How to Make Handmade Birthday Cards

Teachers are usually very good about recognizing all their students’ birthdays, and we all know how pricey cards can get. I always like to give Madison’s teachers a pack (or a few) of handmade birthday cards, so they don’t have to dig into their own pockets for cards. That’s something I can easily contribute, and I always have fun making them. I like to make a bunch and tie them up in a cute little package, so it’s as much fun for the teacher to receive as it is for them to give!

In addition, they’re usually not too expensive to make, and the process goes pretty quickly once you get the hang of it. Hopefully, we all can spread a little cheer and raise their spirits. They already have to deal with a lot and are often underappreciated, so doing what we can to help, even if it’s just a nice, little gift, can do wonders for helping someone’s day.

Handmade Birthday Cards

With these handmade birthday cards, it’s also fun to let the kids help in whatever their age allows, whether that’s making the cards, attaching a sticker or even writing a personal gift tag note–even if they don’t get the spelling completely right.

I got a chance to try out the new David Tutera paper crafts line (available at Jo-Ann stores) to see just how easy card-making can be. There are tons of fun colors, patterns, and textures, which I think really add to the cuteness of the cards. Especially for younger kids, these designs will be fun to receive from a teacher on their birthday–and the teacher will have fun receiving them from you!

It’s so easy to make fun cards with this 1-2-3 set-up. Everything is labeled by size and step.

1. Choose a card.
2. Choose a layer.
3. Then choose an embellishment.

It’s that easy!

Step 1

 I chose size C, which is  4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ card

Step 2

I used double stick tape to attach a layer onto the top. If the tape is a little wide for the pattern, just cut it into smaller slivers. My double stick tape was helpful because it lets me choose how wide a strip to place, so the process is a little quicker and easier. Just experiment and see what works best for you.

Step 3

Then, I added one of the embellishments. There were quite a few to choose from, including many, many birthday themed ones. No matter what occasion you are making the cards for, I am positive you will find something that suits your needs.

Also, I made sure to add the embellishment on opposite sides of every other card so the whole stack wouldn’t be lopsided. I also didn’t want to accidentally bend the cards when I packaged them together, and weighting them opposite each other like this helped to make sure they stayed straight, neat, and gift-ready!

All in all, I ended up making six Birthday cards. I tried to make a variety, suitable for any gender or color preference. Again, these are just some of the many options. You should definitely take a look yourself to see all the variety!

Step 4

The next step is to tie it up into a pretty package with some twine, also in the embellishment line.

…and then let your little sweetie write a special gift tag for his or her teacher.

This is a great teacher’s gift that you could help your child make, and what child wouldn’t be thrilled to receive a Birthday note on one of the special cards that THEY helped make?

I know Madison always LOVED it!

Hopefully, this helped you make some wonderful birthday card packs to share with some unsuspecting teachers. Or maybe you’re going to make some other kinds of cards: a Get Well pack, a Thank You pack, etc. The possibilities are endless–just like the design options! I hope you all go out and spread some joy and goodwill!

Check out all my other DIY gift ideas.

Disclosure:  I received products and compensation for my time and efforts in creating this project.  All opinions are my own.