It's my annual time of making gift tags - all from received
Christmas cards. This year I discovered a way to get even more
tags from my cards...
Step 1 -make a circle template from a 'not-nice' area of 1 of the cards
(in other words - from ugly card stock - often the inside page).
I traced a small kitchen dish for my circle - or a jar lid would work.
Step 2 - place template on cards and trace and cut where ever you'll have a nice graphic in the front of your circle. Sometimes you can get 2 or 3 tags from a card. Don't worry about the reverse side.
(Which is how we're getting more tags this year!)
Step 3 - for tags that do not have a plain back for writing (like the
above left one has) but perhaps has handwriting on, etc... brush a
thin layer of decoupage medium over the back of the circle tag.
Immediately place a 'larger-than-the-circle' piece of book or
dictionary page or sheet music onto the circle. Press well all over
and place under something heavy till dry (such as a can soup).
Step 4 - some cards will lend themselves to a different shape for a tag.
So go for it! Again - applying a book page section to the backs of
those that aren't plain.
And don't forget photo cards (which yields even more tags!)
They often have a 'greeting' end that can be trimmed off to make a
gift tag - such as the ones below. And you'll still have the
family photo, etc. to keep for your bulletin board
Step 5 - after all your tags that you've applied book pages to are dry -
trim around the tag so that the pages are the exact size as your tag.
You now have a back that you can write on with marker, etc. that
covers up the ugly 'before'!
Write your 'To:' and 'From:' right over the book pages.
What a fun assortment!
Step 6 - Punch a hole in each tag and add string, yarn or twine.
I'm loving my finished tags this year. The book pages below are
the 'backs' of some - all ready for writing on next year...
And just cause this was my favorite card that I received this year -
I have yet to cut it up... Isn't it pretty?
Of course - you can use whatever shape for the tags you like...
circles are just quick and easy.
Happy 'after Christmas' crafting! ~Joyce
Linking to Talk of the Town party
& the Home Sweet Home party.
Linking to Talk of the Town party
& the Home Sweet Home party.
4 comments:
What a great idea! I leave my cards on on a string over the patio door until well into January. I love to look at them and think of the people that sent them. Then I make a pile of cards and keep them by my Bible. Each morning I take the top card and pray for that family specifically when I'm doing my devotions. I then put that card on the bottom of the pile. That way, every family gets prayed for by name every 40 or so days. I never knew what to do with the cards and I hated to just throw them away because they are so pretty. I started this a couple of years ago and love it.
Blessings,
Betsy
I LOVE Betsy's idea above! I am so thankful to know that she will be praying for my family and me every 40th day! And, I LOVE your ideas here, too!!! Oh, how wonderful. Since starting our minimizing journey, we do not keep the cards, due to limits on space and trying to declutter. Cutting the cards into the gift tags is an excellent idea, and I have just the little plastic storage container to store them in. Thank you for sharing! I loved this post. :)
Such a wonderful idea and way to re-use cards.
Yet another lovely way to use cards. I love Betsy's idea as well. This year I will be cutting my card fronts into puzzles, and placing into a ziplock bag with a puzzle symbol drawn on the front. Those will be saved to tuck into shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child ministry. Blessings to you, Heather
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