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Vintage Greeting Cards

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Posted by Pamelad1 (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 7, 04 at 0:53

My dear Granny is 77 years old and has received a vast amount of greeting cards over her lifetime. Now, she has decided that it is time to get rid of them to free up some space (there is a large box of them). Some of these cards date back to the 1950's and are from her family and friends. To me, they are a type of history, since more names are added to the cards as families have grown and changed. However, we have no idea what to do with these cards other than throw them away. I have promised her that I would sit down with her to pick out the most important ones (My grandfather died when he was 32 and she was 31 and she never remarried, so anything from him is a keeper). Any suggestions on what to do with the cards we save (some way to display them) or what to do with the ones that she decides to part with? I hate to just toss them in the garbage. Help!

Thanks in advance,
Pam

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RE: Vintage Greeting Cards

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* Posted by ohiomom (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 7, 04 at 11:01

I wouldn't throw them away, store them in a box and when you are "granny's age" they will be collector's items, and/or make a display in like a shadow box...

I have vintage cards/postcards from early 1900's, I just put them in archival storage, they are very collectable.

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* Posted by secondhandrose2 (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 7, 04 at 18:34

My niece says she would put them in a scrapbook. She says you can use the little corners glued to the book pages and then insert the card by the corners so it does not get damaged. You could probably decorate the page with mementos or pics of the sender.

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* Posted by CucumberMelon (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 8, 04 at 9:27

Hi, I saw someone post this site and thought maybe you could use it to make some gift boxes out of some of the cards. Just a thought!!

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/recycling-crafts/greeting-card-box.shtml

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* Posted by Lillie1441 (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 8, 04 at 16:24

Pam-I think putting them in a scrapbook would be a good idea.Mount them so they can be opened to see the inside.Then your grandma could go through them and remember her friends and family and the memories from the past.I would take a few of them,maybe the ones most precious to her from her husband,and make a shadow box.Use the cards as the background and maybe add some momentos she has of her DH,glasses,an old watch,wedding ring,tie tack,a piece of costume jewelry given to her by him,etc. attached with pins or glue.........Lillie

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* Posted by javaandjazz (My Page) on
Tue, Nov 9, 04 at 11:12

Cut out the pictures on the cards and punch a hole in them and hang them on the xmas tree.

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* Posted by momsgirl2 (sombra62@earthlink.net) on
Wed, Nov 10, 04 at 19:27

use a huge card board panel and make a montague to hang on her wall or a door in her room.the way you do x-mas cards.dollar general had a nice scrape book for $ 2.95.but don,t throw them away.i have some that were left in an abandon house they are very entertaining

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* Posted by Lindy_B (My Page) on
Fri, Nov 12, 04 at 22:26

You can make a wallet or coin purse out of a larger one. Just laminate it on both sides, or use clear packing tape, and use velcro for the closure piece. Some of the cards are sooooooo cool and make great little coin purses or even check book covers.

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* Posted by Bright199 (bright199@hotmail.com) on
Sun, Nov 14, 04 at 8:20

Make a serving tray. Use a wood picture frame, you can cut the cards or leave them whole. make a collage of the cards place in the picture frame. Then attach two handles to the picture frame makes a nice Christmas serving tray. I have saved cards for this idea seen it in a magazine a few years ago...still need to put it all together.

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* Posted by Velvet_Sparrow (My Page) on
Thu, Nov 18, 04 at 20:32

I went to an estate sale recently and out in a dusty, forgotten corner of the garage found a large JC Penney box FILLED with very carefully kept greeting cards dating from the 1930's to the 1980's. Every card that this couple had exchanged--and they had celebrated every holiday you can think of with very nice, expensive cards--had been lovingly saved. I absolutely could not bear the thought of just tossing the record of a 50 year love affair into the garbage, so I bought them. I had no idea what I would every do with them.

I find myself going through them once in a while, reading their little notes to each other and later, the long, chatty notes from their son and daughter after they had married and moved away. The cards mark the time span from their engagement right through their marriage, into the later years and failing health and hospital stays.

I finally took several of the more stunning cards and decoupaged them onto glass blocks and lit the inside of the block with clear mini lights. They look great decorated with ribbon and other vintage trim, and now these great cards can be enjoyed for a long time to come. :) This might be an idea for some of the cards you want to display all the time or use as holiday decorations.

