Make Festive and Fun 2-Sided Playing Cards!

I can't believe I have not posted in nearly 3 weeks!

I have so many pictures of all the fun that has been going on in my classroom, but have not had a minute to post!

Today I am home with my little one who is sick with a fever- he is resting so I am going to take a few minutes to post pictures of a way to make your holiday (or any) playing cards more festive and fun- without using TONS of printer ink!

Clip purchased from Whimsy Clips

First gather some scrapbook paper- I have had this HUGE pack of Christmas 12x12 paper for years!  You can also purchase 9x12 size paper.  Make sure whatever you use has a blank white side- some papers have the company's logo on the back.

Cut the scrapbook paper down to 'copy paper size'- 8.5x11- so that you can feed it into your printer. 

Depending on how your computer takes paper, place it so that the images will print on the white side (for me I have to place the paper 'colored side up' for it to print on the blank side. 

And when they are all printed you will have a set of double sided playing cards- without using TONS of ink!

Here is what of one of my best purchases ever- an 'at home' laminator!  This one is from 3M and I purchased it from Amazon for $25!!  I think it is about $30 now but it is SO worth the money!  You can buy laminating pockets in 3ml or 5ml.  I use the 3ml when laminating cardstock and 5ml when laminating copy paper.  It makes the copy paper just as stiff as cardstock!  SO- when using the scrapbook paper, I opted for 5ml to make the cards sturdy for play!

Here is my Christmas Game Cards all ready for play!  You can see the 'backs' are fun and festive and there is no way they can 'peek' through the cards when we use them for Memory, Go-Fish or Old Maid!  

This is a brand new set that I just uploaded!  I am so excited the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs is now making counting and ten frame clip art sets!  It made this so much easier to put together!  

There are 4 types of playing cards- counting cookies, counting Santas, identifying the number and 'reading' a ten frame for numbers 1-10.  It also has an 'old maid' (Mrs. Claus) so that the cards can be used for 4 different games all holiday season long!

I would love to give a set away so that you can try out scrapbook paper printing and/or play with your students!  Leave me a blog post comment with what you are most looking forward to doing with your students this holiday season!  I will have one of my 'elves' select a winner Friday evening!

You can see the set you may win by clicking here:

 Hoping to find some time to catch up on all we have been doing in my classroom soon!

Until next post,