Making pages for a greeting card scrapbook doesn't have to be difficult. Whether you're interested in preserving a few special cards from your son's first birthday or a large collection of cards received from your wedding, there are plenty of creative ways to incorporate these items into your scrapbook projects.
About Making Pages for a Greeting Card Scrapbook
Before you start making pages for a greeting card scrapbook, please keep in mind that most greeting cards are not printed on acid-free paper. This means that they may fade or yellow over time. The acid from the cards may also damage your photos if the items are directly touching in your album.
If you're concerned about the longevity of your scrapbook project, you may want to take the time to spray your cards with Archival Mist. This product neutralizes the destructive acids in paper before depositing an alkaline protective buffer. It is available at most larger craft stores or scrapbooking specialty shops.
Pocket Page
If you only have a few greeting cards from an event, making a pocket page is typically the simplest way to preserve these items.
Supplies:
- 1 sheet 12x12 cardstock
- 1 sheet 12x12 patterned paper
- Ribbon approximately 14 inches in length
- Double sided tape
- Stapler
Instructions:
- Cut your 12x12 patterned paper in half so you have two pieces measuring 6x12.
- Use the double sided tape to adhere one piece of patterned paper to your cardstock background. Tape the bottom and sides of the paper, leaving the top open to create a pocket.
- Staple ribbon trim to the top of the patterned paper for a bit of decoration.
- Insert your greeting cards into the page pocket.
- Add photos, journaling, and other embellishments to the front of the patterned pocket as desired.
Envelope Album
Making a scrapbook album from envelopes is a great way to preserve a larger collection of old greeting cards. You can add photos and journaling on the outside of each page, then tuck the cards into the envelope pockets.
Supplies:
- Cardstock in the color of your choice
- Envelopes large enough to accommodate greeting cards
- Watercolor paints, if desired
- Hole punch
- Decorative ribbon
Instructions:
- Lick your envelopes to seal them shut.
- Open the right-hand side of each envelope to create memorabilia pockets. Cut with a scissors for a clean look or tear and ink the edges for a distressed appearance.
- If desired, use watercolors to paint a pretty design on your envelopes. Let the envelopes dry completely before completing your project.
- Cut a cardstock cover for your album that is slightly larger than your envelopes. Decorate the cover as desired, using stickers, rub-ons, or other embellishments.
- Use your hole punch to create binding holes along the side of the envelopes. Punch holes in the cardstock cover.
- Tie the envelopes and the cardstock cover together with ribbon.
- Add photos, embellishments, and journaling to the individual scrapbook pages as needed.
If you prefer, you can make an album from paper bags using the same basic technique described here. The slightly larger size of the paper bags will allow you to fit even more cards into your scrapbook album.
Mini Tag Album
A tag album makes a fun way to display a collection of greeting cards, since the book is easy to flip through at a glance.
Supplies:
- Cardstock
- Die cutting machine or tag template and scissors
- Hole punch
- Binder ring
- Ribbon scraps
Instructions:
- Cut several large tag shapes using a die cutting machine or a plastic template.
- Glue one greeting card onto each tag.
- Decorate two tags to use as the front and back of your album.
- Stack the pages together, then punch a hole in the top of each tag.
- Hook the pages together with a binder ring, then add ribbon ties for extra embellishment.
Additional Information
For more creative ideas on how to preserve your favorite greeting cards, check out the Scrapbook Birthday Cards and Scrapbook Christmas Cards articles from LoveToKnow Scrapbooking.
