Make Special Ornaments From Greeting Cards

My son and his new wife had a sad assortment of Christmas ornaments -- a couple of hand print ornaments from a little niece, and a half dozen plastic spheres. It hurt my heart.

Both my son and his bride are busy software engineers, with a forty-five minute commute to and from work, so they don't have a lot of time to shop for Christmas decorations. After their wedding last September, they brought me all their leftover invitations, thinking I could "do something" with them. I could. I did. I combined them with some of the greeting cards our family had received over the years, and some scraps of card stock to create these pretty paper ornaments for their tree. They were delighted.

These are made using the same "triangle-within-a-square" technique that our grandmothers used to made paper spheres from old greeting cards to decorate their Christmas trees, except these are two sided, instead of spherical. My beautiful daughter-in-law is from India, so I wanted to create something colorful and elegant that had an Asian feel.

To make these ornaments, you need a circle template and a triangle template. Normally, I would have drafted the templates in CAD, and printed them out, but my printer was out of ink, and I am impatient. I decided to use a two inch hole punch that I had in my stash (here's an affiliate link to a two inch punch), and then hand draft an equilateral triangle to fit perfectly inside it. Except, I didn't have access to my drafting tools.

I tried holding a piece of paper to my computer screen and tracing a 60 degree angle, but that was less than perfect. Then, I looked around the house for a triangle. I also began looking around for a flat piece of plastic to cut a sturdy template from. When I found the plastic lid to my dishwasher pod container, I also found my equilateral triangle! As is turns out, that little recycling symbol is an equilateral triangle, so I was able to get my sixty degree angle. I drew two legs of the triangle the exact same length, then connected them.

I made my triangle slightly small -- the points don't quite reach the edge of the two inch circle. This was because I wanted to account for the thickness of the plastic.

Side note: this technique will also work with your scalloped punch. Just make sure the number of scallops is divisible by three. My scallop punch, from Fiskars, has fifteen scallops, so it works perfectly. (Fiskars scallop punch affiliate link)

For each ornament, you will need to punch ten circles. Place your sturdy triangle template on top of the pretty side of your card stock (or upcycled greeting card), centering it. Carefully fold the card stock up, using the edge of the triangle as a guide. Some folks use the triangle as a guide to carefully score a fold line, but I like my method better, because it's so fast.

 Do this on all three sides, being careful to keep the triangle centered.

Fold the sides completely over, to get a nice crease. You will now have a triangle with three rounded tabs. Each tab will be glued to a tab on an adjacent triangle to create your ornament.

Glue five of the triangles together, radiating out from a central point, for the first side. Repeat, for the second side. Glue the front and back together. You can glue a ribbon hanger into the top of the ornament at this time. If desired, punch a hole in the bottom of the ornament and hang some fibers to create a pretty tassel.

I must warn you, these ornaments are addictive. You will find yourself scouring your house for old greeting cards and card stock to make more and more and more!

My son and his beautiful bride love the fact that pieces of my son's past Christmases were used, as well as mementos from their wedding.

While I was digging, I found a lovely old Christmas card from some dear family friends. The card had pictures of their kids when they were little, as well as a letter talking about the family's interests at the time -- all printed on lovely card stock! I was able to make an ornament for them using their old card. They were thrilled to receive the memento. There was nothing this couple needed, as a gift -- they have had successful careers and can buy anything they want, so giving them something sentimental and handmade was perfect.

I hope this post encourages you to dig out those old greeting cards and create your own special mementos.

You might also like this post about making paper mach Christmas ornaments.

For another easy ornament DIY, you may want to check out this tutorial.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, please subscribe to House Revivals in the sidebar, so you won't miss any of the fun projects we have scheduled. Find us on Facebook, too, so you can catch all the "in between" stuff, and see what I'm working on daily on Instagram. Feel free to link today's post to your favorite social media sites.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Amanda

FREE Sugar Skull Embellishment Printable!

Wow! Can this really be the last of the sugar skull printable series?

Throughout October, we've been publishing sugar skull coloring sheet printables. We've introduced Rose and Daisy and Hibiscus and Zinnia and Frida. These printables are perfect for your Day of the Dead decor!

Each coloring sheet came with a skull and several embellishments. Today, we're offering a FREE extra embellishment printable sheet.

All of the skulls and embellishments are coordinated, so you can mix and match embellishments to customize your sugar skulls.

