Make a Birthday Card

It's always nice to celebrate the birthday of a friend or loved one in a meaningful way. Though making a birthday card may take a little more time than running out and buying one, it will pay off when your friend or loved one receives a card made just for them.

Steps

Making a Basic Birthday Card

  1. Gather your materials. Clear off a table and lay out the necessary materials for the card. For a basic birthday card, you'll need:
    • Construction paper or cardstock and stationery
    • Coloring utensils such as markers, crayons, and colored pencils
    • Glue
    • Stickers
    • Rubber stamps or other images such as photographs, magazine pictures, or images from cards that have already been used
  2. Create the shape of the card. Take a piece of construction paper and fold it into quarters.
    • Depending on how large or small you want to card to be, you can also use a piece of good quality cardstock (A4 size), cut it in half, and then fold it down the middle.
    • If you have an envelope you'd like to use for the card, fold the paper so it will fit inside the envelope. Leave at the very least 1/8" (.3 cm) on all sides so the card can slide easily in and out of the envelope.
  3. Choose a design for the card. Customize the card design based on who the card is for and the materials you have available. Keep in mind you have the front and inside of the card to decorate, so perhaps you want to include a simple design or image on the front of the card and a more personal or detailed design inside the card.
    • Think of a riddle or poem. You can compose a limerick, look up a line from your favorite poem, or find a funny riddle.
    • Draw a picture of a person the card receiver admires or likes. You can also cut out and paste a picture of a person or of the card receiver. Add a thought or speech bubble over the picture and include a funny message or saying.
    • Turn the card a mini graphic novel. Divide the card into a grid and tell a little story.
    • Choose a quote or saying based on a personal moment with the person, such as the first time you met them, or something they did on their last birthday.
  4. Add embellishments like stickers, stamps, or fabric. Tailor the card’s decorative details to the recipient.
    • For example, if it’s your dad’s birthday and he likes to fish, you could add a stamped fisherman image and a piece of string glued to a fishing rod and anchor it to a drawing of a big fish on the front of the card.
    • Bright colors are vivid and fun; muted colors are classy and more sophisticated. A card for a child may be filled with bright colors, stamped animals, and whimsical phrases while a card for a teenager or adult may be more muted and simple.
    • Use your own handwriting or a computer generated greeting such as "Happy Birthday!” on different coloured paper. Cut it out and paste it to the basic card template.
    • Add the person's name to the card to make it more special and personal.
  5. Include a pop out to the card to give it something extra. Making a basic pop-out card is actually fairly straightforward and simple to do.
    • Choose a level of difficulty that suits your skills and time.

Making a Card with a Display Window

  1. Fold a piece of cardstock into thirds. Start off with a 8.5" x 11" (21.5 x 29 cm) sheet of cardstock and then trim it down as you see fit.
    • Make even, firm creases when you fold the cardstock so the card looks professional and well made. If possible, use a bone folder to make even creases.
    • If your creases aren't even, start over on a new piece of cardstock.
  2. Cut a window into the middle panel. The middle panel will become the front of the card later. The size of the item you want to display in the window will determine the size of the window.
    • Generally, the window should be less than half the size of the card.
  3. Position a display item on the card, facedown. A display item could be another piece of pretty paper or embroidery, a doily, or a photograph.
    • Choose an item that fits with the overall theme of the card that will look nice in the display window.
    • To add a ribbon, use a hole punch to make two holes in the middle panel, above or below the window. Thread your ribbon through the holes and tie it into a bow. The bow should be facing away from you when you lay the card down.
  4. Adhere the display item to the cardstock with glue or tape. Run glue or tape along the edges of the item to make sure it is secure in the display window.
    • Make sure the glue or tape is on straight and isn’t visible from the front of the display window.
  5. Place a piece of double-sided tape below the item and at the edge of the side panel. Fold over the side panel, while also pressing the tape in place.
    • Your item is now sandwiched between the two panels and the middle has become the front. The left side is now the left inside panel of your two-paneled card.
  6. Write in the card. Feel free to write on both sides or only one side of the card.
    • Try to create a message that matches the display item. If it’s a cute or funny image, include a cute or funny message. If it's a simple or elegant image, include a simple or elegant message. The tone of your card should be consistent with the theme of the card.
    • For a cleaner look, create a "Happy Birthday" message in a word processor program and then print and cut it out and include it in the card.

Making a Card With Wallpaper

  1. Gather your materials. Find an envelope, a nice piece of wallpaper, and a sheet of cardstock. Ideally, your envelope color should match the color of your wallpaper.
    • The size of your envelope will determine how much wallpaper you will need.
    • Your wallpaper, when folded in half, needs to be at least 1/8" (.3 cm) smaller on all sides than the envelope. To easily determine if the wallpaper is the right size, trace two envelopes on the back of the wallpaper.
  2. Cut out your wallpaper. Then, fold it in half. If the wallpaper curls, place it under a book or paper weight overnight so it can flatten out.
  3. Get a piece of cardstock and cut it so it is a bit smaller than your wallpaper. Adhere the cardstock to the back of the wallpaper with glue or double-sided tape.
    • Use your hand to smooth out any bubbles or creases.
    • Some wallpaper comes with a sticky backing. If this is the case, simply peel off the backing and attach the wallpaper to the cardstock.
  4. Add a personal message. Choose a saying, phrase, or joke that the recipient will appreciate on their birthday.
    • Use a nice pen or pencil to write a message or saying.
    • For a cleaner look, use a word processor to create a message in nice font and then print it out to attach to the inside of the card.



Tips

  • Handmade cards are the best to show your creativity.
  • Handmade cards don't have to be expensive. Be inventive and use recycled or found material for the card.
  • Feel free to buy decorative flowers, stamps, borders for your card, etc. from your local craft store. Be creative and have fun with your design.

Things You'll Need

Method 1: Making a Basic Birthday Card

  • Construction paper or cardstock and stationery
  • Coloring utensils such as markers, crayons, and colored pencils
  • Envelope
  • Stickers
  • Rubber stamps, photographs, magazine pictures, or images from cards that have already been used
  • Glue

Method 2: Making a Card with a Display Window

  • Cardstock
  • Envelope
  • Item for window
  • Scissors
  • Double-sided tape/glue

Method 3: Making a Card With Wallpaper

  • Wallpaper
  • Cardstock
  • Envelope
  • Glue/tape

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Sources and Citations

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