Your Calling Card

Calling cards were traditionally a way to let people know that you had stopped by their home while they were out.  You had "Payed a Call" and then they could keep track of who had come to visit and reply in kind by visiting you, obviously this was before telephones and answering machines... and text messaging.

  The modern equivalent is the "Business Card" but when you meet a new person- do you really want them to contact you at work? Or even to know where you work? Here is where the calling card comes in handy... it's simply a card with your name and for the modern pinup girl, her email address.  I would leave my telephone number off of it because it's a lot easier to avoid any unwanted attentions via email than a stage 5 stalker blowing your cell phone.  It is a personal as you allow it to be and frees  you up to present  it as many fashions as you can create.  It can be a business contact, a new friend, a potential baby sitter/pet sitter, a hot man that you want to meet up with later or even just a way to network with people who are interested in the same activity as you.  With your calling card your email address provides facebook/myspace lookup information, the proper spelling of your name (and what your name is in case they forget or misheard you) and a way to contact you.   It's also classy, in my opinion.  You don't have to do the awkward number swap- just hand them your card and smile, if you want them to have your number then write it on the card- TRUST ME they will remember you.

Etsy is a great place to find handmade and beautiful cards and at an affordable price.  My roommate recently bought herself a set as she is a freelancer in film and a blogger of fashion/books/and personal style and she loves them (Champagne and Chiffon). My friends and I always talk about getting personal cards- not to promote our business or career ventures- but to promote ourselves.  Here are some links to some of the dealers on etsy. I really like the cards at Paper Chased.  Remember, you can put as little or as much information on your card as you wish- and what a lovely way to create a memory of you to a complete stranger that stays with them.

Pikake Press
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Paper Chased