Laser Monogrammed Notecards

I made these coasters as a Christmas gift last year.  They are inexpensive and reasonably quick to make on a laser cutter.  I made it at the TechShop in San Francisco.

You will need:
* Access to a laser cutter
* Note cards and envelopes. I used 3x5 cards.  You can find them at an art store like Blick, Utrecht or Flax.  Lighter colors will generally give you a subtler contrast to the monogram and darker colors will produce a stronger contrast.
* ~20 small weights (I used sections of T-50 staples)
* Painters tape
* Blank newsprint or butcher paper

Step 1: Design your monogram and etching template

You'll need to create a monogram design using a vector drawing program like Adobe Illustrator or Corel.  You can use the attached file as a starting point.

Begin by creating outlines of the cards and envelopes of the appropriate size.  The outer dimensions of your cards should be listed on the pack.  I used a caliper to measure out the flap on the envelope.  Create your desired monogram graphic in the desired location on the card and envelope.  I would suggest making the card and envelope designs different colors so you can set a different laser power. When you're happy with the result, copy it in a grid so you can etch multiple sets at once.  

Comments

[Penolopy Bulnick]

That is really pretty :) I like how it looks on the red cards the best :) You should enter this into the Holiday Gifts Contest!