With an abundance of Christmas cards received over the years, combined with the desire to be creative and not see these beautiful cards go to waste, we have a great opportunity to make those cherished cards new again and special to someone else.
Knowing which outer envelope to use ensures getting the sizing right before anything is cut. You may have spare envelopes on hand; they are also available in packages from craft stores.
Separate the front from the back of the card. If the card is particularly large or has a section worthy of being featured, cut out just that section.
Make a larger new back page in a complementary color of card stock. While I do not have a photo of it, I use fancy scissors to cut a white sheet card stock and place between the front image and the new back page. I write my Christmas greeting on this paper.
Punch holes in the top and tie the pages together with ribbon or twine (I bet you have lots of scraps available for this small job!). The next time I do this I might consider using fancy scissors to give an attractive edge to the new back page.
Here are some examples of new Christmas cards made from previously received cards:
Gift Tags
Also consider that sections of these Christmas cards make great gift tags. Why buy packages of expensive one-use stick on tags every year when you have these fabulous cards from previous years? Simply cut out a section of a card to write the name of the recipient. Tape or tie it with the curly ribbon to the gift you are giving.
A card can go from this…
to this gift tag…
Decorating Packages
Consider gluing an entire card face to the outside of a plain brown paper bag to dress it up for gift giving…or on the outside of a wrapped package. This is especially useful if you are mailing or packing wrapped packages in your luggage.