Repurposing Envelopes

Foil and envelopes have a lot of uses.

Brightly colored envelopes never get thrown away at my house until they have been "mined" for a few hearts. If the envelope has the added benefit of foil, that is saved too. A lot of hearts can be snipped by using the natural fold of the envelope as the center line.

These hearts are then deposited in a clear zip-type bag along with other hearts, from other envelopes, to be used as needed. The foil pieces too are folded and cut into hearts (or other shapes).

It doesn't take long to collect a lot of very colorful shapes. As Valentine's Day approaches, think of the fun children will have creating pictures and Valentine cards with all the bright--and shiny--hearts you've stored away in that zip bag.

Free-hand cut or trace and cut.

Soon you'll have lots of colors and sizes from very little material.

Cut out around your first cut, again and again.

Open them to reveal the hearts.

You might also try looping some of the open hearts together by cutting one heart and lacing it through another one. Then, tape the cut to close the heart again. Lace another and another in the same fashion. Soon you will have a lovely Valentine mobile.

One heart laced through another one.

Several laced together.

My "To and From" Tags for Next Year

Before

Had a chance to sit down and repurpose more of the Christmas cards. Thought I'd share the results to show a few more of the many cool "to and from" tags I'll now have for Christmas this year. It's fun to see what cool shapes and designs you can make from the cards. Next--the envelopes!

After

Trash to Treasure "To and From" Tags

Christmas is over, the New Year has begun. Time to discard all those beautiful Christmas cards and greetings. Don't you just hate to throw away all that beautiful art work? Well, don't! Now is the time to make "to and from" tags from all those pretty cards.

 All you will need is the card fronts, scissors, a hole punch and string, ribbon or yarn.
1. Gather together the card fronts. 2. Cut the pictures, etc. into pleasing shapes. 3. Hole punch the new "To and From"card. 4. Lace yarn, string or ribbon through the hole. 5. Write To and From on the back or leave them blank. 6. Store them away for next Christmas--it will be here before you know it!

You may even want to store the cards in one of the pretty, colorful envelopes that housed one of the cards you received.

As you can see, sometimes you will be able to cut several tags from one card front.




I'm always pleased to have so many nice "To and From" tags ready for the next year. Also, this is a fun activity to do with children as they like to find the most pleasing part to cut out and keep.