My Love of Hand-making Cards

Poetry Prompt: Greeting Cards

Collage of handmade cards by the author

As I make greeting cards
For my love of cardmaking and creativity
I collect random leftover stuff

When I saw the notification on Medium that Rochelle Silva has tagged me in her poem Impossible to Throw Away, I felt so happy to be reminded of how I have been making greeting cards since I was a kid. I have been sending handmade Christmas cards (yes, handmade by me!) to all my teachers who have taught me from kindergarten to high school. I also send handmade birthday and Christmas cards to my family and friends.

I collect random stuff (it can be leftover paper bags, leaflets, old newspapers, colourful toffee/chocolate wrappers or old wrapping papers), dry flowers and leaves, and collect many thrifty things (beads, buttons, sequins, chords, ribbons, etc.), just to make greeting cards. I know you might think its all junk, but it is not when it comes to cardmaking. I made the cards in the collage above when I came to Australia and decorated them only using colour pens and stickers as I had to leave my “cardmaking junk” collection at home in Sri Lanka.

I know that there are many printed cards in shops and it only takes a few minutes to write in it, seal it in its envelop and post it. However, I find that if I…