Celebrate with handmade gifts! A perfect shikishi board and message card for a 100th birthday.
We all want the seniors who use our facilities to stay healthy and live long, don’t we?
I imagine many senior and welfare facilities hold birthday parties to celebrate.
Gifts are prepared for the birthday parties, too, and I’m sure the seniors are pleased.
Birthdays are wonderful at any age, but when a senior turns 100, you really want to express your heartfelt gratitude.
So this time, we’re introducing handmade message boards (shikishi) for seniors celebrating their 100th birthday.
We’ve also gathered ideas you can apply to the shikishi and recommended birthday message cards.
Please use this article to create and give a lovely shikishi.
- Let's celebrate turning 100 with handmade gifts! Introducing colored paper boards and message cards.
- [For Seniors] Gift It to Someone Special: A Collection of Handmade Birthday Card Ideas
- [For Seniors] Celebrate at the Care Facility! Handmade Birthday Card Ideas
- Design ideas for birthday message boards for seniors: easy DIY
- [At a day-care service, a birthday message you want to convey] For older adults
- Handmade Gifts: Ideas That Will Delight Older Adults
- Recommended for seniors! Origami gifts
- Easy-to-make origami birthday ideas for seniors
- [For Seniors] Tips for Birthday Messages They’ll Love
- [For Seniors] Enjoy Something New Every Day! Today’s Origami
- You can make it with construction paper! Handmade birthday card ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended Birthday Gifts for Those Living in Care Facilities
- Handmade birthday cards recommended for birthday parties
Celebrate by hand! Appropriate shikishi boards and message cards for a 100th birthday (1–10)
A group message gift
A yosegaki—a collection of messages from various people—carries so many heartfelt feelings, and it’s really delightful, isn’t it? How about this gift-themed yosegaki that you can display in a more striking way? It’s designed so you can pull out mini cards from among the lined-up presents.
The fact that these message cards can be removed is another key feature.
With the birthday of an older adult in mind, a few people can each write their messages on the cards.
To make it, take white cardstock cut into squares and wrap your favorite ribbon all the way around, then glue a ribbon tied in a bow on top.
Finally, just tuck in a slightly smaller mini card, and you’re done.
Quilling Birthday Card
A birthday card that makes use of paper quilling, created by tightly rolling long, thin strips of paper.
You can craft delicate floral patterns and ornaments, making it ideal for those who want a more elaborate card.
Prepare colored paper that matches your theme, such as pastels, warm tones, or cool tones.
Use quilling tools to roll the paper and arrange the pieces on the message card.
If you first draw a cake or gift box and then attach the quilled pieces on top, it will have a three-dimensional finish.
Try incorporating the favorite colors and items of the senior who is celebrating their birthday.
Photo in a cut-out window
This is a message card where you insert a photo into a cut-out window and give it as a gift.
Create it using a photo that features the birthday celebrant—an older adult, a family member, or a friend—as the theme.
First, fold the card in half and cut out a shape you like in the center.
If you make a fan-shaped window, adding Japanese-style decorations is recommended.
You can also attach washi paper or tissue paper to the inside of the card to make it more festive.
Finish by writing a congratulatory message around the photo, along with flowers and chenille stems (pipe cleaners).
Try incorporating the birthday person’s hobbies into the design when you make it.
Celebrate with handmade gifts! Congratulatory shikishi boards and message cards perfect for a 100th birthday (11–20)
A heart full of kindness and a bouquet of flowers
For a 100th birthday celebration, a message card is a thoughtful, understated gift that’s sure to be appreciated.
A pop-up card with a bouquet and heart mechanisms is a great choice because it offers a delightful surprise and a touch of elegance when opened.
Although it looks intricate, it’s easier to make than you might think—give it a try.
Start by creating the pop-up bouquet, then make four of the heart mechanisms.
When unfolded, the heart mechanism looks like a four-leaf clover, which is very cute.
Write your message inside the heart mechanisms, and you’re done.
Pop-up! Photos and Messages
How about a collection card that bursts open with multiple photos and messages when you unfold it? It’s three-dimensional and makes a bigger impact than simply sticking photos on a page.
The pop-up mechanism can be a bit tricky, but the rest of the steps are simple.
The papers you attach could be group messages, or photos capturing the everyday life of the older adult you’re gifting it to.
It’s handy to prepare several cards up to the pop-up stage when you have time.
Give it a try!
Cards made with washi tape
A birthday card made with brightly colored washi tape.
It’s easy to make—just stick the tape onto paper—so it’s great even for people who aren’t confident with crafts.
Prepare washi tapes with various patterns and line them up so there are no gaps.
The trick to depicting candles is to vary the length of each strip.
Next, draw the candle wax and flame with a pen at the top of the tapes, and you’re done.
You can also leave some blank space to add a birthday cake or a message.
Why not send this warm, Japanese-style message card to an older recipient?
Convenient for attaching photos! Flip-through processed cards
How about a flip-through birthday card packed with surprise? It looks great with photos, too, so it’s a perfect idea for cards that facility staff can give to residents! When you pull the tab, the pictures or photos flip rapidly, flowing one after another.
The key is to offset the photos slightly and attach them to a strip-cut piece of construction paper.
It may look elaborate, but the mechanism is actually very simple—give it a try!
