Personalized stationery is a great way to add a little fun to a letter or note, and there are some things you just can’t do over e-mail. If you’re the crafty type, it’s easy and fun to make your own stationery. Here are five great ideas to get you started:

For a really unique stationery presentation, take heavy, colored paper and embroider designs and shapes on them. Use bright, colorful thread and create a captivating design for a special note. Or just stitch a decorative border along one side of the paper.

Rubber stamps are also a great way to give a little visual interest to stationery. You can use a variety of ink or paints, but one really attractive method is using embossing powder and a hard surface to give your project a classy look.

One nice way to kick plain note cards up a notch is by using vintage fabric or wallpaper on the outside. Use Wonder-Under or another sheet glue to attach them, then add decorative stitching around the outside.

One clever way to add a little visual style to stationery is by making a pinhole pattern in the paper. Print out a template and then punch out holes every few centimeters – not enough to rip the paper, but just enough to communicate your design.

Block printing is a great way to add a decorative border or backing to stationery. You can use several different patterns for a more complex look, or just stick with simple geometric designs.