I think my favorite paper craft is to use old Christmas cards to create new ones with. Especially older cards with lovely vintage images and snowy landscapes. It really taps my creative spirit to look at a card and figure out how to recreate it and make it new again.
On the right is my box of deconstructed greeting cards
I love to sit with a stack of cards and my paper cutter and deconstruct them. Often I will cut them into pieces so I can reuse certain components of a card to make others, while some I will use the entire picture to make a new one. Often there are fun borders and glittery papers on a card to reuse as well.
It is fun to take an otherwise plain and simple card image and jazz it up with a fresh border, some glittery paper, a bow or some embellishments.
How cute are these little chickadees?
Embellishing cards has been on a whole other level for me lately since the girls bought me a die cutter for my birthday this month. I purchased some dies from Amazon and have used them quite a bit to make a lot of snowflakes to embellish my cards with. I can use glittery or pearl card backs and fronts to make some of my snowflakes as well as my scraps of glitter paper and scrapbook paper. Very little goes to waste.
Inside of the card, if I like the sentiment and it hasn't been written over, I will often cut that out and matte in to use inside of a new card. There are so many pretty and inspirational sentiments on cards it would be a shame to toss them.
Once one of these cards is complete it would be difficult to know first thing that it was created from an old card because they turn out so pretty. I don't think most people recognize that, but they would know it was artfully handcrafted and lovingly given.
This may look like a mess (and it is) but it's my creative nest 😊
While some people might think this is a way of being a cheapskate I would have to say they are a bit misguided in their thinking. Especially if you consider the time spent and the addition of the pretty supplies added to make this card special. Crafters that upcycle greeting cards put a lot into their creations. They are a labor of love.
That pretty much sums it up
More than anything re-creating these cards gives me a great deal of pleasure. I can escape into my creative space and focus only on the task at hand leaving the rest of the world outside for a while. Anytime someone is creating, especially a gift for someone, it is a beautiful thing.
I have watched several youtube videos with some very creative people. There are so many things you can upcycle to bring depth and interest to your papercrafts. Recently I saved the cardboard from my lightbulb box because it was corrugated and you can do cool stuff with it. Hopefully I will find it when I need it LOL - I do think organization is the key to any craft because it is incredibly frustrating when you don't know where something is.
ReplyDeleteQuilters have been reusing old clothing for centuries. I think it is pretty awesome to make something new from something old. You get to put your own spin on it and dare to dream what it "could" be.
Good for you to make a priority on doing something fun and creative. I honestly need to do more of that. I forget sometimes that a lot of the reason I am tired and burned out is because I need to do something different to revive/refresh me. I did a fabric pull over the weekend for a fall throw quilt. I hope to get the squares cut tonight and maybe make my sewing schedule.
Enjoy your fun! Oh to have a crafty friend near by!
As crazy as work has been these past weeks this is saving my sanity. No doubt about that! Take some time out and do some crafting my friend. You won't be sorry. :0)
DeleteI love those cards. It is not cheap at all. I remember sending a handmade Christmas card, used with a part from another handmade card I had received from a friend. The recipient of my card, weeks after Christmas, when thanking me for it, confessed that she had used part of it for a gift tag for her son-in-law's gift, saying she hope I wasn't offended. Offended? I was flattered!!! I can easily spend over an hour on one card, enjoying every second.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I love it!
DeleteI do save Christmas cards, mostly for gift tags. I am not nearly as creative as you.
ReplyDeleteI like to make the gift tags too.
DeleteThose cards are spectacular. I would love it if someone gave me a card like that.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lee Ann. I'm having fun!
DeleteHi I have made postcards out of old cards. Not only does it give new life to them it's also less postage to send them. Which is both eco friendly and budget friendly too
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea!
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