Recently in CRAFTS Category

I have been collecting antique post cards for many years and use the seasonal ones through out the house during the holidays.

There were millions of postcards sent in the early part of the 1900s as printing costs became inexpensive and the technology to reproduce vivid colors improved. While these postcards were meant for the American market many of them were printed in Germany and England.

If you are interested in starting your own collection of antique or vintage postcards then you can start at the antique malls were they are often kept loose in boxes to sort through. The cost of these were between $1 and $3 each as they were not rare. 

Here are four of my favorite Thanksgiving postcards from about 1909 that you can download as PDFs for your own use. 

I like to pop in a little gift card with anything I give.

While my tastes tends to run to pretty and elegant many of my friends have more avant garde taste and I make up these little note cards when I give items to them.

Easy to make, just take some interesting pages from National Geography and glue to card stock. I do use a paper cutter which makes the edges nice and square.

Terrariums are ideal for people who want some greenery around them but also want it to be as low maintenance as possible.

Back in style again they are being made in everything from retro 70's glass bottles, traditional style Victorian cases, to very modern blown glass containers. 

While terrariums are simple to make a Witch's Ball (called because they resemble a crystal ball) has a little secret in how they are made which I will be happy to share with you. 

Kids aside these would be great to hold a small gift for your sweetie  (that you can leave on a pillow or bedside table). 

You could hunt down the type of paper you are looking for at specialty paper supply stores but there is a very inexpensive option that will give you the candy box look that you are looking for.

Though I try not to buy any food in excess packaging some times it can't be avoided and through out the year I keep the light plastic containers that many bakery, fruit and vegetable come in.

I clean them out and use them for take out containers for my guest. But I also have my little trick of making them look fancy-shmancy.

This happy little container is made from a tissue box that had a modern bright pattern on it.

Many tissue boxes are made with a high grade board that is slightly waxed to resist soiling which makes it ideal for storage.

With a lid made from card stock no one would guess how it started it's life. 

Easy to make and useful you will find that you are eying how much tissue is left in the boxes in your home so you can make another one.

 I am happy to be linked to Sew Much Ado - We Did It Wednesday

They are very simple to make using an easy pattern and sewing technique. I fill mine with rice as it is cheap and easy for me to get but I have heard of other options that you can check on the web.

Make a basket full to have handy by the front door for the whole family or make a bunch (litter?) to use as stocking stuffers for Christmas or as easy inexpensive gifts.

I filled it with apples from the farmers market but latter I think I will fill it with dried flowers and leave it on the front hallway table to great visitors into the house.

You can make these any size that you want just by changing the length of the branches but smaller would be better.

Remember that this is only a decorative basket and will not withstand being lifted when it is full. It is best to carefully carry it from the bottom.