I was born with a business card in my hand. See, my father owned a printing business before I was even a twinkle in his eye and retired a few years ago after 35(ish) successful years. Now, my brother carries on the business.

Business cards aren’t just for the white collar executives any more. They can be an effective way to share whatever information you have to give. Moms, how many times have you been in the grocery store or the park and you want to give another mom your blog address? Business (or “Mommy”) cards can be pretty handy dandy.

But the traditional business card can start to get pretty pricey when you want to create something unique. Die cuts (fancy, unique cut outs) and embossing (raised graphics or lettering) are not cheap. Ooo…hope my brother isnt reading this post. (Sorry bro.)

With a little creativity and a trip to the stationary or craft store, you can create a pretty stunning and unique card that can set you apart for the rest. And who are we kidding…that’s usually the goal, right?

Here are some ideas that might help you come up with something dreamy…

1. Unique Shape or Size – No one ever said that a business/mommy card had to be 3.5 x 2 in. How about a round or square or some other unique size? Purchase an over-sized punch (like Martha Stewart’s amazing line of punches for paper crafters) and cut out your own. I also love moo.com‘s mini cards.

Photo credit: allgraphicdesign.com

Photo credit: moo.com

2. Make your Own Die Cut or Embossing – As I mentioned, die cutting and embossing can be very pricey and most mom or small business bloggers don’t have the budget to support that kind of expenditure. But another quick trip to the craft store and the purchase of a smaller paper punch or embossing tool can turn an ordinary card into something unique to you.

Photo credit: dailypoetics

Photo credit: creativebits.org

3. Give it a Little Somethin’ Somethin’ - Check out these cute ideas on adding just a little bit of character. Use your imagination…add ribbon, buttons, string, feathers, a brad or eyelet, heck…even googly eyes!

Photo credit: webdesignbooth

Photo credit: creativebits.org

Photo credit: dailypoetics

4. Do The Unexpected - A “card” doesn’t always have to be made of paper. I’ve been to conferences where I’ve received small gift bags, bandaid holders, chocolates and even cloth with all the vitals. It may take a little bit more time and artistic ability, but you could always make your own, very unique, card with a little more effort.

Photo credit: dailypoetics

Photo credit: allgraphicdesign.com

5. Get Clever with Text – There are no rules about what information you need to include, or how it needs to be included. Think outside the box. Display your text vertically, in bullet form, make a simple statement or sentence as your focal point.

Photo credit: dailypoetics

6. Less Is More - I love the idea of simple, clean…even sparse design. White space is your friend and can often times be more effective than a card chuck full of design and text. Take a look at these simple yet smart designs…

Photo credit: dailypoetics

Photo credit: webdesignbooth

7. Cooridnate! – Its always a good idea to coordinate all of your creative material with the design of your blog or site so you have a cohesive, recognizable brand. Sometimes its not always easy to accomplish that on a budget, but it makes a big impact in the end. You can find very inexpensive pre-made card designs on Etsy or vistaprint.com. Take a look at how Adrain’s Crazy Life went the other way around and used a pre-made design style from Vista Print and designed her blog to coordinate…

Photo credit: Adrain’s Crazy Life

8. Make an Investment - I may be a bit biased, but I firmly believe that a good, cohesive design is paramount in the success of your blog or business. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that creating business cards is one of my services (why yes…this is a shameless plug…). But for $50 and the cost of printing (or some nice stationary and a little bit of toner) I can help you create a custom design that’s all your own. Interested? Contact me.

Need more inspiration? Take a look at some of the unique “cards” I’ve come across lately. A little thinking outside the box can go a long way…

Badges from www.erskinedesign.com

Photo credit: webdesignbooth

An old domino

Bobby pin card from yukamakeupartist.com

Now its your turn! Do you offer unique business card creations on Etsy or another site? Or, do you have a card you’re proud of and would like to share? Then by all means…share in the comments!

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