When giving someone a card, it’s always nice to present something you’ve made yourself. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little help. Make something personal with ease by picking up supplies for card making. You can get kits that come with patterned paper and decorative cutouts for collaging, or those that guide you through a whole craft process. They’re a time-saving alternative to making something totally from scratch, but you still have total agency over the final presentation, and your hands will be involved every step of the way. Read about our favorite card-making kits, below.
1. Paper Wishes Artful Card Kit
This is a smart set to keep on hand, whether you’re an organized card maker or someone who whips them up at the last minute. It comes with everything you need to make seven cards covering events from birthdays to special congratulatory moments: seven decorative papers, dozens of super-bright die-cut decorations, and lots more that you can cut out. The base sheets are thick enough to support lots of layered material, and the die-cuts pop out cleanly to save you cutting time. With flowers, animals, numbers, banners, and ornate embellishments to choose from, you have a lot to work with to create a memorable card. Everything is designed to color-coordinate so you don’t have to worry about matching.
2. Miss Kate Cuttables Die Cuts & Paper Set
If you have a certain occasion in mind that requires a card, consider picking up one of these kits. Each corresponds to a theme—think birthdays, Halloween, back-to-school, and seasonal designs. You get 16 sheets of 80-pound paper in 12-by-12-inch squares to use as canvases, plus more than 60 cute die-cut ornaments. These range from anthropomorphic birthday cakes and cupcakes to exclamatory words (“Party time!”).
3. Faber-Castell Card Making for Beginners
This set offers a great way to learn or practice watercolor techniques while making cards. It comes with student-grade tools for painting—paper, five watercolor pencils, and a paintbrush—as well as stencils and envelopes. Simply trace floral designs onto the paper and color them in as you like; you’ll have a finished, polished card in about 20 minutes. The kit makes for a great activity for beginning watercolorists or a nifty gift for young ones.
4. Tesmains DIY Greeting Card Kit
If you want to try crafting a card that’s more involved, consider this quilling kit. It comes with clear instructions and enough material to make three cards with three-dimensional designs made entirely out of paper. Use the included tools—a curling needle and a quilling board—to coil the included paper strips into petals and leaves, then assemble them into dainty flowers. You’ll finish with impressive, frame-worthy cards and a new crafting skill to boot.
5. Stampendous Clear Stamps
These stamps provide a speedy way to add messages to your cards. Included are about a dozen sentiments (such as “Thinking of you” and “My Friend”) printed in raised lettering on a transparent polymer sheet. Simply stick one (or combine several) onto an acrylic block (not included) to create a stamp, then print using an inkpad (also not included). The images are properly raised to leave crisp imprints on your cardstock, and it is easy to wash ink off the material. Note that the designs are small, ideal for modest-size cards or labels.