Recycling Christmas Cards
I admit that I'm not usually sentimental when it comes to greeting cards. In the past, I haven't been the type to hang on to them for more than a year. (OK, three days.) But lately I've felt more sentimental. I actually didn't want to throw away my cards this year! So I thought about it for a while, got some inspiration by some ideas I saw online, and Paige and I sat down this afternoon and recycled our Christmas cards. It was really fun! And it felt great to be able to say I didn't throw them away.
We didn't get too fancy today, 'cause, you know, she's four. But we did make some gift tags for next year's presents and some little ornaments for Paige's pink Christmas tree. Wanna see the before and afters? Of course you do!
And since our card recycling was-let's face it-a little on the pathetic side, here are some pretty cool ideas that you can use for your own card recycling!
(All images are linked to source.)
Martha Stewart has some really cool ideas, here.
My favorites are these ornaments:
This circle garland!
(I had this idea too! But was too lazy to cut that many circles, haha.)
And these monograms.
Better Homes and Gardens has some great ideas, too!
Here's a cute Christmas card advent from Crafty Nest:
A stunning (but surely time-consuming!) wreath from Good Housekeeping.
A cute little card wreath:
But I think the coolest idea is this:
Cards on rings! To save for every year. :o) Especially good for the photo cards, which you definitely don't want to throw away! Here's a cute version from Close 2 My Heart:
And of course you can always paste the front of your old card to new cardstock. Or at least donate them to St. Jude's, who take all types of used greeting cards!
Phew!!
Well? Are you guys excited that the holidays are over? I have to confess that I'm still in the "slightly-depressed-that-Christmas-is-actually-over" stage. Paige asked me today, "how many days until next Christmas?" and all I could do was stick out my bottom lip.
I LOVE Christmas. :O)
I hope you all enjoyed some time off with family and a yummy cookies or two! ;o)
Have a lovely day!
<3
-Disney
I love your little gift tags. Now I know what I'm going to do on New Year's Day! I always hate to throw the cards away, too, and really like this practical way to reuse-especially since I'm out of tags and haven't had a chance to get to the 50% sales!
ReplyDeletethank you so much for sharing those ideas :) now i know, what do do :D
ReplyDelete...i always collect those christmascards over years...
have a wonderful and healthy new year!
Lots of great ideas! You are fabulous as always.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.houseofavandan.blogspot.com
http://www.vmsloan.etsy.com
Great idea!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I love the snowmen faces...cute!
ReplyDeleteI'd love for you to link up and share: http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/2011/12/pinteresting-link-party-week-twenty.html
Your gift tags are a great way to repurpose the cards! The other ideas were cute too, but honestly I would never get around to doing them. We're packing up our Christmas stuff this weekend, but we'll be sure to whip out a stack of gift tags for next year.
ReplyDeleteSometimes sweet and simple is the way to go!
Awesome ideas!! I too am going to cut up mine soon. One year I was really low on cash so since I keep my cards I had a few on hand, so I glued the bottom and side closed and found candles (dinner tapers) in complimentary colors and gave them to my co workers that year. They all raved how cute it was.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I hate throwing cards away, but I don't want to keep them either! LOL
ReplyDeleteVery cute and just what I needed to keep me busy enough to enjoy the remnants of the Season and not bemoan the gazillion days until I can do it all over again. Monograms, here I come!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love all these awesome ideas! I've done the cutting out little pictures and hanging them on the tree thing but I can't wait to get even more creative! :D
ReplyDeleteAll very fun ideas. I have to agree that the cards on rings idea is the coolest. How fun to be able to pull out your Christmas card book and look at all the photos each year.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these ideas. :)
Great idea, I love what you did for tags!!
ReplyDeletethank you for this funny idea :)
ReplyDeleteSuper cute! Those were great ideas! I love the wreaths. How cute is Paige's tree?!!
ReplyDeleteI like this! But since we don't get too many holiday gards, and those we do get are always special, holding onto them is not such a problem... Still, love these! Gift tags are clever, especially if you, like us, re-use your wrapping paper!
ReplyDeleteI like the your tags. :) And I like the cards saved on rings. I think that snapfish or somebody should come up with a photo album to fit 4 X 8 size picture cards that are so popular nowadays, so we could save all those that come as Christmas cards. I know, I know, I should scrapbook them! But more often then not, they end up on my fridge until they are so bent and gunked up they go in the trash! :(
ReplyDeleteI keep all my cards on rings. I love to go back and look at them weeks and years later. Especially the photo ones.
ReplyDeleteWe just got married recently and I did the same for our wedding cards. I have to say, I look at them ALL the time!
what neat ideas man! this is pretty creative, def will be doing this :)
ReplyDeletexo Nav
http://navlandstyle.blogspot.com/
Found your blog on Cheri's I am momma hear me roar site. Just dropping in to say I love the idea of using the old xmas cards as gift tags. Great idea ! I'll be doing this next year as I just threw out my Christmas cards from this year. oops ! :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome blog !
Love your ideas. Especially the cards on the rings. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I just threw the non-photo cards into the recycle bin and thanks to you have to go dig them out :) I LOVE the Martha Stewart ornaments, and all the garlands. I'm a sucker for garlands.
ReplyDeleteI am planning to bind the photo cards with my new Zutter Bind It All that Santa brought me :)
Thanks for the ideas!
Love these ideas! thank you for sharing.. Now my mind is racing.. just in time before they get put away..
ReplyDeleteI also keep all of the cards I get, (over 20 years worth) In order to keep the memory or sentimental attachment I started embellishing my personal scrap booking pages with them! That way I can enjoy them and the memory with out digging through a box!
ReplyDeleteWe made book marks out of old Christmas cards this year as a craft for the kids at my parent's house. They made really pretty book marks!
ReplyDeleteLove the ideas! I have a small addition to the photo cards idea. I adore yours, btw... great way for little ones to get to better know relatives from far away! With out photo cards from year to year, we cut a simple circle and use something (contact paper, lamination stuff, etc... whatever's nearest to my hands) to laminate and shine it up a little. Sometimes I get fancy and cut a larger circle from the original card as a base for the photo. Then, hole punch and add as ornament to the tree or stair garland. My family loves seeing our friend's faces during the holidays, especially those whoa re far away, and my friend LOVE that their photos don't go into the trash in the new year! We've had the fun of "OH! I didn't have any idea you know this family, we were friend in Germany," etc, as well, which only adds to the joy.
ReplyDeletesmart girl!
ReplyDeleteAwesome ideas! I'm here from Esther's Card Creations. I'm thankful she shared your link. I'm bookmarking it. I love how your punched or cut the tags out. I'm eager to try it!
ReplyDelete