Friday, July 9, 2010

Adventures in Hoarding: Friday Flattery

They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Well, I’m about to flatter one of the readers here. Here’s an idea that I copied from Amy at ALL THINGS HOME.  Months ago, she showed a great reuse for her twenty year old wedding napkins.  She turned them into coasters by decoupaging them to simple tiles.

I flattered her with some of my own.


What do you think? 

Like so many of Amy's ideas,  this is right up my alley because as you might recall, I’m a compulsive cheapskate, hoarder, and reuser. I get my kicks out of seeing how to use scraps which might otherwise be thrown away.

I was reminded of my Amy coasters last night as I did some gift wrapping for an upcoming shower that I’m helping to host tomorrow.  For what ever reason, it grinds my grits to toss out perfectly good wrapping and tissue paper. It also annoys me to have to spend money on gift cards and bows which will probably get tossed out with the trash.

Because not everyone is a compulsive hoarder like I am.

That’s why I make my own gift tags and bows out of salvaged scraps. I make my tags out of paper scraps and plain unlined index cards which are the perfect size. For shower or wedding gifts, I use napkins from that same box of  wedding napkins.  Coming full circle with this, finally….

I have plenty to spare.




Just fold the card in half 
Separate the layers of your napkin
Fit it to the card


Decoupage your heart out and trim up the edges

Now, the bride-to-be won’t have a clue, but
I know that her gift carries an extra sense of sentimentality with it.
 I like that.

If I am in too much of a hurry for the decoupage, I'll just use a spray adhesive. It works just as about as well, especially for cards which won’t be saved anyway. You end up with a different texture.

And that's why I never, ever, purchase gift tags anymore. I have plenty.

Napkin tags…


Tissue paper tags…


Matching tags…


Ribbons, button, and bow tags...



Words on tags…


Tag gumbo…


Just me, reusing the junk I have around here. I make my own bows, too, but that will have to be another post, another day. I have two bridal showers to host this weekend, and I need to get crackin'.

What about you?
Do you reuse your leftover paper products?
If so, how?
******


Sharing  this here:
504 Main

Which I just discovered gave a shout out
to my little old tea tray. Thanks, Holly!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had already seen a few of these but they are ALL so cute. You really are clever sister dear. Maybe after you make my tea tray you can make me some wedding tags and gift cards. Please?
Hugs,
Denise

PS I'll provide all the stuff if you do the work.

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

Well aren't you crafty? And I mean that in the best possible way. LOL!

Jennie said...

I've got the hoarding part down. Now the follow-through I'm not so great with! I'm amazed, in awe, inspired! (But first, before I attempt ANYTHING, I'm taking a nap. It's Friday afternoon, by golly.)

But I'm so with you on being pained about spending money on giftwrap (for it to be thrown out). That makes my skin crawl!

Can't WAIT to see the post about making your own bows!

P.S. - My dad and grandmother would totally approve of your practical, reusing ways. :)

Amy Kinser said...

Great ideas for making tags, Debbie. I love the thought of not having to buy them. I very seldom ever buy cards of any kind anymore. I bought some blank white cardstock cards and then we just make them ourselves. We don't worry much about how juvenile they might look. We just make them with love and personality.

Thank you so much for the kind words about my coasters. Your napkins look so much like mine.

BTW...I have seen the show hoarders and if you have that much stuff, I think I will personally call for an intervention. :)

The Quintessential Magpie said...

That is some great creative reuse of your things. LOVE this! How on earth did you make that coaster??? It's the bee's knees!

XO,

Sheila :-)

BECKY said...

Wow gal! Such great ideas!! ACK!!! I just realized I forgot to get your goody in the mail!! ACK!!! I can't do it tomorrow, but will mail it on Monday! Gosh, I am sorry!

Back to your great ideas! I love the coasters, and the tags...I would really use both of them! What a fun green project!!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Have a great weekend!!
HUGS,
Bekcy

Unknown said...

O.K. at first I thought, "she has napkins from her WEDDING??" I am a professed thrower-outer, mostly cause I can't think of what to do with stuff. But the cards....wow. Great idea!! How do you remember what you have??? If it's not in front of my face, forget it!!
xoxo
lynn

CAL said...

I love paper, when scrapbooking came out I was totally irresponsible and bought those little decorative sheets with every intent of using them in something.

I do not scrapbook, so I've been using the sheets as either map boards (I cut to fit and use double stick tape) or as backgrounds for photographs that I frame.

And I hate to waste good paper that has been used on one side (printer paper). I will cut it up in small squares and staple together to use for notepads. Figured I have saved a forest, at least that is what I tell myself.

Renée said...

You need to come see me! We have a huge wedding invitation factory here and they sell "paper by the pound" for $1.00. Beautiful wedding papers and envelopes. In about a month they have their garage sale and you could fly out and take a u-haul home!

Your coasters are adorable, and I would copy you, but my almost 37 year old napkins are long gone. The fact that you still have a pristine box is amazing and you are a keeper!

Gayle said...

I'm totally intrigued. Wish you lived next door.

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

I love that you make such sweet items with bits and pieces that would have been thrown out. They look great too!

I made the same type of coasters this past Christmas as gifts. I didn't use napkins but paper I printed for the recipient. I posted about them here:

http://gratefulprayerthankfulheart.blogspot.com/2009/12/ssshh-gifts-for-guys.html

Fun stopping by!
Kindly, ldh

citymouse said...

What an awesome idea! I might have to give this a whirl. Thanks!

Linda W said...

What a wonderful idea, I love them! Liked seeing the ribbon I used for Laura's graduation gift is among the ones you chose. You are such a talent!

Holly Lefevre said...

cheapskate, hoarder, and reuser - I thought you were talking about me! I love the coaster idea. Hmm...how do I reuse paper...anyway I can collage, tags, kids crafts!

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