How-To: Make Christmas Card Globes

Christmas Card Globes are a great way to recycle old holiday cards into something new! Over the past two weeks I made a large collection of globes and have finally finished my photo tutorial to illustrate how easily they can be made! If you do not have a large hole punch, you can print my 3-D Globe Stencil Templates and make reusable templates out of lightweight cardboard (cereal boxes work well). The stencil templates are different sized circles with equilateral triangles inside of them. To make a template cut out the circle and trace it on cardboard before cutting out the triangle and tracing it. (Even if you use a large punch, you will still need an equilateral triangle template).


Materials:
Christmas cards
3-D Globe Stencil Templates or a Large Hole Punch (I recommend the EK Paper Shapers Punch)
Pen
Scissors
Liquid glue
Clothespins 

Instructions:When picking out Christmas cards to use, make sure to look at all sides of the card for color, patterns or textures. Once selected, cut the cards in half (this will make it easier to cut or punch holes from the cards).  

If you are using a circle template, trace 20 circles on the non-decorative side of the Christmas cards. Trace an equilateral triangle using your template, then cut out the circles. If you are using a punch (I use a 1 3/4" punch), punch 20 circles out of the Christmas cards, then trace an equilateral triangle using your template. 

Once all 20 circles have been cut out, sort the cards into four groups of five, based on how you wish to alternate color or patterns. Then fold each circle along the lines of the triangle - fold the decorative side up. To further crease the fold and to keep the circles sorted the way you want them, I recommend clipping the 5 circles (now triangles) in each group together with a clothespin.  You can leave the triangles clipped together for a little as ten minutes to make a crease, though I usually leave mine for a bit longer.

Using liquid glue (the glue in a glue stick is not strong enough and will not last over time), glue the flaps of 5 circles together to form a half circle/dome. Repeat and glue 5 more circles together. Glue the flaps of the 10 remaining circles together in a line or band.  Take your time to line up the flaps evenly! Uneven flaps will result in large gaps in your globe. You can use clothespins to hold the flaps together until they dry.

Take the line/band of 10 circles and glue the first circle to last circle to form a ring. Glue one of the half circles/domes of 5 circles to the top of the band. Glue the other half circle/dome of 5 circles to the bottom of the band. To make an ornament, tie six inches of ribbon into a loop and glue the knot in the center of where 5 circles meet when you are gluing one of the half circle/domes to the band of circles (hide the knot inside the globe). Allow to dry before removing clothespins!  Enjoy your Christmas card globe!