Tuesday, December 15, 2009

recycled...

Do you still have your Christmas cards from last year?  or the year before?  or the year before that?   I have stacks of old cards.  Please tell me I'm not the only one who just can't seem to part with them.  I always save the cute family pictures we get of friends and family, and I try to incorporate those in a holiday layout or something...but sometimes the cards are just too big or bulky or there are just too many to include every single card in our albums.  SO...here's an idea to use/re-use those cute cards you've been hanging on to.

Here's a stack of cards - this cute Santa one looks fun...and here's a quick picture of the back of it too. mission3_cardtobag1

Next, I went through my assortment of blank gift bags - just waiting to be decorated and used.  I found one just the right size.

mission3_cardtobag1d

After I cut the front off the card, I stitched around the edges with my sewing machine.  I also cut a scalloped edge from a piece of scrap paper (this is my favorite border punch).

  mission3_cardtobag1a

See the cute little tag?  Recognize the tree?  It's from the BACK of the card!  I used some foam squares to give it a little bit of dimension.

mission3_cardtobag1b

I added some buttons with thread on top of the cute tree ornaments, and on Santa's hat.

mission3_cardtobag1c

I thought this little Santa bag turned out cute - and it's super unique - there's not another one like it anywhere!

So...do you have any fun ideas for recycling your holiday cards?

 

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the cute idea (I am a card saver).

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  2. you're a genious wendy! i seriously would have never thought of doing something like that. lol! so cute!

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  3. you really are a genious - i have a gazillion of cards - great idea!!

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  4. That's a very cute idea. I used to save the "cute" cards, but then I found out that St. Jude's children's ranch collects them. This would be a great idea for them as well! I'll forward it to them.

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  5. Oh...my..gosh, how stinkin' cute! The beauty of those bags is you aren't just limited to Christmas. You could use old birthday cards, Halloween cards etc etc. Thanks for the inspiration! ~Jenn

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  6. Well, I wasn't a card saver until this post! Totally cute and amazing!!

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  7. What a clever idea! I knew I had been saving my cards for something... Now I know what!

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  8. OH MY WORD!! This is ridiculously BRILLIANT!! LOVE it!!

    I admit I recycle all my hand made card I receive. I cut the front off and remount them on cardstock. Off they go to my SIL and her church friends. My friends know I do it so I don't feel guilty not keeping them.

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