How to make invisible business cards

Saturday, November 02, 2013


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.

SEE ALSO:

12 boats moored

  1. Nice! I think there must be some kind of Sod's law about business cards, it is traditional that you *never* have them when useful. X

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  2. even though they never made it out of your bag, your business cards are very pretty - plus you don't need to panic before your next fancy schmancy event because you'll be ready to go!

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  3. I'm enjoying this blogging every day in November thing hugely already. :D

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  4. ...so what did you put inside those mini envelope 'biz' cards? It's great what a last minute deadline can manifest. Well done on your ingenuity :)

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    Replies
    1. The business cards ended up just being flat kraft card that I made from cutting up some cards I already had, and then I put them all in the wee envelope to keep them safe (and apparently prevent me from handing any out!)

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    2. ...ahh! I see :) I do like the mini envelope-card idea as a means to insert a little silly nonsense (saw your inspirations), or something related to your blog/biz into the giving... Of course, you could always create yourself some simple 'calling cards' with the help of a little Moo and your blog header. But I do like your DIY version all the same :) Whatever, now you have some for 'next' time ;)

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  5. Hah! Glad to know I'm not alone in this sort of thing; I went to a definitely-not-as-cool professional librarian conference a month ago and a few days before the event realized I didn't have any business cards. I scrambled to Moo and put together something with my standard Master of Kibrary Science, Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone cards, got them juuuust in time...............and gave out exactly ONE during the three days. I wish I'd gone with the DIY version in a way, but then I might be even more peeved with myself in the end! (Yours look adorable!)

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  6. Brilliant Kirsty. You are the master narrator of DIY card making. And, my hero :)

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  7. That is some top-drawer, A-grade self-deprecation. I congratulate you!

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  8. I love the cards. I love the story more. I think handing out cards feels super awkward.

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