Name Banner Card

A Visual Arts & Crafting Project

I like to make one-of-a-kind greeting cards for my family and friends. Here are the instructions for making a personalized card that's suitable for a birthday or any special day.

First create your pattern: In pencil, lightly write your friend's name in large block letters (at least 3"-high) on a sheet of watercolor paper or card stock. Make sure to leave a little extra space between each letter to allow for the objects you will glue onto your pattern. If the name is longer than your paper allows room for, butt another piece of paper up to the edge and use masking tape on the back to join the two pieces. Make this joint the center point of the name (the card will fold at this point.) For example for my friend STEP-HANIE, her name went onto two strips of watercolor paper hinged between the "P" and the "H" in her name. For longer banners, repeat the process.

Next, gather together catalogs, magazines, personal photos, rubber stamps and stickers, anything that contains small objects (or other things like photos of mutual friends) that can fit onto the name pattern you have drawn. NOTE: Do not cut up any actual photographs, make color copies of them and cut up the copies.

Carefully cut the objects out and arrange them over the pattern until you have all pencil lines covered and the letters of the name are seen clearly. If you decide to use rubber stamps, stamp on another sheet of paper, and cut that out to determine placement-- this will allow you a little more flexibilty when re-arranging the objects. You can then either glue the stamped paper down, or restamp directly onto the watercolor paper when you're sure of where you want the stamped image.

Step away from the card and look at it from a distance to make sure you have captured each letter. When you are totally satisfied with the overall placement, glue the objects down.

When the glue is dry, carefully erase any pencil marks that can be seen. With a fine-point, felt-tipped, permanent ink pen, outline loosely about 1/8" around the objects that now create each letter. This step helps to define each letter more clearly. The card is now essentially finished, however, you may wish to color in the background (outside of the pen-lines) so that the letters visually pop-out further.

Trim the banner 1/2" or more both above and below the name, and cover any making tape with coordinating or contasting paper or fabric. Don't forget to dedicate (ie. "For Stephanie, Happy 21st Birthday), sign and date your unique creation.

Here is a sample of the name "MEG".

Back to Past Visual Arts & Crafting Projects
Back to Visual Arts & Crafting
Back to Home Page