Get your FREE printable coloring sheet of sugar skull embellishments by clicking HERE.

For another (not so) spooky project, try this lace applique owl!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, please subscribe to House Revivals in the sidebar, so you won't miss the fun projects we have scheduled. Find us on Facebook, too, so you can catch all the "in between" stuff, and see what I'm working on daily on Instagram. Feel free to link today's post to your favorite social media sites.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Amanda

FREE Zinnia Sugar Skull Coloring Sheet!

Hello Friends! Today we're sharing the last of five FREE sugar skull printables, with a sugar skull embellishment printable still to come.

These printables were designed just for you, and are available to print for FREE throughout the month of October. Keep checking back, because I will be posting a full page of floral sugar skull embellishments in a couple of days -- also FREE!

So far, we've met Daisy and Rose and Frida and Mr Hibiscus. Today, we're meeting Zinnia. Zinnia is the olive green smiling friend shown below. Well, mine is olive green.

Yours can be colored any way you prefer, of course. I just thought the olive green made him look moldy and creepy.

Each sugar skull printable coloring template comes with lots of extra embellishments, so you can customize your decorations.

All the embellishments on the different coloring sheets can be mixed and matched, as the floral motifs are coordinated in this series.

I hope you enjoy coloring and assembling your sugar skull friends as much as I did!  Thanks you for following along, and be sure to check back for the extra embellishment printable.

Get your Zinnia Sugar Skull printable here.

You may also enjoy this post about how to make Christmas ornaments from dollar store supplies.

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 your favorite social media sites.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Amanda

FREE Frida Sugar Skull Printable!

Can you believe it? Today is the fourth installment of our sugar skull printable series -- only two more printable to go! This is such a fun project.

We've met Rose and Daisy and Mr Hibiscus. Today, we're meeting Frida. 

Frida is in her element with all these floral embellishments. Below, is her selfie with her good friend, Rose.

The Frida printable coloring sheet comes with lots of extra roses and leaves to create her iconic floral headdress.

She's happy hanging out with her floral friends. Here's another selfie she took with Mr. Hibiscus.

To create your own Frida sugar skull, click on the link below and print the template. Color the page as desired, using whatever coloring medium you like. I like to use alcohol markers. Cut out the skull and the embellishments and assemble as desired.

Get your Free Frida Sugar Skull printable coloring sheet here.

You may also enjoy this tutorial for making beautiful masks with items from the recycling.

For another (not so) spooky project, try this lace applique owl!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, please subscribe to House Revivals in the sidebar, so you won't miss the fun projects we have scheduled. Find us on Facebook, too, so you can catch all the "in between" stuff, and see what I'm working on daily on Instagram. Feel free to link today's post to your favorite social media sites.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

How to Create Mixed Media Mail Art

It hurts my heart to throw away a large mailing envelope. Why buy new envelopes, when you can just reuse an old one and save a tree, right?

I wanted to create some mail art to send to my granddaughter. Her seventh birthday was coming up, and I wanted to send her some goodies.

Make Pretty Cards {from materials that don't go together}

Have you ever wondered how to pull together lots of different components that don't seem to go together, to create something pretty?

Sometimes you just need to let go of preconceived notions of what "goes" and what doesn't go.

How to Pull Supplies Together For a Pretty Card

One thing I've noticed, when my friends are making cards, is that they often feel a little paralyzed by the thought of creating a card without a set of instructions and a materials list.

It's okay to make cards that way, but it's very freeing to know that you can go through supplies you already own, and pull out the things you need to create one of a kind pieces.

Pulling Together a Color Coordinated Card

When you're pulling together an assortment of elements to create a card, it's a good idea to choose the elements based on a theme.

A favorite theme I like to use is color. Sometimes I do a "one color" card, like I shared in this post.

Today, I will share how I choose color coordinated card elements.

I start with one main color -- in this case, the apple green background in the floral printed die cut, above. Then, I choose a second print, with the same apple green. This is the turquoise die cut, with the apple green embossed flourishes. From there, I began grabbing elements that went with that pairing, including pink washi tape, yarn, pink paper, and a scrap of embossed paper, which I distressed with an apple green stamp pad.

I also chose a gold polka dot washi tape. Gold goes with just about everything, and the white part of the thin washi tape "disappears" when you use it in your projects. The dots in the washi, referenced the dots on the pink paper.

The pale turquoise color of the yarn repeated the background color of the second print. By repeated and referencing colors or patterns, you can achieve a cohesive look.

