By
eHow Holidays & Celebrations Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Blank card or card stock
- Paper trimmer or scissors
- Small photos
- Memorabilia
- Embellishments
- Stamps and ink (optional)
- Letter and shape stickers (optional)
- Adhesives
- Marker
- Envelope
- Patterned paper
Step1
Buy a blank card or cut a sheet of card stock to size with a paper trimmer. Fold it to fit within a coordinating envelope.
Step2
Gather items you can use in your collage such as small photos, memorabilia like ticket stubs and snippets from magazines and programs, old notes or stickers that suit the birthday theme.
Step3
Trim and arrange the pieces until the surface of the card is completely covered. Remember, collage is traditionally free form, so the layers don't have to sit perfectly straight. Add more snippets until you feel it's complete.
Step4
Add meaning by stamping a message, memorable quote or birthday greeting in one corner or along the bottom.
Step5
Embellish further with dimensional accents like buttons, charms, epoxy stickers, ribbon and fabric.
Step6
Adhere the layers with liquid glue, double-stick tape or spray adhesive. Use foam tape to add dimension to some of the accents. If you've created an entirely flat collage, consider sealing it with a layer of decoupage glaze, available at crafts stores.
Step7
Use stamps or a marker to write a personal note inside the card.
Step8
Decorate the inside of the envelope with a matching piece of patterned paper. Adorn the front with lettering written with colorful markers, added with letter stamps and ink or small letter stickers. Insert the card, then seal it shut with a decorative sticker.