Low Tech Crafts: Vintage Valentine Card Images
Looking to add a little vintage valentine charm to your home in a low tech kind of way? Today I am sharing step-by-step instructions on how to add vintage valentine card images while being low tech to your home on a meager budget.
The other day, I was pondering the idea of Valentine's Day decor. It's right around the corner, and I thought yikes! I need to get started.
When I thought more about what I wanted to work on, I decided a low tech craft was in the works.
After I was finished, I thought to myself, why on earth did I think I needed to purchase more vintage valentines, when the world is at my fingertips?
And of course, those beloved vintage valentines came to mind. I picked up a few at an antique store a few years ago, and thought I needed to purchase more, but then that lightbulb moment shined bright in my mind.
Why purchase more?
Vintage valentines are kind of pricey these days, and the internet is full of those cute as a button vintage valentine card images. Right?
So... a hunting I did go in the public domain to see what sorts of vintage cuteness I could find. Let's just say, I was not disappointed.
I found all sorts of vintage valentine card images, here is what I found:
Are they not the cutest valentines? One even says Made in USA at the bottom!
I would imagine these were a hit in their time. If only I would have kept my own valentines from elementary school, along with the box I proudly made one year covered in foil with red hearts cut from construction paper peppered on the exterior.
With the brooch I made last year in mind, I was excited to get started on this project. Now, let's see what we can make with these vintage valentine card images!
FIY: Ready for another Do It Over Designers Hop? Me too! Find my friends at the bottom of this post, including Ann, our fearless leader who keeps this hop a hoppin'.
Low Tech Craft: Vintage Valentine Card Images
Materials:
- Valentines of your choice
- Cardboard, I have found working with cereal boxes, or even this soda carton are best (they are thin and easier to cut)
- Mod Podge
- Glitter
- Scissors
- Chip brush
Instructions:
- Locate vintage valentines of your choice, or use the ones above
- I add the images to Word and resize within the document for printing
- Print valentine images onto printer paper
- Cut vintage valentine images with scissors along the edges
- Apply Mod Podge to the backs of valentines and place onto cardboard, in my case, I used the cardboard from a soda case. Place the valentines onto printed side up so you have a clean back to each valentine
- Instead of using a brayer, use a paint bottle to roll across the paper to smooth out any lines from the Mod Podge (talk about use what you have while saving money!)
- Cut around the valentine image and cardboard, apply a second backing of cardboard and follow the steps above
- Apply Mod Podge to the highlights on the image or anywhere you would like a bit of sparkle
- Sprinkle glitter over Mod Podge, pick up card to allow the extra glitter to fall off over a piece of paper and put back into the glitter jar
- Cut a piece of cardboard into a strip to create a back for the valentine image to stand
- Apply wood glue where the stand will connect to the valentine, allow to dry, and place in your valentine home decor as you wish
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| Two layers of cardboard makes a sturdy cut out |
See, even I sometimes forget the ability to use creativity to make something I have my sights set on. The only thing I miss is the handwritten sentiments on the backs.
I so enjoy reading what is written on vintage cards. I find the past holds so many wordsmiths, always with such heartfelt writings. Something I feel we lack today. Who am I kidding? We do not even send cards these days.
Will we have cell phones on display with our abbreviations instead of the wonderful cards we look back on 70 years from now?
Makes us wonder, doesn't it?
Well, I hope you enjoyed our vintage valentine card images and how they are giving winter a run for it's money on our mantel. Decorating the mantel can be so much fun when you sprinkle a bit of DIY Valentine charm in the mix.
Can I share a few secrets about my mantel? The glass trees are elevated with tuna cans to provide extra height on our mantel. The glass tealight holders are filled with small green snow covered bottle brush trees, talk about easy decorating for the holidays!
Until next time... but wait...
Join us for Do It Over Designers
This low tech craft is part of the Do It Over Designers challenge, where we give old, forgotten, and sometimes trash a new lease on life.
Will you be keeping all of those useful cardboard pieces for your future crafts? I sure hope so, I get excited keeping pieces like this from the landfill to see what I can create. Now let's see what my friends have been up to, hop on over for more inspiration!
Vintage Style Gal (that's me)
If you would like to see more of my DIY's, take a look:
Ciao,
Cara
How sweet! I remember getting and giving many similar Valentine's when I was small. I think there may be one or two floating around in the attic. Yours are just adorable displayed in your home...and truly, what will people have to look back on in years to come? Text messages? I'm glad I have my paper mementos. Happy Hopping!
ReplyDeleteI am kind of an old soul, and should have been born in a different generation. I love handwritten sentiments, especially in cards, books, or whatever the past left a note on. I wish I had those valentines from my childhood, I did keep all of the cards given to me over the years though, so at least I have those.
DeleteYour mantle is so pretty and your valentines add a sweet vintage vibe! They certainly do bring back memories from my childhood!
ReplyDeleteThank you Patti, I am a sucker for anything with a bit of age to them. I am so glad I decided to give this a try since those vintage valentines are pricey these days at the antique stores.
DeleteI love vintage valentines and I even have a few! This is such a wonderful way to display them. Great idea and great tutorial!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ann, I had a lot of fun working on this project. Searching for images was the most time consuming, but it was interesting to see what was out there in the past.
DeleteThese are so cute! I love vintage valentines!
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan, me too! I am always drawn to ephemera, and would like to work with more items to see what else I can come up with.
DeleteThese vintage Valentines are so lovely on your mantel Cara! I’ve never thought to search for public domain images—how do you go about finding them? I still have some vintage valentine cards from my childhood and still cherish them. I too wonder if sentiment like this will still endure 70 years from now with the rise of technology.
ReplyDeleteI know, it is sad isn't it Sara. Thank you, the mantel needed a makeover from Christmas and the valentines added a bit of something new. You can search "public domain" and then what you are searching images, you can also go to The Library of Congress for images, there are so many to look at. It is definitely a rabbit hole, I have found so many items there, and they are all free!
DeleteOh Cara, you've inspired me to try my hand at making vintage valentine cards! You are so right about folks not sending cards these days! I have a craft group in my community and I know the ladies would love making some! Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you enjoyed them Gail. I have a small collection of vintage valentines, but gosh they are pricey, and then I thought why buy when I can DIY? It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. I won't be buying any more, I will make them in the future.
DeleteWhat a great idea, they turned out so cute! I have a whole collection of vintage Valentine's that I've purchased over the years, I might have to try this with a couple of them!
ReplyDeleteThank you Tania. The only thing I miss are the handwritten sentiments on the back, but this will do for my vintage valentine fix. :)
DeleteYou’re so right, they don’t make them like that anymore. What a lovely way to bring them back to life.
ReplyDeleteRachel - Tea and Forget-me-nots
Thank you Rachel, I love those vintage valentines, but this will do for my fix in the future. Free is my favorite kind of craft, teehee!
DeleteThese are just the cutest cards I have seen in a long time, and so impressive that they are handmade.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anita, I am a lover of all things vintage so I couldn't wait to get my hands on more valentines of the past. I just wish I would have thought of this idea sooner.
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