Kids Craft: Easy Recycled Wrapping Paper Sticker Greeting Cards

In the tradition of recycling the gift wrap papers to make Thank You cards, we did another very simple set this year to send to Og's friends.

Most of the usable size scrap papers from other projects get saved in a small box. We sift through it to find the ones to use for the project at hand. I had enough assorted card stock just not big enough for traditional folded cards. So we made it like a post-card - picture on the front, words/message on the back.

One fun make-ahead step is Sticker From Scratch shared at Martha Stewart. These custom "stickers" are especially fun when we make it from some of kids' colorful art work on and off.

Items Used:
For the Home-made Stickers:
wrapping papers or kids' artwork
white liquid school glue
white vinegar

Follow the instructions on the Martha Stewart site to turn the wrapping paper into a lick-and-stick stamp style paper with glue-backing. Allow it to dry completely before use.

Rather than hole-punch as below, I sometimes use my sewing machine, unthreaded, and run a few stitches up and down and back and forth to make a crazy-quilt-like "stamp paper" with perforations. Then, just rip pieces along the perforations and use them as stickers.

For the Card:
scrap card stock paper cut to size
OR
old stiff brown paper bag cut to size like last time
Stamp-style hole punch, or any favorite shaped hole punch

"Thank You" rubber stamp and ink (optional)

a damp sponge for re-moistening the glue-backed stickers
hand towel

1. Pre-cut the card stock (or stiff brown paper bag) to a favorite card size - we went with a small rectangle.
2. Use the hole punch and punch out shaped-pieces of the prepared glue-backed wrapping paper - the "sticker paper". We went with a favorite, easy-to-use stamp-size hole punch.
3. Keep a damp sponge nearby to wet the paper and stick, no need for licking; a hand towel helps smooth out the stickers and wipe hands in-between
4. Let the kid pick out each piece of "sticker" wrapping paper, press it into damp sponge, and stick it on the card front, in any pattern they like, as many as they like.
5. Add a Thank You stamp or any other message. Voilà! A unique set of cards ready, and so easy to make.

Og had fun writing a personalized note on the card. My favorite was this one where he turned the 'O' in the name into a cute picture.