Some people pack light. I pack rhinestones and my luggage is usually tagged “HEAVY. BEND WITH THE KNEES.”
For Amy Liz Harrison’s 50th birthday trip to La Jolla, I brought a box of Pantone postcards, a box of Pantone notebooks, and enough sparkly options to make it clear that we would be doing an activity.
It is no secret that I am obsessed with bedazzling things. Give me a plain surface and a little time, and I will start wondering whether it could benefit from rhinestones.
The answer is usually yes.
I had spotted people decorating Pantone postcards on Instagram and Pinterest, turning those little blocks of color into tiny, embellished works of art. That was all the encouragement I needed. I ordered the postcards and notebooks on Amazon, gathered rhinestones, glue, scissors, and magazines, and packed the supplies for our girls’ getaway.
The day before, we had done our own version of glamour shots. Wigs, props, costumes, the full production. The kind of photos our moms said no to when we were teenagers standing outside the mall. The wig wall was still up when we sat down to bedazzle. Several of the women kept their wigs on.
I’m not going to pretend that wasn’t perfect.
(Amy tells the full story of that trip in “Glamoured, Not Hammered: A Sober 50th Birthday Girls’ Trip,” and yes, it is exactly what it sounds like.)
A Little Color, a Lot of Possibility
Pantone postcards give you a ready-made starting point: a block of color with the Pantone name and color information underneath.
That little bit of structure matters more than you’d think. You aren’t staring at a blank canvas wondering whether you have suddenly forgotten every creative thought you’ve ever had. You have a color. You can start there.
The inspiration image that caught my attention took that idea to its sparkliest extreme: a pink Pantone card covered in colorful embellishments, with the white label still visible below.
Naturally, I wanted in.
For our version, I brought different rhinestone options and magazines so everyone had choices. The notebooks offered another surface for anyone who wanted to decorate something they could keep using after the trip.
A postcard-sized project also feels approachable. You can make something satisfying without committing to a six-week relationship with a craft you met on Pinterest.
What I Brought for Our Craft Night
Our supplies were simple:
- Pantone postcards
- Pantone notebooks
- Assorted rhinestones
- Glue suitable for the materials
- Scissors
- Magazines for collage cutouts
No elaborate equipment. No matching kits. No expectation that everyone would make the same thing.
The rhinestones were obviously my priority. The magazines gave us words, pictures, and other possibilities to play with.
How to Make Your Own Bedazzled Pantone Postcard
1. Pick a color or a notebook
Start with whichever one catches your eye. A favorite color is a perfectly good reason. So is a color that matches absolutely nothing in your house but makes you happy anyway.
Keeping the white Pantone label visible gives the postcard that recognizable color-swatch look. The colored section becomes your decorating space.
2. Play with the layout before adding glue
Try a few rhinestones together. Cut out a word or image from a magazine. Move things around.
You could stick to different shades of one color, create a border, or mix colors with complete disregard for restraint.
I support your sparkle decisions. All rhinestones used for this experience were found on the ‘Zon. (Yes, Amazon.) There are SO many to choose from, you could spend DAYS going down that rhinestone rabbit hole. Here is a short list of some of my favorite specifically for this project.
- 1000pcs AB Colorful Rhinestones Crystal Gems, Flatback Acrylic Gemstone Jewels
- 1000PCS Mixed Sizes 3/4/5/6/8/10mm Flatback Half Round Pearls Gems for Crafting, AB Color Pearl Beads Stones for Crafts
- 1200 Pcs AB Rhinestones for Bedazzling, Rainbow Effect Craft Gems for Crafting
- 200PCS 10mm AB Flatback Half Round Pearls Gems for Crafts
- Zicolu Craft Scissors Set of 3 pack, Sharp Rainbow Titanium Coating All Purpose Scissors
- 4 PCS 110ml B7000 Rhinestone Glue Clear, Bedazzling Glue for Craft
3. Glue down your design
Once you like the arrangement, attach the pieces using glue appropriate for your supplies. Follow the adhesive’s directions, including any ventilation requirements.
For a notebook, keep the spine and page edges clear so it still opens comfortably.
4. Give it time to dry
Set the finished piece somewhere flat and let the glue dry fully before handling or packing it.
The hardest part may be resisting the urge to pick it up every three minutes to admire your work. Speaking generally, of course.
What Happened When We Actually Sat Down Together
We were a group of women in our late 40s and 50s, sitting around a table with rhinestones and magazines and a wig wall in the background. Several of us were still wearing wigs from the day before.
Nobody needed an artistic résumé. Nobody needed to know how to draw. Choosing a color and deciding where to put a rhinestone was plenty.
There was enough structure to get started and enough freedom for everyone to make something entirely their own. You could focus on your project, look over at what someone else was making, or just pass the rhinestones and talk.
That natural ease is the whole point of an activity like this. Your hands are busy. The conversation goes wherever it goes. And at the end of the night, you have a little piece of it to take home.
We were on a birthday trip, making things together because it sounded fun. That was a complete reason.
A Sober Night In With Something to Show for It
A craft night like this could work for a birthday, a sober get-together, or an ordinary evening when you want to put your phone down and make something with the people you love. The supplies stay simple. The designs can be wildly different.
You don’t have to leave with a masterpiece.
We left with something we made ourselves, a few rhinestones stuck to the table, and the memory of a really good night. One where nobody needed a drink to feel like they were doing it right.
Mine also had rhinestones. Obviously. Watch the full IG Reel Here. And if you make one yourself, TAG ME because I don’t ever want to experience rhinestone FOMO.
WHAT A TRIP! Glamoured, Not Hammered: A Sober 50th Birthday Girls’ Trip
CURATED CRAFTS: Bedazzling My Big Book – Because Recovery Deserves Rhinestones
CURATED CRAFTS at The Sober Curator is all about keeping your hands busy and your mind inspired in sobriety. Whether you’re diving into art therapy, channeling your inner Sober Picasso, or laughing your way through a Pinterest fail, creative expression can be a powerful tool for stress relief and emotional healing. Crafting isn’t about perfection—it’s about expanding your mind, expressing your feelings, and having fun along the way.
Follow our latest DIY inspiration on Pinterest, or, if crafting isn’t your thing, check out our #QUITLIT section for book recommendations that feed the soul. You can also shop our curated list of supplies on our Amazon Storefront.
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If you want the culture without the lecture, get on the list. Free, three times a week.
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