POSTCARD BOX

This is a postcard box I recently constructed from…. postcards of course:-) This box can be constructed from any picture really so long as the sizes are all the same. You can use:

photographs

handmade cards

cut up greeting cards

magazine images

your own art

You can double up your postcards so that images are inside of the box also, or you can line your postcard or images with plain card as I have done. We are working with landscape images, so it’s best to find images in this orientation – apart from the sides of the box which can have portrait images.

So, basically what you’ll need to make this box are:

supply of postcards/pictures

plain card to back cards

embroidery threads in contrasting colours

pricking tool

soft mat for pricking on

ruler

double sided tape

scissors

embellishments (optional)

top view

Cut all your cards to one size – you’ll need 4 cards landscape size for the back, front, top and bottom of the box and two cards portrait size cut to the same width square. Whether you’re using postcards or plain card to double up, make sure you cut up all your cards to match – so you should end up with 8 landscape size and 4 portrait size cards.

side views

Now pair your main images with their backing images and secure with a little double sided tape to hold together. You should have 6 cards to make one box.

With your card on the pricking mat and using your ruler and pricking tool score a line, lightly - half centimetre away from the edges of the card, so you end up with a half centimetre border all the way around the card. Do this to all the cards.

Now along that light score line prick holes half centimetre apart all the way round the card. Do this to all the cards

front view

Choose a colour of embroidery thread that compliments the shades in your cards and using a simple blanket stitch bind your pairs of cards together – do this to all 6 cards.

back view

Now the constructive part – sewing all the parts to make the box. Starting with the base and making sure you have your main image on the outside, place the back card (your image that will be facing the back) on top of this (main image facing upwards) and with a contrasting thread on your needle, using a whipping stitch go through one blanket stitch on the base card and one blanket stitch on your back card and lash together to secure each card to the other (refer to my pics for reference) .

top & front view

Then taking one of the side cards whip stitch this to the base card and to the back card. Working your way systematically with all the cards, bind them all together and to each other using this whipping stitch. In my pics my blanket stitch is in deep pink and the whipping stitch is in blue.

inside view

After the box has been constructed you can pick out details to embellish – that’s just optional. I’m an embellishment kinda gal and will embellish anything in sight, so if you look at my images you’ll see I’ve used sequins, coins and bead trim to jazz up my box. Do what you want and make amazing boxes! :-)

Collections

Some simple facts about me:

I love collecting postcards. I always buy loads whenever I go away - abroad or even within the UK. I take photos on my camera too, but postcards are something else aren't they? They're someone else's view - a more professional take on that place you're visiting, a different view from what you're able to take, from a greater height, a more panoramic view that you just wouldn't be able to achieve on your own camera - whatever the reason postcards just do it for me.

They're one thing I beg my friends to send me whenever they go on hols and I go ga-ga over them when they give me even one postcard (yeah I'm a really cheap buy!). I display them proudly on my kitchen wall. It actually started on the huge notice board but then I kept getting and receiving more and I've had to spread them over the wall and now they're gonna spread down the other side of the wall. My daughter thinks I'm nuts - but I tell her in a wise motherly, knowing way that she too will end up doing this when she eventually reaches my age (she shudders at the thought!) :-D
I love collecting fridge magnets - I know, I know, I'm a hopeless cheap souvenier collecter - what can I do! It's the kitschy side to me - but hey tasteful kitsch if you please! This is another one of the little things I must get whenever I go away. My friends all know it too, so if they're left with a couple of dollars, pesatos, lira, rupees, dhirams, yen, pesos, pounds - whatever the currency, wherever the country they think "oh good, just enough to buy Lubna a cheap fridge magnet!" Hey I'm not complaining - I even buy my own thank you very much!

So here they are all displayed neatly on my fridge and I look at them every day and I can name where they came from and who gave them to me - it makes me smile!
With my postcards on the walls and the magnets on my fridge I have a visual impact filled with memories at every glance - what more can I ask for?

The reason I put this photo here was coz I knew if anyone saw the postcard photo their eyes would've caught this colourful display (I know I would've in someone else's pics!) anyway, they're a collection of just ordinary, everyday bottles that you'd normally throw away (or recycle) after use. Some years ago I had access to a kiln for fusing glass and I put the bottles in there and they just slumped in the high degree heat and then whenI took them out I placed glass beads, broken bits of glass, millefiori, nuggets, stained glass - in fact any glass bits - and then it went back into the kiln and came out fused to the bottles. Some fused into the bottles and became part of the bottle itself, whilst others fused onto the glass and are raised and looked as if they're glued on but they're actually fused into the glass of the bottle.

I thought they'd make a nice collection for this space of wall - and they're a great talking point too!