Homemade Forth of July Cards

Today is fourth of July! I'm working today which sounds like a whole lot of fun on a holiday, right? My work is providing lunch and I get paid time and a half, so it shouldn't be that bad.

Anyways, another item I had on my 23 Before 24 list was to make cards and send them to friends. I thought 4th of July would be a great occasion to do this because you don't really think of it as a holiday to send cards. Plus, I wanted to try this state idea I've had.

What you need:

Tracing paper or notebook paper
Pencil
Computer or states
Colored card stock
Ruler
Exacto-knife
Rubber cement
Computer paper
Glue stick
Stickers or tape

I started off with a piece of paper that was pretty transparent. Next I looked online for pictures of the states I wanted. I made sure it was small enough to put on the card. Then I copied it by putting the paper to my computer screen and tracing it. It definitely doesn't need to be perfect unless you want it really detailed.

Then I cut the states out. I was going to use an exacto-knife, but I ended up using scissors because I just wanted it to look like the state. I wasn't worried about the details and using the exacto-knife would take too long.

I then traced the states backwards onto red card stock (for the patriotic feel). I did it backwards so I wouldn't have to worry about the pencil lines.

Then I took a piece of light blue card stock and folded it in half.

I used a heavy ruler to make the crease more distinct.

Then I used an exacto-knife to cut the paper in half.

Then I folded the halves in half to make two cards!

Then I lined up the states to see where I wanted them to go.

I used rubber cement to glue them down. I like rubber cement because it dries without wrinkles and if you make a mistake you can easily just rub it away.

Then I made small stars which would be placed over the cities we live in. Again I didn't care about perfection. I thought it would add the cool hand-made effect. I then cut the stars out using scissors.

I used the rubber cement again to glue them down.

I considered making the cards into post cards, but I was afraid of the states coming off in the mail so I made my own envelopes using computer paper. First, I turned the card sideways on the vertical sheet of paper and folded the sides of the computer paper over to measure the size of the card.

The envelope should look like this over the card.

Next, I used rubber cement to glue the envelope together.

I pushed the card half way down to see how far I wanted it to fit in the envelope. Then I folded the bottom of the envelope up and creased it where the card fit in the envelope.

I took the bottom of the envelope and folded it up to the crease I just made.

You should have two creases like the picture above.

I then put rubber cement at the bottom of the envelope where the creases are to keep it together.

Then I used rubber cement on the bottom crease and folded them together. I pressed it together for a few moments so it would not come apart.

Then I put rubber cement on the fold I just made and folded it up one additional time. This time you have to hold it together longer or put a heavy object on it for a few moments. You should have made two folds with rubber cement.

I went back to my cards and wrote 'Happy 4th of July' in them along with a note to each person. I'm keeping the notes private though. :) I then placed the cards in the addressed and stamped envelopes.