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Upcycle Holiday Card Ideas - The Mummy Toolbox

Hello, My Name is Charlotte and I am a hoarder of holiday cards! 

Ok maybe I am not that bad but I hate throwing cards away – birthday, Christmas or otherwise! after all of the time and money people spent thinking, writing and sending them to me I can’t face just chucking them! Holiday cards often have really pretty and intricate designs that just go to waste otherwise. So with that in mind, I thought I would share some of the ways you don’t have to throw them away and turn them into useful and pretty projects worthy of the time and attention that went in!

Holiday Keepsake ornament

I found this great idea on Scoutie girl but is originally by Nicole from Lillyella and it’s an excellent (and frugal) way to decorate next years tree! (or even your house near easter/birthdays!). Go and check out the fantastic tutorial and you can make ornaments that look store bought!

Holiday Card Upcycle Ideas - The Mummy Toolbox - Card Ornament on Scoutie Girl
Photo Credit: Scoutie Girl

Lovely Placemats for a family keepsake

In school when I was younger you created artwork at school and in some cases they would then offer to turn it into all sorts of things such as; teatowls, aprons and placemats which is where I got the idea of creating a mashup and laminating old cards into keepsake placemats that are inexpensive and perfect for different times of the year. You could create a set of the same or you could have personal mats with the message on the reverse side! (These would make excellent stocking gifts for next year!) Junk Mail Gems can show you how to do it!

Upcycle Holiday Card Ideas on The Mummy Toolbox - Placemats
Photo Credit: Junk Mail Gems

Scrapbook Backgrounds

I like to use my cards in my scrapbook, my favourite ones or ones with special additions always make it in, I try to use the leftovers as best I can and I wrote about it in my “Easy Scrapbook Background Ideas” post where I showed some of my inspiration for my favorite pages!

Cut Up Card Pieces - Easy Scrapbook Background Ideas
The Mummy Toolbox Scrapbook Background Ideas

Christmas Card Puzzles

You know I am a sucker for anything frugal that keeps the toddler entertained and this idea from Motherhood on a dime ticks both of those boxes! Her tutorial shows how to create puzzles out of cards so that you can pop them in the bags to keep them quiet for a few precious moments! (I bet these would be great at a restaurant!) Make them easier or harder by cutting them into fewer or more pieces!

Upcycle Holiday Card Ideas - The Mummy Toolbox - Card Puzzles by Motherhood on a dime
Photo Credit: Motherhood on a Dime

Bookmarks

I am an avid reader, I am forever picking a book up and down and I used to dogear the pages (much to everyone’s chagrin!) So now I use my old cards as bookmarks. You can trim off your favourite pattern or even do something more structured like The Crafty Mummy!

Upcycle Holiday Card Ideas - The Mummy Toolbox - Christmas Bookmarks by The Crafty Mummy
Photo Credit: The Crafty Mummy

Christmas card notepads

If you are like me you will take notes all day every day (and as a blogger you never know where inspiration might strike so you should always have a notepad handy) Hope Studios has a great tutorial for turning your leftover holiday cards into mini notepads! Which is perfect for the handbag or shopping!

Holiday Card Upcycle - The Mummy Toolbox - Card notepads
Photo Credit: Hope Studios

Gift Tags

I got this idea from Milo Made who is extra organised and makes gift tags for holidays and presents. Go check out the post and there is a fab design you can use! This is such a great way to save money and be frugal and see your beautiful birthday or winter cards go to use.

Upcycle Holiday Card Ideas
Photo credit: decor8 via VisualHunt / CC BY

What do you do with your leftover cards?

I would love to find new projects! Speaking of which: If you are looking for inspiration for your next project why not follow the “Project Ideas” Board on Pinterest.

Expert ways to upcycle your holiday cards. Don't know what to do with your birthday cards, christmas cards or even those from fathers or mother's day? here's a list of handy projects to try and recycle them! #DIY #upcycle #projects #projectideas

15 comments on “Expert Ways To Upcycle Your Holiday Cards”

  1. I recently got married and was wondering what to do with all of the cards we received. I love the idea of making ornaments as a “first christmas” thing. I like the scrap book idea too.

  2. I am completely the same, and I am worse when it comes to cards for Monkey!! I have a box his 3rd birthday cards which i need to make some decisions about. I have allowed myself to keep the first and the second ones but thats about it. Now I need to be ruthless!! Hopefully some of these ideas will help x

  3. I have used old Christmas cards as gift tags on one or two organised years (although mostly because I’m too disorganised to ever remember to buy gift tags). Some interesting ideas for the rest of the year though.

  4. What fabulous ideas! Thanks for sharing with us all! I have piles and piles of old Christmas and birthday cards which I hoard for no good reason so I’m going to make an effort to do this by Christmas! (A sensible time frame right?! 10 months…) xx

  5. I just love this post it’s full of fantastic and creative ideas! Thank-you so much for sharing your wonderful finds with us, I can definitely see me doing some of these with the girls. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday. xx #KCACOLS

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