That's funny that they're "in" now...my mother always told me if I hang on to certain things, they will come back around.

I've been using them for at least 10 years (but I'm Southern, we do those kinds of things ;). They are wonderful to pull out and hand to a friend you haven't seen in awhile when you run into them (instead of hunting for your paper and pen). I ordered my last ones on the internet.

You are a very thoughtful friend.

Would you be willing/able to show the style of your cards? Feel free to black out personal info. Did you use just text or add an image?

Oooooh, I love that idea as a gift! I've been thinking about getting some for myself too. Since I'm not really working right now, I don't have business cards and I'd been wondering if it would be tacky to just get some with my personal contact info. Even just shopping for furniture, I've wished I had a card I could hand to salespeople instead of standing there reciting my numbers.

Another great personal gift idea, is to have a rubber stamp made with the person's name and/or a little pitcture (eg., if they cook you could get a wooden spoon underlining their name).

Oh, I like the stamp idea! I could use the same symbol on the cards and then give the stamp as an accessory. Any idea of the cost of having a stamp made?

I first heard them called "mom cards". A lady in my son's toddler group was giving them out when arranging playdates and such. I can see how they'd have many useful applications and thought it was a fun idea.

My scanner isn't working, but I've posted the link for you below.

My mother loved Victoriana, and she ordered the ones with violets on them, and I ordered the embossed cards. The embossed ones are very lovely, but the raised areas tend to pick up dirt in your wallet, etc. I would love to order the brown cards next, but my name is rather long. I guess that they could do it on two lines.

I'm sure that you could order more tailored/modern cards from a local firm or internet site that makes business cards, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Victorian calling cards

What a neat idea! I've got business cards, but I think it'd be fun to be able to pull out a personal calling card and give it to a friend or to someone I'd just met outside of the workplace world.

Thanks for the link Southernheart. I'm just trying to get ideas.

I'm probably going to design the cards myself. I've asked my two friends to respond to a couple of questions regarding their favourite colour, pattern and an image they would like to associate with themselves. They're coming to a party at my house in a week or two and I think they think it must have something to do with a party game. Lol!

For those of you interested, the lady I got the idea from bought hers at this website, which is apparently operated by a friend of hers.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Paper Queen

Just had another accessory idea -- anyone know where to get "girly" business card holders for your purse?

TIA

What goes around, comes around....mine are 45 yrs. old.
I could probably use an update but I love old things.

45 years old? And your contact info hasn't changed!? Now that's putting down roots! Lol!

Looks as if VistaPrint (online printer) has some good deals, and you can upload your own design or use one of theirs. They also have nice silver (not real) holders for $10.

I also answered my own question and found some other nice feminine card holders at this site: www.miego.com

Just passing this info along for other interested parties.

I think I'm definitely going to do this! I can get a nice holder and 250 cards for around the $50-60 range.

Kailleanm - Love this one!!!

You just gave me some great christmas ideas for coworkers!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ladies Card Holder

Funny, I just read about these coming back into vogue in a recent magazine. It must have been a home decor mag. BUt it showed all sorts of cards and styles.... I thought that was what prompted this thread.

Kelly - glad to be of service! Thanks for the link - I like that one!

I noticed these on the website of a great company where I've bought quite a bit of customized stationary - they are so cute!

Here is a link that might be useful: Penny People designs calling cards

Was just at Bombay Co. in the mall last evening - they had some nice looking pen and card holder sets sitting on the counter. Marked way down of course but can't remember price. I was too giddy about scoring 4 sets of curtain panels for $17.60 each set.

The personal cards are a wonderful idea. My son gave me mine one Mothers day about 8 years ago. It is for my website. It's fun to have them because I often meet people in the outside world that love gardening and ponds and I give them my card.
He designed the card himself using the frog lovers that we have on the bottom of our waterfall as well as a koi fish.
If you notice he didn't include my phone number, just my
email addy. That is something you may want to consider if your girlfriends are single. If they give their card out, they only need to respond to people that they want to get in touch with. If they want to give their phone number out they can always write it on the card.
For my business cards, I have a gold holder with my initials
(a gift from a girlfriend) but for my website cards I have a sexy little pink translucent envelope specifically for cards. You can order them from a printer.

Her's the little translucent envelope.

More links to check out! Thanks. I'm glad you think this is a good idea. Best of all - I don't have to go to the mall!

In Japan, most people use personal calling cards. We recently met a Japanese visitor at a friends house and the first thing she did was give everyone her card. It's a nice way to help people remember your name, too.

kailleanm, yes 45 yrs. and no change would be quite a fete!
Calling cards until now only had your name engraved on it..nothing more. It was considered a little high-minded to put more than that. Cards were handed to the servants who answered the door. Quite frankly, customs have changed to the point that I don't understand their necessity. Even the homes with servants, the kids are very apt to answer the door. The tone and refinement(good or bad) is gone.

I don't have any calling card ideas, but I did want to put in a good word for Vistaprint. I ordered really cute notepads from them last year as teacher gifts. They have tons of designs to choose from and you can personalize them with a name, initials or some other words. Very nice consumable (important for teachers - they get too many apple nicknacks, etc.) and economical gift.

When the paper came, it was good quality and really quick. I'll definitely use them again this year.

I have them, and have used the same ones for nearly thirty years since I got my new ones when I married and changed my name.

When I was younger, and my friends were younger, we all used more of them when everyone was wedding-ing and christening and generally having a ball playing with our (new) grown-upness. At a later point in my life we lived in cities where the customs were more formal so I used lots of them again, but now that we are nestled in the country I don't find a lot of places where they fit. I'm sure there are circles in Boston, NY, Washington, Palm Beach, etc. where visiting cards are still quite common. And in the capitals of Europe and South America, they are still in use, as well.

Mine read: Mrs Husband's First Name, Husband's Middle Name, Husband's Last Name. And nothing else, although having an abbreviated local address would be acceptable, and I may have that added to the die next time before I get a more engraved as I am now living in a family house and expect to be here forever. My visiting card is just barely off-white and utterly plain other than the engraved name.

One purchases the engraving dies, which is expensive the first time, then simply orders more as necessary. (One small cost of getting divorced is having to get a new die made.)

And there is generally nothing on them except your formal name, or in the case of the other set I have, which I use much less often, Mr & Mrs Husband's First Name, Middle Initial and Last Name. (I use the Mr & Mrs cards mostly for enclosing with funeral flowers, weddding presents, or for post dinner party B&B flowers.)

My personal visiting cards are still useful for enclosing with flowers (I keep a small supply at my city florist for this purpose) and for gift enclosures in certain settings; for making formal calls in the few remaining circumstances in my life that require it and very, very, rarely for handing out on the fly like business cards. I do keep a couple in an old sterling cigarette case in my purse for those times.

But one wouldn't want to hand them out like common business cards since they can be pretty pricey. I think the last time I re-ordered (more than a decade ago) they were about 75 cents each, and that was a pretty large quantity since we were then living in a very formal situation.

One other thing, too, as a rule ladies don't give out their visting cards (or leave them when paying a social call) to men, only to women.

But there's nothing to stop you from inventing, and using, a more personalized version of the conventional business card with name, address, pictures, myspace data, mini dvd's or your baby's sonogram. But these are probably more accurately termed simply personal cards not visiting or calling cards.

Molly

Southern women have used calling cards for as long as I can recall. They are passed out at social gatherings. I think most started during sorority days.

I actually just had some moo cards made up. (moo.com) They're smaller than regular cards, but you can upload your own photos and make a package with a variety of different photos.

I fell in love with engraved stationery when I was a teenager. I swore I'd have a full set of the stuff, and, by golly, I do. I have two kinds cards, both engraved on ivory stock. My calling card is larger than a business card with my name centered on the card in a script font. The other card is in a more contemporary, business-like block font with my name centered, e-mail address and phone in the lower corners. I use the latter more like a business card, only not quite as freely.