I hate to throw away all the beautiful personal and business Christmas cards I’ve received through the years. Yes, I keep all the cards I receive, and all the Christmas cards my family receives too! They are too pretty to throw away and they mark the years as my children are growing up. However, since I have so many of them, sometimes I like to get crafty with all the great cards and designs.
One of the great things you can do with your old personalized Christmas cards is to make garlands that you can hang all around the house and outside (in warm climates) as well when you decorate for the holidays. Begin with using as many horizontal cards as you have. You can use a simple ribbon about 6 to 8 feet long. If you need a longer size, make sure your ribbon is a big spool. You can also use a thin clothesline, string, or wire. Measure the size you need and cut it to size. Start overlapping the horizontal cards over the ribbon and staple them around the ribbon making a thin pocket for the ribbon or string to be enclosed in. To keep the cards in place at about 5 or six inches from each other, staple the card to the string or ribbon in the center top of the card. To make them even prettier, use a pair of pinking shears or craft scissors that are available with the crazy cuts on them to put a beautiful edge on the cards.
You can also glue some glitter onto the card in the art or on the edge of the card, or attach some little rhinestones or colorful buttons or small shiny items on the card to give it some sparkle. You will be surprised at what a difference that makes. If you have vertical Christmas cards to be used you can use a small hole punch to make a hole on the top of the card and run a ribbon or string through it and then hang the card with tying a bow on the banner ribbon or string.
You can also use Christmas cards to create cupcake toppers or decorations. Use any and all of your cards and cut around the art on the front of the cards. You will have to make the art somewhat small to fit nicely on the top of a cupcake. Once that is done, get some little sticks that they sell in the baking aisle of your craft store or food store and glue the art from your cards to the stick. Once dry, you can stick the decoration right on the top of the cupcake and line them up on a platter and you have beautiful, colorful cupcakes perfect for holiday get-togethers.
Now you have two new ideas for you to try when you have all those beautiful cards that you do not want to throw away!
Another great craft I love to do with Christmas cards is to make new cards for the following year! I cut around the design on the front of the cards (using pretty-edged scissors is a great idea!) and then glue or tape it to a blank card. I either pick up a pack of cheap totally blank cards at a craft store, or I make blank cards from plain cardstock. You can make postcards this way too! Just use a blank index card & glue the design on the front. I love the idea of using glitter, too!
I love this idea.. if only I were crafty. I love browsing the retails stores and am jealous of the people who have the talent to create different things. However, I did send the cards I had left to my son’s school so that they could enjoy creating new things with them.
I like the idea of adding on to a photocard. Gluing on glitter or other materials gives it another dimension and really makes it pop! Great ideas.
My aunt used to make gift tags out of Christmas cards from the prior year. She would use pinking shears to cut the edges into zig-zag patterns. We could also tell which gifts were from her even before reading the back of the tag!
I think creative & crafty people have very imaginative minds! Mine doesn’t work that way. These were great ideas to use with my Girl Scout troop for the holidays next year! Thanks for the incentive, the girls will have alot of fun with this!
I wish I were crafty enough to turn my cards into something nice. There are always so many I want to save, but I never have anything to do with them. Perhaps I will give your ideas a chance at the end of the holiday season!
Craft ideas are wonderful. I always think why can’t I come up with something, but I am not creative. I appreciate the tips. I will certainly be using this project to keep the kids occupied during their school vacation. We will be prepared for next year.
These are really great ideas for old cards. I have a ton so this should be fun. Cant wait to try it