cards by hand—why buy a $9, albeit charming, birthday card from a boutique when you can achieve the same “awww” factor yourself for next to nothing?

Plus, handmade cards are incredibly easy to make. Unlike, say, knitting a sweater or embroidering a caftan, making a card doesn’t require studying a series of precise techniques. Trust us, you will never be forced to give someone a half-made card with a plaintive disclaimer saying, I promise to finish this within the decade. When you start one of our card projects, we promise you’ll finish it in a few hours or less so you can revel in the praise and adoration of the card’s lucky recipient.

Card making is something that can be part of your everyday life, whether you’re a hip urbanite or a sassy suburban mom. It’s a way to slow down, appreciate good times, and exercise your creative side. Even if the last card you made involved turning your traced hand into a turkey, there’s a project here that’s perfectly suited for your skill level and style. To get the best variety, we tapped our favorite artists from all over the world for their favorite card-making techniques. You’ll learn how to collage, screen print, make pop-ups, string a garland, use a Print Gocco machine, bind a booklet, embroider, emboss, stamp, stencil, and so much more. And all of the artists bring a unique fashion to their card, whether it’s sweet, snarky, kitschy, or elegant. And, of course, we made sure the projects span every occasion and sentiment—from thank you to thinking of you, sympathy to save the date, happy birthday to holiday cheer—so you’re never at a loss for words.

So, go ahead, get started!