What is one to do with stacks of outdated magazines with lots of outstanding photography on their pages, when one is on a cleaning, organizing binge in one's home?  When some of the pictures and articles are too pretty or too intersting to dispose of?

I go through the magazines and cut out the pictures and articles I want and store them in an old basket.  When I need a gift bag or if I need a special card, I go to my desk drawer and remove either a brown or white plain gift bag, or my stack of plain white cards. 

This bag was created for a friend's 50th birthday, with one of the magazine pictures and a few stickers.

Simple, quick, very inexpensive idea to use in dressing up a gift.

Here are a few of the pictures that I cut out.  They are in storage for whatever reasons I may need them.

See why I could not get rid of them?  I only wish I would have taken them with my camera.  Most of them come from past issues of Country Living, British Edition and past issues of Victoria Magazine.

Simple violets in a jar...how pretty!

Here is a card I created with one of the pictures.  I added some fancy corner stickers and a touch of glitter different places.  A very inexpensive card, but a fun way to share sentiments or thoughts with friends.

Springtime is on the way.  Soon we will all be sharing pictures like these from our own flower beds...maybe (never sure of it with my lack of gardening skills, but maybe).