Join us for the all-new Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course, happening now! →

Learn More
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • YouTube
    • Premium Membership
    • Beginner Calligraphy Course
    • Intermediate Calligraphy Course
    • Calligraphy Worksheets
    • Beginner Watercolor Course
    • The Calligraphy Book
  • Blog
    • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Worksheets
    • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Drills
    • Video Courses
    • Brush Pen Calligraphy
    • Handwriting
    • Hand-Lettering
    • Mail Printables
    • Printable Artwork
    • Procreate Worksheets
      • Cleaning Cloths
      • Erasers
      • Glass Jars
      • Inks
      • Kits
      • Mechanical Pencils
      • Nibs
      • Oblique Pens
      • Paper
      • Protectants
      • Rubber Stamps
      • Rulers
      • Straight Pens
      • Washi Tape
      • Watercolors
      • Wax Seals
  • Help
  • Cart
Log in

Your cart is currently empty!

The Postman's Knock written in calligraphy
Subscribe for $1/week
Sign In
  • My Account
    • Account Details
    • Addresses
    • Payment Methods
    • Order Receipts
    • Subscriptions
    • Printables + Worksheets
    • Video Courses
  • Help
Log in
The Postman’s Knock
  • About
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Help
  • Premium Membership
  • The Calligraphy Book
Subscribe for $1/week
Sign In
  • Welcome to TPK! This is your first of 2 free articles. For unlimited access to tutorials and articles, join TPK Premium for less than the cost of a latte.

    Top 6 TPK Birthday Card Tutorials

    July 21, 2017

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Birthday Cards, Greeting Card Tutorials, Inspiration, Tutorials, Watercolor

    With every year comes many opportunities to send birthday greetings! In this blog post, you’ll find a list of my six favorite birthday card tutorials on the TPK website. They are all artistic, original, and approachable for a range of artistic levels!

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
    • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)WhatsApp
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window)X
    • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)Bluesky
    • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window)Threads
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Reddit
    • Click to share on Mail (Opens in new window)Mail

    Top 6 TPK Birthday Card Tutorials | The Postman's Knock

    A couple of days ago, I celebrated my birthday. On the morning of that day, I woke up and realized: birthday expectations really change throughout the years. When you’re a little kid, your birthday is all about getting lots of gifts. As you get older, though, it’s less about gifts and more about relationships. While cards didn’t mean much to me as a little kid, now I really appreciate it if someone takes the time to send me a little greeting to say, “I remembered your special day!”

    Hand-Lettered Printable Birthday Card | The Postman's Knock

    That feeling compels me to make handmade birthday cards for others on their birthdays. It’s an amazing experience to receive something in the mail that someone spent time and energy making! With that in mind, I have picked out my six favorite birthday card tutorials for you, and I am presenting them here today. Some you may recognize, and others you may not have seen before — but they’re all worth making!

    1. Citrus Watercolor Birthday Card Tutorial

    Citrus Watercolor Birthday Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

    The Citrus Watercolor Birthday Card deviates from the birthday card beaten path, which is the basis of its appeal! Instead of the common “Happy Birthday!” greeting, it simply and honestly proclaims, “I am glad that you exist”. The border features a Mediterranean-inspired botanical motif that won’t trip up watercolor beginners! If this card appeals to you, it’s certainly worth a try. All you’ll need is some watercolor paper and watercolor paints.

    2. Hand-Lettered Printable Birthday Card

    Hand-Lettered Printable Birthday Card | The Postman's Knock

    The Hand-Lettered Printable Birthday Card is a life saver if you want to send something quick, artistic, and original! You can just print off the card template, cut and fold it, then color in the letters. All you’ll need for this tutorial is card stock and some colored pencils (or any other color medium — crayons, watercolor, etc.).

    3. Watercolor Initial DIY Birthday Card

    Watercolor Initial DIY Birthday Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

    The Watercolor Initial DIY Birthday Card is special because it’s personalized with the recipient’s initial! To make the card, you trace around a letter (which you can use your word processing program to make). Next, you draw the banner and add leaves and calligraphy! The result will be a whimsical, creative birthday card that the recipient will cherish for many years to come.

    4. Embellished Fish DIY Card Tutorial

    Embellished Fish DIY Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

    Embellished Fish DIY Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

    If you’re tired of the traditional birthday greeting card, try making a card that doubles as display-worthy artwork! The Embellished Fish DIY Card Tutorial includes a template so you know exactly how to cut out your fish, then you can watch a video detailing how to draw on the front.

