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Recycled Christmas Cards – Christmas Mini Cards With Envelopes

Introduction

Front cover and an activity page from “Fun Till Christmas” by Janet and Alex D’Amato, published in 1965.

Pictured just above are the front cover and one of the activity pages from a book that I had when I was young. I bought a barely used or written in copy at the St. Catherine Laboure garage sale this past spring. The copy I had when I was a kid is long gone and by the time I was done with it, it was all cut up and torn up and written in. I obsessed over every inch of that book. It was a huge influence on me. I loved the activities and graphics. Many of the projects involved creative re-use, like making things out of old Christmas cards. I’ve enjoyed upcycling cards for a long time. I’d like to share with you some of the creative re-use projects I’ve been enjoying. Of course if you don’t celebrate Christmas, the theme of this project could be adjusted for any occasion that involves cards.

Today I’ll show you Christmas Mini Cards With Envelopes.

Mini cards and envelopes made from recycled Christmas cards, envelopes, and wrapping paper.

Tools and Materials

Old greeting cards
Christmas and holiday theme papers and images – new or upcycled
Template Valentine Pocket Card
Self-sticking laminating sheets
Pen or pencil
Paper cutter
Scissors
Scrap chipboard
Glue stick
Metallic paint pens
Small rubber stamps
Assorted colors rubber stamping ink
Clean scrap paper
Burnishing tool, such as a bone folder
Optional – stickers

Clockwise starting at top left: paper scraps, mini envelopes before assembly, sentiments cut from greeting cards, Mini Envelope Template, Mini Card Template made from scrap chipboard.

Instructions

First download and print out the template Valentine Pocket Card. Cut out the Mini Envelope Template and for durability, laminate it with self-sticking laminating sheets. Use this template to find and trace around holiday themed papers and envelopes to make cute tiny envelopes. Fold the tabs at the dotted lines, and use a glue stick to glue the bottom flap to the bottom of the side flaps.

Next make a little rectangle out of scrap chipboard to use as a template for finding and tracing around greetings and sayings from old cards. The dimensions for the rectangle are 2 7/8″ x 1 7/8″. Trace with a pen or pencil around sections of cards you want to use for a mini card, then cut out.

After cutting out the greetings and sentiments, outline the edges with a metallic paint marker, and use some small festive rubber stamps to apply holiday related designs around the border. Add stamped accents to the fronts of the envelopes as well. If needed, use clean scrap paper and a bone folder to blot the inks you’re using before handling the cards so that they don’t smear.

Glue colorful festive papers to the backs of the cards with a glue stick. Burnish well, and trim.

Once they are dry enough to handle, the cards are ready to insert into the envelopes. You can seal the top flap of the envelope with the glue stick, or use a festive sticker to close the flap.

Further Reading

If you would like more ideas about how to have a more sustainable holiday season, here are other articles of mine on this topic.

Decorate Gift Packages with Stencils and Chalk

Make a textile out of fabric and thread scraps

Christmas Trees from scrap fabric

Making Greeting Cards From Scrap Papers

Making Holiday Centerpieces From Natural Materials

Upcycle a Metal Tin with Decoupage

Decoupage Gift Box

Christmas Journaling and Icebreaking Activity Cards

Welcome from carolynsstampstore.com

Hi! I just set my domain carolynsstampstore.com to redirect to this web site. I’ve had that web site for 15 years and it’s going to take ages to fix all the broken links. So please be patient with me while I cope with this disaster.

Here is what happened – the hosting company for that web site, Integrated Technology Associates, is a reseller for hosting services provided by GoDaddy. One or the other companies set my web site so that no edits or updates can be made to any of the files on that site – in other words they broke it. Each company blames the other for breaking it and both companies would rather lose me as a customer than fix it. So after almost two months of pleading with them to fix it, I have given up. Those of you hoping to access content on www.carolynsstampstore.com, please be patient while I try to rebuild the content from that site and fix the links. It will take a LONG time. I apologize for the inconvenience!

Do you recognize any of these suspects? Metrolink attack on 09/27/16

This is my work colleague Jason at our Displays that Pay booth at the Murmuration Festival on Sunday.
This is my work colleague Jason at our Displays that Pay booth at the Murmuration Festival on Sunday. Jason was attacked on Tuesday night. He was robbed, beaten, and suffered a broken ankle.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.