Mother’s Day snuck up on me this year, and I wanted to do something a little more magical than just a store-bought card. My wife is a rockstar mom — fierce, fun, and the glue that holds our wild crew together. So instead of flowers or chocolates, I decided to create something special: a custom storybook-style card featuring our family as fantasy adventurers. With a little help from ChatGPT and AI-generated art, this turned into one of the most unique gifts I’ve ever given.
The Idea: Making Mother’s Day Personal
Lately, I’ve been deep into Baldur’s Gate 3 and rolling dice in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. As I got swept up in the fantasy genre again, I kept imagining my kids joining in one day — swords in hand, spells at the ready. The idea of our family as a party of adventurers just stuck with me.
My wife has always had a soft spot for tabletop games (from back in the day), and we’re both lifelong fans of Tolkien’s magical realms. So when it came time to dream up something special for Mother’s Day, the choice was clear: a fantasy-themed greeting card where she’s the hero — surrounded by her loyal (and often chaotic) little party members.
Brainstorming with AI
I knew I wanted the card to feel like a page out of a children’s storybook — something whimsical but still heartfelt. I had the theme, but I needed help weaving the narrative. That’s where ChatGPT came in.
I gave it a few prompts:
- Our family as a fantasy adventuring party
- A mom who leads the charge with courage and kindness
- Kids with quirky, magical traits (and plenty of energy)
- A two-panel structure: one for the adventure, one for the heartwarming moment
Within minutes, I had the rough outline of a story that sounded like something straight out of a bedtime tale. We refined the text together — adjusting for tone, rhythm, and that perfect mix of playful and touching. The first panel featured our family on a magical quest, while the second brought it home with a cozy moment around the hearth, reminding Mom just how loved she is.
It was collaborative, fast, and honestly kind of magical watching it come together.
Designing the Card
Once the story and illustrations were ready, I set out to design the card as a folded, double-sided layout — one that felt both personal and imaginative.
For the front cover, I didn’t use a fantasy scene — not yet. Instead, I created an AI-generated cartoon version of a real family photo. It was us, stylized: same smiles, same love, just a little more whimsical. This grounded the card in reality, while still hinting at the imaginative journey waiting inside.
The back cover carried a minimalist mark of pride — “The Gray Family Collection” with a simple heart and a soft gradient. Just enough polish to make it feel like a keepsake.
Open the card, and the fantasy world unfolded:
- The left panel launched the quest. Our daughter the clever witch, our middle son the brave paladin, our oldest the charming bard, and Mom — the fearless leader. A proper party.
- The right panel brought it home: a cozy fire, a heartfelt message, and Mom at the center of it all.
Each panel was paired with story text laid out like a real children’s book — a blend of humor, magic, and love. It printed cleanly on cardstock, folded just right, and instantly felt like something worth keeping.
The Reveal
On Mother’s Day morning, I handed her the card while the kids hovered nearby, barely containing their excitement. She smiled at the cartoon version of our family on the front, then slowly opened it to reveal the story inside.
She didn’t say much at first — just a kind smile, the kind that says more than words. She read through the little adventure, lingered at the final panel, and closed the card with a quiet “Thank you.”
In that moment, I could tell she felt seen. Appreciated. Loved. And for me, that was the whole quest fulfilled.
Final Thoughts
This card started as a fun idea — just a little something different for Mother’s Day. But along the way, it became something more: a creative expression of love, a playful nod to our shared interests, and a keepsake that felt uniquely us.
With a few tools, a bit of imagination, and a lot of heart, I was able to create something that said what store-bought cards never quite can.
If you’ve ever thought about making something personal for someone you love — do it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to come from you.