Recycling old calendar into postcards?

Thank you for the encouraging replies, everybody :slight_smile:

I made couple of test versions and they turned out nicely! Used bit of tape on edges to make sure the image and cardboard stay together, and to smooth down the otherwise sharp edges. Too bad I don’t have white washi-tape. It would have made nice frame edges, I think.


Not the fanciest cards around here, but should be fine for the selected profiles that are okay with handmades and these themes I got.

And while I was looking for cardboard (ended up using the ones that came with stamp orders… I knew I was saving those for something!) I found also another calendar, the one from 2019 (and that one has really nice nature views)! The 2018 is probably around here somewhere too, because why to throw away things when you can just stuck them into storage somewhere. So I got now lot to use my time with :joy:

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I second this recommendation! In my opinion, it’s even easier to use double-sided adhesive sheets (like these), so you don’t have to line up multiple strips of tape. (Also, @Kompis-Ninna, if you ever make collages, the adhesive sheets make it easy to apply irregularly-shaped collage pieces without warping them.)

Washitape is great for a lot of stuff but the glue is rather loose, so using them to hold stuff together is probably not the best idea? :thinking:
Your cards look nice!

Yeah, that’s true. I am testing out different things now. I have some clear tape that is just bit wider than washi but holds much better on paper. Going try to see if it works to have clear tape over the washi to get both, frames and cards that arrive complete.

I also sometimes make cardsout of my own photographs (divisie, snorkeling), and also calendars. I write them, stamp them and then laminate them, that is ideal

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If you want to use a laminating folder to protect your card, but don’t want to have the message side laminated (or if that is a problem where you are because of cancelling stamps), here is a trick:

  1. Cut a sheet of baking paper the same size as your postcard (regular typing paper will probably also work, so long as it is not printed on). Lay it over the postcard on the message side when you put the card into the laminating folder/pouch.

  2. Laminate.

  3. Trim the lamination off on the three “non-hinge” sides of the lamination. You should be able to then fold the laminated baking-paper side out and trim that off as well.

Now your postcard will be laminated on the front, but the back side will be “virgin”

Disclaimer: I am not sure if this will work with “cold” laminators, I have only tried this method with hot.

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Great idea though but I usually make envelopes out of them, I will try & have a go at making postcards to send to the grandkids they just love getting anything in the mail that’s especially for them :blush:

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I do and did a lot of postcards out of calendars and even out of illustrated children books. I always frame them with a colourful cardstock and glue white paper at the back. They are as thick as usual cards.

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Little off topic, but when I was in school, we made this frame, and everyone searched nice images through that as their homework and in photography, we used it in choosing what part to show/cut.

I still have it as it’s postcard size. Maybe someone would like to make such, as it’s simple but handy tool to see how any area looks when cut.

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I would definitely love to received handmade cards from old calender sheets! :smiley:

I use them myself in similar ways to what you guys do. Sometimes the calender picture itself is sufficient to fill a postcard and sometimes I use bits and pieces for collages.
I, too, have a cardboard frame to check what a cut-out section would look like and whether it is the right size - it’s very useful!

I have no experience with laminating cards, but I’m beginning to think of getting a laminating device to save my cards from falling apart in the post.

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Great idea with the cut out cardstock. I think I will create one today!

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Yesss, i do that sometimes i cut like a shape card and use it for give away. And my friend like it.
If a picture big i cutting like a size maxicard.

Please do that and give you friend a smile :grin::joy:
Good idea and good job, thank you :pray:

I like this kind of cards :slight_smile: I got this one lately and I loved it. It’s huge (probably the maximum size of US cards?) so there was space for a long message. And the picture is so beautiful. I wouldn’t have noticed that it’s no “real” postcard if she didn’t write it.

I got about 20 huge calendars recently and started to make all kinds of cards, envelopes and notebooks out of them. As they really are huge I think I can’t just take a piece of the photo and turn it into a card.

These are some of the things I made and perhaps it’s an inspiration for some of you what to do with pictures that don’t fit into a card.




To protect the pieces of the collage from falling off I laminated the cards. I put 2 cards together in one laminating pouch with the message sides touching each other. And then I continue like @ColorfulCourtney described above.

For notebooks


And for decorating the pages of a notebook

I used the cardboard to make templates for envelopes

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Looks great. Cute idea

Hi! I did that once too, recycling calendar images, and I think I’ll be doing it a lot in the future. I do some bookbinding, and to glue the paper onto cardstock I use the same method as the one for making book covers. It’s easy and I find it gives the best finish. Here’s a link to a useful guide (the relevant bit is the part where she explains the covers, the first few minutes).

You don’t need to leave such big flaps as she does, I find that even for thick paper about 8mm is enough. More is easier, but not needed.

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@ColorfulCourtney, can you share a link to that tape, please? Thanks!

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I think they look great. I always feel a bit sad when I have to recycle my calendars at the end of the year as they always have the most beautiful art! I might do that with this year’s calendar!

Sure. I get the tape from “Ideen mit Herz” (ideenmitherz.de). I am not sure if they ship outside of DE or not. They offer a 15 cm and a 10 cm wide double-sided tape. I have found that the tape does have some “wonky” areas that you may need to work around if you are using thin paper, but in general it is absolutely first class and I can recommend it without hesitation.

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They ship within Europe. And that tape ends out being some investment… :see_no_evil:

Admittedly not figuring in the shipping, it is €12 for 15m of tape, which means at least enough to cover 125 standard-sized cards, even given working around the places where the tape is a little wrinkled, so like 12 cents a card for the tape. Yeah, OK, if I bought a box of 100 cards for €10 I would get the whole card for less than the cost of what I am paying for tape. But to me the ease of use and the result I get makes it worth the cost. Of course, this is another reason that I only send hand-made cards to people I think will appreciate them!

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