I love this reuse idea for ribbons and holiday cards. It’s a great way to display cards, it doesn’t affect the card, and it’s a colorful way to decorate my curtain area in the dining room.
The hook on the curtain rod is one I had in my toolbox. You can easily find these “S” hooks at a hardware store.
The two ribbons are from gifts I received. They were so nice I hated to throw them away and they’re polyester so they can’t be recycled. I really wanted a way to reuse them without creasing them and I am so glad I came up with this idea. The red bow is wire ribbon so I can plump that up and it’s tied into the polka dot ribbon. Yes, the bow is a little squished here since I do open and close my curtains. The ribbons are attached to a large paperclip. You can’t see it all mangled from the floor but I took an up-close picture to help you see. I used to hang the paperclip on the curtain grommet but it fell down so often I switched to the S hook this year and it’s working great. Each card is paperclipped on with a color-coordinated paperclip. I prefer to use coated paperclips with the cards so there is no rust rubbed off on the card or indentation made which can happen with plain steel paperclips. I encourage you to ask your friends, family, neighbors, Buy Nothing group or Nextdoor for any of these supplies if you are interested. Most of us don’t need to have a large stockpile of paperclips on hand.
One of my aunts and a cousin, one of her daughters, makes handmade cards and they’re so beautiful, like artwork, I keep them. I have a few from friends who make cards as well. I thought displaying them as a permanent part of the holiday would be a wonderful way to appreciate the time, effort and beauty without tucking them away in a box or recycling them.
The setup works well on the curtains. I can open and close them without affecting the strand. This vertical arrangement also works well for how my house is laid out: I don’t have a fire place, I don’t have a lot of counter space, I have garland on the stairs already, and I don’t want to use tape that will rip the back or inside of the card each year.
I’d love to see the creative ways you display cards.
You may also find interesting:
- RETHINK: Picture Frame Crafts & Replacements as an alternate way to display cards
- Going Up: Vertical Storage for Recycling for additional ways to use S hooks