Great Fun etc: Collage Christmas Cards

A couple of Christmases ago we had fun making packs of collage Christmas cards and then selling them to raise money for orphan babies in Uganda - a Christmas project to help the kids focus on giving rather than getting. Back then the kids were aged six and four - and this was simple enough for them to get involved.

We printed out a little Message for the back of each card saying who made them and why. We enlisted the help of our grandparents who managed to ~~con~~ persuade their friends and colleagues into buying some too.

We ended up raising over $100 just from making and selling the cards.

It was a nice sort of thing to do together. You know, crafty bonding. Who doesn't love dousing things in glitter, right??

We came up with five basic designs. You can make them to give away to indulgent family members and other unsuspecting neighbours and colleagues... or to go into "mass production" and sell in packs to fundraise for something charitable, like we did. Its pretty rewarding getting the kids focused on giving to others and thinking about those who don't have much at Christmas - helps offset the greed fest!

MAKING THE CARDS

Here's a List of what you'll need:

BASICS

A4 coloured craft card (cut each sheet in half to make two cards)
Old "kindy" (preschool) paintings/prints - ones with large areas of colour
Gold and silver crepe paper
Shiny red paper (e.g. old wrapping paper)
Glue sticks (one each)
Scissors
Glitter, sequins, tinsel for decorating
Cookie cutters (or similar) for tracing shapes (heart, star, tree)
Snap-lock bags for keeping cut-out shapes sorted

SPECIAL SNOWMAN SUPPLIES

Plain White paper
Black card or paper
Red felt fabric or similar

SPECIAL ANGEL SUPPLIES

Skeleton leaves (craft supplies)
Small white paper doilies
Pink or yellow paper

HOW TO MAKE....

To make lots of cards at once, spend some time before you start glueing, cutting out the shapes. Keep the shapes sorted and easily accessible in snap-lock bags. Then "assembly" is very quick. Paste the basic shells together yourself (if your kids are young like mine were) and give to them to decorate. Hint: Draw the shapes on the back of the artwork, then when you cut them out you will have no pencil lines.

The Star Card

~ Silver Crepe Paper - background

~ Bright coloured "kindy art" - cut star shapes out of this

~ Sequins & Glitter - to decorate

Glue a rectangle of silver crepe paper onto the card, positioned roughly in the centre.

Add a star cut from the "kindy" art.

Kids decorate each one to their taste with glitter and spangles.

The Christmas Tree Card

~ Gold Crepe Paper - background

~ Green coloured "kindy art" - cut Tree shapes out of this

~ Sequins & Glitter - to decorate

Glue a rectangle of gold crepe paper onto the card, positioned roughly in the centre.

Add a tree cut from the green "kindy" art.

Kids decorate each tree to their taste with glitter and spangles. Make sure a star goes on top! (we cut ours off a length of old star tinsel)

The Snowman Card

~ Silver Crepe Paper - background

~ Blue-ish coloured "kindy art" - cut another rectangle out of this, slightly smaller than the silver one

~ 3 ovals cut from white paper (1 small & round = head, i middle sized = belly, 1 larger = bottom half)

~ Scarf: cut from red felt or other fabric (roughly u-shaped, one tail longer than the other)

~ Top hat: shape cut from black card or paper

Glue a rectangle of silver crepe paper onto the card, positioned roughly in the centre, then a second rectangle of blue-toned kindy art.

Add the three white ovals, bottom first, middle second, then scarf, then head. Finish with the black hat.

Get the kids to draw on the snowman's face and buttons with coloured felt-pens.

The Heart Card

~ Gold Crepe Paper - background

~ Shiny red paper - cut heart shapes out of this

~ Sequins & Glitter - to decorate

Glue a rectangle of gold crepe paper onto the card, positioned roughly in the centre.

Add a heart cut from the shiny red paper.

The kids decorate each one to their hearts content with glitter and sequins.

The Angel Card

~ Gold Crepe Paper - background

~ Pinky-purple toned kindy art - other background

~ Skeleton leaves or small craft feathers - for wings

~ Small white paper doilies, cut into triangles - for dress

~ Circle of pink or yellow paper - for face

~ Sequins & Glitter - to decorate

Glue a rectangle of gold crepe paper onto the card, positioned roughly in the centre.

Add another rectangle of kindy art on top.

Cut the leaf or feather in half along the spine. Glue onto position for wings as shown.

Paste the doily triangle on top. Then the coloured circle for the face. Get the kids to draw on the angels' face and decorate with lots and lots of glitter and spangles.

GLUEING TIP: Apply the glue to the background and then just position the pieces on it, rather than trying to apply glue to each item. Some are fragile and will rip if you try to apply glue to them.