    5. Artistic Watercolor Birthday Card Tutorial

    Artistic Watercolor Birthday Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

    Artistic Watercolor Birthday Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock

    The Artistic Watercolor Birthday Card has three irresistible features: weight (from collaging papers), sparkle (from gold watercolor), and playful lettering styles! If you’ve got the time and the supplies, it’s an awesome project to create. Feel free to mix up the color scheme and calligraphy styles!

    6. Creative Birthday Card Tutorial: Paper Armoire

    Creative Birthday Card Tutorial: Paper Armoire | The Postman's Knock

    Creative Birthday Card Tutorial: Paper Armoire | The Postman's Knock

    The Paper Armoire Birthday Card is one of my all time favorite tutorials! I love the idea of receiving mini paper furniture in the mail. The doors of the armoire open to reveal a birthday message, which is a fun way to engage the recipient. While the tutorial does include a printable template, it requires some cutting, gluing, and painting, so make sure you have an hour or so to make it!


    I hope that this post will help you out next time you want to help make a friend or family member’s birthday special! Have a great weekend, and thanks so much for reading TPK. 🙂

    Warmly,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
    • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)WhatsApp
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window)X
    • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)Bluesky
    • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window)Threads
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Reddit
    • Click to share on Mail (Opens in new window)Mail
Sketchbooking

About the author

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bugbee, the illustrator, calligrapher, and author behind The Postman’s Knock (TPK). Since 2012, the TPK Blog has been a vibrant creative space filled with tutorials and lessons on modern calligraphy, hand lettering, and illustration. After publishing The Calligraphy Book, I wanted to elevate the quality of content even further—so I launched TPK Premium. You can join here to receive access to some of the internet’s best creative inspiration and project tutorials.

Join TPK’s free mailing list

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow TPK on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • RSS Feed
  • Mail
Previous post: Millennial Birthday Card Tutorial
Next post: My Five Favorite Calligraphy Inks

All-time favorite posts

  • The Beginner's Guide to Modern Calligraphy

    The Beginner’s Guide to Modern Calligraphy

    1.5m views
  • 8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

    8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet)

    857.7k views
  • Painting with Watercolors for Beginners

    Painting with Watercolors for Beginners

    818.3k views
  • Free Brush Pen Calligraphy Worksheet

    Free Brush Pen Calligraphy Worksheet

    482.4k views
  • How to Write Faux Calligraphy (Video Tutorial + Free Worksheet)

    363.7k views
  • 11 Calming Calligraphy Drills Printable | The Postman's Knock

    Celebrating Six Years of the “11 Calming Calligraphy Drills” Worksheet (Free Download)

    291.3k views
  • Lovely Loose Watercolor Flowers Tutorial

    Lovely Loose Watercolor Flowers Tutorial

    205.1k views
  • The Ultimate DIY Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit

    The Ultimate DIY Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit

    186.3k views

Latest posts

  • Simple calligraphy envelopes
    3 Easy Ways to Address an EnvelopeNovember 5, 2025
  • Gorgeous Illustrated Autumn Pumpkin Tutorial
    Gorgeous Illustrated Autumn Pumpkin TutorialOctober 22, 2025
  • Spread from "Draw Your Adventures"
    October’s Coffee Date: Drawing Your Days with Samantha Dion BakerOctober 20, 2025
  • Envelope art with a skeleton
    Macabre Mail for the Edward Gorey HouseOctober 16, 2025

Browse by category

Browse by date

24 responses

  1. Rebecca Thering Avatar
    Rebecca Thering
    July 31, 2017

    Happy belated birthday, Lindsey! 🙂

    Log in to Reply
  2. Lieve S Avatar
    Lieve S
    July 29, 2017

    Late birthday-wishes from Belgium ! I hope you had a great day.
    I prefer sending (and receiving) real cards as well, for any ocasion.
    Thank you for the generous give-away; good luck to all of us.

    Log in to Reply
  3. Klare Avatar
    Klare
    July 26, 2017

    Happy birthday, hope you enjoyed it . I would like to tank you for taking the time to inspire and sharing your skills with us regularly. The internet has opened the channels to make it easier to learn and with out people like you sharing your skills knowledge I know I would be at a loss to be able to indulge in an interest I’ve had for years. With my 1st weeks wage at 16 I bought a calligraphy set and tried to work through the leaflet. And gave up. Now in my 40tys and dabbling again . Always been impressed by beautiful vintage hand written letters, scripts , etc . I love the drama and flourishes added to letter forms .
    Enjoy your day

    Log in to Reply
  4. Dorina D Avatar
    Dorina D
    July 23, 2017

    Happy Birthday and I hope it was a fabulous one. It’s always a great way to celebrate by doing something special. I took all the nieces & nephews to a ball game to celebrate one year. I love your blogs and have to say you’ve been a great inspiration this summer in expanding the use of my pointed pens for more than calligraphy and your tutorials are fabulous and as one who’s only done calligraphy a few years and still considers herself a student of lettering, I can’t wait for the next fun tutorial to continue to expand my horizons. Thank you for being so generous in sharing.

