That's my monkey card. How great is THAT?
And the poor thing has been shoved in a drawer for years, forgotten all about until this post.
I've always had a rule. If someone sends me a card I leave it out on display for a week. Minimum. I also have a rule about not using a cutting from my cat's tail to try to grow another cat (once gardening season rolls around I have to remind myself about these sorts of things)
The problem with stupid birthdays is they usually, sometimes, if you're lucky involve getting cards. The problem with cards is you never seemed to have a good place to put them. You stick them on the counter and they fall over, or get sauce and icing on them. Ditto happens on the bedside table.
Then one day I remembered a photo from a Country Living magazine from a couple of years ago. They were using metal flower frogs to hold seed packets.
I had metal frogs. I also had a cute tin box filled with postcards based on vintage seed packets. I got it as a thank you gift for speaking at Seedy Saturday a few years ago and I love the postcards, the problem was I could never figure out how to display them.
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
The metal frogs make perfect sense. Flowers, vegetables, seeds, deadly sharp pokey things you could use to slash the hands of anyone trying to touch your stuff. It all kind of goes together.
Stick them under a glass cloche and you have a place that makes anything look special. Even that horrible birthday card that your Uncle Joe gave you that makes farting sounds when you open it.
My glass cloche is from an antique clock that I have that I never use anymore. And I got the wood stand for it at Value Village. But what would really make more sense for displaying vegetable seeds is one of these glass garden cloches. And at $53 for 4 of them they're a deal. I'm not sure why they're so cheap but they are. You could buy the set, keep one and give the rest away as gifts. Or at least tell yourself you're going to do that to justify your purchase then of course, keep them all for yourself.
Now if I get a thank you card I put it in my little glass display dome, which sits just to the right of the desk in my office.
And just so you know, this portion of my office looks neat and tidy. That is an illusion. My desk is currently covered with a white mug filled with pens, a toast rack filled with notebooks, one pair of glasses, two old coffee cups, a note on a new way to pinch back tomatoes, 2 empty gum packets, some jewellery I took off while typing, my iphone, some camera memory cards and 2 bobby pins. And a bag of cocaine.
Just kidding.
There are 3 old coffee cups.
SusanR
Thank you, Jan. I lost my dad a long, long time ago. Note is written on inside cover, so I can't tear it in half. It's ok. I still love seeing the message when I walk by that wall.
I like Karen's idea of displaying things with sentimental value. It would be fun to see photos of those types of things that Karen's readers have in their homes. Hint, hint, Karen.
SusanR
My dilemma is figuring out how to display the front of the card when the message is on the inside cover. My dad long ago sent me a silly card just to say "Hi". I framed recently with his note displayed. I thought about xeroxing the front to show that too. But it would look like a copy. And I wanted to see his original handwritten note when I looked up at the frame on the wall. It feels like a hug to me. The front is a message about "missing you". My dad's note:
"I don't really miss you. But this card was marked down from $24.95, and I couldn't pass up the bargain. Love, Dad." And he drew a silly face.
I miss him.
Jan in Waterdown
Now that made me tear up a bit. I am sorry for your loss SusanR. He sounds like he was a great Dad!
If his written message isn't on the reverse side of the front of the card, would you consider cutting it in two so you can put the front beside the inside? Not sure if that makes sense!
Jan in Waterdown
Oh crap, I just reread your post and if I had half a brain I would have remembered that you said "on the inside cover". . . :-/
Maybe you could scan the front into your computer then print it in colour? That would be way better than a xerox.
Feral Turtle
A great idea....and it was my sister that gave me my farting card! I keep it close and blame the card! Cheers.
Tigersmom
Congratulations! And prep yourself for some increased traffic! Your outdoor glowing orbs are featured in an article about upping curb appeal form House Beautiful on Yahoo. Here's a link:
https://www.yahoo.com/makers/8-diy-ways-to-up-your-homes-curb-appeal-117255512235.html
Karen
:) I saw that in my traffic stats yesterday Tigersmom. I love a good mention like that. ~ karen!
Linda J Howes
Finally, a way to keep my cards and other objects d'art dust free! Thank you.
Nancy Blue Moon
That is so pretty Karen..I need to find a taller cloche..I really like the old seed packets..
Joan
Loved the ideas, and the cloche, but when I went to check on them the shipping was $27. Ouch!
Karen
Ouch is right. I can understand it though. They're big and they're glass. :/ They still end up being under $20 each tho so that's not bad. ~ karen!
Jennie Lee
I take back what I said about the seed packages being pricey. You can get them for less than $1 each!!! How many pretty things that are 80 years old can you get for $1? Not many. Check it out!
Jennie Lee
Your mention of seed packets reminds me: there are an amazing number of 1930s seed packets for sale on eBay They are 80 years old, and look like they were printed yesterday. They are a bit pricey, but everyone should go look at them . Looking is free. They would be so pretty in frames. Which gives me the perfect chance to brag about the ones in my kitchen: 9 vegetable packets in a custom frame, found for $10 at a second hand store. One of my best finds.
Leslie Best
Love this. So cute. I love displaying cards and this is such a great idea!
Oh..and sweet floors!
Jody
What a great idea. I'm going to have to hjunt out the frogs I have. And never mind about what the rest of your office looks like. Your plank floors are beautiful. How wide are those panks?
kelli
fabulous idea...definitely need something prettier and more artistic than my 'catchall crap corner' where everything ends up. But of course that's only because my 'horizontal files' (dining table) is already piled high with more crap. I swear, sometimes I think I'm 'thisclose' to becoming a hoarder. :(
Tigersmom
I was so distracted by the new home you found for that gorgeous mirror that used to hang where your art wall is in the living room now (right?) that I mistook the white dog figurine?/statue? for a cat.
More examples of your gift for mixing the old with the new and having it work beautifully. I think white walls are almost a requirement for that. If not a requirement, they certainly help.
And I agree, putting anything under a cloche instantly elevates it. Much the same way framing something with a mat does. Clever girl.
Melissa in North Carolina
No chips on your desk?
June
Am I the only one who was distracted by the awesome old wood floors in these pictures?
Sandra
I want to know your new way to pinch back tomatoes, too!