Guest Author - Lynn Little

It is inevitable with playing cards. You try your best to keep up with all the cards but sooner or later one or more gets misplaced. Before throwing those cards away or sticking them in a forgotten drawer, here are some suggestions on what to do with an incomplete deck of playing cards.

Play Games. It is not important with some card games to have a full deck. Old Maid can be played with less than 52 cards. Make sure each card has a match except one queen, who will be the old maid. If there are no queens, then select another card to be the one to avoid. Go Fish is another game that can be played with an incomplete deck of cards. Go through the deck to make sure each card has a match. Playing the kids game memory can be done with an incomplete deck of cards. Again make sure that each card has a match and then have fun finding cards that are of the same rank.

Get Crafty. Some card backs are a really cute pattern that can be used as a picture frame mat. It would be something different and a way to recycle your old playing cards. You could also use cards in scrap-booking. If your scrapbook page revolves around game night, then playing cards would make a great decoration. The queen of hearts might be a fun background to a page on a girl going to prom or first date. Once you start thinking about it, the ideas will pour in.

Be Practical. Take five or so playing cards, a popsicle stick, and some glue to make a fan. Make a great poker hand to create your fan. It will help to keep you cool when the mercury begins to rise and also gives your playing cards a new purpose. If you have small children - which may be the reason you are missing cards - give the cards to them to keep them occupied during game night. You can always recycle the playing cards to your local recycling center if they are too worn to really do anything with.

An incomplete deck of playing cards do not have to banished to the junk drawer or the trash heap. They can still play a vital role in your card playing.