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      July 25, 2017

      Thanks, Dorina! I spent my birthday with my nieces and nephew as well — they have a way of making everything fun! 🙂 So happy you enjoy the website; thank you!

      Log in to Reply
  5. Moira Avatar
    Moira
    July 23, 2017

    Hope you had a great birthday. Love your work! So beautiful.

    Log in to Reply
  6. Bette Avatar
    Bette
    July 23, 2017

    Happy Birthday + a few days! The birthday card that was my fave didn’t make the top 6 but I have it in my mind, circle flowers with H B D in their center…. it’s amazing what sticks with you!

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      July 25, 2017

      I am so happy that you liked that one!! 🙂

      Log in to Reply
  7. Susanne Avatar
    Susanne
    July 23, 2017

    Happy Birthday! Thank you for all your tutorials and great posts and for you generous giveaways and freebies.

    Log in to Reply
  8. Sheri Avatar
    Sheri
    July 22, 2017

    Happy Birthday, Lindsey!!!! I hope it was wonderful! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent, and for your gracious generosity with the giveaways! Thank you also for your terrific posts, freebie printables, and for the fantastic prices on your worksheets!! You are so sweet!!

    Log in to Reply
  9. Leslie Avatar
    Leslie
    July 22, 2017

    I hope you have had a wonderful Birthday, Lindsay. Thank you for your kindness and all the great information……..Leslie

    Log in to Reply
  10. Sharon Hardidng Avatar
    Sharon Hardidng
    July 22, 2017

    Hope you had a wonderful Birthday with plenty of crafting and calligraphy. Sharon
    Woops and Thank you for the Give Away,,, hope its ME, would really love to win them haven’t got an oblique holder and wow what a lot of nibs to play with!

    Log in to Reply
Older Comments
1 2 3
Newer Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Sorry! Only TPK Premium members can comment on articles and tutorials. You can become a member here. Already a member? Sign in.

The other day, I was thinking about sending out ho The other day, I was thinking about sending out holiday cards, and I immediately dismissed the thought with, “I have zero time to calligraph envelopes for those.” ✍️

... But is that true? I put it to the test for the latest article on the TPK Blog. Using some time-saving tricks I’ve learned over the years (like using a watery ink, a bouncy calligraphy style, and minimal pencil guidelines), I timed myself making three envelope concepts. Two of them took 5 minutes or less. The most time-intensive took 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The envelopes still turned out looking elegant, especially with the help of some artistic postage stamp collages. 💌

For clear step-by-step tutorials detailing how to make these envelopes and sourcing pretty postage, visit the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to “Blog”)!

#snailmail #mail #calligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #happymail #snailmailrevolution #mailbox #postage #vintagepostage
After I chose this music to accompany this reel, i After I chose this music to accompany this reel, it dawned on me: drawing a calligraphy medallion is like, well, Belle’s arc with the Beast. 

At first, it’s a bit of a weird situation. Strange shapes, questionable structure, possibly some growling (à la “YOU WILL JOIN ME FOR DINNER. That’s not a request!”) when the inevitable ink smudge happens. You keep thinking, “I’m not sure why I’m doing this ... should I hop on Felipe and gallop away?” 🐎

But something shifts as the medallion starts to come to life. And when you finish that last detail and pull back, the music swells. Light bursts from your paper like it did from Beast’s digits as he transformed into a stunningly beautiful prince. ✨ You’re practically in a ballroom celebrating, and, wait, did your furniture just turn into an adoring crowd that’s celebrating your fortitude and skill?

(And now you know how my mind works 🧠 ... I love a good metaphor, no matter how weak it may be!) 

To learn how to make a calligraphy medallion, just search for “calligraphy medallion” on the TPK site (link in bio). You’ll find both free Blog tutorials and detailed premium worksheets.

... I’ll show myself out now. 🙈

#pointedpencalligraphy #calligraphy #handwritten #pointedpen #dippen #calligraphymedallion #calligraphydrill #calligraphypractice
My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remi My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remind you how cozy this season can be. 🍂 This project definitely fits the bill ... create it with a hot, comforting drink nearby and an excellent audiobook, and you’re in for a treat! ☕️ ✍️ The tutorial on the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to Blog) is super detailed, with mini tutorial videos to guide you every step of the way.

