Saturday, January 8, 2011

LETS GIVE GIFT CARDS A SECOND CHANCE

so...if you're anything like me....your gift cards are pretty much used up the day after christmas...or even the same day if you can buy online...lol....and with my resolution...new year...new use...i just could not bring myself to throwing away the zero balanced cards...

well...after days of staring at 'em...literally....and trying to figure out what to make...it came to me...little pocket sized notebooks!....i mean...i know i'm always needing some scrap paper to jot tidbits on all the time!...

 
to make these...you are going to need a binding system...i used my zutter bind it all....but if you don't have your own...you could certainly take these to an office supply store and have 'em bind for ya!...

 
you're going to need to measure your gift card...most are 3 3/8" inches by 2 1/8" inches...cut a piece of chipboard to that size...it's going to be your back...grab some copier paper...and cut to size...each of mine are 60 pages...punch everything...then do the normal binding process to finish!...

 
see...aren't these just the cutest?...now it's going to be hard to ever throw a gift card out!....just don't go overboard and end up on the show hoarders!...because i'm not taking responsibility for that...

 
even used up my itunes cards...these were a bit smaller than most at 3" inches by 2" inches...just adjust the measurements with your back and paper!...

i even went one step further...and boxed 'em up in one of my old ipod packages!

 
****check out my linky party directory on the sidebar to see where i'm linking to this week!...

97 comments:

char52 said...

WOW... You really think outside the box. Great idea!

Penny Lane Craft Menagerie said...

What a great idea!!! I need to get a binding tool so I can make fun little books!! I love new ways to recycle every day things...and this is such a clever and cute idea!

Got2BCrafting said...

Love this idea... they look sooo cute! I am already a craft hoarder, so I will take full responisibility. Plus, my little girls love saving gifts cards just to play with... I will just borrow a few from their stash!! LOL!
Lori
http://got2bcrafting.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Wow! This is brilliant! What a creative use for old gift cards! I'm sure I have some laying around here somewhere! Thanks for sharing!

Jeana
inplaceofhercrown.blogspot.com

Tara said...

Love it! It is funny you did this because I just said last night that the one we had to Boston Pizza was really cool and I didn't want to throw it out but the lady never gave it back once it said zero balance. I am totally going to start keeping them and asking for them back! lol
Tara

byondbzr said...

Wow, great idea!

Myra said...

These are adorable!

Scrappy Mel said...

OMGosh - what an AWESOME idea!!! I am totally doing this. I just threw out a CUTE Zoo membership card yesterday, now I'm off to dig it out of the garbage can! LOL

Scrappy Mel said...

Oh, I almost forgot - if you need giftcards ask at the register at Target. They have some really cute cards and they usually will give you one of the spent ones they have in their register drawer. My girls like to play with them so I get them a couple a year. :)

Prettiful Creations said...

This is just another reason I am a follower of your blog. You are so creative. I love to recycle things, and this falls right in line with that. Thanks so much for sharing this!

greenbean said...

thanks for all the sweet comments!...

scrappymel...omg...thanks for the tip!...guess where i'm going today?...lol....

Unknown said...

Wow, genius idea!! I want to make these! If only I had a gift card to buy a zutter...

Vanessa said...

That is the cutest idea! TFS!

Bella @ Bella before and after said...

INCREDIBLE,, I have a TON of hotel key cards, and I too have been saving them hoping to find something cute to do with them. What a great idea.
I really hope you come link up to **Amaze me August** I really miss seeing your awesomeness around there :)

Bella :)

debbie susee said...

Wow! What a great idea! Super creative. Love it!

Unknown said...

I absolutely adore this! You could also make this as part of the gift you are giving to someone! Love it!

buglvr2010 said...

This is an awesome idea! Love it....I was just scrounching around in the botton of my purse today looking for a piece of paper.

Staci said...

How cool is that?! Thanks for sharing!

Maureen Reiss said...

Wow!! These came out soooo cute! Awesome idea!!

ChristyC said...

What a cool project. Now I need a binding machine. Yes, need. Too bad most stores I go to keep the used up gift cards. I'll have to ask to keep it next time.

Nike@ChooseToThrive said...

This rocks! Love it ... and man could I use a few of these, too!

Anonymous said...

Very CUTE idea!!! TFS! -Sam :-)

DebW said...

Brilliant! Mind if I link you to my blog in a post??

Jo said...

Well ... you've done it again ... what a great idea! There are some really cool gift card designs and I always thought is was a shame just to throw them away. Now I have a reason to keep them ... thanks!!

