Recycled Crafts

I have been a collector of vintage and antique items for decades. Most of my treasures have been discovered at garage sales, flea markets, and antique stores. Usually I can’t resist purchasing some old china or jewelry. Recently in an antique store I saw a clever use for an old dessert plate. It was something like a cake stand with a pedestal made from a glass candleholder. Using an old European porcelain 8” plate and a 4-1/4” glass candleholder (from Ben Franklin Crafts), I was able to recreate the piece I saw. (See photo.) I glued the two pieces together with Loctite glass glue. The glue is a little watery so it is easier if you turn the plate upside down, place the candleholder (small end down) in the center of the plate, and then apply the glue at the joint. If you decide to try to make this dessert stand, please don’t use any plate before checking that it is not valuable. Personally, I would never use a dish from a set or one with a maker’s mark. Unmarked, non-hand painted, single plates usually have little value so I am comfortable recycling them. I plan to make lots of these mini-cake plates and give them as Christmas gifts along with my homemade cookies.
I love the new K and Co. papers called Berry Sweet and Mira. Since their color palettes are similar I think they work well together. A while ago I saved a wooden CD holder that came in the mail with a free demo disk. After peeling off the outer paper I decided that it would make a cute card if re-papered with some of the Berry Sweet line. I used the Martha Stewart decoupage glue and it worked really well as both glue and sealant. By adding a beaded Berry Sweet flower and a Mira dimensional sticker the cover looked just right. A disk and string closure by Making Memories completed the outer part of the card. Inside I used rub-on (K and Co., Mira) words and series of photos. (See photo.) I was very pleased that I didn’t throw away the free wooden CD box because the recycled card is just perfect for my computer-loving son’s birthday.

Lynn