Ten Reasons to Try Cardmaking

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Have you ever looked at a handmade card and wondered if you could create one yourself? It’s easier than you think – AND benefits you in so many ways! Here are my top ten reasons to give cardmaking a try!

1. Everyone can be creative

I never believe it when people say to me, “I’m not creative.” I believe EVERYONE is creative, and usually after talking with that self-described non-creative person for a minute or two, they realize that they too are creative! It’s just that our definition of creativity can be awfully narrow. I, too, grew up thinking I wasn’t creative: much as I wanted to, I couldn’t paint or draw, and though I tried many times, I never could get the knack of sewing. So in my mind, I wasn’t creative because I couldn’t create new things. WRONG! All that time, I was involved in other pursuits that I now recognize as creative, such as writing, singing, acting, and embroidery. And decades later, my definition of creativity has grown to include dozens more activities, too! Have a look at the list below and consider how many of these you enjoy doing:

I bet you can think of more ideas, too! The important thing is to find the ones that you enjoy, and make time for them in your life. I am passionate about persuading people to connect with their creativity and find the joy and playfulness waiting there for them! It’s really important for us to feel that sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with creative activity – not just because it’s fun, but because it’s actually good for our hearts, minds, and souls!

2. Flow state creates health benefits

If you’ve ever found yourself so immersed in an activity that you lost track of time, you may have experienced flow state. Remember a few years ago, when adult colouring books were all the rage? People raved about slipping into a ‘zen’ mode, and how relaxed and peaceful it made them feel. They were describing flow state!

Colouring isn’t the only way to reach flow state. It happens when we take on a task that is just the right amount of challenging: easy enough that we feel confident in our abilities, yet hard enough that we need to focus on what we’re doing. Soon, the worries of our day slip away and we are living in the moment, calmly connected to our actions and feeling capable and fulfilled.

Many creative activities can lead us to flow state. Remember the list from above? Once you’ve built a little bit of skill at any of those things, you can find your way to flow state when doing those activities. And that matters, because flow state is really good for us! Some of the benefits include:

• Emotional Regulation
• Intrinsic motivation
• Increased engagement
• Increased performance
• Improved skills
• Sense of clarity
• Ability to let go of stress, worry, and self-doubt
• Dopamine is released (feel-good chemical)
• Anandamide (anti-anxiety and anti-depressant properties)
• Seratonin (mood stabiliser)
• Endorphins (pain blockers)

And, my very favourite fact about flow state? The happiness gained from it doesn’t end when you finish your activity – it is a general sense of well-being and a lasting sense of happiness and fulfillment. Wow – those are some pretty great rewards for spending some time on a fun, creative hobby!

So, we know that everyone can be creative, and we know that creativity is good for us. Below are some of the reasons why I believe that cardmaking is one of the best ways to practice creativity.

3. It’s an easy hobby that fits your budget and your time

Making a card doesn’t take a ton of time. If you are working with a prepared card kit, you can have a card completed in less than 10 minutes. Speaking of card kits – Stampin’ Up!’s card kits cost between $24 and $40*, and make 8-12 cards each. That’s an average of $3-4 per card, which is less than you’d pay for a storebought card!

*including tax and shipping

4. End up with something beautiful

Remember as a kid when you did crafts at school, daycare, or summer camp – using crayons, pompoms, macaroni, and maybe even glitter? It was always so exciting to create something that was all your own, and you’d feel SO proud to show it off to others. Creating with Stampin’ Up! products brings all those feelings back! I always know that my projects will be successful because Stampin’ Up!’s products all coordinate so flawlessly. It’s easy to choose colours that go together, to stamp images right where you want them, and to find just the right sentiment to finish your card – because Stampin’ Up!’s designers work hard to give us on-trend colours, see-through stamps, and versatile products that you’ll use again and again. They really make it easy to create something you can be proud of!

