Recycling Used Christmas Cards Year after year many receive Christmas cards that are just too lovely to discard. Use these cards to create easy ornaments for the tree, gift tags, gift boxes and other small things. Here you will find several examples of how to recycle these pretty card motifs for further use.     Time required: about 20 minutes for a box, about 10 minutes for the tags and ornaments, about 10 minutes plus drying time for the glitter pictures and about 5 minutes for the framed cards. Difficulty Level: Easy Material List For All Projects: - used Christmas cards - scissors - craft glue Additional Material List For the Boxes: - white cardstock - box making board (optional - has the advantage that it makes the box lid and box base so that they fit perfectly   together) or fold and crease the box lid and base manually (instructions will be written below) - stylus - bone folder - clothes pins or paper clips to hold the sides while they are drying Additional Material List For the Tags and Ornaments: - die cutting machine of your choice and necessary cutting boards for the dies used - rectangle dies for the tags - round and round scallop dies for the ornaments - white box sides for the ornaments (this recycles white boxes and at the same time, gives you a sturdy base for the   ornament) If you do not have a die cutting machine, you can also cut out the shape using scissors. To create a special border, use decorative edged scissors instead. Instructions to Make Boxes: 1. First cut away the front of the card. Place it over the cardstock and cut out the exact same size so you have two identical pieces. 2. A box maker comes in handy when making boxes. It takes in consideration that the box lid needs to be a tiny bit larger than the base and is set up that way. If using a box maker, place the card front on the side called “lid” and crease a line on each side of the paper to the height you choose. For this particular box, the 3rd line was used so the height will be 1.5 cm. For the box base you will place the cardstock piece you cut out on the box “base” side and use also the same line (for this box the 3rd line, just like the box lid). Then crease all 4 lines on that side of the box maker. If you do not have a box maker, you can also make a lid and base. You need a foam mat, stylus and ruler. Mark on each side of the card front and the cardstock piece the height you need and then emboss the lines using the stylus and ruler. Please note, the lid and base will fit tighter than if you had used the box maker because they will be the identical size. 3. Now you have the box base lid and box base creased. 4. Use a bone folder or similar and burnish the creases so the sides can be perfectly folded over. 5. Cut a wedge in each of the 4 square corners. On one side, you cut along the line of the fold until the horizontal crease and from the other side you come at an angle. Like cutting a small triangle. 6. Then place glue on each of these 4 corners and fold them inwards so that they will adhere to the inside of the box side. 7. Use paper clips or clothes pins to hold the walls until the glue dries. That only takes a couple of minutes. Repeat for the other box half. 8. Now the gift box is ready for use.   These boxes are perfect for small gifts. You can also consider making 24 of them and using them for an Advent calendar, too. Then they can be re-used each year again.     Instructions to Make the Tags: 1. Choose a card you want to use. 2. Select an area to die cut and the die of your choice. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and die cut the image from the card. 3. Here a cute Christmas cat was cut out. Then punch a hole through the top and use ribbon or baker’s twine to hang it. If you do not have a die cutting machine, you can also cut rectangle shaped images out with scissors or decorative edged scissors for a fancier look.     Instructions to Make the Christmas Tree Ornaments (or these can also be used as tags): 1. Cut out a larger scallop out of a white box side. Not only does this recycle boxes, but is strong and sturdy, too. Die cut out a smaller white circle out of the card. 2. Simply adhere the card circle onto the scallop. Punch a hole through the top of the ornament and use ribbon or baker’s twine to hang it. If you do not have a die cutting machine: Find small round objects (cans, drinking cup, etc... to cut out the card circle. Place the object over the Christmas card and trace around them. Cut out the circle. Trace another larger circle onto a piece of sturdy cardboard or box side and cut out using scissors or decorative edged scissors for a fancier look. Then glue the smaller circle over the larger one. A pretty angel was found on a Christmas card and looks lovely as a motif.     And after you have cut images out of the cards and still have left over card pieces: The sentiments or messages on the front of the cards can also be cut or die cut out to use for future craft projects. Various areas are also pretty, depending on the design of the card. You can cut or die cut out squares, circles, rectangles, stars or other shapes to also use for future projects. These can be decorative elements for new cards, as mounting backgrounds or frames for smaller shapes, you can decoupage them on an object or even create a Christmas collage with them.   Card fronts can also be used as pictures to hang: This is an example of a card that was first cut out with decorative edged scissors and then embellished with glue and glitter as a frame. Two holes were punched in each corner and a ribbon was added to hang it. This is a religious card front that had gold details on it. A frame of gold glitter was created to make a gorgeous picture that can also be hung.   Some cards look also great when framed in a picture frame and used as a decoration.   Featured at:   Home Advent Calendars Angels Basic Christmas Crafts Christmas Around the World Christmas Cards Christmas Carols Christmas Coloring Book Pages Christmas Freebies Christmas Games and Puzzles Christmas in Germany Christmas Recipes Christmas Stories and Poems Christmas Trees Crochet and Knitting Cross Stitch Crafts Decorating Ideas Fabric Crafts Floral Craft Ideas German Christmas Crafts Gift Wrapping Ideas Gingerbread Men Handmade Gifts to Craft and Sew Kids Christmas Crafts Paper Crafts Patchwork & Quilting Reindeer Crafts Santa Crafts Scrapbook Layouts Snowflakes Snowman Crafts Stars Stockings Tags Tree Ornaments Wood Crafts Wreaths             Copyright: If you would like to share Christmas-Projects.com crafts or recipes, please read here before doing so.

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