How-To: Recycled Gift Tags

Home Paper Crafts

IMG_2672.jpg
Every year, after the holidays I sort through the Christmas cards we’ve received and cut some of them up to use as gift tags for the following year. I plan on doing that again this year, but in the meantime I decided to use a stack of craft fair postcards to make some really flash gift tags.
I think they turned out great, and since we all enjoy attending craft fairs every year, it’ll be easy to keep our eyes open for the unwanted promo cards once the event is over. Here’s how I used the promo cards for my local craft fair. Please send in any gift tags you’ve made, or offer up your own clever ideas for reusing holidays ephemera.
Occidental Gift Tags
I loved the look of this year’s postcards and posters for my town’s annual craft fair, and I hated to see a stack of them headed for the recycle bin when the weekend had past. I noticed that the red square in the middle was the perfect size for a gift tag, and the little dove in the middle of it was really cute!

occidentalpostcard.jpg gifttag_materials.jpg

There was writing on the back side of the red square, so I headed back to the recycle bin for some copy paper. I cut out squares of white paper, adhered them with glue stick to the postcard cut outs, and then punched a hole in one corner of my creation. Cute and ready for ribbon!
I ended up making gift tags out of a section of the background as well, which was even easier because I didn’t need to cover up any writing on the back side. And the little holly leaf gives the tag a very simple look.
IMG_2674.jpg

4 thoughts on “How-To: Recycled Gift Tags

  1. Bladerunner says:

    Or just use the fronts of greeting cards to turn into greeting postcards for next year. I did this several years running – I’d collect cards from family and friends, sort out which cards had useable fronts, and recycle the backs and the rest of the cards. This also meant I had a huge variety of cards instead of 24 all the same!

  2. Anonymous says:

    I’ve done this for years as well. I even try to send a card made from recycled bits of cards and tags to the person that originally sent me the new card or tag. Its fun to get the response when someone realizes that I revamped their card, and they get a version of it back the next year.

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

Sometimes helpful editor and digital media director at MAKE and CRAFT.

View more articles by shawnconna

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK