Vintage Postcard Invitations

Pretty vintage postcards serve as party invitations. Just write the event details on the back and attach an address label to the front.




Sewing Pattern Flowers

An elementary school craft takes on a sophisticated edge when fashioned from the tissue-thin paper of old sewing patterns.

Step 1: For each flower, cut six 7-inch squares from the pattern. Stack and fold them accordion-style six times, forming a one-by seven-inch rectangle. Snip off the corners of the rectangle with scissors.

Step 2: Tightly twist a wire floral stem around the center of the rectangle.

Step 3: Fan out the paper, then pull apart each layer, creating the blossom.




Crocheted Tea Towels

Ready-made edgings and borders, available by the yard at fabric stores or adapted from flea-market finds, make it easy to transform even the simplest home textiles into vintage-style home accessories. You can machine- or hand-stitch the filigree embellishments to almost any fabric surface - dish towels, bath towels, bedding, or attire - in an afternoon.



Paper Vases

Near a favorite reading chair, present a page-turning vignette. Paint a silhouette on a backdrop of book pages. And cut vase shapes to give text three dimensions.




Patchwork Pillow

Put your fabric remnants to good use by turning them into a unique patchwork pillowcase.




Pocket Board Organizer

A basic, wooden picture frame becomes a pocket board to hold notes and other mementos.