What to Do With All Those Cards When Mother's Day is Over!
Ah, the card tree (or ring or other display option). So lovely and appropriate during a holiday season like Christmas or Easter, but just a pile of paper once the next month hits. Is there life for the greeting card beyond Christmas or Valentine's Day or Mother's Day? You bet! Are those beautiful pieces of art destined to just become trash or shredded recycling? No, I say!
There are tons of crafts you can do that call for greeting cards and - hey! You just happen to have some now! None of these great ideas are unique to me. I've just collected some of the best ones I was able to find to help you out.
So crack out the glue and scissors and let's get started!
Get More Great Crafting Ideas at Crafty Daisy
One of my favorite blogs with clever crafting ideas.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySmall Gift Boxes & Containers Using Greeting Cards
Great for food, candles or other tiny gifts from holiday cards
Directions
Supplies:
- Cards
- Glue stick
- Paper to cover inside over writing
- Scissors (optional: paper cutter)
- Ruler
- Double-stick tape
Tiny gift boxes
Directions
Supplies:
- one card
- scissors
- pencil
- glue
Basket
Directions
Supplies:
- 14 used holiday or greeting cards
- white glue
- yarn in complementary colors
- computer and printer with paper
- printable pattern (found on directions page)
- scissors
- yarn needle
- small but sharp-pointed scissors, sharp awl or similar item to poke holes through two cards glued together
- optional: crochet hook
Gift Box
Directions
Supplies:
- greeting or holiday cards
- ruler
- scissors
- pencil
- white glue (optional)
- glitter, ribbon, rick-rack or other embellishments (optional)
- printed template
Hexagon box with lid
Directions
Supplies:
- 16 cards 4 1/2" x 6"
- Stick Glue or all purpose white glue
- Small amount glitter yarn
- Paper punch 1/4" round hole
- Scissors or cutting mat and rotary cutter
- Pencil or pen
- Size G/6 aluminum crochet hook
- Tapestry Needle
Luminaries
Directions
Supplies:
- Four holiday or greeting Cards (try picking ones with similar colors or themes)
- small hole punch
- embroidery thread (coordinate the color with your
- cards)
- needle
- pin
More on Making Gift Boxes
Should you need bigger boxes or further inspiration
Ornaments & Decorations Using Greeting Cards
Directions
Supplies:
- used Christmas cards
- pencil
- scissors
- tacky glue
- gold cord or ribbon
- round template or large coin as shown in directions
- optional: glitter hot glue sticks, glitter or sequins
Star
Directions
Supplies:
- tons of cards
- scissors
- pen
- ruler
- cardstock to print pattern for body
- glue
Angels
Directions
Supplies:
- one or two cards for each angel
- wooden beads
- doll hair or yarn
- fine black permanent marker
- gold or silver chenille stem or brass wire
- glass, saucer or compass and pencil
- acrylic flesh colored paint
- glue
- optional - stapler
- optional - ribbon or cord if you wish to attach a hanger
- optional - paint, sequins, glitter or additional decorations
Fan
Directions
Supplies
- Pretty paper like wrapping paper, or old Christmas cards, or shiny magazine page (print won't show)
- Hot glue gun or scotch tape
- Your choice of decorative effects
Homemade Holiday Ornaments
Black Fleece and Lac...
Laminate flooring to...
That One - Poster #1
That One - Poster #3
That One - Poster #2
Critical Mass July
still tracing
tracing
putting it together
voila...
Gifts to Make Using Holiday Cards
Directions
Supplies:
- paper (of all kinds)
- ruler
- yarn
- embroidery thread
- sewing and embroidery needles
- a Popsicle stick
- heavy books
- buttons
- other random crafty bits
Scented sachets
Supplies:
- Holiday or greeting card
- Glue
- Potpourri or essential oils
- Hole punch
- Ribbon
Make scented sachets to give as gifts or fragrance your own home. Simply glue the bottom and side edges of the card together and then slip a small amount of potpourri (or a cotton ball on which you have dropped a little Christmas essential oil) into the space. Use a hole punch to make two holes on the top edge, through which you can thread a pretty ribbon before tying a bow. If you leave a loop in the ribbon, the sachets can be hung on door handles, coat hooks or radiators (the heat will help to release the scent, but it won't last as long).
Postcards
Use cards which haven't any writing on the inside front. Cut out the fronts of the cards, and you have a postcard! On the blank side, draw a line down the middle. Write your message on the left, add the recipient's address and a stamp on the right. These can be quick thank-you notes for the gifts you've received.
Recipe cards
Use cards which haven't any writing on the inside front. Cut out the fronts of the cards and write a favorite holiday recipe on the blank side. Enclose this with a letter, package, gift or card to your family and friends.
Watch Other Crafty Card Users & Makers
Other Simple, Quick & Easy Ideas Using Greeting Cards
Directions
Supplies:
- old holiday or greeting cards
- popsicle sticks, craft sticks or even plastic straws
- white glue
- kid-safe scissors
- bowl or vase
- filler weight for the vase (rice, beans, sand etc.) to support the puppets
- Optional: white silk poinsettia flower
Bookmarks
Directions
Supplies:
- Used Greeting Cards
- Posterboard or Cardboard
- Crayons, Markers, or Paint
- Glue
Placemats
Supplies:
- Cards
- 11x17 paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Lamination supplies (clear contact paper will do)
Select your favorite cards and cut out the picture or card front. Make a collage with the pictures or arrange the card fronts in rows. Glue the cards/pictures onto an 11x17 sheet of paper. Cut down the paper ahead of time to make a smaller place mat, if desired. When finished, have the place mats laminated or cover front and back with clear contact paper. That's it!
Confetti
Make some Christmas confetti to use next year. Use either a plain hole punch or a special Christmas one (both together look great) and choose the most colorful areas from each card to cut. Gold and silver looks very effective, especially mixed in with red and green. Small scraps of left-over wrapping paper can be used too. You can keep children busy with this for hours!
Puzzles
Directions
Supplies:
- Greeting Cards
- Tacky Glue
- Jumbo Craft Sticks
- Scissors
- Exacto-Knife with Sharp Blade
- Tape
Stock Up on Basic Supplies
More Ideas on Stocking up on Craft Supplies
-
The Well-Stocked Craft Closet
-
then you know all about the importance of stocking up on supplies. Inspiration doesn't want to wait for you to run to the store for glue or ribbons or paper. So what goes into a well-stocked craft closet? Well, some of it will be determined by the a...
Got a Craft to Share?
Leave feedback on the lens here or share your great idea for reusing cards in crafts. I'd love to hear from you!
|
Mortira
The only thing better than making something is recycling while you do it! Thanks for the great lens. 5 stars! Posted August 23, 2008 |
|
chrgr
Great lens - so many creative ideas !! Posted May 10, 2008 |
|
Susan52
Ooh, great ideas! I keep cards - can't bear to throw them away, so I have plenty of materials for these projects. Thanks for the inspiration! Posted April 09, 2008 |
|
Pastiche
Susan, great creative ideas to reuse holiday cards! Lensrolled to my related lenses including Instant Gift Wrap. Posted March 06, 2008 |
|
chloecavanaugh
I love it! Posted February 05, 2008 |
All My Lenses
Like this lens? Want to see what else I've done? Here's my lensography.-
SusanVillasLewis
-
Well, probably for my mom and my husband. But I guess the rest of you won't love me just for existing. So here's more about me, links to my various lenses, thoughts on future lenses and just the general randomness that is Susan. This will forever be...
