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Every now and then, a project that’s just sitting on the shelf decides it wants a second life. If you’ve been with Decor8yourlife for a while, you might remember the perpetual calendar I made over the summer. It was a fun project with twelve monthly tags, each decorated in soft, pretty designs. As much as I loved it, I’ll be honest with you… I wasn’t really using it. It looked cute, but it was basically just taking up space.

At the same time, something much more important was happening. For years, I’ve been donating many of my handmade crafts to local churches, nursing homes, and organizations that do their best to bring a little joy into someone’s day. A few weeks ago, I made a sizeable donation to one of our local churches. I wasn’t expecting anything back, but they sent me the sweetest thank-you card with all of the girls’ signatures and even emailed me a photo of one of the recipients smiling with her goodies.

In that email, they mentioned that every month they celebrate the birthdays of the girls who have a birthday that month. Now that they had all of these handmade goodies, those celebrations were going to feel extra special. That one little note made my whole day.

So of course, I replied and told them, “I have a bunch of handmade card samples I’ve created over the years. I’d be happy to send you a box of birthday cards you can use for those celebrations.”

Then reality hit. When I started cleaning my craft room, I realized I really didn’t have as many handmade birthday cards left as I thought. Over the years I must have donated far more than I remembered. I had promised them cards… and only found a handful.

That’s when I looked over at my shelf and saw the perpetual calendar staring right back at me. All twelve monthly tags were just sitting there, waiting for a new purpose. That’s when the “aha” moment happened:

Instead of letting this calendar gather dust, why not turn every monthly tag into a handmade birthday card to donate?

The result is a sweet, meaningful card making project that combines repurposing, using your stash, and making something that will brighten someone else’s day.

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What You’ll Need for These Handmade Birthday Cards

You don’t need the exact perpetual calendar I used. Anything similar will work. Here’s a basic list to get you started:

• Perpetual calendar tags or any monthly tags you’ve created
• Card bases (I used larger ones, but you can adapt to A2 or whatever size you like)
• Pastel cardstock for mats
• A border or edge punch (I used an old Martha Stewart punch)
• Fun foam sheets for dimension
• Adhesive, paper trimmer, scissors, and basic tools

This is a great “use what you have” project. The idea is to work with pieces that are already made, give them a clean background, and turn them into ready-to-send birthday cards.

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How Do You Turn Perpetual Calendar Tags into Birthday Card Fronts?

The process is very simple and very satisfying. First, I started by cutting pastel mats for my monthly tags. The tags themselves already had a lot of personality, so the mats were there to frame them and give each birthday card a finished look. I chose soft colors to match the tags and keep everything in that shabby chic, pastel mood.

A quick tip that works on almost any card size: When you’re layering mats on your card, a good rule of thumb is to go down by one-eighth of an inch for each layer.

For example, if your card base is 6.5″ x 4.5″, you can cut your mat to 6 3/8″ x 4 3/8″. That tiny difference gives you a nice, even border all the way around without making the mat feel too small. It’s a simple little measurement trick, but it makes your handmade birthday cards look polished and intentional.

The first few cards I made used this simple matting approach: card base, pastel mat, monthly tag centered on top. Once I had a couple finished, I decided to step it up and give the mats a decorative edge.

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Creating an Inlaid Border Look with Border Punches

This is where those older tools from your stash get to shine again.

After making two or three cards, I pulled out an old Martha Stewart border punch that I hadn’t used in years. Instead of trimming the mat smaller than the card front, I kept the mat the same size as the card base and punched all the way around to create a pretty inlaid border look.

Because the mat and base are the same size, the punched edge becomes the star of the background. When you layer your monthly tag on top, the card has a beautiful framed effect that looks more detailed than it actually is.

If you have edge dies instead of punches, you can get a similar effect by die cutting a panel and layering it over a solid base. The idea is the same: let the decorative border act as a frame for your tag.

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Adding Dimension on a Budget with Fun Foam

If you’ve watched my videos or followed my projects for a while, you already know how much I love dimension on my cards and journals. Layered pieces, raised focal points, and shadows all add so much interest. The downside is that foam dots and foam tape can get expensive when you use them all the time.

That’s where fun foam comes in.

When you’re shopping for craft supplies and see fun foam on sale, grab a few sheets. You can cut it to any size you need, adhere it behind your panels, and get that same raised look you’d get from foam dots at a fraction of the cost.

For these birthday cards, I used fun foam behind the mats or tags when I wanted a bit more pop. On camera and in person, you get that nice 3D effect without blowing through a whole sheet of foam dots in one sitting.

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Where Can You Donate Handmade Birthday Cards?

This particular set of cards is going to the local church that reached out to me, but there are many places that might appreciate handmade birthday cards:

• Churches and faith-based organizations
• Women’s shelters and family support centers
• Nursing homes and assisted living facilities
• Community outreach programs for teens or girls
• Local charities that put together birthday bags or care packages

If you’re interested in donating, a simple email or phone call is often enough to start the conversation. Just ask if they ever need birthday cards or small handmade items that could be included in gift bags or celebrations.

Even a small bundle of handmade birthday cards can make a big difference when someone is trying to make a group celebration feel special on a limited budget.

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Watch the Perpetual Calendar to Birthday Cards Tutorial

If you’d like to see this whole process in action, you can watch the full tutorial on my YouTube channel, Decor8yourlife. In the video, I walk you through:

• How I break apart the perpetual calendar
• How I choose mats and colors
• How the decorative edge punch creates that inlaid border look
• How I use fun foam to add dimension

You can pause, craft along, or just grab ideas for your own stash-busting projects.

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What Would You Make with the Number Tags?

I still have the small number tags from the perpetual calendar, and my brain is already spinning with ideas: holiday countdowns, treat bags, little advent-style projects, and more.

If you have a fun idea for using those number tags in a holiday or birthday project, I’d love to hear it. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments on the blog or under the video.

Thank you for spending some crafty time with me today.
Until next time… happy paper crafting! 💖