Spotted: Playing Card Stencils from Bare Branch Blooming

Got an old deck of playing cards that’s missing a card or two (who doesn’t?!?)?

Don’t throw it out!

Instead, check out the brilliant project that Bare Branch Blooming creates using old playing cards: she turns them into re-usable stencils.

I can’t even tell you how much I LOVE this project–store-bought re-usable stencils tend to be made from super-gross, highly-polluting plastic, and my usual DIY methods of jiggering my own stencils (freezer paper, contact paper, cardboard, etc.) are not re-usable.

The only limit to what you can do with this project is the size of the playing cards, but even that’s got me thinking now… how about re-usable stencils made from yard signs? Old plastic bin lids? Game boards?

And if you’re curious about what to do with the leftover playing cards, after you’ve had a fabulous time making all the re-usable stencils that you could ever possibly want, check out these awesome playing card project tutes:

1. 3D structures. This is a great rainy day project for kids–they’ll think it’s a real treat to build this way!

2. business cards. Creative business cards are a good match for a creative business.

3. matching game. Put your own art on the front; the backs are already identical!

4. photo playing cards. You’ve got to have a complete deck for this project, but the result is pretty special.

5. Phylo backing. Use playing cards as a base for any of tons of awesome, printable, DIY card games out there.

6. playing card bag. Laminate playing cards make a quite sturdy bag.

7. playing card book. Hole punch the cards and embellish them, then put them together with book rings.

8. polyhedra. Exercise your math skills and make yourself a kick-ass decoration.

9. restaurant review log. I used playing cards to hold restaurant information and library pockets to store them.

Playing Card Stencils image via Bare Branch Blooming.