Inside of cards? What do you do?

On the rare occasion that I make a card - and I almost always make them 'to order', that is there's a specific event and recipient already chosen - I decorate the insides of the card to match the outsides, though with more blank space for writing. Almost all my cards either have a removable tag in a pocket or a removable paper attached with sticky adhesive so the recipient can recycle their card if they so choose for someone else. I like corner rounders and border/negative die cuts for the insides. Fancy without being too overwhelming.

I do make cards ahead of time. For the inside, I usually wait until I’m ready to send it to stamp an inside sentiment. Sometimes, if it’s a hello and newsy card, I don't stamp a sentiment inside at all. I need that space for writing.

I do the same. I usually wait until I need to use the card to stamp a greeting on the inside. You might want to check out Amy R's You Tube channel.  She always includes the inside of her cards. 

www.youtube.com/c/PrairiePaperandInk

Sometimes I make the card front, then add it to the card base when I am ready to send/give it to someone. Sometimes I complete the card with the base, especially if I know what occasion I am going to use it for.

Sometimes I stamp the inside with coordinating stamps, not just a sentiment. It varies.

I am more likely to do just card fronts if it is a CARDtober challenge, since I am not sure who I will send the card to. I have made completed cards that would have been perfect for someone later, except for the sentiment. I’ve ended up having to duplicate a card with a different sentiment, because the card front was just right, but the sentiment for the person to receive it was just not quite right. I want it to suit the recipient perfectly, not be “this will do.”

If I am making a card for a specific individual, though, I already know what sentiment I want to use, so I finish and mail it.

It depends. Sometimes a sentiment is stamped inside. Sometimes it’s a small image or partial image that’s the same or relates to what’s on the front. It might be placed in a lower corner, above the fold or both, or the fold might bisect a longer stamp so the image is above and below the fold. (That’s handy to cover a smudge.)

Often a piece of paper a little smaller than the base and nicer than copy paper is adhered to the inside for writing a longer note. The tape runner is adhered just to the top of the piece of paper, not the sides or bottom. It may be cut from resume paper that I’ve had for a million years. If a gift card is being included a pocket is adhered to the inside, usually a semi-triangular pocket die.

I make/made a lot of backgrounds with no card in mind. Sometimes they’re cut into strips to make strip cards, sometime used for die cutting, sometimes as is. 

This is what I do. For Christmas cards, I have a bunch of stamps for the inside, so I do stamp those - I'm more likely to send those with just a line or two of handwriting, as opposed to bday or Thinking of You or sympathy cards where I write almost a letter inside.

I make the card and leave the inside empty! Then when I need a card, I can personalize the inside of the card with a stamp and then a personal note. I like Amy R from Prairie Paper and Ink as she does a little decoration on the inside and I try to do the same. Now I'm on to decorating envelopes. My favorite maker of envelopes is Nathifa from @juicy Christians Studio on IG. I made a an elaborate envelope to go with a really nice Birthday card and that was the gift! My friend keeps it out all year long! I've got all this craft stuff and I am determined to use it!

I always finish the insides of my cards. I do not like to stamp or write directly on the card base, so I always add a layer (or two) inside to match the front in some way. Usually, I will stamp a sentiment inside, but lately I seem to be adding a stamped or die cut image or matching patterned paper and leaving the rest for my hand written notes. I always make the full card, not just a card front, as I make with a recipient in mind. When I experiment, I still make full cards, and still finish the insides, regardless of whether I'm stamping another sentiment. In the back of my mind, though, I'm still thinking about who might like the card I send.