Gift Boxes from Cards

 So many folks commented on the boxes I pictures on my Monday post that I thought I do a quick share on how to make them.

All you need is a card (I used Christmas cards), tape, scissors, ruler and a scoring tool.  If you're a quilter you can use your cutting tool on a mat.

I have a paper cutter which has a scorer built into it.

Step one: cut the back and front of card apart at fold.  

Step two: trim one long and one short side of the back piece by 1/8 or less.  This will mean that the bottom of box will fit into the top.  If you take off too much as I did on my first try the bottom will be really loose.

Step three: score the front and back of the card at the depth you want the box to be.  Below you see score lines at 1 inch.

Step four: cut along the score lines at each corner to the depth of the perpendicular score line.

Step five: bring those cut sections in and tape to make the corners.

Here is the completed box front and

from back and side.

If you want a smaller box you will need to start with a smaller piece of the card.  Here are two boxes made from one card.

If you have batting you can cut some to fit into the box.

Let me know if you make some boxes or ask me any questions.

Have fun!

Another Week Gone By

 

Can you believe it's December already?  I can't but that doesn't slow down time unfortunately.

I've been busy.

Sunday

Garden Club had a tea where we each had to bring our own cup, a sweet to share, canned goods for the Food Pantry and a wrapped Yankee Gift Swap contribution.  We played it differently then I've played before.  The second person after seeing what the first person got, chose a gift, unwrapped it then decided whether to keep or take the gift opened by the first person.  I was #2 and here are my gifts:

a pin

and a lovely shallow painted bowl.

Fortunately no one who followed me decided they wanted what I had.  There were some exchanges but mostly people kept what they selected.  The gift I contributed was a snowman sculpture feeding the birds. It got swapped in the end because the first person got to swap after everyone else had finished. What they were swapping wasn't wanted by that person and someone else offered her the snowman in exchange.  It all worked out.

Gifts

I wrapped just about all the gifts I have purchased.  I'm in good shape for Christmas.

Kitchen Redo

The installer is due here on Tuesday and knowing that Sunday was a busy day, I spent Saturday clearing out cabinets, trying to be fairly organized where I stacked stuff.  Monday I will finish by moving out the contents of the last three drawers.

Cards

I printed the address labels for the Christmas cards and discovered that I hadn't made enough cards.  I needed 15 more so I got out the papers and made them.  I mailed all but 7 on Friday. These last ones require me to write a note inside.  I'll get to it this week. My desk is a mess again.

New Skill Learned

I attended a craft class on Tuesday night and learned how to turn cards into little boxes.  I will use these for some small jewelry items I have for stockings that didn't come with boxes.

It was a good productive week even if December started already!

A Message to Dog Owners from Their Dog

 

Friends' rug.  They own a dog of course.

Old Photograph

 

The old photograph came to us from the daughter of a former owner of this house. She had it in a closet but she knew the photograph belonged with us as the present owners of the house because it had been found in our attic years ago.

It was wrapped up loosely.

Here are some close ups.

Look at all those buttons and cinched waist.

Why is this one not looking at the camera? Is that a cameo at her neck? A wristwatch?

Dan thought the one on the left and the one standing were twins.  I said sisters which I think applied to four of them

This one is the mother.  She has on a wedding band and also a wrist watch.

A protective hand is on this daughter who is gripping the chair.  Her eyes don't look quite like the others and I wondered if she was sight impaired?

The photo was not taken in this house. More than likely in a studio but there is no writing anywhere on the front or back to identify these 5 women.  Dan scanned the photo and did a web search.  There are lots of similar photos but no one has ever put this one on the web identifying them.  Did they live in this house at some time? It would have been very crowded for them with only one bedroom then.

Then there is this cat at the bottom of the photo.  Ceramic or real?

The frame is interesting too.  At first I thought it was inlaid but it's carved with paint.  I don't know if it dates to the same time or not.  

As for dating the photo by the dress it's late 1800's to early 1900s but not past 1910 when dresses got looser and tight corsets were going out of style.  Is there a fashion history expert out there who can date these better?

Addendum: John of Stargoose in his comment below suggested that the studio name would be written on the back of the photo. Unfortunately the photo is glued to that mat board and to remove it would likely damage the photo.  His other comments are very helpful in dating and understanding this photo.