Homemade Retirement Cards
Retirement is a momentous occasion, one of the major stepping stones of a person's lifetime. One way to show someone that you care is by commemorating the special event with a homemade greeting card. When a loved one or beloved colleague is ready to retire, craft a unique card especially for him that he will treasure.
Card Making Supplies and Techniques
Use cardstock paper whenever you are making greeting cards because it is heavy, sturdy and easy to work with. Cardstock comes in many colors and patterns so you can choose one that appeals to you. Measure the cardstock to the height you want your card, and twice the width. Cut it to size and fold it in half to create the base card.
There are many ways to decorate the front of the card. You can use die cuts, stickers, rubber stamps, stencils or draw freehand designs with markers or pens. If you prefer, you can glue small elements to it, such as buttons, beads or ribbon. Anything you can affix to the card can be used to decorate it. Just be sure to choose elements with coordinating colors and patterns, to use a strong adhesive and to arrange them in a pleasing layout before you begin putting them on the page.
Write your message for the inside of the card on a piece of cardstock, paper or vellum that is slightly smaller than the cover. You can hand-write it or use your computer to write and print it. When you are satisfied with the look of the message, affix it to the inside right of the card with a glue stick.
Retirement Photo Cards
Use photos to decorate a retirement card. Images can give a card a powerful impact. You can use two photos of the retiree on the front of the card, one taken around the time she first began working for the company and one recent photo. Alternately, you might use a photo of the co-workers who will miss her. If staging the photo, they might hold up a sign offering well wishes.
Resize the photos if necessary before printing it, or cut an already-printed photo to size. Mount the photo on a matt by gluing it to a piece of cardstock cut slightly larger than the photo itself. Choose a color that coordinates with the color of the card and center the photo on it. This will not only strengthen it, but give it a polished look.
Decorate around the photo with stickers of champagne bottles and glasses, streamers or balloons. Hand-write or stencil a cute greeting under the photo, such as, "You've come a long way, baby!" or, "We'll miss you!"
Looking to the Future Retirement Card
Consider what the retiree hopes to do in his future and build this into a theme for your card design. Choose some three-dimensional embellishment packages for the main decorative elements. Embellishments such as these are designed for paper crafts and available where paper crafting supplies are sold and in small sets that revolve around a theme. For example, a gardening theme might have plants, a rake, a hoe and flower pots, while a golf theme might feature a cart, bag of clubs and a ball. Select an appropriate theme and some coordinating cardstock and markers.
Create your base card out of cardstock that further captures the theme. For example, if the retiree is planning to travel, you might choose a cardstock featuring a nautical or road sign print.
Write out a greeting on small strips of cardstock in a solid color that coordinates with the base card print. For example, if your greeting were, "Wishing you luck in your future," you would write each word on a separate, small rectangular strip of paper. Arrange these strips on the front of the card, putting some straight, and some on a 45-degree angle, to create a playful design.
Arrange the three-dimension embellishments around the words to create a balanced layout. When you are pleased with the arrangement of the words and embellishments, affix them with a glue stick or double-sided tape to the front of the card.
Tags: front card, base card, cardstock paper, color that, color that coordinates