Salted caramel latte today. I have returned to the first coffee shop where I initially started writing the café based newsletters from. There is more space for the dog to spread out on the floor you see. Most important that. In shop news things have been unusually quiet for this time of year ……maybe it’s economic reasons, or recent news and political events have taken so much out of people and luxuries like vintage and gift giving are far from people’s minds. There have been sales though, and I am always super grateful for all our lovely customers, whether to browse or buy. Your support means everything!

When things slow down a bit, it opens up time for updates and creative planning for the shop though. I’ve been working on a few extra projects: updating policies (honestly not the most fun task), planning a gift-wrapping service (orange paper and white satin bows perhaps?), and designing fresh, seasonal packaging. I’m also illustrating more botanical-themed postcards to send out with each order, with the Magpies and Diamonds vintage touch of course —little gestures. Sometimes I think it’s those small details that make small independent businesses truly special.

During one of my recent vintage hunts, I ventured upon some beautiful old copper foil sheets for crafting, and I couldn’t resist! I like to make a few handmade gifts each festive season when I can, time permitting, and this year, I’ll be using these copper sheets to create embossed decorations. It’s an old craft, and there’s something soulful about working with vintage materials.

In the spirit of sharing, I’ve included a quick tutorial below. These copper ornaments can be as simple or detailed as you like. The sheets I used are vintage, but you can find similar ones at craft stores and online - or even try upcycling tomato puree tubes (cleaned out, of course!). I hope this brings a bit of creative warmth to you.

Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey with me x

 Collette

What You'll Need:

Neo-Foil copper plates (or any thin copper foil sheets)

Embossing tools (a pen-like tool with a rounded tip, or any blunt instrument like a ballpoint pen that no longer writes, take a look at what you have at home)

Stencils or templates for shapes if you do not want to hand draw the designs.

Scissors or a craft knife

Soft mat (like a mouse pad or piece of craft foam, to protect your surface)

Hole punch (optional, if you want to hang them)

Ribbon, string or thread (for hanging)

Instructions:

Prepare Your Copper Plate. Cut the copper foil into small pieces in the shape you’d like. Traditional shapes like circles, stars, hearts, or rectangles are popular. If you’re using a stencil, trace the shape onto the copper before cutting.

Start Embossing. Place your copper piece on the soft mat. Using the tools you chose gently press designs into the foil. You can follow pre-drawn designs, or freehand lines and patterns. If you have foil that is copper on one side and silver on the other, I think that it works best if you emboss on the silver side to make the copper design protrude, but it is your preference.

Punch a Hole for Hanging. If you plan to hang these decorations, use a hole punch at the top of each piece. Make sure to place the hole away from the edges so the foil doesn’t tear.

Finish and Hang. Tada! thread ribbon or string through the hole, tie it in a loop, and your copper decoration is ready to hang.