Jo xx

Anonymous said...

OMG - What an amazing idea. I have been cleaning out my wallet and I am now digging through the garbage for the spent gift cards.
Thanks for all your ideas.

Savahanna said...

OMG I love this idea! Great job.

TheLastOfNine said...

I got a couple from Hobby Lobby with a snowman and thought they were so cute, but not quite sure what to do with them. Thanks for the great idea.
Gloria

chignon said...

Cool idea! I am so kicking myself for not buying the cinch when I saw it super cheap on black Friday. sigh.

Unknown said...

Now this is seriously cool!

Kristy said...

OMG! What a fantastic idea! I am going to make one. Thank you for sharing.

Kim said...

What a Clever Idea!
~Kim

A Bit of Serendipity said...

Seriously this is a great idea!

Plants seeds of knowledge...for our future! said...

Pure GENIOUS!!! LOVE THIS

Anonymous said...

Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today [09 Jan 01:00am GMT]. Thanks, Maria

- - Sheryl - - said...

love this idea!!!!

The Autocrat: Haley said...

Amazing! A very creative idea!

Jennifer said...

Such a great idea!

Becky said...

Ack! How freaking cute is this? I've been on the bind it all fence, now I'm going to buy one! Thank you!!!!!

My Kids Make said...

those are adorable. i love them!!!

smdluxe said...

Very creative! I love it!

The Jeffs Family said...

This is such a good idea. You are so creative! Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

This is just an awesome idea!!! I love to come here to see all your orginal ideas. I couldn't come up with an orginal idea to save my life. I got the Cinch for Christmas and now I will have to try this idea out!!

Thank you so much!

Unknown said...

Wow, what a great upcycle idea! That machine sounds really neat.

Tammy @ she wears flowers said...

I LOVE this idea! SO, SO cute!!

And, I have a ton of these cards because I have been saving them forever. Can't wait to put them to good use. Thanks!!

Maggie said...

Ohhh - a binding machine. I'll have to add that to my wish list! Adorable project.

Shantaie said...

what a genius idea, and super cool! my girls would love these....heck I LOVE THESE!!!!!

Jill said...

OH this is such a great idea!! I'd love it if you linked it to my weekly 'round tuit' party at:

http://jembellish.blogspot.com/2011/01/round-tuit-31.html

Hope you have a great week!

Stephanie Lynn @Under the Table and Dreaming said...

Fantastic idea! {love the binding machine - I have to keep my eyes open for one} Thanks for linking to the Sunday Showcase - I'll be featuring this today. Hope you have a fabulous week! ~ Stephanie Lynn

Pati @ A Crafty Escape said...

Very cute idea! I would kill for a binding machine, so wish it was in the budget.

Peggy said...

Love this idea! This is crazy but I actually returned my zutter bind-it-all because it was just sitting in my closest. Then I got Christmas money and am now waiting for it to go BACK on sale! Crazy, huh?!

So how did you cut your pages? I've been using a straight forward bypass paper cutter but now I'm not sure how crazy I am about it... my stack of paper sometimes splays out so my cuts aren't exactly even... any suggestions? I really would appreciate them as I am trying to get a small business going again. Thanks!!

greenbean said...

go get that bind it all back!...lol...

as far as cutting the pages...i used my tonic trimmer...it's a guillotine style and i love that thing!...cuts like butter and even cuts every time!...

icraft2create.com said...

Such a great idea! I don't know how many times I've just tossed those cards! These would be cool little gifts for goodie bags as well. Thanks!

Suzanne said...

Ingenious! Any reason why you couldn't use another gift card for the back? Thanks for your idea!

Amanda said...

fantastic idea. They turned out really cute. Come link up at I Made It! Monday on at Ninth Street Notions sometime.

Charlotte said...

Brilliant idea! I wish there was some way you could do this with unused cards - then you could give the little book as part of the gift too!

Blue Skies,
Charlotte xo

Erin said...

Totally adorable!!! What a great idea!

Jena said...

OMG! Those are fantastic!!!!!!!! What an awesome way to recycle gift cards and so many of them are really pretty these days-thanks so much for sharing!!!

Anonymous said...

Cute project! Thanks for linking it up to my party! :)

Leslie said...

That is such a great idea!!! TFS

Sharla said...

Very clever, love that idea!!

The Gardener said...

You are an absolute genius! Everytime I come here, you have something fabulous made! I just threw away two itunes gift cards and now I'm just sick about it!! These are so dang cute! Love your site!

