Make Your Own Mother's Day Card - for free!

I made a mean macaroni art project as a kid.  I could glue pasta products { or popsicle sticks or pipe cleaners as the case may be } on construction paper like nobody's business.  I loved making cards for people, and when we got an IBM PS1 in 1991, and then got Print Shop, I went through reams of that connected paper where you have to tear the little holey edges off making cards for any and everyone.

And then I went to work at Hallmark and my card obsession just got worse.  { Or better, really. } We've given out so many cards in my family that it's almost comical how many repeaters we have.  Especially if there's a cat in a funny outfit on the front.  It's gotten so bad that Dad gave me an Easter card written in Italian.  { Buona Pasqua! } Though maybe that's just because he thinks it's funny when I can't read it.

{ Check it out! }

You know I love Paperless Post for e-cards and e-invitations.  But there's still something to be said for real, tangible cards that show up in the mailbox among the bills and catalogs and such.  And sometimes it's hard to find the perfect one.

I'm beginning to like to make my own.  These days, there are a multitude of online custom greeting card websites.  My favorite by far is TinyPrints.  Their interface is simple and it allows for a good bit of customization for the artsy types { or control freaks } like me.  We ordered our Christmas cards from there, and for Valentine's Day I tested out their individual cards.  Love!

So when I came across their Mother's Day cards... I had to do it again.  { Mom, here's another spoiler alert.  Unless you want to see your card here before you get it in person... maybe save the rest of this post for after May 8. }

{ front }

{ inside spread }

At $3.99 regular price, these aren't any more expensive than a card from Hallmark, Papyrus or a drug store.  And they're a whole lot more personal.  And here's two great ways to get one for free or multiple cards at a 50% off!

To get one card free... check out this little video.  { But hurry, there's a limited quantity! }

And to get the 50% off... enter MDBOGO at checkout.  They're a steal at $1.99!

Pretty & Practical - Paperless Post

{ Remember these things? }

I. Love. Stationery.  And design.  And paper.  Always have. When I was in elementary school, my dad came home with an IBM PS1 and a dot matrix printer.  He installed Print Shop shortly thereafter, and from that day on my afternoons were spent in front of that behemoth creating cards and banners for anyone and everyone.  Stuffed animals included.  I even started a neighborhood club just so I could create membership cards and letterhead.  Only my parents know how many color ribbons I went through.

Then, in high school, I worked at a Hallmark store.  Week after week, I spent virtually my entire paycheck on cards and stationery.  Today, I'm in heaven at places like Papyrus, Crane's and Paper Source.  {My poor husband is a really good sport.  I've already ordered him two sets of monogrammed cards.  He helped tremendously with our wedding thank you notes!}

So as much as I love the speed and convenience of email, something about it just feels so impersonal to me.  It works fine for quick messages, but for special occasions or otherwise important events, I find it subpar.  And while I love how Evite allows you to track responses, the designs are just not my style and their customization options are limited.

{The Premiere Party invitation I made on Paperless Post}

Enter Paperless Post.  It's like they were eavesdropping on my mental wish list and combined everything I ever wanted in online stationery.  You can create a custom look from a litany of beautiful "papers" and motifs, or pick up one of their existing - and lovely - designs.  They even allow you to choose envelope liners. {Swoon!} Birthday cards, personalized stationery and invitations all the way from fun and funky to traditional and chic... I only wish I could order them in real paper!  We used Paperless Post for the invitation to our little "Say Yes To The Dress" premiere party  and were exceedingly pleased.  It's still in Beta {click here to join!}, so I can't wait to see what beautiful new options will come forth as they continue to develop.

In my mind, half the joy of sending someone a kind word is the effort put forth into finding and writing the perfect card.  Paperless Post brings that joy back to email.   So while it's still not a handwritten note, it's close.  Virtual communication just got a whole lot classier.