Monday, October 15, 2012

Taking Notes, Not Orders

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I found this vintage restaurant order pad during one of my thrifting expeditions.  I thought it was a great find, and I love that the top ticket still has the impression of the last order written.  Even though I had no idea what I might ultimately do with the order pad, I bought it anyway.  It has such great old fashioned graphics, and if it could, as they say, talk, I bet it would tell some pretty interesting stories.  

The week before last, when Amy was home sick, she was keeping me company as I cleaned up the room where I sew and she works on her own creative projects.  I picked the order pad up and laughed quietly to myself, acknowledging once again my tendency to collect vintage treasures I can’t resist, but really don’t have a use for.  (I must have been a magpie in a previous life.)

Amy came to the rescue with this exceptional idea for a way to use, yet at the same time preserve the order pad.

I carefully tore out one sheet, and scanned the image to my computer.  Reducing the size of the image to fit the dimensions of the tray on my vintage bakelite note paper holder (Do magpies crow, or squawk, I wonder?)  I was able to fit several images on a sheet of printer paper. 

Printed, and carefully cut out-here is the finished product…

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I like the idea of leaving notes for my family on pieces of restaurant order pad paper.  Maybe if I leave really good notes, I’ll receive some tips, too.  Actually, Amy is the one who deserves a tip. I love how her idea turned out!

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Just for fun, here’s a picture of my desk, where my new note paper now resides.  This desk used to belong to my Grandma Helen.  I can still picture her sitting at it as she paid bills and wrote letters.  I use it now as the place to set my computer and compose all of these interesting and informative blog posts.  (Do magpies know how to wink?)

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My grandma’s desk also provides a place to display more of my second hand treasures.  Some are still useful, such as my airplane pencil sharpener, a souvenir of Pearl Harbor, and the ceramic picture frame that holds a bouquet of fall mums.  Others-maybe not as useful, but still valuable in my eyes.  My green 1920’s travel alarm clock that no longer runs (I find I get more done when time stands still.) and the obsolete glass ink bottle holder, supposedly used as a prop for the TV show Leave it to Beaver. (A coaster for my morning cup of coffee, perhaps?)

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And then there are my helpful little ink blotter monkeys.  I couldn’t have said it better myself…

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Happy Monday, my dear readers!  You are all keepers too!!

13 comments:

  1. Oh! I love it!!! What a cool idea to scan it in like that. Smart daughter you have there. =D

    And your desk is adorable. I would love to sit there and write.

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  2. What a great idea! Way to go, Amy :)

    I am in love with your desk! Even more special that it was your grandmother's. A treasure, for sure :)

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  3. It sounds like the two of you make a great team!

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  4. Oh my we certainly have a lot in common I would have picked up those kind of items too:)
    Your Grandma's desk is awesome. I wish I had my Grandma's desk.
    I enjoy your writing. B

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  5. Amy's a genius! Your desk is so much fun :-)

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  6. Love your collection of retro finds.

    I used to display mine in such a way, but now, they are strewn around in no particular order.

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  7. Melissa-I thought it was such a clever and cool idea too! Imagine the possibilities! And I can see you writing at my grandma's desk too:)

    Tammy-Thank you! Amy is so thrilled with all of these sweet comments! I was so happy to get my grandma's desk too:)

    Jacqueline-Thank you-and so do you and your dear kidling:)

    Buttons-thank you! You are my kind of gal!!

    Thanks Lisa! Amy is pretty clever indeed! i wish my grandma was still around, but I'm so thankful to have this little reminder of her:)

    Thanks Nancy! I'd love too see your finds! I have a few things strewn around myself. It's always such a happy moment when I stumble upon something I'd completely forgotten about:)

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  8. It's wonderful that you are a magpie...if you weren't I would get so much enjoyments out of looking at your collections. I love them. My favorite on your desk it that light. It's so cool:~)

    My favorite line in this post was this one (and I agree): " My green 1920’s travel alarm clock that no longer runs (I find I get more done when time stands still.)"

    You made me chuckle with this post. Thanks:~)

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  9. fabulous .. most brilliant idea Amy! Your house is so cute & cozy!!!
    Love your homey colors .. and all your wonderful vintage finds... and stories..

    you know the magpie/crow is one of the most intelligent birds.. the babies do not leave the mommas until they are 3 years old. a lot of time to be taught. and I do believe they have a great sense of humor!

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  10. Sara-I always thought magpie had a nicer ring to it than junk collector:) And by the way, I always have such a good time reading your blog posts too!!

    Lisa-that is interesting to know about magpies. They are such strikingly beautiful birds too, I think! Thanks for your sweet comment about my house, too. It means a lot to me:)

    Cam-thank you so much! I'm sharing this with Amy:)

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  11. Love it!

    And don't think I didn't notice your fantastic pottery above.

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  12. Thanks Tina! And the pottery was mostly inherited too-the best kind:)

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