The world can be divided into two categories:
Card Lovers & Card Haters
I’m a hater.
I should clarify a bit…
It’s not that I hate the actual card (I love notes and letters). I hate that cards are $5 and people will just put your name on the inside at the top of like 3 paragraphs of typed writing.
Like they wrote the whole thing.
If you’re just going to use the thing as a to/from note, save the $5… or better yet, get me 5 things from The Dollar Tree instead.
Two lines written from the heart on a piece of computer paper mean more to me that two pages of prose on an embossed store bought card.
(stepping off soapbox)
Here are two very easy ways to make your own cards. i.e. you don’t need 3 hours and $100 worth of scrapbooking supplies to to it!
1. Repurpose an old book…
Board books go through a lot! When they are on their last leg use a razor blade to cut off all the pages.
Write a message on the front of the page and you have an awesome card for kids. Use a piece of coordinating scrapbook or construction paper to cover the back… or don’t. There might be another cute picture or fun poem that just adds to the charm.
Noah loved his 1st Birthday “card” from us…
2. Old calender into cards…
Have you seen those daily scrapbook calendars? Or the quote a day calenders?
Get one of those when they go on super sale (February/March), cut around the picture or cartoon then glue stick onto colored card stock. Fold a bigger piece to make a card or just do one layer for a fun note.
DONE!!
(Even though it looks like the cards pictured below have added borders or layers, they don’t! These are cut straight from an old scrapbook calender. For a few we used fun scissors around the edges. My favorite is Deckle.)
(This picture will be funny to Iris when she gets this thank you note from Eli.)
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Vicki says
Great idea! I like the idea of using old books for another purpose! Flashcards are also a great idea.
rachael says
LOVE IT! I actually just sent a Halloween card to Cousin Aaron (Jason's nephew) with some gifties for him, and the card was made from another Halloween card that we got from Great-nana and Papa (don't tell them we cut it up!) — great idea to use old board books!
And thanks for the Woodall shout-out. 🙂 We heart you guys.
thedomesticfringe says
Cute cards!
-FringeGirl
FrenchGardenHouse says
Great ideas! Kara, I am celebrating my grandbaby's 1st Birthday in MI and will be back Monday for shipping.:)
Ashley says
Another way (and super fast) is to take a card you've received, separate the front from the back and write a little something on the back of the front and give it as a card… I do this a LOT, since I always forget to think about a card for the present til last minute… or just let your kids color a picture, then write a quick greeting on the picture & use as a card (works best for family)!!
Aracely--Daytrippingmom says
I love the idea of using the daily calendar images. Cute! I am also not a card lover. I love making my own cards. I think homemade cards are usually way cuter than anything you can buy at the store and the recipient usually loves them because it shows you put thought into it. Have I told you how much I love your blog.. well if I haven't I love it!
markvaughan2009 says
Great ideas for cards. I too don't like greeting cards. Some of them are funny to be sure, but I hate that a $5 card, written by someone I have never met, distributed the world over and sold in generic card stores, are supposed to the meaningful part of the gift! No card ever catches my sentiments either. I end up going blank every time.
I know I am mentally committing to taking the time to show I care next time, and I will chuckle a little when I am in a greeting card store on my way to the event, picking up a last minute card… chuckle in both enjoyment of the irony and pure and utter self loathing at being to busy to care about my friends…
At least now I have some ideas. Hopefully I will make the time. Thanks!
M.