Thursday, September 3, 2009

Handmade Cards and Bridesmaid Paper Dolls

DIY Ask Your Bridesmaid Cards


all but one of my beloved bridesmaids live hours and hours away from me, so I thought it would be fun to send them a care-package to ask them to be a part of my wedding. who doesn't love getting ACTUAL mail?

1. cut out one girl from the front of an old dress pattern or fashion magazine

2. make a trial stencil on some white paper to make sure her elbows, skirt, and feet would touch and attach correctly in the folds

3. trace one girl onto the nice paper, and began folding the paper enough times to make one paper dolls for every bridesmaid- to put their names on each one later...

4. admire your lovely ring with every fold :)

5. if you have 8 bridesmaids like I do... this may take a couple of days... have patience and try not to get hand cramps! :)

6. Cut thick paper for the card part and fold it in half, trace a rectangle towards the right side of the card for a cut out where the paper doll will show through.


7. decorate the front of the card with a picture of a bride, I chose a vintage dress pattern picture of a bride. me... you?
8. write all of the bridesmaids names on the paper dolls (except the one who the card is for, her doll will say "you?")

9. at first I considered making a pocket to hold the paper doll but when I thought of tying them into the card with a ribbon, I realized it looked a little like a sash on the dress and thought it was a cuter idea...

10. Will you be a bridesmaid in my wedding? unfold the paper doll to see all of the bridesmaids

11. add a personal note on the left side to each one... :)


I made little bridesmaid packages with the cards, one of the Brave Embrace Journals I sell on my website, and some stationary and cool post it notes from Micheals


Matron of Honor: Tally
Bridesmaids: Mali, Nikki, Caroline, Margaret, Grace, Liz, Jenna

it was SO fun to get all of their phone calls on the days they got their carepackages! I was SO anxious to talk to them and start planning! I already had their dresses picked out and the email in my Drafts box! haha...

I am really looking forward to having all of my best friends in ONE room for the first time- my friends from growing up in Texarkana, my camp counselor friends, Loyd's sister- my camp penpal and friend for many years, and one of my roommates from art college! :)

4 comments:

  1. those are amazing deeann! i have never seen anyone do something like that before, what an amazing way to ask your girls :)

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  2. can i be the janitor? seriously, i would clean the floors, or scrape wax off the lanterns for subsequent use if i could get a cute card with a journal. :) so jealous! those are AMAZING! all i did was call mine!

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  3. So lovely!!! I am sure they loved the gorgeous gifts, but were even more overjoyed to be invited to take such special part in your amazing day!!! Love the card idea... Just so original, and so fun!!! Just great!

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  4. Really beautiful! I am going to make these to send to my potential bridesmaids! So pretty!

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