Making Scrapbooking/Card-Making Accessories out of Junk Mail

by Anna
(Madison, WI)

Everybody gets tons of junk mail, and it can be pretty annoying. Recycling it is a good solution, but there's one that's even better for the environment: reusing it to create art. For this craft, you'll need some hole punches that create fun shapes, like a Scottie dog, an umbrella, or a daisy. (If you haven't got any yet, consider getting a daisy punch first: it can double as a firework or the sun, and the shapes can also be cut up to make tiny hearts or fans.)

When you have your hole punches in various sizes and shapes, find the most colorful junk mail and start punching. If you're going to use the shapes as confetti, you won't need to be too careful about avoiding words and product information. If you're planning to use your shapes in art (like on greeting cards or scrapbook pages), you'll want to be careful to avoid printed text when you create the shapes from junk mail. You can also use scraps of tinfoil to create shiny pieces, and scraps of leftover card-making material. It's a great way to use up pieces of card or paper that you would otherwise have needed to throw away, and it's fun, too.