DIY | YOU'RE A GEM! CARDS

One of my most favorite things is to receive letters in the mail. But even more than that, I love to send mail. 

Birthday card making is one of my favorite things because it's a good excuse to send someone I love something more than a facebook post or text message. Last year I even made birthday books for some of my best friends that I didn't get to celebrate with at home. I haven't made cards in a while, but Joyce inspired me to get back into it!

"You're a gem!" is a new popular saying that I love. Who wouldn't want to be called a gem? I made these thank you cards for my friends and family who gave me gifts for my baptism. I was so overwhelmed by the sweet words they wrote to me- words of love, and encouragement, and joy! I hope these cards help express some of my love to them.

Supplies:

• blank note cards
• alphabet stamps
• newspaper
• pen
• white Elmer's glue
• gold glitter
• gold stamp pad
• gold sharpie

Sketch your gem on a piece of paper. Place a piece of newspaper (with a huge picture facing down) between your gem and the front of the card. Using a pen, trace over the gem.

The newspaper should act like a carbon copy paper and transfer the gem outline onto the front of your card. It's important to push down fairly hard when tracing to get a better line. Also, when you trace the next cards, make sure to move the newspaper a little so the ink from the new placement will transfer. It doesn't matter too much if the lines aren't complete - this is just a guide for your glue.

Using regular Elmer's glue, trace the gem starting with the outline and then the inner lines. Use the orange tip on the glue bottle to smooth the glue into thicker, flatter lines.

Sprinkle glitter over the glue gem and shake the excess off onto a shoebox lid or newspaper to help with clean up. 

I used alphabet stamps to stamp the phrase "you're a gem!" I debated whether or not to stamp the word "gem" because I wasn't sure if people would get it...but I think it looks cuter this way.

I stamped Matt 5:16 on the back:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, 

that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

(NIV)

I'm so thankful for these gems in my life, that shine bright!

*I drew the apostrophe and colon in with a gold sharpie because my stamp kit didn't come with those symbols and it was a simple fix. 

xoxo, allison