Monday, 2 July 2012

Homemade Business Cards For Pinaddicts

... or how to pimp yourself for no money if attending a blogging conference!

I am slightly in love with Moo cards. Particularly those dinky little ones.
But, when on a budget and attending a blogging conference, what takes priority? Pennies for post conference drinkipoos or pennies for business cards that are going to get lost in the plethora of free bumf*?

I made an executive decision and went for the drinkipoos option.

That decided, I was left with another dilemma: do I bother with business cards that are going to get lost in the plethora of free bumf anyway, or make some, thus losing any credibility as a serious blogger?

I went for the latter.

A surf of Pinterest and the net, shed light upon a couple of options of home made business cards which, as a blogger who sometimes likes to craft, had potential. So I pinned them on my Pinaddicts board.

homemade business cards bornagaincrafter.blogspot.com
Source: Lyssa-Beth.com

homemade business cards
Source: Madalyn_K

homemade business cards
Source: Craftingagreenworld.com


Then there was the challenge to reproduce something of an equally professional standard. Reminding myself of the less than generous budget for these cards (i.e. zero), I rummaged through my stationery stash and came up with these.

Index card


I have absolutely no idea why I would have index cards but there you go.

Next I had to design the card. I used the ever wonderful Picmonkey for this. And then sized it so that it came out the right sort of size for a business card. Trial and error, I'm afraid. After all, the cards would have to fit into my recycled jeans business card case! I found I could fit 3 cards onto one index card using standard UK business card dimensions.

Then I shoved the index cards through the printer and got the text part sorted.

My iconic Misty Moo had to be on the card so people would recognise me, so I decided to give her a multi-coloured facelift. I resized the original image so that when printed it could squeeze into the space on the card, and then copied it several times in different colours (again using Picmonkey), before arranging them to fit onto A4 paper. I did this on a Microsoft Word document. (Cue gasps of incredulity! But why didn't you use Photoshop/Gimp/Photoscape? I have no idea.)

After trimming the cards and cutting Misty Moos out, I sewed them together.

I made about 30 and gave out half of them, mostly to friends! I did hand them to a couple of sponsors at BritMums Live who will certainly remember them in their piles of cards. And isn't that what you want? People to remember you?

Five Go Blogging Homemade Business Card

Machine Sewn Homemade Business Card

Homemade recycled business card holder

Homemade business cards in a homemade business cards holder

I'd love to know what you think of them. Uber cute? Or Uber trashy?
I'm joining in with the Pinaddicts over at My Love Bumps.

MyLoveBumps

*Definition of Bumf: Printed matter, such as pamphlets, forms, or memorandums, especially of an official nature and deemed of little interest or importance.

27 comments:

  1. aaaah - these look GREAT! I love that you sewed them! people will definitely remember these! great job girlfriend. Thanks for entering our challenge tooooo! xx

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  2. They look amazing, people will remember them and remember you which is the whole point.

    I kind of wish I didn't order mine from Moo and tried something like this instead

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  3. They look really cool! Might have to give those a try. x

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  4. Yep, the sewing bit is v cool! I notice I didn't get one of them though! Hmph!

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  5. Brill! The idea is to stand out and these do... Wonderful idea indeed!

    *presses Uber Cute Button*

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  6. Love them thumbs up for Uber Cute, and way above my skills(you lost me at sizing cards, that is me, not your writing)and a normal business card.

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  7. These are really cool! Very creative. I'm pinning this post!

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  8. These were the BEST business cards I saw at BritMums and your card is still sat in my bag! Which reminds me, I must pin it somewhere :D Ha ha - geddit? Pin it?!!! *sighs*

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  9. They look really great I would never have thought of making them like that! x

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  10. ooooh fab idea! I'm doing that next year! Maybe with triangle cards. ;-)

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  11. Those are briliant! I love finding ideas that cost little to no money to fill a purpose! Good job!

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  12. I think they look absolutely amazing - wish I was that clever of thinking of these things. Keep one for me at Blogcamp please! (and now I feel I have to try and get creative and do some myself - eeek!)

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  13. Definitely Uber cute! I LOVE the way you sewed them - what a brilliant idea :)

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  14. Those are lovely, and they will definitely have stood out, people will definitely hang on to them!

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  15. I loved your cards - and yes, much more memorable than the standard ones (like mine!)

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  16. Nice information, many thanks to the author. It is incomprehensible to me now, but in general, the usefulness and significance is overwhelming. Thanks again and good luck!

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  17. They're brilliant, definitely memorable and far too good to give away. Put them on the mantelpiece and admire your handywork!

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  18. They are no way trashy. I think people would totally respect the fact you've made them youself - and as a crafty type, it makes total sense to craft your cards! Keeping this in mind for when I finally get around to launching my little side project. Great work! xxx

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  19. I would never have thought of making like that...I might Order Business Cards.

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  20. Thanks a lot for those tips!

    Business Cards

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  21. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  22. Inspirational...no words to praise your effort and approach..

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  23. I have enjoyed reading your articles. Thanks for sharing. Recycled Business Cards

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  24. Handy crafts are always attractive for everyone but what about the business presentation when you need to introduce your business you must have a proper and professional business card for this you have to keep Ink and Cartridge fill in printer and working no matter where you are going just drop few cards on strangers hand to introduce your business.

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  25. No wonder why you receive countless of feedbacks.business cards print at 55printing

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Oooh, I do like a good comment :-)