5. You can spread the joy by giving that card to someone you care about

You’ve connected with your creativity and made something beautiful that you’re proud of. You’re feeling all those amazing happy feelings that come from flow state, and you’ve created something wonderful. The fun isn’t over yet, because now you get to give that card to someone! Unlike so many other things we may create – knitted sweaters, homemade pasta, a stunning bouquet – cards are so easy to give. Pop it in an envelope, add a stamp, and off it goes, bringing joy to the recipient when they open their mailbox to find you’ve been thinking of them! Getting happy mail is such an amazing feeling, and you now have the ability to bring that joy to someone! (PS if you haven’t received happy mail in a while, make sure you’re on my happy mail list!)

6. You can make it as easy or as challenging as you want it to be

Once you gain some confidence with cardmaking, you’ll probably want to move beyond using prepared kits and really dive into exploring your own creativity by combining different products and techniques to come up with brand new creations. As I like to say, “You are the boss of your card,” and you get to decide how easy or challenging you want your project to be! Whether you’d like to complete a simple card in a couple of minutes, or flex your skills by making a complex and time-consuming card – or anything in between! – what matters is that you enjoy the experience and continue to learn.

7. Self care and ‘me time’

Taking time for yourself can lower your stress level, lift your mood, and improve your decision-making skills. Your brain function and memory will increase, while your risk of depression, anxiety, hypertension, and heart attacks will decrease. Those precious moments of “me time” can even boost your immunity! I notice that women, in particular, have trouble making this time for ourselves – but it really will help you function better in the other areas in your life, if you aren’t constantly pushing yourself to ‘run on empty’. I certainly know for myself that even a few minutes of crafting can make the difference between a good day and a bad one.

8. Meet new people

It can be challenging to make friends as an adult. People move away, or are busy with education, relationships, children, careers. With our hectic lives, so full that we don’t make time for ourselves, it’s easy to forget to build and maintain friendships! The good news? When you already have something in common with someone, a friendship can grow quickly as you spend time doing something you both enjoy. And even better news – these friendships are quite literally good for your health! Research has shown that friendships can extend our life expectancy, lower our risk of heart disease, reduce our stress levels, and release a surge of neurochemicals that improves our quality of life. (Um, are you starting to see a pattern here?)

I’ve seen the friendships grow around the crafting table, as people connect with each other, share about their lives, laugh together, and help one another. Watching everyone create their projects, being inspired by others, and sharing helpful tips, is something I never get tired of!

In 2020, when we couldn’t gather in person, I started holding virtual classes on Zoom. I was thrilled to find that the online format still allowed for these connections to keep growing. We are by nature social beings, so we all need to feel that sense of belonging with others. I’m back to holding in-person classes now, and I’m continuing to offer Zoom classes as well – no need to quit a good thing!

9. Learning something new is good for you

Learning something new can be hard. It can be frustrating to be in the middle of feeling like you can’t do it, or that your project isn’t as good as someone else’s. But I encourage you to stay in your own lane and skip the comparison game – if you must compare, then compare the project you’re creating today to one you created a few months ago, and I bet you’ll see an improvement! Learning a new skill means that you are brave, strong, and willing to challenge yourself – traits that are sure to help you in other areas of your life. Learning a new skill also helps you learn things faster over time, as more neural pathways are formed. Your brain chemistry actually changes, and these changes can help stave off dementia. Best of all? Learning can help you build confidence and a sense of self-efficacy.

10. IT’S SO MUCH FUN!

It truly, truly is. We have so much fun and laughter around the crafting table! We are a cheerful, welcoming bunch and would love to introduce you to this hobby we love so much. Over and over I have heard people say things like “I was so tired tonight and thought about not coming … but I’m so glad I did, and now I feel full of energy!”

I always want people to be able to try out cardmaking without a big risk, so I offer my monthly workshops with a perk: the first time you come and stamp with me, you attend for free! That way, if you hate it, you haven’t spent your hard-earned money on it (hint: no one hates it).

Thanks for sticking with me while I shared my Top Ten List of reasons to try cardmaking. I hope you’ll give it a try! Be sure to sign up for my email newsletter so that you’ll get all the news of upcoming events right in your email inbox!