Wendy Johnson
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out!
Up came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again!
This sunny collection from Piggy Tales called Itsy Bitsy Spider inspired this little collection of cards for a class retreat I taught at last December. I love the sunny yellow, grass green and beetle black for a very colorful combination!
One of my favorite things to do is take a collection of supplies and create little sets of coordinating cards to give as gifts to others. I have a basket filled with these little gifts so I’m always ready for those last minute tokens of appreciation, birthdays or just because. How many of you enjoy creating coordinating card sets? If you’re like me and always looking for new ideas, here’s a few to try!
- For the gardener in your life, create a cute set embellished with a gardener’s theme and tuck them inside a set of gloves or a flower pot wrapped with a bow.
- Create a cute set of cards tucked inside a mini loaf pan for the queen chef or baker herself!
- For the teachers in your lives, try creating an adorable set and tuck them inside a cute lunch pail or pencil box.
- Give the gift of birthday cards to someone special and wrap long skinny balloons around the set for a festive look!
The next time you have a gift to give, try giving a part of yourself and create a cute set of cards. The recipient will love you for it!
Wendy, Paper Crafts Pro
P.S. Need some design inspiration? Our latest special issue 225 Cards & Gifts has a whole chapter dedicated to gifty card sets! And since I’m feeling generous, I’m giving away three copies right here! Leave a comment telling me fun ways you would package a card set (see examples above). All comments must be received by midnight (MST) on Thursday, May 7. The winners will be announced on Friday’s blog!
As long as the presentation of the cards involves some luscious ribbon, how can you possibly go wrong?
I really think the SKy is the limit when it comes to packaging card sets!
The only thing that limits you is your imagination. 
I loved all the ideas you had, Wendy! 
I like getting Lauren’s templates at Papertrey Ink and making gifty things with them. For a “spa” type card set (girly girl/thinking of you/etc.) Get a fun basket and add some homemade bath salts, bodywash, candles, etc and then add a card set in a clear gift container (clear cardstock I get from Papertrey) and WALLA…a fun gift!
Two of my favorite types of gift wrap are comic pages and brown paper bags, sometimes decorated, sometimes just tied with ribbon or netting. Both go with the eco-chic theme that is so popular nowadays, though we’ve been doing this for years.
I like to bundle up with raffia or ribbon, maybe attach a bag of tea or something. Thanks!
I agree. A set of coordinating cards are really awesome. I like to make large folders with different pockets to gift my cards. That way, when you open the envelope, you can take each individual card out of its respective sleeve. I also like decorating boxes and gifting them or making a co ordinating set where I have small gifts alongwith the cards all done up individually using a particular color scheme and then putting them into a basket to make a gift hamper. I love the ideas you gave. Got my brain wheels turning.
I have wrapped up baby shower gifts in a receiving blanket fastened with diaper pins. I think that you could make the mom-to-be some thank you cards wrapped up in a clothe diaper, fastened with diaper pins! That way, no packaging to waste!
I make cute little purses out of paper and put the note cards inside. I also make little sacks out of large envelopes and add ribbon. There are so many ways to spice up a gift of cards. Thank U for the chance to win. I have looked in my area and will have to travel about 30 miles to get my hands on one of these magazines. Maybe you can save me the trip!
I usually bundle my cards with big fancy ribbon or put them in an altered paper gift bag.
I like to cut purses and paper boxes to fit my card sets. Thanks for all of your great ideas.
I like making a pack of Thank you notes or note cards to give as gifts. I gave that as a teacher’s gift last year. Thanks for a chance to win this great sounding book. Jenny
It would probably be easy and cute to make a small fabric bag and place handmade cards inside. I would love a gift like that!
I typically package mine up in coordinating gift bags or folder. Sometimes I’ll just wrap them in a pretty ribbon with a coordinated tag.
I like to keep it really simple and package them in the clear boxes you can buy. It’s kinds of boring but I love the focus to be on the cards themselves.
