When you first start out creating beautiful handmade cards, you will likely start using basic card stock. Basic card stock is a great paper choice to use for cards because it is so versatile. If you have a good quality of card stock you can use it for the base of your card, as well as the additional pieces that you may want to include. You may only have a limited budget to work with, and the best way to get your money's worth is by buying cardstock that will work for a lot of different card designs.

White or ivory is a great basic color for stamping because you can use any color of ink to stamp your images and then use coloring tools such as chalks, watercolors or markers to color in the image. A pack of color coordinating papers is also an excellent investment. You can purchase a block of paper with a number of different sheets that all coordinate with each other making your planning process that much easier! If you are not ready to invest in patterned papers or specialty papers, there are a few ways that you can liven up your card stock. With a few basic techniques you will be able to add an additional flair to all of your cards.

Paper Tearing
One of the easiest techniques is called paper tearing, and there are a few different ways that you can achieve this look. If you are working with a patterned paper, you can create a white edge by tearing the paper towards yourself. However, by tearing the paper away from you, you will create a non-white edge. And if you prefer a mixed up look, alternate the direction that you are tearing the paper. Some people like to use water to tear their paper, and this will give you a softer ripped look. Simply use a small paintbrush or sponge, dipped in water. Paint the edge of the paper that you want to tear until it is wet, but not soaking. Gently pull the edge of the paper away, and you will tear the fibers, creating a very soft and elegant ripped look.

Crimping
If you have access to a paper crimping machine, you can easily create a crimped look on your cardstock that will add dimension and interest to your cards. This is a very easy tool to use; you simply stick the edge of the paper in the machine, and squeeze the handle with one hand, while turning the knob with the other. The result is a beautiful crimped paper that can easily be added to cards.

Crumpling
A beautiful technique is called paper crumpling, and it is very easy to achieve. Simply crumple up a piece of card stock in your hands. It is up to you how crumpled you like it. After crumpling, simply flatten out the paper and you have a beautiful textured piece to add to your card.