Easy DIY Place Cards

Hi there! The idea for this post started out as a DIY project that I could use for a memorial day get together that we’re having. I wanted to make a little something for the table. A handmade element always seems to add a something a bit more special. I searched Pinterest and didn’t find anything particularly inspiring. Pretty much everything was this cheesy and in your face royal blue, red, and white. It just wasn’t what I was looking for. And then I had this idea to dip dye some place cards and I really love how they turned out so I thought I’d share the very simple DIY for them. What I love most about them is that they could be used for so many things. I originally made them to label what dishes we were serving, but the morning I posted this we were having friends over for lunch and so I set the table with these to photograph them and you would never know that I made them for memorial day. They would also be perfect as place cards or escort cards for a wedding, brunch, baby shower. Honestly the list is pretty endless. I love the subtle nod to the theme they provide while still being beautiful and unique. Give them a try! And I think they would be so pretty in other colors too, if you wanted to go the red route instead for Memorial Day, or just any color to fit whatever occasion you’ve got. Check out the DIY below!

DIY Place Card Tutorial: Use for Weddings, Baby Showers, Dinner Parties, and more!

Project: Dip dyed place cards
Cost: $7
Time: 1 hour
Supplies needed: poster board, ruler (I liked using this sewing gauge ruler to help keep all my lines straight), pencil, scissors, liquid Rit dye in your color of choice (I used navy), glass bowl (or ceramic without any cracks), and a surface that can get messy (like an old card board box)

1. Measure and cut out your place cards from the poster board. I measured the total height (whatever you want one side to be times 2) and then just folded them in half. If you use the handle of your scissors you can get a really good crease without using a bone folder. I used the whole piece of poster board so I’d have extras because place cards are something I love to have on hand for when I need them. It made almost 40! I made mine in varying sizes, which I love the look of. The width was anywhere from 2’’- 4’’ and the height was between 2” – 3.5” for one side.

2. Once all your cards have been cut and folded set up your dyeing station. Here are the things you should prepare:

a. Something you can set your cards on while they’re drying. I used an old cardboard box that I have on hand for things like this.  

b. A medium glass or ceramic bowl for dipping (if you use ceramic make sure it doesn’t have any cracks or the dye will stain them).

c. Fill your bowl with water and add the desired amount of dye. This will depend on how dark you want your cards to be. The good news this is impossible to mess up. If you think your dye bath is too dark just add more water, if you think it’s too light add more dye.

3. Now for the really fun stuff, the dipping! Here are a few tips to help you get the desired affect.

a. The longer you leave the paper in the dye the darker it will get.

b. I used a spoon to help get more than a straight line of dye, but still achieve an organic pattern.

c. If you leave a little dye on the card and lay it flat to dry you’ll get pretty pooling patterns.

4. Let them dry overnight.

5. The last thing you’ll want to do is press them because they warp a bit in the dye bath. I just stuck mine inside of cookbooks and then threw a few more on top. Let them press for two days and then you’re good to go!

I love the organic look of these and how you can make so many at once. Place cards can be somewhat expensive and you get so few I sometimes hate using them, so I’m super excited to have a bunch at my disposal!

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