Adding a little embellishment to a homemade card makes all the difference. It's easy to do with paper that already has a printed design. We personalized this card by sewing stitches over certain elements of the design. With tactile elements sewn cards are great for low-vision or blind friends. Here are some instructions to help your project turn out better from the start.

Raggedy Ann Prim Stitch-A-Card Project How-To

1. Begin by gathering your materials. Paper, Cardstock, glue stick, scissors, thread, needle, ruler, razor blade, cutting surface, hard flat pillow or other surface to lay your card on that can be punctured without damaging it.

2. Decide what part of the design you want to use for your card. Cut your paper down to size allowing a little extra room for final trimming on the open sides of the card.

3. Fold your cardstock in half and lay your paper over it to determine your positioning. Your stationery piece should lay flush against the folded edge of the cardstock. Glue your front piece to the cardstock.

4. Wait to trim your edges completely down to size until after you've sewn the card. Just trim so that the paper doesn't lap over the cardstock and get bent as you sew.

5. Cut out and glue on any additional elements you want to have on your card. You can use another portion of the design to set off the inside of the card. If you would like to stitch lettering on the front write your words very lightly with pencil or print them on the paper with your printer before cutting it (Print first on plain white paper and hold it up to a window or light table with the stationery design to line up the text where you want it before printing on the stationery).

6. Now that your paper pieces are all glued together you are ready to stitch on your card. Begin by threading your needle and knotting the ends together. Give yourself a good amount of length but not so much that your thread will get all tangled. Start your needle from the inside cover of the card front.

7. The best way to sew through paper or cardboard is to punch your holes from the front before threading through. Decide what kind of stitch you want to use and which elements of the design you want to embellish. Lay the card on a hard pillow and puncture holes through your card with a sharp needle. You can punch and then thread as you go or do all the holes at once - keep track so that as you end your design your thread will end up back on the inside of the card. Now pull your threaded needle through all the holes and end with a knot on the inside.

8. For this card I embellished around a heart, the nose and the hair bow, stitched over the hair, and added real buttons over the button eyes. You may want to sew on real buttons, bows, or other items for added effect.

9. Glue a piece of cardstock inside the front of your card to cover up the knots and stitches. Let the glue dry. Now trim your open edges. For the straightest cut, use a ruler and razor blade on a good cutting surface. With the card folded closed cut through all layers of the glued paper and cardstock at the same time. You now have a well made handmade card.