Monogram Notecards



Last month I delivered a late birthday gift.


I used some cute pink notecards, cut out the label shape and letterpressed the monogram in navy.  I haven’t played much with my letterpress and hope to use it more.  I love the look of it.


These label dies are one of the best craft purchases I’ve ever made.  I use them for so many things, especially for gifts.  They were, once again, the perfect shape.


I’m so glad that navy blue is back in style.  I’ve always loved it and I like it with so many colors.  These pink and navy cards are no exception.  I hope my friend at least finds them useful.

A Special Box

I had an item on my January to-do list that might just qualify me for the looney bin, but which actually put a smile on my face.  It took me an extra day to finish this project, but it’s done.


I made my Christmas cards for 2012.   Strange?   Absolutely.  Wonderful?  YES!  I know I could just upload a picture to a template, type in a quantity and be done but for some reason I’m not ready to do that yet.  I still want to make my cards, but the past couple of years have taught me that my fall and winter season is always overcrowded and my cards end up being a source of stress (not until I’m half done with them, that is, when it’s too late to back out and upload a picture).  If I carried one thing forward from the holiday season we just enjoyed, it was  a determination to make sure that this year is better.  So I spent some time in January doing just that.


I’ll have a bit of work to do in the fall when I get them back out but it’s only to add the finishing touch.  All supplies for this, including envelopes and an updated Christmas card list sit in the box.   I made a list of notes to myself about what still needs finishing (add a greeting and a photo) and now I’m done.


There was something really nice about investing now in my emotional well-being down the road.  Something nice about preparing a gift for myself to appreciate in another ten months.  Something about doing it makes me feel more like I’m worth it, and it feels good.

Hopeful Homemaker

Handmade Cards



I’m working on being a better friend this year, and remembering birthdays is one of the way I intend to do it.  I also plan to make handmade birthday gifts this year for several reasons:  it allows me to be creative, it encourages to use my supplies and allows me to personalize gifts.  A box of handmade notecards was my first gift this year.

These notecards were made for an amazing friend, one who uses the art of the handwritten note liberally to bless the lives of others.  I wanted to make something she could use anytime she wanted to send a note in the mail.  I ended up going with ultra simple designs, letting them speak for themselves.


I was pleased with how the bicycle card turned out.  The stripes, the scallop edge and the image of a bike are all simple but happy.

I also made some little gift tags that can be used anytime, complete with baker’s twine and a little chevron bag to keep them in.


I bought a box for the notecards to fit in and personalized it on the front.


Then I tied the sets of cards with green and white twine and placed them in the box.  I like how it turned out and I hope that she likes them, too.  She is one of the best people I know.


A simple, but I hope a useful, birthday gift.  I finished the project with a birthday card and some ribbon.




What have you made lately?

Hopeful Homemaker

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