Not long ago I inherited a box of love letters and Valentine’s Day cards from my great aunt. The box is full of beautiful stationary and cards all from the 1940’s and 50’s. When I was planning these tutorials, I knew that I wanted to use these in one way or another. The more I went through the box the more in awe I was with each and every one. The Valentines are especially wonderful with their vintage graphics and quite humorous and straightforward sayings. I quickly realized that I couldn’t alter them in any way. I think that they should be celebrated for what they are. They should be showcased in a way that they are fully visible yet still protected.
So I wanted to share this extremely simple tutorial of sorts. Basically, all that I did was take the Valentines and frame them. Short and simple with a lasting outcome. I wanted to share this with you so I arranged this tutorial as a way to encourage you to find your very own vintage Valentines. I actually took a trip to my local antique store and photographed a couple of the booths that offer vintage postcards and such. Most antique shops have at least vendor who specializes in vintage paper goods. I encourage you to take a trip to your local shop! It will be fun to see what you can find! After finding a couple of Valentines that speak to you, frame and give them to someone special.
Supplies:If there are no antique shops in your area, don’t worry. Below is a link to an Etsy search for Vintage Valentine’s.
Vintage Valentines on Etsy
Float Frames: I picked a couple up at Michaels.
Michaels.com
Online Source: Another online source.
PhotoFrames
Process:Gather your Valentine’s and place them in the frames. Give to a loved one and display. Sweet and simple!
Here are a few of my vintage Valentines.
Float Frames:
Note: If you decide to use frames like the ones below, be aware that they do have a plastic mounting piece on the back. A lot of the Valentine’s are too small to cover it entirely. I combined a Valentine with an envelope to hide the piece.
Magnetic Acrylic Frames:
I hope that you enjoy this and have fun searching for your own vintage love note.
