Just like that, Christmas is over. I hope you all had wonderful days full of family, love & happiness. Now we’re on to New Year’s. Personally, I am big on resolutions. I am all about choosing goals, planning your game, & kicking them in their booties. This next year especially. My words for this next year are INTENTIONAL CONTENTMENT. I will be sure to touch on that later, but I wanted to end 2018 with just that.

2018 did not go as planned. I starting writing this whole story about this year & what went wrong, but then remembered this post is a DIY tutorial…. I’ll save that rant for another day. So back to today’s events. Instagram is flooded with bloggers & home decor lovers taking down their Christmas decor. Well, that is what we started today! Every room but the sun room has been de-Christmasfied. With that included the infinite Christmas cards!

I have said it before & I will say it again. I love keeping cards. This Christmas my grandma took out her old boxes of my great grandmas cards. Cards from my great grandpa, cards from the kids. Old, beautifully written & created cards. I would love for someday my great grand kids to read our collection & think “People wrote people notes on paper?” This year I wanted to keep ours. They are so special to me because as I get ours ready to make & send out, I put time & thought into it. I love to cherish the idea that others did that for us.

I did two different things with our cards this year. One for the keepers & one for the tossers.

For the keepers, I made a book! I used ours for the cover & wrote a little note & the date on the back. Something to look back on each year. I separated each pile according to the size, thickness, orientation, all that jazz. Then I used a notebook paper to measure where the punch holes should be. If I were the type to take my time, do it very precisely, make it immaculate, well, I just wouldn’t do it. I am more of a “get it done & love the imperfectness of it” type. You should remember this any time I post a tutorial in the future!

Once all the holes were punched, I tied a ribbon through them and ta-da! I have a book of cards to look back on every year & collect new ones. Something to set out as decor & for family & friends to enjoy whenever we host. It will be so fun pulling this out next year & remember all these beautiful faces. This is something I wish I did from the gecko. I could write a book on all the things I wish I knew or did when we got engaged. Better late than never, right?

If you are not one to keep your cards, here is another option. I got this idea from a family friend this year! She takes a picture of every card & sets it as that contacts photo. Then whenever that person calls, their card pops up! I love that idea. It is so simple, it is free, & it is a great way to use their special photo they took time & money to send to you all year long. Then the next year you swap them out & see how much they changed! I love this idea. First thing I did was chose where I wanted the photo. The sun room was my favorite room this Christmas, so I really wanted the subtle ambiance of this room to light up the background. Second, I painted my thumb. lol. Then you just grab & go! Once you have all the pictures done, you just go into the settings for that contact & change the photo. Now this is the handsome face I get to see when my husband calls!

If you yourself have any fun traditions or ideas to do with your Christmas cards, send them on over! I love all the different ways people use them & keep them. I have seen garland made out of them or even ornaments! So special.

I am so happy I did this & will be even happier next year. I am ready to be intentional with everything I do this next year to promote contentment in my life & in my actions. Bless you all & have a wonderful end to your year!