Hidden Money Birthday Card

Each year for his birthday and for Christmas, I give my nephew Timothy a money-themed gift. I started doing that when he was 13. He turned 25 last week (!!) and I'm seriously running out of ideas, particularly since I have to mail his gifts now instead of giving them in person. (No more money trees or Air Force One style gifts). I've given Timothy a hidden money birthday card before, but I hid the money in different ways this time. For this project, I started with the idea of making George Washington the focal point, then built the rest of the card around that. Affiliate links below. 

 

Hidden Money Birthday Card

Materials:

• cardstock
• birthday patterned paper
• scotch tape
• tape runner
• birthday stickers
• baby powder
• foam dots

Steps:

Cut a base from black cardstock. Then cut the layers: a piece of patterned paper that is slightly smaller than the base; a strip of black cardstock that is the same width as the base; and a piece of white cardstock that is slightly smaller than the base. 

Use scotch tape to secure two bills to the black base. 

Use the tape runner to add adhesive JUST to the outside edges of the back of the patterned paper, then adhere it to the base, sandwiching the money in between the layers. 

Tape a bill to the back of the black strip, then use the tape runner to put adhesive onto the exposed black areas. Position the strip in place so that the money is hidden. 

Fold another bill so that just the face is exposed. Use the tape runner to put a tiny bit of adhesive on the back of the bill. Stick it to the center of the card. The bill will want to pop up a bit, but we'll fix that next. 

Select a quote sticker. Dust the back with baby powder, then add a foam dot to the back. Adhere it to the card so that a small part of the sticker holds the focal bill in place. Do the same with a second sticker on the other side. (I used a present.) Fill in the empty spaces with more stickers, as desired. 

Write your message on the white cardstock, tape another bill or two to the back, then adhere it to the back of the card. 

Here are all the places money is hiding:

Happy birthday, Timothy!