Upcycled Paper Bags and Greeting Cards

I always save nice shopping bags. I'm a bit of a hoarder that way. If they're in good shape and not creased, I like to reuse and repurpose them. It's a shame to throw them out, some of them are very good quality paper, with satin ribbon or rope handles, perfectly reusable.

Same goes for greeting cards. People spend so much money on greeting cards, which get a quick glance, then get forgotten.

So I thought to myself, self, reusing these bags is good for the environment and it helps save money. It's a win win! Since these bags often have a store or company logo though, I thought of reusing greeting cards by cutting the back part of the card and covering the logo with the front part. 

De tout, de rien

De tout, de rien

De tout, de rien

I try to use a card that is proportionate to the bag's size and compatible in colour.

De tout, de rien

De tout, de rien

Add coordinating tissue paper, a gift tag (these can also be upcycled from cards) and here we are!

De tout, de rien

These are perfect for teachers' or hostesses' gifts, or items that are awkward to wrap. Of course, you don't have to just make them at Christmas. You can repurpose birthday and Valentine's day cards and any other occasion.


This is also an easy craft to do with children. Enjoy!

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I'm linking to:

My Grownup Christmas List

As I get older, I find I want less and less for myself at Christmas. You learn instead to value the things that are really important in life: love, family, friends, etc. So, in that mindset, here is my Grownup Christmas List. Feel free to add your own Grownup Wishes!

I wish for:

- Yes, Peace on Earth, one can always hope!

- Religious tolerance.

- The abolition of discrimination in any way, shape or form.

- Everyone to have at least one excellent friend, the kind that even if you don't talk to everyday, you can just pick up where you left off, the kind who accepts you exactly the way you are, the kind that makes you laugh through your tears!

- No more need for orphanages, for every child to have loving parents, a good home where they feel safe and warm, where they are well nourished and nurtured.

- Ditto for animal shelters! And that every pet owner was as devoted to their pet as their pets are to them, that they would care for their furry friends from beginning to end!

- Everyone who can to give to a charity of their choice this Christmas, to spread some of that joy and abundance.

- Everyone to give green gifts in containers and wrapping materials that are repurposed and/or reusable, so that we leave less of a carbon footprint behind this Christmas. (Cookies in a vintage or interesting container from a thrift store, a beautiful old picture in a frame also from a thrift store, a vintage scarf or tablecloth, etc.)

- Everyone to in fact reduce the insane consumerism that occurs this time of year to instead focus on more important things (see above about giving to charity).

For some fabulous ideas on how to reduce waste this Christmas, I invite you to visit some of the blogs I follow. I'm so greatly impressed by some of them, their creativity knows no bound!