Can a $3.50 paper pad really make 25 or more greeting cards? Grab your coffee. We're about to find out!
You know how it goes. You pop into Dollarama for one or two things, wander through the craft aisle, and suddenly something follows you home.
In my case, it was a $3.50 Winter Forest Die-Cut Paper Pad.
Now, I've purchased enough craft supplies over the years to know that a pretty package doesn't always mean a great product. Sometimes what's inside is wonderful. Other times, well, let's just say the packaging was the highlight of the experience.
But this little paper pad? Oh, I had high hopes!
And since this was one of the four purchases featured in my Dollarama Made Me Do It! — A $10 Craft Haul Put to the Test, it was time to find out whether I'd discovered a bargain or simply added another pretty paper pad to my ever-growing collection.
A Little Mystery Wrapped in Plastic
Here's something I haven't mentioned yet.
When I spotted this paper pad sitting on the shelf at Dollarama, it was completely sealed in plastic.
Which meant I couldn't really see what I was getting!
I could see the pretty winter woodland designs on the cover, but what was actually inside? Your guess was as good as mine.
And at $3.50, I figured it was worth taking a chance.
What also caught my attention was the size. This wasn't one of those tiny little packages of die cuts you typically find in the craft aisle. This was a substantial paper pad, approximately 8½ × 11 inches, possibly even a little larger.
So home it came.
And when I finally removed that plastic wrapping?
Well, color me surprised!
There were background papers, smaller woodland scenes, beautiful coordinating die cuts, sentiments, winter words, and enough creative possibilities to keep me busy for quite some time.
I honestly hadn't expected all of that!
It was practically an entire cardmaking collection hiding inside one plastic-wrapped package.
Just add cardstock bases, a little adhesive, and whatever sparkly bits you happen to have lying around.
Which, in my craft room, is never a problem.
Sometimes a mystery purchase turns out to be a disappointment.
And sometimes you unwrap $3.50 worth of paper and discover you've practically hit the crafting jackpot.
This was definitely the latter!
So What Was Hiding Inside?
Quite a lot, actually!
The Winter Forest Die-Cut Paper Pad contains a lovely assortment of coordinating winter woodland designs, including:
Background papers in beautiful, soft woodland colors.
Smaller winter scenes that are perfect for card fronts.
An abundance of woodland-themed die cuts, including deer, moose, birds, trees, cabins, and pinecones.
Sentiments and winter-themed words to finish your projects.
The package advertises more than 400 elements, along with 16 A6 cards and 16 A4 sheets of 170 gsm paper.
And everything coordinates!
I particularly love the soft browns, muted greens, snowy whites, and rustic wood textures. They're wintery without being overly festive.
In fact, that's one of the things I like most about this collection.
It's winter. Not necessarily Christmas.
Which brings me to something rather amusing.
Found in the Christmas Aisle. Go Figure!
Yes, I found this paper pad in Dollarama's Christmas aisle.
Yet there really isn't anything specifically Christmas about it!
No Santa Claus. No Christmas trees covered in ornaments. No reindeer pulling a sleigh.
Just beautiful winter woodland scenery that could be used for all sorts of occasions.
Go figure!
There was also another paper pad in lovely blue tones, featuring what I believe were owls. So, if you're heading into Dollarama looking for one of these bargains, have a peek through the Christmas craft supplies.
And don't overlook these pads simply because Christmas isn't on your crafting calendar.
Winter lasts considerably longer than Christmas. Especially here in Canada, where I'm sometimes convinced spring is merely a rumor.
Time to Put That Pretty Paper to Work!
Now, admiring a paper pad is one thing. Actually making something with it is another.
And I wasn't about to declare this a fabulous purchase just because I liked the pictures.
So I made two greeting cards.
Nothing terribly complicated. No fancy techniques requiring a craft room full of equipment.
Just some cardstock, a little foam tape, a few embellishments, and the contents of my $3.50 paper pad.
Let's see what happened!
Card One: Thinking of You
For my first card, I chose one of the beautiful snowy woodland scenes featuring a deer.
The soft winter colors were already so lovely that I really didn't need to do much.
I layered the scene onto coordinating cardstock, added the deer and the Thinking of You sentiment, and finished everything with a few little embellishments.
And just like that, a beautiful winter greeting card!
I love that this design isn't tied to a particular holiday. It could be sent in January, February, or whenever someone needs a little reminder that they're being thought of.
Sometimes the simplest cards are the loveliest.
And sometimes it's nice to make something without spending half an hour deciding which shade of green matches which shade of brown.
Not that I've ever done that.
Well, not today anyway.
Card Two: Warm Winter Wishes
For my second card, I went with another winter woodland scene, this time featuring three sweet little birds perched among snowy branches.
I layered the design with green cardstock and added the Warm Winter Wishes sentiment.
Then, because I apparently cannot leave well enough alone, I added a few tiny snowflakes.
There was already snow in the picture.
But clearly, it needed more.
A little sparkle never hurt anybody!
And that's another wonderful thing about this pad. The artwork does most of the work for you, but there's still plenty of opportunity to add your own creative touches.
You can keep things simple or dress them up with gems, splatter, glitter, or dimensional embellishments.
Either way, you end up with something lovely.
But How Easy Are Those Die Cuts to Use?
This was something I particularly wanted to test.
I've purchased inexpensive die-cut collections before where removing the pieces was practically a crafting project all by itself.
You know the kind.
You carefully push out a tiny branch, one end gets stuck, and suddenly your beautiful woodland tree looks like it survived a windstorm.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case here!
The die-cut pieces separated nicely from their sheets.
They were easy to work with, and I didn't have to spend time trimming or repairing them.
Even better, the colors and designs coordinated beautifully.
There was no hunting through my paper stash looking for something that might match.
Everything I needed was already there.
Well, almost everything.
I did have to supply my own cardstock bases, foam tape, and embellishments.
But considering the price, I certainly wasn't complaining!
How Many Cards Could You Actually Make?
Here's where things get interesting.
Looking at the amount of paper, background scenes, die cuts, and sentiments included, I honestly believe you could make 25 or more greeting cards from this one pad.
Twenty-five!
From a $3.50 purchase!
Now, I'm not suggesting I've actually made all 25 cards. I've made two so far, and there is still plenty of material waiting to be used.
But based on the contents, I think 25 is a very reasonable estimate.
And because I apparently enjoy doing math when it involves craft supplies, let's break that down.
$3.50 divided by 25 cards = 14 cents per card.
Fourteen cents!
Of course, that doesn't include your cardstock bases, adhesive, or any additional embellishments.
But for the decorative papers and die-cut elements? That's a pretty impressive little bargain.
And just think how many occasions you could cover with one pad.
Winter birthdays, thinking-of-you cards, thank-you notes, friendship cards, and those lovely little just-because cards that are always so nice to receive.
Honestly, I'm beginning to think I should have bought two.
There it is.
The sentence that gets every crafter into trouble.
And It Isn't Just for Greeting Cards!
One of the best things about this collection is its versatility.
Those woodland scenes would be beautiful in a scrapbook or handmade album.
Imagine documenting a winter hike, a weekend at the cottage, or a hunting adventure.
The deer, moose, trees, cabins, and rustic backgrounds would be perfect for telling those stories.
You could also use the smaller die cuts to decorate journal pages, handmade notebooks, gift tags, or little memory books.
That's something I always appreciate in a craft supply.
I don't want to be limited to one project or one occasion.
Give me something I can use in several different ways, and I'm a happy crafter.
Especially when it only costs $3.50!
A Few Tips Before You Start Crafting
If you happen to pick up one of these paper pads, here are a few things I learned while making my cards.
Let the artwork do the work. These winter scenes are already beautifully coordinated. You don't need to cover every inch of your card with additional decorations.
Add a little dimension. Foam tape behind a deer, bird, or sentiment can make a simple card look much more interesting.
Use your scraps. Small leftover pieces of cardstock are perfect for layering sentiments or adding borders.
Keep your embellishments simple. A few gems, tiny snowflakes, or a little splatter can be all you need.
Think beyond Christmas. These designs are suitable for winter projects long after the holiday decorations have been packed away.
And perhaps my favorite tip?
Don't overthink it.
Sometimes you just need to sit down, choose a pretty background, add a few die cuts, and enjoy making something.
Not every greeting card needs to be a three-hour production involving every tool you own.
Although, judging by the state of my craft desk on some days, you would never know that.
The Final Verdict: Was It Worth $3.50?
Oh, absolutely!
I most certainly think this little paper pad was worth every penny.
The designs are beautiful, the colors coordinate wonderfully, and the die cuts separate easily from their sheets.
There's enough variety to create many different cards without making them all look alike.
And the possibilities extend well beyond greeting cards.
Would I buy it again? Without hesitation!
In fact, if I happen to wander past that Christmas aisle again, I might just have another look at that blue-toned paper pad.
Strictly for research purposes, of course.
We all know how important research is.
Especially when it involves shopping.
One Bargain Down, Three More to Go!
This Winter Forest Paper Pad was part of my little $10 Dollarama crafting experiment.
If you missed the beginning of this adventure, you can read Dollarama Made Me Do It! — A $10 Craft Haul Put to the Test, where I shared the four inexpensive craft supplies I brought home and my plan to put each one to work.
And this is only the beginning!
I've still got more Dollarama goodies to test, including washi tape, a Santa bead kit, and some tiny Christmas decorations that might just find themselves transformed into jewelry.
Because apparently I can't even walk past Christmas decorations without wondering whether I could turn them into earrings.
It's a condition.
There is no known cure.
But at least this particular experiment has started with a winner!
So tell me, have you tried any of Dollarama's die-cut paper pads? And would you make greeting cards, scrapbook pages, or something entirely different with these beautiful woodland designs?
I'd love to hear what you'd create!
Coffee in hand & something always on the craft table,
Julie — The Paper Artist
