Inspiration, Tips and Advice
How to recycle postcards – the creative way
What to do with old Postcards? Ever wondered how you can recycle old Postcards? Want to upcycle your Postcards and give them a new lease of life?
We recently stopped by the Postcard Exhibition at the British Museum (read more about it here), and whilst w wish we had a collection of postcards cool enough to show off at the British Museum, sadly, the Postcards we’ve collected over time are probably destined more for the recycle bin than a glass cabinet.
But all is not lost.
The exhibition got us thinking about all the cool ways that you can recycle Postcards – from wall art to earrings (no, really), there are loads of ways you can reuse and upcycle your print.
Intrigued? Take a look at some of our favourites below!
Postcard Earrings
@marsblack created these awesome earrings from recycled postcards, and we absolutely adore them! The great thing about them is that you could easily customise them with different options, shapes, sizes and designs too – jazzing up a simple pair of hoops for any occasion.
Creative wreaths
How about this for a Christmas wreath?! @alispangle nails the contemporary Christmas design by recycling old artist postcards to create this intriguing wreath, which wouldn’t look out of place at an art gallery! While we love the muted tones and simplicity of this wreath, we reckon a mad fusion of colours, textures and styles would make an eclectic addition to any colour-lovers household!
Giftboxes
If you’ve got any leftover or spare paper knocking about (like Postcards or Wrapping Paper) turning them into a cute gift box is easy! We found this one on Pinterest, but there are loads of websites and video tutorials offering step-by-step guides to origami boxes, so give it a go!
Recycle your postcards into gift boxes!
Collage Wall
This one’s probably the easiest of all. All you need is a stack of different Postcards and a blank wall! Whether you simply pin them, stick them or frame them, the choice is yours! It’s a great way of showing off a collection of stuff you love, as the eclectic mix of designs and styles is what really makes a collage wall so eye-catching. We love this idea below from the Guardian, via Pinterest.
Image credit: Pinterest
Origami
Now, there are loads of things to make when it comes to origami, a quick search on Pinterest will reveal loads of options for your unloved paper, but we were particularly enamoured by this gorgeous collection of origami cranes. We reckon it’d make a super fun weekend project for you and the kids, or get your gal pals together for a makers evening? You can then hang your creations like the picture below, creating some super cool, handmade home deco!
Image credit: Pinterest
Feeling inspired? We’d love to see what you create! Tag us on social using #ProudlyPrinted!
And, if you’ve done something different with your Postcards, let us know! We’d love to see your designs.
About the author
Our in-house designer Becca has a love of all things creative. When she’s not designing, you can find her in Newcastle checking out independent coffee shops or getting her hands dirty with her house renovation.
