Are you one of those people who keep their birthday & Christmas cards? I have to admit that I do, so have lots of them in boxes that I can't bear to throw away. I also like to choose just the right card when I am giving one so often spend ages looking through all the cards in the shop much to Mr Cottage's exasperation!
I have been pondering the subject of cards as it is soon to be my niece's 9th birthday so I was looking for a card to send with her gift. It seems to me that almost every child's card these days has either a Disney or other TV character on it or something like Barbie or Bratz dolls.
Both of my nieces love horses so I was looking for a card with a nice horse picture on the front & I could only find one which is the same card that I sent her last year.
When I was young (and up until not so long ago) cards would feature ponies & puppies, baskets of roses or kittens, ballerinas or bunnies, but nowadays they just seem so commercial. This includes tins of biscuits & boxes of chocolates which again had puppies, thatched cottages, ballerinas, swans & other charming & pleasant images on their lids - dare I admit that I still have the picture from the lid of a box of chocolates that I had when I was 10??
The cards in the first photo are some of mine from my childhood - I like to be able to look through them now & again & read messages from my now departed grandparents or great aunts as well as cards from my parents, sister, friends & family.
Am I being unnecessarily nostalgic for days gone by? I wonder if it's the sense of a less commercial era that draws us to vintage items?
The cards below are from a batch of charming birthday cards which I bought recently - they are from the 1930's & were given to a little boy called Bernie. Bernie or his mum must have treasured them as they are all in pristine condition.
I have the same dilemmas with cards too. My godmother gives me a minimum of 10 cards for birthdays and Christmas and she always takes such time to pick personal ones for me and writes long paragraphs in them it must take her ages.
ReplyDeleteI really would like to concentrate on making my own as I agree i spend hours in card shops and am never entirely satisfied with the ones I choose sometimes.
Victoria xx
I love choosing cards as well, I try to pick something a bit different that the recipient hopefully won't have a million duplicates of! I keep my old ones as well :)
ReplyDeleteMel xxx
I've used some of my favourite old cards to make book marks etc - I admit I don't usually keep the writing but I do like to see something lasting from the well-chosen artwork.
ReplyDeleteMy Aunty Angela, whom I resemble, has sent me a card with a girl or woman who looks a bit like me for every one of my birthdays! She is quite incredible in finding paintings of blondes, and we always appreciate what she's found.
I don't save cards but I know a person who does..my mum.
ReplyDeleteShe has loads!
She's saved all her birthday cards that my dad has ever given her...so quite an interesting history there! I love looking at the older ones.
;-)
I love vintage cards. My daughters have received a number of them in the past and I have a lovely Victorian cut out one ready for hubby for our anniversary!
ReplyDeleteI am the same , I keep all of the special cards I receive for Birthdays and other occasions and have boxes of them. I have kept loads of my daughter's birthday cards from when she was a baby and she has now taken over from me and keeps her own ! I guess it must be a bit of a family trait as we are both sentimental and terrible hoarders. I have started looking out for vintage cards to re-use as birthday cards for friends and relatives who appreciate such things. My friend always sends me vintage Christmas and Birthday cards and they are always my favourites.
ReplyDeleteI do keep my cards, although I try not to as I don't have the room! When I moved I did throw some away but kept 18th & 21st....now I'm starting collecting again.
ReplyDeleteI love Bernie's cards, so much better then the modern cards :)
I admit it...I'm a card hoarder too! I just can't throw them away, especially since someone has gone to the trouble of choosing and sending it to me. I also love nothing moew than choosing cards for other people! Your recent 1930's acquisitions are wonderful. Katie x
ReplyDeleteI try to be ruthless and recycle as many as possible (this house is cluttered enough as it is) but still end up saving quite a few. There are some lovely 'pop up' Xmas cards that are brought out each year and also some home made cards and decorations made by my daughters when young.
ReplyDeleteWe have boxes and boxes of cards in this house! Under beds and in the attic, can't bring myself to part with any of them.
ReplyDeleteYes I do..and the funny thing is I was sorting out piles of them today...decided that hubs can go in the bin as he is not at all sentimental and all mine went back on the shelf!
ReplyDeleteCx
As you know.. cards play a big part in my life..
ReplyDeleteI do love the different era's here.. and the way the graphics changed over time.
One can never have too many.
Michele xx
What lovely cards, I agree with you, the cards nowadays are sadly lacking in imagination and a bit too slick, where did all the strangely drawn animals and children go with there lovely colours and cheerful messages. At christmas I keep all my favourite cards and put them out the next year too as its a shame to only see them once. But now I have too many and not enough room, although it does look like we have lots and lots of friends! Jane xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog. It's great to know that other people feel the same way I do about badges. I like the tie idea, I think my Dad wore bow ties then, otherwise I probably would have done the same. You're quite right about the cards, I have often had the same thoughts. When my daughter was young and Disney cards were a new thing it was great, I could buy her a lovely big card to match her disney video. But now everything has gone crazy and for people like us it's very difficult to compete. When I first had the badge idea it wasn't met with a lot of enthusiasm, apparently there isn't the demand, but I am going to persevere, I'm sure there are people out there who like collecting them. Speaking of ties though, my eldest daughter has started making brooches out of old ties, they will be on her workshop blog through my Sweet things link.
ReplyDeleteAdele
What gorgeous cards! I have a "thing" about nice cards too- no quickly purchased cheapie will do. No, I love taking my time choosing just the right one for the person I'm sending it to! I prefer blank ones to those with horrible, cheesy sayings. Will now be on the lookout for some vintahe ones too.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is so pretty- and great to read.
Gorgeous! I have a "thing" about cards too and cannot stand the awful ones with cheesy sayings. I'll be on the lookout now for some vintage ones.
ReplyDeleteYour blog looks really great and is a pleasure to read.