Back in April (yes, April. I've been taking my sweet time), I was invited to a book launch in London. Fancy schmancy. It was an event stuffed to the rafters with pro bloggers and wedding industry folk, so naturally I felt like a complete fraud and double checked five times that the invitation was actually addressed to me.

Once I'd decided that, yes, I was actually invited and, yes, I was going to take half a day off work and make an 800-mile round trip to attend a party at which I would know precisely two people, I figured I'd better get organised.

I've read enough Alt Summit recaps to know that when large herds of stylish female bloggers come together, it's only a matter of time before they begin to engage in Competitive Business Card Behaviour (Exhibit A, Exhibit B). I don't have a business, so I don't have cards. But as the date drew nearer, I began to panic. What if someone wanted to know about my blog, or follow me on twitter? What if someone gave me their card and I had nothing but my awkward smile to give in return? What if I was unmasked as a fraud and ushered out of the door without so much as a paper pom or a book-themed cupcake?

I needed cards, and I needed them quick. Here, especially for you, is my foolproof guide to making DIY business cards in one day out of random bits of stuff. You're welcome.


1. Search on Pinterest for DIY business card inspiration.

2. Discard anything involving letterpress, online ordering, glitter, pom poms, spoons or plastic animals, i.e. discard 99% of DIY business card inspiration.

3. Find a couple of options that seem vaguely do-able.

4. Visit every stationery shop within a three-mile radius of your flat. Discover that it is literally impossible to buy glassine envelopes or sheets of kraft card in the entire city of Edinburgh.

5. Go back and buy the stuff you saw in the first shop you went to, five hours ago. Cut up some cards you already had in your flat.

6. Decide that customisable stamp thingies are the best thing ever invented.

7. Realise that customisable stamp thingies are also the most fiddly and annoying and stupid things ever invented.

8. Take a five-minute break. Wine optional, but recommended.

9. Decide that washi tape is actually the best thing ever invented. Stick it on everything. Congratulate yourself on your originality and ingenuity. Finish remaining wine.


10. Put business cards in your bag and take to fancy blogging event.

11. Talk to three people the whole night. Make sure that you already know two of them, and that the third one has a lurcher and is therefore guaranteed to be nice. Do not take the business cards out of your bag at any point.

12. Take business cards home again. For bonus points: blog about it seven months later.

Ta-da!


P.S. In the spirit of making things, I also made that text overlay up the top there: here's how.

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