Here's a Christmas card or party invitation that gives you a big bang for your buck. Did you know you could adhere paper party napkins to card stock for an instant card? Think of all the cute napkins out there for holiday parties, baby showers, wedding showers, and birthday parties. This awesome technique makes it easy (and super cheap!) to coordinate your party invitations with your party decorations! Or send a coordinated thank-you card to your guests using leftover unused napkins. Now what domestic diva could pass that up?
One napkin can yield 2-4 cards each, depending on the design and size of your card. Paper napkins, even cute ones, are pretty cheap, from $.50 on clearance to a few dollars, and there are usually 25 napkins per package. You could easily get 50 or more cards from one package of napkins. That's a whole lot cheaper than printed decorative paper. And the texture is almost like fabric once it's adhered to the card stock. No one will guess it's a napkin! Many napkin designs even include a border, so you may not need to add any additional embellishments for a gorgeous card. Here's our easy tutorial to make your own napkin cards, just in time for your holiday party.
Napkin Card Tutorial
What you'll need:
*Decorative paper napkin
*Pre-cut card stock (cut to the size you want your card to be)
*Pad of paper
*Iron, heated to the Wool setting (medium high)
*Plastic wrap
Okay, let's get started!
1. Your napkin will probably be 2-ply or 4-ply. You want only one ply--the decorative one. Separate the layers. It can be tricky to get it started, so you may have to rip a tiny bit of the corner off to do it. Pull completely apart and discard the other layers.
2. Lay your pre-cut card on top of the open pad of paper, face up. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap a little larger than your card, so it hangs over the edges.
3. Position the napkin over your card in your desired position. Make sure the part of the napkin you want on the card is where it should be.
4. Cover the napkin with a sheet or two of the paper pad. Using the "no steam" setting, press the card with firm pressure, holding it for 15-20 seconds on each part of the card. Allow to cool about 1 minute.
5. Carefully pull back the paper and inspect the corners of the card to ensure the napkin has adhered to the card. If not, put the paper back over it and iron again.
6. Cut off the excess portion of the napkin, trimming it to the card size.
7. Leave as is or embellish further. That's it!
Here are a few other napkins we "re-styled" into fun cards.
Looking for more holiday card ideas? Check out Anne Beale Yancey's blog, Mukibug, for video tutorials of gorgeous techniques to make beautiful Christmas cards. Just click on "video" at the top of the screen. They even feature Christmas music so you can get in the holiday spirit while you get inspired!
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33 Responses to “how to make a napkin card (and be the hit of your own party)”
That is amazing. I'm definitely going to be looking for decorative napkins next time I go shopping!
Wow. What a fantastic idea and tutorial!! There are so many beautiful packs of napkins out there that I don't buy as I think it would be a shame to wipe your mouth with them!! This is such a great project to make using them! In fact, I've got some cute pink polka dot napkins in the house right now which would be perfect for this - see you later - I'm off to play :)
Sweet idea! I've never heard of/seen this done! Very cool.
WOW that is AMAZING... What a fantastic idea... Thank you for sharing!
~Jen
Just to let you know that I put a link to this tutorial on a forum I'm a member of because I knew the ladies there would love your idea. Here's the link. Hope you don't mind :) http://www.shabbychiccafe.com/f9/making-cards-using-napkins-2409/
well this is simply brilliant. thanks for the tutorial, i'll definitely give this one a try.
You gals are BRILLIANT!! I'm going to think of that every time I see napkins on clearance after holidays! Thanks so much for the great idea!
Well, I never! That is an amazing idea! Who would've thought there was a use for deliberately melting cling film. Thanks so much!
ok i may just have to give this a try! what a great idea! i love love love it!
Wow, this is SO clever, I love this idea! I'll be linking.
ooooo, Tuesday Morning is chock full of holiday knapkins right now...I should've picked some up!
Wow, fantastic idea! thank you so much.
I nipped over from Shabby chic after Joanne put up a link, i have also linked to you on my blog.
Love your blog and will visit on a regular basis...... [couldnt spell regulally, lol].
I also buy tissue paper from Michaels and do the same thing. You don't have to worry about separating the paper because it is already one ply. I also crinkle my tissue paper up before I iron it and it gives it a cool look.
This is such a clever idea and a great way to go green. I will be trying the cards for Christmas this year.
I have also put a link on my blog so others can benefit from your wonderful blog.
Fantastic what a lovely idea :)
I have done one, not to your professional standards but quite cute.Is On my Blog
Thank you so much for sharing and hope it is alright to have linked to you and put your link on my blog :)
Mary X
Meant to say got your link from Joanne Brown
Great idea. My mother-in-law would love some cards for Christmas. Thanks.
Wow - what a cool idea. I often see amazing naptkins and think how it is such a waste to use them and throw them away... thanks so much!!
That is soooooooooo cool! I'm so excited to do this!
how flipping cool. I'm off to buy some napkins!!!
I just tried it, and it worked! (I have to admit I was a little skeptical.) Thanks for the great tutorial.
i realize i'm about two months late on this amazing post, but a friend just tipped me onto your blog and i LOVE it! amazing ideas. i just started my own crafty/stationery blog and i thought these cards were so brilliant. i wrote a whole post about them tonight...hope you don't mind :)
keep up the great work!
We made some napkin cards last year and they are so quick and easy ... we use jack paper (double sided sticky paper)rather than the plastic wrap and call these 'serviette cards'. I think the plastic wrap would be a cheaper alternative. The girls in my card making group and I went crazy and bought miles of napkins .. maybe we should try to do a swap of some of the styles??
Great blog too
Genius! Found this entry via a Skip to My Lou link. The possibilities are endless!
This is great collection.
It is actually a very nice and different idea. I always though of making crafts with a napkin, but when I thought that a single drop of glue would ruin the paper napkin, I forgot it.
This is a very fantastic idea! This looks so unique! Thanks for sharing this to us.
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WOW that is AMAZING... What a fantastic idea... Thank you for sharing!
Plastic Card.
Wow, this is SO clever, I love this idea! I'll be linking.
Wire Harness
This is such a great project to make using them! In fact, I've got some cute pink polka dot napkins in the house right now which would be perfect for this - see you later - I'm off to play :)
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I did this many years ago with my daughter's girl scout troupe. It was a real hit with the moms as it was a mother's day gift. I am reviving it for Christmas cards. Thanks for reminding me how to do it.
That's a nice project to make a napkins by easy way and i found many great tips to decorate the napkins by easy and nice way!!
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so lovely cards.plastic business cards
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