#autumnart #watercolortutorial #arttutorial #handpainted #paintingtutorial #pointedpen #dippen #flourishing
Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending to be ... someone who writes calligraphy quickly! (No, just kidding — not about the video being sped up, but the choice of costume. I actually picked up a skeleton PJ set at Goodwill. 💀)

Even if you won’t be indulging in candy, remember to treat yourself this season, starting this weekend! The holiday season can be hectic, and it’s important to claim some relaxing time for yourself. Cheers to the “holidaze”! 🥂

#halloweencalligraphy #calligraphy #pointedpen #dippen #handwritten #writingvideo #calligraphyvideo
🎃 This is the last week that Halloween calligra 🎃 This is the last week that Halloween calligraphy drills will be available at TPK! Find what you like in the shop, download, then print it out on a pointed pen-friendly paper. Then, let the (happily!) spooky vibes take over while you practice your strokes. ✍️👻

➡ Link in bio to visit the TPK site.

#calligraphydrills #halloween #calligraphypractice #learncalligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #dippen #pointedpen
✍️ Learn with us! Right now, TPK Premium membe ✍️ Learn with us! Right now, TPK Premium members are working their way through a new version of The Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course. It’s an *awesome* course that’s even more thorough than the original version (which is saying a lot because the original course has 281 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ reviews)! We just had the Lesson 3 class discussion this morning, ️and I’m so impressed with how much progress students are making — and I love their observations! One person compared using the Brause EF66 nib to driving a Lexus, which I got a kick out of. 🚘 

Premium membership ($5/month) grants you complimentary access to the course through January 6th; take it live with us! Once this course wraps up, we’ll be moving on to the new Intermediate Modern Calligraphy Online Course in February. 

Find details by visiting the link in my bio. I’d love to help you build those foundational skills that will allow you to create gorgeous envelopes, place cards, invitations, quotes, correspondence, and much more! The Lesson 4 class discussion is three weeks from now, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up. 😊

#learncalligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #writingcalligraphy #calligraphycourse #learningcalligraphy #writingcalligraphy #realtimecalligraphy
🍂 The newest tutorial on the TPK Blog walks you 🍂 The newest tutorial on the TPK Blog walks you through how to make this gorgeous illustration, step-by-step, with helpful instructional videos. To find the tutorial, visit the link in my profile, then navigate to the blog. ENJOY! 🤗

(PS - Loving the colors in the @greenleafblue Anthesis set ... I used French Orange Ochre, American Violet Hematite, Pyrrole Scarlet, and Italian Green Earth to make this pumpkin. All *fabulous* autumn tones!)
Loved chatting with @sdionbakerdesign and @greenle Loved chatting with @sdionbakerdesign and @greenleafblue last Friday! Samantha is exactly as thoughtful and creative as you’d imagine from her Draw Your… books — and this answer to Jennifer’s question says it all. ✨ Just have fun and make art!

☕ Want to watch/listen to the whole conversation? Head over to the TPK Blog to hit play on the recording! (Link in bio, then navigate to “Blog”.)

#artistchat #artist #samanthadionbaker #greenleafandblueberry #thepostmansknock #arttalk #creativity #sketchbooking #sketchbook #artadvice
The Postman’s Knock

About

  • About Lindsey
  • Get to Know TPK
  • Behind the Scenes
  • How I Learned Calligraphy

Legalese

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refunds & Return Policy
  • GDPR Data Erasure Request

Printable Worksheets

  • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Styles
  • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Drills
  • Brush Pen Calligraphy
  • Handwriting
  • Hand-Lettering

Courses

  • Beginner’s Pointed Pen Calligraphy
  • Intermediate Pointed Pen Calligraphy
  • Beginner’s Watercolors

Help

  • Contact Lindsey
  • Calligraphy FAQs
  • Calligraphy Troubleshooting

Subscribe to the Blog

Join over 125,000 creative minds who receive inspiring, value-packed emails from TPK each week. As a free subscriber, you’ll get helpful tutorials, free worksheets, and creative ideas delivered straight to your inbox—plus the occasional sneak peek or special offer.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow TPK on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • RSS Feed
  • Mail

© Copyright 2025 The Postman’s Knock – All rights reserved

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
  • Manage options
  • Manage services
  • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
  • Read more about these purposes
View preferences
  • {title}
  • {title}
  • {title}
Writing Copperplate Calligraphy

Unlock Exclusive Perks with Premium Plus

Fuel your inspiration and creativity with TPK Premium Plus! Members enjoy three free worksheets or learning resources every month, unlimited video course access, member-exclusive tutorials, and a 10% discount on all Supplies Shop orders.

join today ($15)
All About the Brause Rose Nib

inspiration in your inbox

Let The Postman’s Knock Spark Your Creativity

TPK’s innovative newsletters are an artistic treat. Join the 125K+ subscribers who have already discovered The Postman’s Knock, and receive 10% off your first Digital Catalog order.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.