Use what you have: stationery box

My little home office/dressing room has presented some very good opportunities to begin displaying some of the treasures I have saved from my grandmother's and parents' estates, as well as a few things I've kept of my own over the years.

So these days, when I find that I'm in need of a particular type of container, I try to think first about whether I have something vintage that might work. (If I don't, then I'm simply forced to pay another visit to my favorite round of thrift stores - ah well!)

This week I was looking for a way to keep my new dollar-store notecards corraled on my desktop, along with a pen and stamps, to make using the notecards less of a hassle.

A little digging through my treasure trove of family items turned up Grandma's vintage cedar jewelery box, which works perfectly for this purpose - it's just the right size to hold all my supplies, and of course it smells wonderful!

A few of the extras in the top photo include: a picture of hubby, and the pencil cup he recently made for me on his lathe - he is teaching himself wood-turning, and is creating some really lovely-looking pieces. And, the 3D teacup wall pocket hanging above - it's filled with one of Great-Grandma's hand-crocheted doilies.

More soon!