How to Create Greeting Cards from Found and Salvaged Papers

This post is mostly about getting over the mental hump that some of us are hampered by that one has to spend money to extend kind written words in the form of a card. I love snail mail and cards of all kinds, including the kid-created version here, and I long ago got over the worry that a card recipient would judge me or my card negatively because it was homemade. I have created many cute and completely free cards over the years with found or salvaged papers. Here are some examples to get your creativity flowing the next time you need to open your feelings.

I wrote a baby shower card on an orange paint sample card and I’ll never forget how my dear friend laughed at how “me” it was to do that. You can do that too! There is beautiful paper all around us and one only has to think outside the box to see it. The next time you purchase something, examine the packaging that was already paid for, and is likely destined for the trash can, and see if it can be repurposed. This applies for gifting also. A great friend gave me a baby gift in a lime bag- as in the bag the limes came in from the store. It was adorable, matched the stuffed alligator inside, and I reused shortly thereafter for another gift. That, my friends, is the epitome of sensibility.

The photos for this post show a box that a pair of Stella & Dot earrings came in. I fell in love with the box, cut if flat, and saved until I needed a card. I cut the rectangles, wrote in colorful sharpie my salutation on the back, and sent. I didn’t have to remember to search for a card in a store which is clearly a time saver.

I have confessed in other posts that I am no wizard in the paper arts but if you were such a wizard, there is no limit to the darling things that could be created, for free or nearly free, with minimal effort, with found papers. I am limited in artistic ability and am in a state of near constant haste so my cards are often limited to cute paper and a colorful pen. No one has ever sneered at my cute homemade card, at least to my face though perhaps they have worried to themselves what others might think if they did something so unconventional.

Well, Wildflowers here’s to the sensible, the unconventional, and the creative! What cute, brave, and clever ways have you reused paper? Share your ideas in the comments below and next time you have to send a card, be willing to be a little unconventional!