Making Scrapbooks City Woman’s Hobby

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28800, 22 January 1959, Page 2

Making Scrapbooks City Woman’s Hobby

About a week ago, an advertisement was inserted in “The Press.” by a Christchurch woman, asking for unwanted used Christmas cards. At her home, 472 Gloucester street, yesterday, the advertiser, Mrs Edith Gray, said that the response had not been as fruitful as she expected. “Perhaps many people have not yet returned from their holidays,” she said. Mrs Gray uses the cards for making scrapbooks, which she sends to invalid, sick and elderly people in New Zealand and overseas. Her colourful books of pictures go as far as Japan, India, the United States, and Europe. Most of her contacts were through private Individuals who had seen her scrapbooks somewhere and had written asking if they could have one, she said. From Mrs Gray’s scrapbooks it was easy to see the Interest they could create for those who would not wish to concentrate on reading, but would enjoy looking through books where imagination and care have been used in gumming in dozens of little pictures. Mrs Gray buys large, hardbacked books with firm pages. She cuts round the edges of any coloured pictures, photographs or designs she finds in cards, magazines or even food packets and tins, and pastes them up according to some sort of pattern. One page displayed a collection of cats, another snow scenes, another the interiors of modern homes. Some pages were designed especially for men. They included hunting and fishing scenes, motorcars, and travelling scenes, spectacular pageants, and colourful uniforms. One of the prettiest pages in a new book was a wedding page complete with pictures of a tempting wedding-cake and festive foods. Another page was devoted to scenes of the Nativity, and one most attractive page was covered with pictures of bells of all shapes, colours, and sizes. All the pictures Mrs Gray uses have one outstanding thing in common. They are all printed in clear, bold colour. It was a most relaxing and

I absorbing pastime to sit down in i the evening after a busy day and - sort, cut and carefully paste up, . Mrs Gray said. Her day is indeed a busy one, ■ for in her home she care* for . elderly women, of whom she has . nine at present. The day starts . with serving them breakfast in I bed and then bathing them. Mri . Gray attends to the housework , and her husband prepare* the ' meals. The women enjoy helping Mrs Gray to sort and stick the pictures and to tear the blank backs off Christmas cards for use as notepaper. They also have a . little more incentive to read magazines, because they look tor suitable pictures for the scrapbooks. As well as the many letters Mrs Gray receives, describing the pleasure her books are giving, she sometimes has an appreciative caller from some part of New Zealand who brings her a bundle of cards and picture*. One woman who became paralysed described her experience in hospital when her spirits were so low that nothing could be done to interest her. She refused at first to look at a scrapbook left on her bed. Later, her glance fell on a picture; it caught her Interest and soon she found herself enjoying and reliving some of the outdoor scenes of sunshine, haystacks, and flower*. She felt her recovery began from that moment. Because there was no tiring effort to assemble thought* or concentrate, the book of attractive picture* could have a therapeutic value to the mind, Mrs Gray said. It is surprising what Mrs Gray sees in a Christmas card that other* might overlook. Regarding some yesterday with a “scrapbook” eye, she explained how she would, cut out a caged bird from the rest of a picture so that it could be used for an “all-birds page.” Mrs Gray is also a collector of tropical fish and dolls. She has a room set up a* an aquarium . with many tank* of gleaming fish darting about among the foliage. A special room is set aside for her doll collection which comprises large dolls, miniature dolls, and doll* sent from many part* of the world by appreciative friend*.