I don't worry too much about things matching. Instead I focus on coordinating, or finding things that look great together. Do you have any tricks or tips for creating coordinated cards?

You might also enjoy this tutorial about making a filigree card.

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 your favorite social media sites.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Amanda

To Make the Impossible Card....

Have you seen these "impossible" cards? I'm not sure whose brainchild they are, but they are super fun.

If you receive one, you will be left scratching your head, wondering how in the world it was made.

Striped Card From Scraps

If you're looking for a quick card making project, that also uses up your stash of scraps, this is the perfect project for you.

I was collecting a large stash of remnants from various projects, and wanted to use them up, so I decided to create my own "striped" card stock.

I started by cutting several of my scraps into narrow strips. These were then adhered to a piece of light weight card stock that I'd cut and folded into a card base. This is 60 lb card stock, which is usually just a bit too flimsy for card making.

I glued the pieces to the the front of the card base, keeping them flush with the folded side of the card, and allowing them to overlap the open side of the card. Then I flipped the card over and trimmed the pieces that were hanging over with scissors. Had I trimmed along the folded edge, I would have run the risk of accidentally cutting into the fold.

Next, I grabbed a piece of bias tape from my stash of fibers and fabric trims to use as a band across the front, and glued a premade Anna Griffin sentiment on top of that. You can use whatever ribbon or fiber you have on hand -- or use another strip of paper, if you don't have fibers.

I found some light weight paper that looked nice with the card to line an envelope, and Bam! Done.

This is a project you can easily do in twenty minutes to an hour, depending on the interruptions in your household.

I hope this project encourages you to grab the little moments to create something pretty.

You might also like this post on how to draw and paint when you don't know how and don't have time.

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 post to all your favorite social media sites.

Thanks for stopping by!
Amanda

Make Your Own Mixed Media Business Cards

I was shopping in a local Seattle thrift shop a few weeks ago and found a package of printable business cards. In my mind, the line between art supplies and office supplies is blurred, so I grabbed the business cards and brought them home.

I shared in this post on how to create your own mixed media master board, that I sometimes use master board to make business cards. I decided to treat the business card sheets as if they were master board substrates, and use them to create... wait for it... business cards!

Use Sharpies to Decorate Pretty Paper Beads

Do you love paper beads, but find yourself creatively "stuck" when it comes to making them?

You might consider using your sharpie markers to take your paper beads to the next level. Paper beads are great for jewelry for people with autoimmune conditions that make them sensitive to heavier jewelry.

Create Marker Storage From Recycling!

I was looking for an inexpensive way to store pens and markers the other day, but wasn't ready to invest in an expensive storage system.

I wanted something that could sit in a shelf on its side, since that's better for the markers, but that could sit upright at my work table.

Make These Impossible Paper Spheres {FREE Printable}!

While doing some random internet research, a few weeks ago, I found some gorgeous paper spheres at the lovely blog Hattifant.  The editor of Hattifant also found the form while searching the internet, and suspects it is of Scandinavian origin. I was immediately intrigued by the form, and decided to play around with some paper and figure out how to draft my own templates.

After some trial and error, I figured out the math to make these little paper spheres, first making them from vintage book pages. I shared them on my Instagram account, at the time, but I couldn't get the concept out of my mind. I decided to transfer the measurements into CAD, so that I could print out very accurate templates, and experiment with coloring designs.

Comparing Purchased and Homemade Gelatin Plates

Last week, I posted about making a permanent gelatin printing plate at home. The project was much easier than imagined.

Today, I'm sharing a comparison of how a homemade gelatin plate stacks up against purchased gel plates. I purchased three gel plates on Amazon to compare.

How to Make a Paper Mache Starfish

I adore paper mache. When it comes to crafting, I would go so far as to say it's my first love. Since we've moved to more humid climes, however, I've found that my projects don't dry quickly (or at all) on their own.

I've learned to compensate by using the oven and putting drying racks over heat vents. Another way I compensate is by finding ways to keep my armature from getting too wet.

Create Pretty Cards Using Color Families

Today, I'm sharing another card created by raiding my stash. Unless your stash is identical to mine, you won't be able to make the exact card, but by using the techniques I share, you will be able to create something unique and beautiful that anyone would be thrilled to receive.

For this card, I started by pulling together an assortment of items from the purple family. These were thrown into a pile on my work table.