TAHLEQUAH —
When hand-crafting gifts to honor loved ones or friends, a fellowship can be born.
Bee Bee’s Ink owner Britany Burris led a class on handmade cards Thursday in the Tahlequah Public Library Carnegie Room to provide guidance on made-from-scratch crafts, while promoting her passion.
“I’ve been paper crafting for almost six years, and I love it,” said Burris. “It’s my No. 1 passion, and I wanted to share it with others.”
Burris, a 21-year-old Northeastern State University business major, owns her own handmade cards and gifts business, and Thursday’s class was her first teaching experience. She began noting basic tips on production and delivery of the handmade card.
“I’m going to be teaching how to make cards from a sketch,” Burris said. “Don’t make it too bulky or you’ll have to pay extra postage, and use acid-free adhesive because the acid in the glue can wear down your product over time. Vary the card’s dimensions, because certain sizes don’t make it through the mail very well.”
Sketch patterns can be accessed online for no charge, or books can be purchased that provide card patterns. According to wittyliving.com, when using a handmade-card sketch, think of a theme for the card. Test different paper stock by cutting out shapes and patterns desired for the card’s theme.
Ribbons and fibers can be added to provide a textured look. Confirm the design layout before applying the acid-free glue or adhesive.
Using a sketch makes it easier to produce more than one card in a single setting.
And because the end product is made with any combination of materials, a handmade card can deliver the same individualized and heartfelt sentiment as a scrapbook, said Patsy Steeley.
“I’ve been scrapbooking since my mother-in-law made one for my daughter on her graduation,” she said. “I have the materials for making a card, but I’ve never done it. It’s a lot of embellishment. It’s the ribbons and the glitter. It’s the same as if you were scrapbooking.”
Tahlequah resident Lynn Jackson said she and her friend, Sharon Gifford, scrapbook at the Lost City Community Building, and wanted to take Burris’ class to venture into card-making.
“You can’t always a find card that fits the person,” she said. “You want to make the message more personal, if you can.”
Gifford said seeing the recipient smile or cry is one reason why handmade gifts are special, but she noted the process of creating a book or card can also bring people together.
“There’s a lot of fellowship to it, too,” she said. “It’s a getting-together thing, an eating thing and talking thing. You know. The stuff that women do.”
Burris said a date and time of the next class is still being discussed with the library, but noted a scrapbook play day is scheduled for Monday, June 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Bring your own supplies, and that class meets on the last Monday of every month,” she said.
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