Looking for the perfect place card to create for your holiday dinner this weekend?  I, too, have been drawn to all of the beautiful Easter place setting pictures I have seen in magazines, online, and on everyone’s pinterest boards. Martha Stewart has a lot of time to make these beautiful creative place cards!  She’s Martha Stewart!

When I make place cards – or should I say – when I actually have the time to sit down and craft something like place cards, I tend to make them more “generic” so they can be used more than once a year.  After all, it is usually the same people gathering around the table for different events and holidays all year-long, isn’t it?

I pick something seasonal at least, or a color that goes with a certain set of dishes. (My fine china is solid white, so that’s a bonus. Paired with pastels is great for spring, paired with red and green works for the winter holidays. ) And hey – sometimes you are using paper plates (in pretty colors of course!)  First, I buy the business card paper at Staples or any office supply store. Next, I use the computer to print out the names I need – right justifying the names so that the left hand side of the business card allows for a picture to be added.  (Now you have a template. Change the font and colors of the names to make different place cards.) Then, I use a stamp and markers to add the final touch.

Here are the place cards from my rehearsal dinner before my wedding, four years ago!  I still use them.

I used a basic sunflower stamp and brown stamp pad.  I printed the names in brown and with markers colored the sunflower in.  And yes – I walked around after the rehearsal dinner and collected them up! It’s just as nice and can be used for many months… spring, summer, even fall, if I use brown and yellow on the table.

Much more versatile than an Easter Bunny.

Are you sending invites out for your meal/ holiday / event?  Here is our rehearsal dinner invitation.

I found this card stock at AC Moore and incorporated the same sunflower stamp. Since the card stock was yellow, I didn’t color the sunflowers in on the invitation. You can use this idea for  different parties or holidays. I even found clip art that was very similar to the sunflower, so I was able to make a return address label that linked to the sunflower theme.

And as you can see, I still have the place cards that I can use for multiple holidays and gatherings throughout the year.

Are you using place cards this weekend?  What do your favorite place cards look like?  Leave me a comment and let me know.  Happy crafting!