Most greeting cards you find are rectangular. For this badge program, we’re going wild with the shapes of the cards and envelopes that accompany them.
Steps
1. Rectangle.
Rectangular envelopes can be used with any shape of card. However, if you’re mailing it, empty corners are easy to rip and bend. Putting a piece of chipboard or thick cardstock can help protect your card. Experiment with putting chipboard into an envelope with a card. Note the increased cost in postage as well.
2. Hand.
When taking your wild cards to the post office, be sure to either write “Hand Stamp Only” on the front or have the post office stamp it on your envelope. This will keep your card from going through machines and becoming damaged. Send an odd-shaped card through the mail without the note and see how it comes back to you.
Wild Cards
3. Shapes.
Standard shapes break out of the rectangle mold while still being recognizable. Look through the list of shapes below. Determine where you might put a “fold” to make the shape a card. Then, make one or more from the list below.
- Circle
- Diamond
- Egg
- Heart
- Moon
- Oval
- Star
- Triangle
4. Expand.
Taking your standard shapes, make a list of items you can make with that shape. This will allow you to see shaped cards in a different light. For a circle card, here’s some ideas that might spark your creative juices.
- Cake top
- Mandala
- Moon
- Ornament
- Snow globe
- Steering wheel
- Wreath
5. Silhouettes.
Silhouetted shapes of everyday items can also be used to break out of the rectangle mold. Again, you’ll need to determine a point at which you can fold the shape so that it makes a card. Make one or more from the list below.
- Aprons
- Automobile
- Cupcakes
- Flower / flower pot
- Hats
- House
- Jar / fishbowl
- Luggage
- Mittens
- Onesies
- Purse
- Shoe
- Train
6. Wild.
These cards gave this badge program its name. I experimented with them during my heavy paper crafting days. These quadrilaterals take card making to a new level. While all four sides are “straight lines”, no more than two may be parallel . . . and in some cases none of them are. Explore various shapes that fall within the definition of a quadrilateral. Make a card or two in different shapes.
7. Envelopes.
Envelopes for your cards need to be 0.01625” (or 1/16”) larger than your card to account for the thickness of your card. If you’re making thicker cards, you’ll want to add even more to your envelope size. Make an envelope from one of the shaped cards you made in the steps above.
NOTE: Remember you need enough area to slide the card into the envelope, so the top needs to be wide enough for the widest part of your card. You can always stick to a rectangular envelope as it is easier to make.
8. Make.
Looking for a shape, but can’t find it? You can always make your own design. In doing so, be sure to keep a sample or template so that you can recreate the card if you want to make more. Create your own wild card design.
9. Templates.
You can find templates for many of the unusual shapes listed in the steps above. Search online for templates for shaped cards.
10. Organize.
It does no good to collect or make templates if you can’t find them. I digitize my templates so even if the originals get damaged, I still have the information available. As you’re downloading and making templates, create your own organizational system for your wild cards. You do not have to do it digitally. You can do it physically instead.
Badge and Supplement Files
Member Level
- 0EP_B_BPG_Wild Cards_2in_12up_MS1_larajla — generic badge printable
- 0EP_BADGE_Wild Cards_MS1_larajla — PDF of the badge program
- 0EP_BLIST_Wild Cards_MS1_larajla — badge items per membership level
- 0EP_SUPP0_Wild Cards_Journal_MS1_larajla — badge journal
- 0EP_SUPP0_Wild Cards_Planner_MS1_larajla — badge planner
- 0EP_SUPPL_Wild Cards_MS1_larajla — supplements currently available per membership level
Supplement Fun
- N/A
Sites to Explore
- www.making-greeting-cards.com/birthday-greeting-cards.html
- www.card-making-magic.com/shapedcards.html
- www.printabletreats.com/printable-mitten-card-template/#.U0M2INJBnk0
- www.pinterest.com/justjennadesign/shape-cards
- www.pinterest.co.uk/teresaswift7/unusual-shaped-cards
- www.sharonburkert.com/as_the_ink_dries/2015/07/wild-about-flowers-re-do.html
- www.docrafts.com/Projects/part-2-three-cards-made-from-1-card-blank/4117506
- crafts.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Free_Card_Making_Templates
- www.brigitsscraps.com/2018/07/summer-shaped-cards-lori-whitlock.html
- patternuniverse.com
Get the infographic here > larajla blog post
Get the PDFs of the badge program / supplements here