DIY: Phone Book Stationery

I felt the urge to be crafty Sunday afternoon and this is what happened.

I started with some blank colored stock card stationery that I’ve been saving.

I cut out a tiny bird pattern from a craft book and traced it out on the yellow pages of an old phone book (these days, I seem to have like eight of them lying around).

I don’t even know how many of my DIY projects involve this glue but it’s my favorite. Mod-Podge – inexpensive and easy to find in lots of different stores.

I patterned several birds on each individual card.

I layered pages of the phone book with lighter card stock and bird details.

I ended up creating a similar pattern with hearts that I like, too.

This project didn’t take a whole lot of concentration or brain cells which is exactly what I was hoping for. I plan to tie up the two sets with some twine and give them as gifts.

What about you? Working on anything creative?

love, elizabeth

Post-Christmas DIY: Recycle Your Christmas Cards

This is one of my favorite post-Christmas crafts, although it’s great for any time of year. If you’re a card saver like me, you end up with piles of them after birthdays and holidays. Here’s an easy DIY picture tutorial for folding paper boxes out of old cards. My mom shared this one with me when I was a little girl and now I’m sharing it with you…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finished product is cute and they look great as a little pile in a basket or hung as ornaments…

What about you? What post-Christmas projects are you working on?

love, elizabeth

Recycled Wrapping Paper

I made a couple promises to myself about the holidays this year. One, that I would stay OUT of the malls and do my shopping elsewhere for my own personal sanity and contentment. Two, that I would not buy a SCRAP of wrapping paper but instead use up my leftover paper from last year and/or recycle/repurpose other creative wrapping.



I used newsprint for nearly everything this year. If anyone gets a colorful newsprint catalogue like Lush or a weekly newspaper from their university like I do, these are great alternatives to wrapping paper! I dressed them up with ribbon I had saved and one bag of shiny bows from the dollar store.



I just love the idea of something that is normally thrown away being repurposed and made beautiful again. And I’m super excited to share these packages with my family…


Some other ideas for wrapping: recycled brown paper grocery bags, magazines, and old calendars.

What about you? What crafty Christmas tricks are you trying out this year?

love, elizabeth

DIY: Junk Mail Christmas Tree

When Christmas rolls around and the malls are extra full of extra shiny, pretty things, it’s easy for me to get wrapped up in a desire to buy and to have. So I’m always pleasantly refreshed to discover a free way to create Christmas magic at home! I’m a huge fan of recycled crafts and this one caught my eye.

The Junk Mail Christmas Tree…

It was pretty time consuming but I think the finished result was totally worth it and it didn’t cost me a cent! Bonus: I used up a huge stack of junk mail flyers for the coming Black Friday sales. Fitting, I think.

In progress…

The finished product…

You can find the instructions to make your own by visiting here.

What about you? Anyone have a fun recycled Christmas project they’re trying out?

love, elizabeth