Beverly {Flamingo Toes} said...

These are so so cute and creative!! I'm always needing a little notebook for my purse - these would be so fun! Thanks for the great idea!

. said...

What a great idea!! And I love that it's recycling something that would have been trashed otherwise. :)

Mandy Coffey said...

too fun!!!! i'd love for you to link this up at our friday link party! smallfineprint.blogspot.com

Wende said...

you are right, to stinkin' cute!

Christy said...

LOOOVE this idea!

Heather - Dollarstorecrafts.com said...

Cool! Sharing this idea with the Dollar Store Crafts facebook page! http://www.facebook.com/dollarstorecrafts

Unknown said...

Carrie, you are brilliant! You ought to write a book!

Unknown said...

Greenbean,
You are a GENIUS!! I Love this idea! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!
~Joy~

Tresa said...

I am a first time visitor. Found your blog through dollarstorecrafts. I love this journal project. Most of all, I LOVE your blog title--very clever, made me giggle.

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

These are brilliant! I use an old plastic card as a bone folder in a recent modge podge project but that is a reuse for only one gift card. Where did you get your binding device?

Reba said...

I am TOTALLY Stealing this idea!! I'm constantly bummed that I have 'nothing' to do with them once they're used up! LOVING IT!!

greenbean said...

thanks for all the sweet comments!...i'm so glad you're loving these little guys as much as i do!...

condo blues...i got the bind it all at hobby lobby...you can use your 40% coupon on it!...if you don't have a store...you can buy online!...

Hoo's Crafty! said...

This is absolutely wonderful. My kids love getting giftcards and hate when I toss them out after they use them. WOoo hoo!!! They will be so excited now :)

Anonymous said...

Saw this via Blue Cricket Design's link party and just had to say that it's super-cute! Great way to recycle/repurpose!

VICTORIA said...

Oh my gosh girl you are so talented who would have every thought about that. They are so darn cut my grand kids are gonna love them.

Beverly {Flamingo Toes} said...

Love these so much!! I featured them in my Crush of the Week post - http://www.flamingotoes.com/2011/01/crush-of-the-week-29/
They are so great! :)

Amanda said...

I featured this over at Today's Top 20!!
Amanda
www.todaystoptwenty.blogspot.com

Katy @ Lolly Linens said...

Great idea, thanks for sharing. I've always been hesitant to throw mine away too!

Unknown said...

New to your blog - WOW what a great idea!. I think they look so cute, thanks for sharing x

Jen @ EmbellishingLifeEveryday said...

I love this idea! I am now saving my used gift cards. When I get one of those binding machines I know what I'll be making first! : )

Sandy from Ukiah said...

what a cute cute idea.. love it.

- - Sheryl - - said...

I made two today - I used the same gift card for the front and the back. thanks for the idea.

crafty panda said...

OMG, i LOVE this idea! too cute!
ps. I am a new follower just started a blog..check it out (i need some followers..lol)
craftypanda30.blogspot.com

TT said...

well now, i just found your blog and this is the neatest idea. you go girl!!!!

Sheri@childmade.com said...

I "stare" too. These are great! Now I want a binder too. Thanks for sharing ... I'll be linking!

Linda said...

I just gave you an award stop by my blog to pick it up http://ikolindascrappinmomma.blogspot.com

DonnaMundinger said...

OMG!!!! What a fabulous idea! Especially love that you boxed them too. Honestly, you are the queen of recycling. xxD

Elaine said...

This is truly clever! Love, love this idea! TFS

SherylK said...

I happen to stroll upon your blog through Joy's Life and saw your idea for the gift cards and I can't believe how clever that it is. I was just telling my friend that it would even be cute to make one of these with an ACTIVE card and then they can write things down that they want to get with it. Thanks for sharing this. I'd like to add you to my blog (under heavy construction, mind you.).

Janni said...

Brilliant!!!!!

CHINI said...

It is very very good idea and the opportunity so for the plastic card and other product.
Plastic Card

Anonymous said...

This is the new stylish idea for me to re-cycle the things every day ....!!! I need to get a binding tool so I can make fun little books!love it....
Plastic card

Anonymous said...

I loved this post, so much prettier than carrying around a blank notepad everywhere. Thanks for sharing.

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johnstepan said...

Well, after practically staring at them for days, I finally came up with the idea of making little pocket-sized notebooks!I mean, I know that I constantly need some scratch paper to scribble notes on..Divorce Lawyers Fairfax VA

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