Wallpaper Place Cards

As promised, here’s how to make my beautiful wallpaper place cards! Each card has the menu typed onto a mounted piece of cream card on the back so each guest knows exactly what they’re eating-thus avoiding any pre-order confusion. Our guests loved these so much that they took them home as a keepsake.

You Will Need:

1. Some beautiful swatches of vintage paper-you can use modern or original and I bought mine from Sweet Kate at Etsy and asked her to put together packs which only had floral designs in (see below).

2. Good quality gold card (approx 175gsm) in A3 (or equivalent size)
3. Good quality cream or ivory card (approx 175gsm) in A4 (or equivalent size)
4. Glue stick
5. A guilotine/stanley knife and ruler to score or sharp scissors.
6. Hole punch.
7. Organic crocheted lace or ribbon to tie. I bought mine from Greentrims at Etsy, but she’s closing her shop at the end of October so get in there quick!
8. A good writing pen.
9. Pencil and tracing paper.
10. The names of each of your guests typed in a suitable scroll font (you will need to trace these).

** please note that I haven’t included quantity as this will depend on how many you wish to make.

How To:

1. Paste your wallpaper sheets onto the plain side of your gold card and cut out each one (these are generally the size of a postcard).
2. Divide each postcard into approx 3 strips roughly the same size at 3 cm wide and 10 cm long. Once complete you will have the basis for your name cards.
3. Put a hole in the end of your card with your hole punch-this is where you will thread your ribbon or lace through once complete.
4. Take your printed names (make sure these are large enough to fit onto your card comfortably and easy to read-I think I used a size 14) and trace each name…this is where it starts to get complicated.
5. Once you have traced your names, turn your tracing paper around and trace the negative of what you traced onto some paper. THEN turn the tracing paper round so the names read the right way and trace a name onto each card, going over what you started with. This should leave you a faint pencil line on your card.
6. Once you have traced a name onto each card, take your pen and follow the pencil line until each name is written in beautiful script. Of course-if you’re really good at calligraphy (which I’m not) or would rather write it another way then feel free! This is rather time consuming but very relaxing if you have the time to enjoy it!
7. Next, type up a condensed version of your menu and repeat this to cover a page of A4. This will become your menu card for the back. They need to be slightly smaller in size to the place card so when you glue it on the back you have the gold rim around the edge.
8. Print off your menus onto the cream card and cut each one out. Carefully glue each slip of card onto the back of your place cards, making sure you leave room for the gold border.
9. Finally, run your lace or ribbon through the hole and tie around your napkin. You’re done!!

I hope this wasn’t too confusing-it’s quite a long winded process but I LOVED making them!

* all professional photos credit to Matt Faber