I like the idea of giving a new mom a basket full of baby stuff with some handmade thank you cards. Thank you cards are a necessity after having a baby!
I believe in your magazine this month you wrote anout hand made envelopes. I would make a big envelope, big enough for all the cards and coordinate the decoration with the cards!
These are darling! I love the colors!
I like to tie simple twine around a card set and give it in a basket along with another homemade goody like cookies, candies or jam.
Ooh, these colors would like for a card set wrapped in some tulle or a silk scarf, and then tucked into a box of fancy chocolates as an indulgent gift for someone special.
I love to package card sets in organza drawstring bags and tie coordinating ribbons around the gathered drawstring.
In the past I’ve simply tied the cards with a nice ribbon and bow. I am contemplating using Lauren Meader’s templates in the future – her projects like yours, are very professional and eye catching.
This is great! thanks for the opportunity!
this would be perfect as a mother’s day gift.
this would be perfect as gift for my mom on mother’s day.
i need help with ideas for giving card sets. i usually just box them in a clear plastic card box and tie with a bow. but a few times i have included them with fabric tote bags that i have made. i love your idea of giving them to my baker friends in a loaf pan or something. i always appreciate more ideas, i would love to see your magazines.
I usually get pretty felt fabrics and then embellish it with flowers for a girl or something boyish for a boy.
I like the timeless templates from PTI, but I am always up for new ideas!
How about in a cute little paper sack decorated to match?
LOL! I named this paper line!! No joke!! Itsy Bitsy is my son’s favorite song, so I named the paper line and this is what the artist designed.
Isn’t that cool? I just had to share! 
Your project is fantastic!
(don’t enter me into the contest please.
)
Gorgeous cards! Sometimes I sew a little bag to reuse that matches.
I have actually never made a card set as a gift, but I *should* . . . . thanks for the chance to win!
For the man in my life, I like to make him card sets of cards he can give me throughout the year. I package them in a tackle box, with the current year’s fishing license. Then he gets something for himself as well!
I love these card sets–in fact I plan to make a few to take on our trip to Germany this summer, we will be staying with a few friends and family members along the journey, I’m even going to find the German phrases for things like “Happy Birthday” etc. I know for our trip I will have to package them in something light, a box made out of CS that I would “bling” up with special die cuts etc. But if weight were NOT a concern, I think I would try to find a tin, recyled from a cosmetics company or craft supplies, decorate it with photos, flowers etc so that once all the cards were used, it could be used for other storage uses–craft supplies, nail polish, makeup etc.
I would package it in a little basket with a matching pen.
I like to make a matching box. The project shown today is cute!
I go to an Art class so I think it would be fun to stack a number of cards on a mini easel tied with a length of string with a couple of paint brushes attached.
Cheers, Irene
For someone who loves to cook or bake I would tuck the cards into a little altered recipe box. I’d throw in some recipes too of course!
I love those cute little purses/totes made from paper that people tuck cards in!
I’m giving my mom a card set packed in a matching patterned paper purse-shaped box.
Your box of cards is just adorable…love that paper and those colors!
I like to put my gift card sets in a matching purse or tote…like the one featured in your magazine last year.
Thanks for a chance to win!
I love your set and matching box! And also thanks for your packaging ideas – now I want to get busy and make some myself. I’ve usually just tied them with ribbon or I’ve used a tin that I’ve saved from a different product.
For a coffee lover, I’d put the set in an empty coffee tin, matchingly decorated.
Great color combo! Love the ribbons! I’d decorate aa plain gift bag, matching the card set theme… that always works and easy to do.
) TFS!
Wonderful job, love the color coordination! I like to really doll things up and make an entire match set with Monogrammed envelope(on the back), then stick everything in coordinating basket, shrink wrap it and but a big bow on it. Makes wonderful gift for Christmas, Birthdays, and Mothers’day.
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