DIY: Tutorial on Napkin Notecards Craft Project

"If you want happiness for an hour -- take a nap. If you want happiness for a day -- go fishing. If you want happiness for a year -- inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime -- help someone else." 

-- Chinese Proverb 

And that we did for this DIY project!

Each summer a group of teacher friends come to the lake and we do some crafty type of project in between visiting, eating, checking out local thrift shops in the area for supplies and enjoying all that the lake has to offer. 
In the past, we have created jewelry items, written and framed poems or verses, decorated wine glasses and silverware with wire and beads, bought thrift store plates and made cake plates gluing on a glass pedestal and bookmarks. But this year was one of our more creative/unique sessions using napkins to create stationary.  
Since we all have a good supply of  leftover napkins,various sizes, there were lots of choices.   

You will need the following for this project:

• blank white note cards with matching envelopes small or large (craft stores like Michaels is a good source)
• napkins (cocktail or dinner size)
• large roll of freezer paper (grocery store or Wal-Mart)
• spray adhesive (we used Scotch 77 Spray Adhesive, a red can with purple top found at Target or Wal-Mart but another choice is Loctite Spray Adhesive found at Michaels)     
• glitter glues 
• iron
• ironing board
• grocery paper bag cut in half
• sharp scissors

Procedure:

• Take apart the layers of napkin. Most come in 3-ply. For first layer start at corner and peel off and for second layer start in middle of napkin and us a long straight poke a tiny hole to get started peeling off second layer.

• Cut a grocery bag in half and place on ironing board. Lay napkin on top of bag front side down first and using iron (no steam, medium heat) gently press out wrinkles and then flip napkin over and press again making sure creases in the napkin are pressed out.

• Place a sheet of freezer paper (larger than napkin) shiny side to back side of napkin and using a little warmer heat press corners first to adhere napkin to freezer paper. Then iron to make sure all of the freezer paper is bonded to napkin.

• In this photo the napkin has been bonded to the freezer paper. Take a blank note card and decide where your card is going to be placed on the napkin design. (one napkin could be used for two note cards depending on the design) 
• Place a light pencil X on the corner of the note card 

• Take napkin that has been pressed to freezer paper and place wrong side down on ironing board. Place blank card with a pencil X face down on the napkin centering the design over the napkin and crease three sides with fingers going around the card 

• Remove card from napkin and place a piece of paper or piece of a paper bag inside (keep note card side with pencil X right side up) The purpose of this paper insert is to keep adhesive off the inside of note card when spraying. 

• Spray outside for adequate ventilation. Place notecard on newspaper or in a box.  

• Spray adhesive on the front of blank card that has a pencil X on it. Pick up card and remove paper insert and center sprayed card on napkin making sure the pencil X is in corner of creased fold. Press down with hand firmly to adhere card to napkin.

•  Use a sharp scissors to trim napkin away from card.

• Use glitter glue with a fine tip to outline various parts of the napkin design. Unfortunately, the glitter effect on these completed note cards did not show up well on a picture. 
• There are lots of possibilities with these cards. As a gift idea you could make an assortment of cards with their envelopes and tie with a ribbon. Another idea is to take a piece of scrapbooking paper that has a design on both sides and make a large envelope. Place completed cards inside.  
• One tip that works well for project if time is not a factor place completed note card (before adding on glitter) between books to flatten out for a few hours. Then decorate. 

Any questions on this project please post in comment box and I will respond back. It's a fun project especially when done with a group to help each another.