DIY Projects

 Greeting Cards

One of my very favorite ways to communicate my love for people is to write little notes to let them know that they are seen, loved, and valued. It doesn't have to be for a special occasion. As a matter of fact, I am of the opinion that it is even more meaningful if there is no significant day or event involved.

Cards or letters may really be the only area of my life that I am truly sentimental. Over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of notes. These are things that I have gone back, looked through, and read in hard times. They just seemed to lift my spirit and give me fresh perspective. The most treasured cards in my collection are the ones that someone took the time to handcraft. So I want to show you a step by step card tutorial that will take about 10 minutes of less to create. The time investment is minimal in light of the relationships you are building through the written word. Ok, lets get started. 

Supplies Needed: 

Colorful patterned fabric

Scissors

School Stick Glue

Sewing Machine (optional) 

Thread

Needle

Cardstock

Step 1: 

Take your piece of cardstock and fold in in half. 

Cut your paper along the line that you created with the fold.

Step 2: 

Take one of the halves that you just cut. Turn it where the longest side of the paper is facing you (landscape). Fold in half again. Now you have a card that you will now design. 

Step 3: 

Grab your fabric and begin cutting out designs for your card. I like to see where there are straight lines on my fabric and begin there. Sometimes it is easier to line those up on the edges of my card as I am designing the layout. This is also where patterned fabric comes in handy as you can use the printed shapes as inspiration.

Before continuing you may need to iron out any wrinkles in the fabric. 

Step 4: 

Here's the fun part where you can get as creative as you would like. Use your stick glue to begin adhering your fabric to the front of the card in any design or pattern you would like. You may even noticed I left some of the edges frayed. I like the texture it creates. You will want to wait for the glue to completely dry before you move on to step 5. This should only take a few minutes. If you are in a hurry you can always use your hairdryer to speed up the process. 

Step 5: 

After the glue has completely dried, thread your sewing machine and begin stitching around every side of the fabric you have adhered to your card. Don't rush this part as you paper can tear or your stitches can get messy. This is where you can add a ton of whimsy to your card depending on the stitch you choose. 

This is also something that you can do by hand if you do not have a machine handy. Just grab a needle and thread! 

This step adds such a fun and unexpected element to your creation. You could also add ric rac or pompom trim. Get as creative as you would like.

Step 6: 

Now it is time to begin penning your thoughts for that special friend or family member. 

This is a great project on a slow weekend where you can stock up on sweet little treasures to pull out at any time for the special people and events in your life.

I hope that you enjoy creating cards for the people in your life. The beautiful part about these cards is that perfection is not the goal. You can be as creative as you want-there really are no rules. I can't wait to see and hear about the cards you create with simple things you probably already have around your home.