We've all got them. Maybe they're stuffed in a drawer somewhere, maybe they're in a closet, or maybe they're in the "donate" box in the mud room. Every thrift store has them, too. They are the (often unopened) event specific thank-you cards. "Thank you for the wedding gift", "thank you for the shower gift", "thank you for the baby gift", etc.
The other day, I was looking at a package of these notecards at the Goodwill, and it occurred to me that these cards can be upcycled as card bases for all-occasion cards!
At first, I thought I could simply cover the front of the card with decorative paper or cardstock, but I quickly discovered that if the card catches the light just right, you can still see the text on the original card base.
It turned out that a simple fix was all we needed. The trick is to add two or three layers to the card. this lent itself to a very artsy type of mixed media card. Since my very favorite mixed media material is vintage book paper, I grabbed some books of verse that complimented some washi and origami paper I had to cover each card front, I started with torn strips of book paper and decorative paper. then I inked the edges, for a finished look. Cards were finished off with Dollar Tree embellishments from my stash.
Taking a cue from The Frugal Crafter, I used leftover bits to ink and decorate the envelopes.
This is a great stash busting project, as I was able to transform leftover papers into useful note cards. I was even able to line all of the envelopes!
A few of the cards were transformed into pocket cards, with coordinating tags. This was such a fun and easy project. Basically, there were no rules. I simply grabbed some papers and embellishments that I thought would work well together, grabbed glue and scissors, and went to work (or should I say "play")? I hope this post encourages you to look through your stash before running to the store to buy something new.
In addition to using these cards myself, I plan to package these into sets of three or four cards a piece, tie with pretty ribbon, and slip into Christmas stockings or give as hostess gifts.
If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to House Revivals in the sidebar, so you won't miss the fun projects we have planned. Find us on Facebook, too, so you can catch all the "in between" stuff, and see what I'm working on throughout week on Instagram. Feel free to link today's project to all your favorite social media sites.
You might also like this post about choosing materials for mixed media projects.
The other day, I was looking at a package of these notecards at the Goodwill, and it occurred to me that these cards can be upcycled as card bases for all-occasion cards!
At first, I thought I could simply cover the front of the card with decorative paper or cardstock, but I quickly discovered that if the card catches the light just right, you can still see the text on the original card base.
It turned out that a simple fix was all we needed. The trick is to add two or three layers to the card. this lent itself to a very artsy type of mixed media card. Since my very favorite mixed media material is vintage book paper, I grabbed some books of verse that complimented some washi and origami paper I had to cover each card front, I started with torn strips of book paper and decorative paper. then I inked the edges, for a finished look. Cards were finished off with Dollar Tree embellishments from my stash.
Taking a cue from The Frugal Crafter, I used leftover bits to ink and decorate the envelopes.
A few of the cards were transformed into pocket cards, with coordinating tags. This was such a fun and easy project. Basically, there were no rules. I simply grabbed some papers and embellishments that I thought would work well together, grabbed glue and scissors, and went to work (or should I say "play")? I hope this post encourages you to look through your stash before running to the store to buy something new.
In addition to using these cards myself, I plan to package these into sets of three or four cards a piece, tie with pretty ribbon, and slip into Christmas stockings or give as hostess gifts.
If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to House Revivals in the sidebar, so you won't miss the fun projects we have planned. Find us on Facebook, too, so you can catch all the "in between" stuff, and see what I'm working on throughout week on Instagram. Feel free to link today's project to all your favorite social media sites.
You might also like this post about choosing materials for mixed media projects.
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
Amanda
