Ever since the first greeting card was sent in 1843, people have not stopped exchanging them. Today, the greeting card business is a billion dollar venture that includes huge companies employing thousands of professional artists, poets, writers and designers. And then, there are those home-based greeting card people who create some of the most innovative and one-of-a-kind cards. Interested to make this your business? Here are some things you should know:

Skills, tools and equipment you'll need
You don't need a degree in Fine Arts or English to go into a home-based greeting card business. As long as you have the creativity and artistic skills that people will enjoy and pay for, you can make your mark in this industry. Being an enthusiastic craftsperson will also help.

For tools and equipment, you will need the basics of your craft, including:
- different types of paper and craft paper
- pens and pencils
- oils, colored pens, dyes, water colors
- photos, illustrations and other images
- accessories and add-ons
- cutters
- brushes
- rulers
- drawing table

If you prefer to work using your computer, you will also need a printer that features high resolution and can handle color images well.

What about computer software?
There are computer software you can use to help make your home-based greeting card business easier. Card maker and illustration software often have pre-designed templates, fonts, colors, royalty-free photos and clip arts you can use. Designs are also easier to tweak and you can make changes or correct errors without physically ruining or affecting your greeting card. Once you're done, simply hit the 'print' button and you have your card. Or, if you want to be an electronic greeting card maker, you can make use of this type of software.