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* Posted by gill_didsbury (My Page) on
Wed, Nov 24, 04 at 18:44

Hi All,
I am a newbie here and LOVE all your ideas :-)
Could you make a montage picture from the cards and frame it for your gran? Make it large so she can see a lot of the cards
Gill (Gillian) Australia

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RE: Vintage Greeting Cards

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* Posted by diydana (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 29, 04 at 11:56

The local historical society or schools need real actual examples from the past. I bet there is someone out there looking for cards just like it. YES, even used.
I collected old vintage cards for years. Unused.
I would give them as real cards. Seeing they are. Real.
Some are horrid and ugly.
I never told people they were vintage or recycled.
Some were so ugly I laughed and was full of giggles to give away. I always waited for someone to go...what the heck avacado green with pink stripes for Christmas?
No one ever asked why my cards are so different,to put it nicely. Some of the cards from the 40's and 50's used feathers, sequins and real crazy stuff.
My neighbor died and I have some of her stuff. I have vintage wrapping paper. Paper back then was so think and lovely. My faves are the baby showers and wedding.
I have some crazy old cut outs too. Like victorian syle.
enjoy your treasures.

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* Posted by Des_Arc_Ya_Ya (My Page) on
Wed, Dec 1, 04 at 0:34

Saw some in a magazine the other day that had been "sandwiched" between two pieces of glass with a piece of silk fabric as a "mat". The pieces of glass were then clipped together and the whole thing was in a holder similar to a plate holder. You might pick out a couple of the prettiest ones and do an arrangement like this for your grandmother.

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* Posted by cozycat (My Page) on
Wed, Dec 1, 04 at 0:41

I saw an idea for xmas cards on the HGTV site yesterday.
It was a picture frame that they had put cards behind the glass on top of a mat & they were using it for a tray.

Cozy

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* Posted by hailefinn (My Page) on
Mon, Jan 3, 05 at 17:22

Put the cards in plastic sleeves and a note book--makes them easier to read.

I have some from early 1900's and stood them on little picture stands on our dinning table at Christmas--very colorful and interesting reading since they were from our uncles and and great aunts.

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* Posted by joelke (My Page) on
Tue, Jan 4, 05 at 3:17

I always save my cards. I used to drape long ribbon or yarn around windows or doorways and hang all the cards as decorations for Christmas. Then as I began to realize a lot of them were from relatives and friends that had passed away, I began putting them into scrapbooks. Along with special cards from my children and grandchildren, I have several scrapbooks of cards I love to look at and remember when they were received.

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* Posted by StoneyBaloney (My Page) on
Thu, Jan 13, 05 at 8:43

With old post cards that my grandmother sent my grandfather (dating to 1905) and then ones my mother sent home after she moved away (dating to 1940) I picked out some special ones and framed them, using inexpensive (but matching) black frames with a white mat. I've hung them in the hallway and going up the stairs. Maybe you could something like that with the most special ones?

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I collect postcards from about 1910 or so. These old postcards really are history and there are collectors who would want them and cherish them.

For crafting, I'd encourage people to scan the images, and please not cut up original cards. One project I plan to do for the Christmas holidays is to scan them, print them and decoupage them onto similar sized wooden backings, then put eyehooks in them and make garland.

I also plan to give each person I give gifts to, one wooden decoupaged card as a gift tag which they can then use as a Christmas tree ornament.

These tags would work well for whatever occasion (birthday, Easter, etc.) the card depicts.

Happy crafting,
Jenn

Here is a link that might be useful: My crafting/thrifting/vintage decorating blog

I took a lot of old postcards that my mother had saved,and put them in an old biscuit jar. I put the most colorful along the sides so they could be seen,and no dust can get on them.

I have a collection of postcards that belonged to my grandmother. They are posts marked back in the 40's. I took them and stacked them up, twined a tassel around them and placed them on a small easel in my antique cabinet with all my other mementoes. Several years ago I decided to take all my small items that hold cherished memories and display them in my "memories cabinet" that way I can see them and enjoy those items everyday instead of having them hid away in boxes. I can try and post a picture if you would like to see the postcards?

Hi
Bluestarmom
I would love to see you post on your cards in cabinet.

I took the smaller- about 2 x 4 post cards, put ID info on a piece of plain paper and clear vinyl to make laguage tags.
The 2 x 4 cards will not have to be cut or changed, just slipped into the vinyl holder with the ID info on the back side I have put a hole in the vinyl with a ribbon for fastening.
I saw a idea in the Country Magazine along the same line where you fold a post card in 1/2 and create a card holder using vinyl. I have not tried this yet. I do have a few cards that could fold in 1/2 and still be interesting. But most of my cards would not be very interesting if folded.

The holiday vintage we will display. The scenic ones I will use a few to give to family members by having them framed.
Still have LOTS left so any other ideas are greatly valued.
Thanks

Hi Lindat! I'll try and post a pic...not sure if I can do it correctly but I'll give it a shot. Also the pics I took are not the best...kind of dark in the house so the lighting isn't the good. Postcards are on the middle shelf to the right. You can't really see the easel, its small and the angle wasn't the best either. If it doesn't work maybe you can check my photobucket page at http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/gijoesmom/?start=0 . Here goes...

Here is a link that might be useful: