The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card

The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card
By Linda LaTourelle
Gifted by Bluegrass Publishing, Inc.
www.bluegrasspublishing.com
Reviewed by Molly Fletcher, Editor of AllFreePaperCrafts.com

Say goodbye to writer’s block when you pick up The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card, a collection of quotes, poems, and original messages for card makers. Author Linda LaTourelle believes that expressing your feelings for someone is the best gift you can offer him or her. With a dash of creativity and the help of this guide, you can create the perfect card whenever the opportunity arises. Instead of being tossed in the recycling bin at the end of the party, your handmade card will become a treasured keepsake.

The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card begins with the basics by offering tips for decorating handcrafted cards. Whether you use stamps, stickers, or other embellishments, this book provides an array of ideas for putting your card together. For the tech-savvy crafter, there are tricks for creating cards on the computer as well. The back of the book is devoted to lists of useful information including postal abbreviations, holidays, and a calendar that allows you to keep significant dates handy when you feel like getting crafty.

Once you've put your card together, LaTourelle encourages you to take a few minutes to reflect on the recipient before you put pen to paper. Simply think of your loved one, and you'll be on your way to crafting a hearfelt statement for the inside of the card. If you get stuck, you can refer to this guide's hundreds of writing samples.

In addition to the usual greetings for birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones, The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card contains messages for uncommon occasions. For instance, if your friend is distraught that her child has left for college, you can send her an “Empty Nest” note. Congratulate your neighbors on the newest addition to their family by sending them some “Best Wishes for Your New Puppy.” This book even has messages for break-ups as well as what usually follows them: chocolate.

The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Card is organized alphabetically by occasion, and each section of the book begins with a list of brief sentiments that would look great on the front of a homemade card. The remaining pages are filled with relevant quotes from playwrights, poets, and religious texts. Whether you want to be silly or sappy, one of the samples in this book is bound to strike the right tone. Best of all, as you search for the perfect thing to say to a loved one, you’ll stumble upon words of encouragement for yourself.