[For Seniors] Handmade Summer Greeting Cards: A Collection of Lovely Summer Motifs
Some older people may send summer greeting postcards every year.
A shochu-mimai is originally a greeting card sent to express concern for the recipient’s health during the hot summer months, and the custom is said to have started in the Edo period.
Store-bought postcards with illustrations are lovely, but how about trying a handmade one this year? A heartfelt, handmade postcard is sure to bring a smile to the recipient’s face.
In this article, we introduce charming motifs to draw on your summer greeting cards.
It’s packed with ideas featuring classic symbols of summer, like sunflowers, shaved ice, and watermelon.
Give it a try with love for your dear family and friends!
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[For Seniors] Handmade Summer Greeting Cards: A Lovely Collection of Summer Motifs (1–10)
Summer greetings with a uchiwa (hand fan)

Here’s an idea for a “summer greeting fan” made with a unique technique using a plastic bag.
Turn a plastic bag inside out and inflate it, then apply paint or ink to its surface and press it onto a plain hand fan.
The wrinkles of the bag become patterns as they are, creating unexpected and beautiful designs.
You can freely express motifs like fireworks or flowers, and if you add a message to the finished fan, you’ll have a warm summer greeting.
The process is simple yet lets your sensibility shine, making for an enjoyable creative time.
It’s a gentle summer letter that sends both coolness and heart.
Summer greetings with tomatoes

How about a summer greeting card featuring an illustration of tomatoes? Tomatoes are one of the quintessential summer vegetables.
Biting into a well-chilled, bright red, juicy tomato fills your mouth with delicious flavor.
Many older adults may have grown tomatoes themselves or often enjoyed them in the summer.
Lycopene and vitamin C found in tomatoes are said to help protect against UV rays.
And since tomatoes are mostly water, they’re also great for rehydrating a body depleted by the summer heat.
An illustration of tomatoes is perfect for a midsummer greeting that shows you care about someone’s well-being in the heat.
Summer greeting postcards drawn with disposable chopsticks

“Summer Greeting Cards Drawn with Disposable Chopsticks” are unique, handmade cards for older adults that invite creative use of simple tools.
Dip a pair of wooden chopsticks in paint or ink to draw pictures and write characters.
The naturally bold, sometimes broken lines create expressive, rustic warmth and charm.
Seasonal summer motifs like watermelons, morning glories, and fireworks work especially well.
A bit of blotting or distortion becomes part of the piece’s character and deepens your attachment to it.
Add a short note wishing the recipient good health at the end, and you’ll have a memorable summer greeting.
It’s a highly recommended idea that lets you enjoy free expression while engaging the hands and fingers.
[For Seniors] Handmade Summer Greeting Cards: A Lovely Collection of Summer Motifs (11–20)
Simple dot pen summer greeting

Let’s use a dot pen to draw a simple watermelon.
First, draw some half-circles on a postcard with a red or yellow pen.
These will be the flesh.
Don’t worry if the shapes are a little rough—just keep the overall balance in mind as you draw a few.
Leave the center empty for writing your message.
Once the flesh is done, use a green dot pen to add the rind along the rounded edge of each half-circle.
Just a quick swipe with the pen tip is fine.
Draw the seeds with a ballpoint pen, add your message, and you’re done! It’s also fun to draw faces on the watermelons or use the watermelon shapes as part of your lettering.
Summer greeting card with a yo-yo

There are probably many seniors who remember fishing for water yo-yos with their families at summer festival stalls.
Maybe because they’re filled with water, yo-yos seem to take the edge off the summer heat.
If you draw an illustration of these water yo-yos and include it with a summer greeting card, it can bring a feeling of coolness.
A brush pen works well, and so do water-based markers.
The brightly colored water yo-yos can even give you a boost of energy.
While making a summer greeting card featuring yo-yos, seniors may also recall memories of summer days.
Summer Etegami: How to Draw Wind Chimes

Here’s how to draw a summery, refreshing wind chime.
Prepare a postcard, paints, brushes, a pencil, colored pencils, and a ruler.
First, paint the wind chime with black paint; since you can’t erase paint once it’s applied, if you’re unsure, it may be better to sketch the outline in pencil first.
Draw the outer body, the clapper, and the paper strip (tanzaku) in that order, and add a goldfish pattern to the outer body.
After adding color to the drawing, use a ruler and colored pencils to draw a sudare (bamboo screen).
Paint the sudare’s threads with paint, and finally add lettering to finish.
Simple and stylish summer greeting

Let me introduce some stylish and easy-to-make summer greeting cards using highlighters.
There are tips for things like how to apply color with highlighters and how to draw clean circles.
That said, there aren’t many complicated steps, so if you enjoy coloring, you’ll likely have fun making them.
Highlighters are also available at 100-yen shops, so they should be easy to prepare.
What’s more, highlighter projects are easy for older adults too—just remove the cap and you can start drawing right away.
The mood of your summer greeting card changes depending on how you arrange the illustrations and which pen colors you choose.
Please use this as a reference for creating unique, stylish, and lovely works by older adults.


