I’m not usually a crafty person but I am quite sentimental and always looking for ways to create meaningful decor pieces in my home, especially around the holidays. That’s where greeting cards come in – those little messengers of love and thoughtfulness we often tuck away in drawers.
In this article, I’m going to walk you through some fun, easy ways to transform those greeting cards into little pieces of home decor. Whether you’re looking to add a personal touch to your holiday decorations or just want to showcase the love you’ve received over the years, these ideas could work.
So, grab those cards, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get crafty! Here’s what we’ll cover:
Table of Contents
1. Using Greeting Cards as Wall Art
It may seem like an odd idea, but greeting cards can be a great way to decorate a blank wall simply by repurposing those old greeting cards as wall art.
The best part is that it will give you a chance to show off your favorite celebration and/or let your guests know how much you appreciate their presence in your life.
There are a few ways to do it. Which one you choose will depend a bit on your style, your space, aand what cards you’re hoping to display, so let’s review some of the options:
2. Framing Greeting Cards
It’s actually very easy to transform old greeting cards into beautiful wall art. Intricate birthday, thinking of you, and celebration cards
The simplest way is just to find a beautiful frame that works with a particular spot in your home and hang it like any other piece of art. Grouping several different cards in complimentary frames to create a small gallery always looks great, and you can personalize them by buying a slightly larger phrame and laying them on top of some decorative scrapbook paper.
If frames aren’t your style, you can create something a little more special like a shadow box piece or something more unique — I love this hanging photo display I found over on Amazon because you can hang photos, greeting cards, or even small souvenirs like seashells or flowers to create something unique in a fun boho-chic style.
Framing greeting cards isn’t just about preserving them; it’s about capturing memories in a snapshot. Think of those intricate birthday or ‘thinking of you’ cards. They’re not just paper; they’re little pieces of art, each with a story. Imagine a wall in your home coming alive with these framed snippets of love and friendship. It’s like having a visual diary of all the wonderful moments you’ve shared with others.
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3. Greeting Card Collage
Now, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, why not try a greeting card collage? This is where you can really let your creativity shine. Mix and match cards, play with patterns, and create a tapestry of memories on your wall. It’s a dynamic, colorful, and deeply personal piece of art that tells your story in a way nothing else can.
4. Christmas Cards as Christmas Decor
Don’t let those beautiful Christmas cards sit in a box! They can be transformed into charming holiday decorations.
String them up like a festive garland across your fireplace or pin them onto a corkboard in the shape of a Christmas tree. It’s a heartwarming way to relive the joy of past holidays.
5. Using Greeting Cards to create a Wreath
This video from The Retro Farmhouse gives you a quick tutorial on how to make a wreath out of greeting cards, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/hlFPp6tN26I
Jessica from the Retro Farmhouse shares a creative DIY project for repurposing leftover Christmas cards. Here’s a quick rundown of what she does:
- Holly Leaf Wreath:
- She starts by creating a holly leaf template from paper.
- Then, she traces this shape onto the backs of old Christmas cards and cuts them out. (Any leaf shape works!)
- Next, she disassembles the cards, separating the front and back.
- She saves the blank back pieces for another project.
- Using hot glue, she attaches the cut-out leaves to toothpicks.
- These are then inserted into a styrofoam wreath base, creating a festive, recycled wreath.
- Gift Tags:
- Jessica uses the scenic parts of the cards to make gift tags for next year.
- She cuts out the images, sometimes using pinking shears for a scalloped edge.
- If there’s writing on the back, she covers it with a plain piece from another card.
- She adds a hole punch and strings jute through it for attaching to gifts.
Jessica’s project is a great way to recycle and add a personal touch to your holiday decorations and gifts. Plus, it’s a fun activity to do while watching TV or relaxing. She suggests keeping the wreath indoors and storing the tags with gift wrap for future use.
Bonus Idea: Reuse Them As Postcards
After a year or two of displaying your cards, you’re going to have a lot of them.
Here’s a quick project that’s so simple I’m almost embarrassed to share it:
- Instead of throwing away the cards you get in the mail, turn them into postcards.
- First cut off the top of the card, and either toss that half in the recycling bin or if you’re particularly sentimental about the message inside it, I like to keep that half next to a photo in a nice holiday photo album.
- We like to use a corner shaper from the craft store to round our corners.
- Then stick on a stamp, and you have a whole new postcard ready to go.
It’s such a simple yet brilliant idea, isn’t it? It’s like sending a piece of your heart through the mail. Plus, it’s a great way to keep the spirit of giving alive, even after the holidays are over.
Closing Thoughts
So there you have it, a few easy and heartfelt ways to turn those greeting cards into something more. Whether it’s a wall of memories, a festive wreath, or a postcard sent to a loved one, each idea is about cherishing those special connections in our lives. Happy crafting and crafting!
thewriteDuffy
At home, April is a mom, wife, and DIY darling. Among other home projects, she helped her husband Dan renovate their 1986 bungalow and is currently designing and decorating the 2023 custom home they are building themselves. Professionally, April is a writer, author, and online marketer with 15 years of experience writing for newspapers and magazines, building online authority websites, and publishing books.
With any project, 80 percent of the work is done in the planning stage. We have simple checklists to help you get organized and make sure you’re prepared for every step along the way. Download them now for FREE: