Valentine's Day Craft: Recycled Valentine's Day Card Basket

 Once upon a time, before my life was filled with small children,

I had time for collections. 

I collected: Pink Depression Glass, Handkerchiefs,

1950s Head Vases, and Victorian era - 1940s Post Cards. 

I haven't given much time or attention to any of those collections for several years. 

I still use my pink glass dishes, the girls play with more than two-thirds of my 

hankie collection in their on-going stuffed animal and "house" games,

and my head vases are on display in my kitchen

(always get some interesting comments on those!)

When I saw the Vintage Card Basket (see photo below) on Etsy last year

at Artsy Mama's Etsy Shop, it was love at first site.

I had been on the look-out for a card basket for several years

but it's hard to find one when you don't spend time 

at flea markets or antique stores anymore!

I ordered it and was over the moon when it arrived.

It has a place of honor in my art studio holding sewing notions on my sewing table. 

Of course, I wanted to try my hand at making our own

so last year, we recycled some of our favorite  

Valentine's Day Cards into a card basket/bowl of our own!

To start, I printed out a template I found here:
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/christmas/card-basket.shtml
I traced it onto a piece of manilla folder (sturdier for multiple tracings).

They also have great directions--
that I should have followed instead of just winging it.

You'll need 14 cards for this project (or kid drawings on card stock!)

You'll trace 12 "side" pieces  and 2 "bottom" pieces.

They used white glue and I didn't --

my life would have been easier if I had tacked mine together with a dab of glue. 

My pieces kept slipping around and that wasn't fun during the sewing part. 

You'll use a hole punch to punch holes evenly

around the edges of each piece and yarn 

(or embroidery thread) with a fat embroidery needle to sew the basket together.

Here's the bottom.

Like I said, should have followed the directions --

this is not the best sewing job!

A handy little bowl to hold your treasures!

Happy Re-Cycled Crafting!

Fondly,

pink and green mama, MaryLea

Sister Sister Sunday