Washi tape thank you cards and birthday cards are easy and fun to make.

These pretty washi tape cards are so much fun to make with kids. Younger children will love picking out the colors and deciding how to arrange them and helping you glue the banners onto the card. Older kids can cut out the letters and make the flags.

Making your own birthday or thank you cards is not only fun, it can be economical, too. If you're sending out several thank you cards--say, after receiving holiday or birthday gifts--then making your own handmade thank you cards is a smart way to go.

Thank you cards are also great for including with teacher gifts, and are a wonderful way to show your gratitude after someone helps you or does something nice for you.

Sending thank you cards is an important habit to teach kids, and is an integral part of teaching good manners. And of course, making your own cards adds a personal touch, and shows the recipient that you put time and care into the card.

Gather the supplies you will need to make your washi tape flag cards.

• To make a thank you card or birthday card using washi tape flags, here is what you will need:
  
  
• white card stock paper (If you don't have white card stock paper, you can use unlined copy paper or construction paper, but the card stock will give your Mother's Day card some weight and a "card-like" feel to it. I used plain white card stock and a pearlescent, shiny white card stock, which can be purchased through online through retailers like Paper and More.)

• scissors
• glue stick
• twine in a bright color, such as fuchsia (The length depends on how much you want to span across the card. Hold the twine over the card and leave at least one to two inches extra on either side to measure how much you will need. You will probably need two pieces of twine since one word, such as "Happy" will be on one line and a separate word, such as "Birthday" will be on the other.)
• washi tapes in a variety of light, pastel-colored washi tapes. You can find washi tapes through PriceGrabber or through online retailers like Cutetape.com.)

Print or write out letters spelling out your birthday or thank you messages.

Using a printer or by hand with a pen, print out capital letters spelling out your birthday or thank you messages.

Cut the words into strips.

Using scissors or a paper cutter, cut your letters into strips. (See photo.)

Put a strip of washi tape over your first letter.

Starting with the first letter of your birthday or thank you message, put a strip of washi tape lengthwise across it, leaving about two inches hanging off.

Snip off the paper on either end of the letter.

Take your scissors and trim off the paper on either side of the letter.

Put twine on the washi tape and fold it over to make your flag.

Flip over your washi-taped letter. Take the length of twine you have pre-measured and cut for your first word and put it across the top of the first letter of your message (say, the "T" in "THANK").

Fold the tape over the twine and paper, lining it up carefully. (Older kids can do this part but younger children may need your help.) Trim the end of the letter either in a flat line or a "v" flag shape.

Continue making letters for your card.

Using the same technique, continue making letters for your birthday card or thank you card.

Once you have finished making your washi tape flag thank you or birthday message, lay out the flags to see how you want them to look on the card.

Then, take your glue stick and glue the flags and twine onto the front of your card. Trim off any straggling twine from either end.

Here is what you can expect your washi tape flags thank you cards or birthday cards to look like when you are finished. They are so much fun to make and even more fun to share!