Things aren’t like they used to be. Once upon a time, we used to get tons of Christmas card from friends and family members. Today, we get a handful of cards from a handful of people every year. I’ve always thought we should do something to display the cards we do receive, but I could never come up with a good way to do it. Until now.
With this awesome project, you can display your favorite holiday cards and even photo cards featuring your own family. And the best part? It’s super simple.
You’ll Need
- Bare branches
- Ribbon
- Photos or cards
- Glue
- Red spray paint
You may remember that I like decorating with branches. In fact, I used them on my Christmas mantel a few years ago, as you might remember. I have kept those branches ever since, and this was a great opportunity to reuse them.
However, if you’re starting from scratch, be sure to remove any leaves from the branches and clean them properly.
Next, spray paint the branches with red paint. I recommend using Krylon H20 or some other low-VOC paint.
Set the branches aside to dry. I let mine dry for a full day to make sure they wouldn’t be tacky when moving to the next step.
Next, you’ll need to cut 2-3″ strips of ribbon. If you have 10 photos or cards to display, cut 10 strips.
Fold each piece of ribbon in half and glue the ends together. Be sure that the glue is dry before moving on to the next step.
Flip your cards over so the backs are facing you. Glue a loop of ribbon to the top center of the back of each card. Allow the glue to dry fully.
In the meantime, arrange your branches on your mantel. This is the trickiest part. It can be though to make them stay on the mantel, so make sure they are secured with tape or twine or weighted down so they won’t topple once you start adding cards.
Once the glue is dry, hang your cards on the branches using the loops of ribbon.
Fill in any additional spaces with Christmas ornaments — preferably shatterproof ones.
You’re done!
I’m so looking forward to getting new holiday cards this year so we can put them on display!
DISCLOSURE: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for sharing this project with you. Participation in this program is voluntary. As always, all opinions are 100% authentic and mine.
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I’m Jennae Petersen, and I’m a lot of things. A mother, a graphic artist, a connosieur of beautiful interiors and a purveyor of all things design. Green Your Decor was borne of frustration in my attempts to find eco-friendly housewares that were also beautiful, and inspiration to do something to reduce my own carbon footprint and help others do the same in a beautiful way.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
What a cool idea! I might do something like that myself. I think that the arrangement will look quite beautiful even with the natural color of branches.
I’ve been a fan of bringing branches indoors for the longest time, thanks for the inventive way to add them to my holiday decor.
That’s a lovely way to display the received card. I’d agree with Lilly that arrangement would also look great even in its natural look.