RECYCLED CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY GREETING CARDS - Page 3

Valentine Garlands
Cut hearts out of pink and red lightweight cardstock, as well as pictures/sentiments from greeting cards. Using scalloped scissors, edge the paper hearts. Punch heart-shaped holes in all the cut-outs and weave a white ribbon through all of them. For a more deluxe garland, insert red glossy buttons between the cut-outs.

Holiday Pictures
For the extra special holiday card that is so beautiful, purchase inexpensive frames so they can be displayed during the holiday season.

Purchase inexpensive frames and decorate them with a bit of gold or silver spray paint or using a craft glue, squirt out snowflakes and cover the flakes with glitter. Insert your favorite holiday cards and replace pictures on your walls with these season frames. Don't forgot the wall behind the toilet or on a kitchen counter!

Holiday Mobiles
Cut out characters from greeting cards and punch small hole in top of each one. Using various lengths of fishing line, tie one line to each cut-out. These can be hung from clothes hangers or chandeliers.

Holiday Tablecovers
Cut all of the greeting cards in half: the scene and the writing. Select a piece of heavy material the size of the tablecover you want and glue the cards on it, alternating pictures and greetings. While the tablecover is laying flat with the pictures/greetings glued on to it, cover with clear shelf lining paper or clear shower curtain the same size as the tablecover. You can sew or glue around the edges for a permanent cover to be used over and over again.

Holiday Tin Stars
Use an aluminum frozen pot pie container or aluminum pie plates from frozen cakes and pies, and trim off the rim; flatten out into a star shape. Cut pictures from greeting cards and glue in the center of the star. Punch a hole in the star, add a ribbon or yarn loop to hang.


Holiday Tree Decorations/Ornaments

Decoupage the "special" cards cut-outs and hot glue them to Sand Dollars or small Star Fish. Add a loop for red, green, gold or silver ribbon to hang.
Use big picture cards, trim edges with pinking shears or other decorative scissors and punch a hole in the middle of the top of each card. Insert ribbon through the hole and hang on the tree. For themed trees, save cards from Valentine's Day or Easter to decorate.

Select several different card fronts and using a drinking glass or cup, draw circles on the back of each one and cut out the circles. Fold a small edge around the circle and fold to create a ball. Using a staple or glue gun, add a loop of year to top of ball.

Cut the front of the whole card and fold into "pleats". Gather the pleats at the bottom of the card and staple. Add ribbon, dried flowers, bows, etc.

Glue the front parts of two holiday cards back-to-back and cut a pentagon or hexagon out of them. (Ensure they are pretty pictures). Glue toothpicks along the flat sides, stacking them up like you are building a log cabin. Do this on both sides. Decorate with glitter and attach a string to the top to hang on the tree.

Use canning jar lids (Mason) that are two pieces. Cut out circles from the front of greeting cards - make circle a tiny bit smaller than the inside of the lid. Insert picture into larger round lid, glue in picture and then put smaller lid insert onto back of photo. Add a loop of yarn or ribbon to hang. For more festive designs, decorate outside edge of lid with glitter, beads, ribbon.

Using decorative scissors or pinking shears, cut the greeting card fronts into shapes (round, rectangles, triangle, squares, etc.). Punch a hole in the top, add a loop of ribbon or yarn.

Transparencies: You'll need 1 Christmas Card, 1 small piece of Tissue Paper, 1 piece of heavy Construction Paper (red or green), 1 piece of red or green yard (about 6 inches) and craft glue. Find a card that has a "center" focus, such as a Santa, house, Christmas balls, etc. Using the tips of your scissors, punch a hole into the card on the side away from the design, being sure to leave an outer frame. Cut out around the center design (such as the Santa) - then use this card and trace it onto a piece of heavy construction paper and cut it out also. Now you'll have two pieces of cut-out paper; one with the design and one plain construction paper. Place the cut-out over a piece of tissue paper and cut a square that will fit over the back of the card, place glue onto the backside of the cut-out, plate tissue paper onto the glue so that is shows through the cut-out areas, place a little more glue onto this layer, add a piece of looped yarn for a hanger and then set the construction paper cut-out onto the back of the cut-out… you'll now have three layers and a wonderful transparency to hang in your windows or on the tree.

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