Sweet and Personal Card Ideas for National Grandparents Day

Did you grow up close to your grandparents? Some of our fondest childhood memories involved going to our grandparent's houses, hearing their fun adventures and stories, and going home with our bellies and hearts full of grandma's cookies. Oh, how wonderful grandparents are!

Weekend Doodles

On that note, National Grandparents Day 2023 is here, and what better way to show your love and appreciation than with a heartfelt card? If you're on the hunt for card design ideas that are as sweet as grandma's cooking and messages that'll warm grandpa's heart, you've come to the right place. After all, they deserve all the love and appreciation we can muster! So, grab your crafting supplies, and let's make unforgettable cards for National Grandparents Day!

What Is National Grandparents Day?

National Grandparents Day is a day dedicated to our grandparents. It's a day set aside to show love, respect, and appreciation for grandparents and the special role they play in our families. It is typically celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. This year, it falls on September 9, 2023. 

Golden Days

The holiday was officially decreed in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation designating the first Sunday after Labor Day in September as National Grandparents Day.  

Since then, it has become an annual tradition for families to spend time with their grandparents, exchange cards and gifts, and engage in various activities to express their love and appreciation. 

Unique and Personal Card Ideas for Grandparents

Are you looking forward to spending a day with your grandparents and making new memories with them? Why not make your celebration extra special by giving them a heartfelt card filled with personal messages of your fondness for all the value, knowledge, and love they bring you and your families? If you're searching for some beautiful card ideas for grandparents, we hope these projects spark your creative juices:  

Decade-Themed Cards to Make Them Nostalgic

Retro Bicycle

Creating decade-themed cards for your grandparents is a wonderful way to evoke nostalgia and celebrate their memories! Whether your grandparents relate to the 50s or 80s, you can make retro diner cards, fun tie-dye patterns, disco-themed cards, mixtape designs, and funky blobs and shapes. Research the overarching theme of each decade and try to encapsulate that in your design. 

Organize a Family Tree-Themed Design

Do you want to make a truly memorable card, one that your grandparents might even proudly put on display in the living room? Try crafting a card that resembles a family tree! Draw branches for each family member and attach small photos or stamps representing specific loved ones. In the card's center, place a photo of your grandparents! 

Have Fun With a Scratch-Off, Faux Lottery Ticket Card

Want to give a handmade surprise to your grandparents? Make faux lottery ticket cards! It adds an element of fun and excitement to your card, and it's sure to put a smile on their faces. All you need are some extra supplies like clear tape, dish soap, and acrylic paint. 

1. Write down the messages you want to cover on a card panel (preferably heavyweight cardstock or watercolor paper). These could be emotional prizes like one free hug, your favorite memories, your dedicated songs to them, or sweet notes about how they make you smile. 
2. Then, mix equal parts of acrylic paint with dish soap in a container. Mix it with a brush, and you have made DIY scratch-off paint!
3. Cover your notes and messages with clear tape. 
4. Then, apply the scratch-off paint over the tape and layer it until the tape becomes opaque. 
5. Decorate the rest of the card as needed. 

Your grandparents can use a coin to scratch off the paint - just like a lottery ticket, but more emotional since the reward is sweet notes from you! 

Personalize Your Designs With Photos as Card Fronts

Mini Instant Camera Frame Die

Who said that photos are only for scrapbook layouts? If you want to make your cards stand out, there is nothing sweeter than adorning your design with a photo that holds special meaning for your grandparents. It could be a recent family portrait, a candid shot from a memorable event, or a cherished picture from their past. 

Make sure the photo is well-composed and fits snugly into your layout. There are different ways to style a photo - like a Polaroid, collage, or film strip. You can prop it up with foam tape, surround it with wreath die-cuts, or make an outline background pattern - the possibilities are limitless! 

Experiment With an Accordion Fold Card

Craft Your Life Project Kit: Meadow Breeze

Have you tried creating a card with accordion folds? Accordion-fold cards are cards with multiple folds and panels in a zig-zag or alternating fold pattern. The standard size is usually 5x7 inches, but you can adjust it based on your preference and the number of panels you'd like. 

After folding your card accordion-style, in each section, write a message or memory about your grandparents. You can include illustrations or small drawings to add a personal touch. Bonus points if you can ask your little kids to make doodles and drawings around your card!

Create a Card With a Handpicked Bouquet Design

We know we love saying it here at Altenew, but you can never go wrong with flowers! Make a floral card filled with both your grandmother's and grandfather's favorite blooms. Top it off with a heartwarming sentiment and a poem on the inside, and you're all set to make their day on National Grandparents Day! 

Craft Your Life Project Kit: Vintage Tapestry

Fill Your Grandparents’ Hearts With Love Using These Ideas!

All in all, grandparents bring a lot of joy and love to our lives. If you're thinking of the perfect words to say how much they mean to you, we have a special resource filled with Card Messages and Ideas, but here are a few examples to get you started on messages for grandparents:

• In the garden of life, you are the most beautiful and enduring bloom, filling our family's lives with love and wisdom! 
• Your presence in our lives is the sweetest melody, a timeless tune that resonates in our hearts. 
• Thank you for everything that you did and continue to do for our family - your unwavering wisdom and love helped me grow into a better person. 
• The world is a better place because of you, for your love has touched not just our lives but the lives of all who know you.

If you need more card design ideas, remember to drop by our Altenew Blog! We hope you have a fun and meaningful day with your loved ones this National Grandparents Day. Happy crafting!