DIY Business Cards

I told you that I recently attended my first blogging conference, Haven.  What I didn't share were my business cards that I made prior to Haven.

I didn't make the actual business card.  I ordered those but what I did make were the business card holders and swag that I attached to each card.  So here's how I did it:

Ordered some snazzy business cards with all my perts.

Dug through my stashes of old handwritten recipe cards

Located one awesome Martha Stewart paper punch.

This paper punch doesn't punch all the way through.  Some of the flower image is still attached, allowing it to make a 3D effect.  See? Awesome.

I punched the card in opposite corners which made the perfect slot to hold my business card.  But, just to be sure my card didn't slip out, I added a piece of washi tape :)

Now, the card was looking great but I needed to add a little something to hold some swag.  I found this!  A small manila coin envelope.  Perfect size to add to the card.

However, the little envelope was just a (yawn) plain...cute but plain.  So, I pulled out my rubber stamps and found just the right one.  I carved this bee stamp a few years ago and have become somewhat addicted to carving rubber stamps.  (I'll be creating a video soon so that you can carve you very own too!)

Under the bee, I wrote "yourself"...get it "bee yourself!"  

  

Time to finish it off and add a little goody to the envelope.  I hole punched the envelope after enclosing a small individually wrapped mint that I picked up from the wedding section of Michaels.  Threaded some twine through the opening in the top flower punch on the card and the hole in the envelope to tie everything together.  Now, they're ready to start handing out!  Oh, wait...

Because we DIYers are never satisfied, I had to create another stamp with another saying.  In this one, I carved a Ball mason jar because don't all home/lifestyle bloggers love mason jars?!  The message here was "Have a Ball" at the conference, at home, at life...whatever you do.  

I hope this sparked some ideas for you.  I enjoyed sharing these cards at Haven...all 50+ of them.  The greatest part was that in exchange, I received 50+ cards from all the great bloggers that I met.

Now, I have to interrupt our post to mention this.  The first Ball jar stamp that I carved was totally awesome.  That is until I inked it up and stamped my first envelope.  Do you know the first rule in stamping words or lettering??  Yep, it has to be mirror image.  It actually took me a third try to get the lettering and a jar shape that I was happy with.  See, we all have those less than perfect attempts at doing things.  Kind of like Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat.  Did you know he was also once known as the King of Strikeouts?  Yep.  Michelangelo said, "If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all."  No one gets it right the first time, everytime.  It does take work but it also takes allowing yourself to fail in the attempt.  So, even though I love sharing beautiful projects, I also want you to see that they don't just happen.  There are a lot of "fails" beforehand.  Beginning this Friday, I am going to begin a regular post entitled "Reality Check".  Believe me when I say, I have lots to share in this area.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!!

Angie

I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE

Mason Jar and Wood Slice Tag

We have an amazing ministry in our town called Greenhouse Ministries.  They offer food, gas vouchers, housing assistance, GED tutoring, and a host of other classes to help those in need in our community.

source

Their current facility is bursting at the seams and in desperate need of more room.  A group of supporters is hosting a Denim and Diamonds Raffle and Auction to help raise funds for Greenhouse's expansion.  I've helped with events at Greenhouse in the past and I was excited to be asked to help with the decorations and displays for this event.

Photos via www.readyvillemill.com

The Denim and Diamonds Raffle and Auction will be held at a historic mill in the Readyville community.  To go along with the theme and the historic, old building, I needed to come up with a container to hold the tickets for each raffle item.  This is similar to a silent auction except that guests will purchase raffle tickets and place them in the container beside the item they hope to win.  The more tickets you place in the container, the better your chance to win!

So, what did I come up with??  Here it is:

A simple wide-mouth mason jar with a wood slice tag to mark the item number, a small envelope that will contain the item description, and jute and denim ribbons.  (The ticking fabric is just for the photo!)

Using my husband's chop saw, I cut the wood slices from a fallen hickory branch.  It went very quickly but you do have to be careful when you're cutting thin slices.  The spinning blade will try to throw the slice backwards once it's cut.  Always wear your safety glasses and keep your hand that is holding the branch at a safe distance from the blade.  Once the branch becomes too short to handle safely, stop.  A natural branch is not level or square and could become difficult to hold securely.

Once I had the slices cut, I placed them on a foil lined cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven...just to make sure there were not any bugs living in the bark.  The limb was still green so placing it in the oven helps dry it out.  After the slices were dried in the oven for about an hour, I painted the centers with black chalkboard paint and drilled a hole in the top to string the jute through.

It's a very simple project but looks great!  These could be used for weddings as table markers, for cookouts to hold utensils, or even as candle holders using tealights.

As you can see from the photo, the branch has lots of lichen and I left it attached.  I like the natural look of it.

Once the evening is over, I will have a nice supply of the wood slice tags to use again.

I had more of the branch left over after the tags.  I made something else but I'll post more on that this week.  Let's just say it involves more gold paint!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie


I'll be sharing this project here: