Valentine's Day art and an antique jewelry box help to decorate a dresser top.

Special Vintage Inspired Valentine’s Day Crafts from the Dollar Tree

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Welcome, I am so happy that you are here!

Today on the blog, I will be featuring my vintage inspired Valentine’s Day crafts. In my book, vintage and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand. By using a bit of old… and a bit of new- a lovely vintage style decoration can be created. 

However, creating does not have to be expensive. Enter the thrift store and the Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree crafts are some of my favorite seasonal things to fabricate. 

If you too, like any of the following things: vintage decorations, Valentine’s Day, crafting, or the Dollar Tree then you have come to the right place. I would be thrilled to bits if you would join me, and my children, as we seek to create a vintage inspired Valentine’s Day celebration.

Come along for some fun storytelling and creativity. You are welcome here!

~Valentine's Day Crafts~

Almost every craft I create- first, has an inspiration or a theme. My theme is often the same- to create something lovely from something ordinary. Generally, this translates into using a thrifted item or an inexpensive item. The more creative I have to be, the better. For this is my favorite space to create in- a space that provides a challenge and requires much imagination.

This creative space is also a place I like to bring into my homeschool arena. I love working on projects with my children that help them to solve a problem, think outside of the box, use their creativity and imagination, and teach them to be resourceful. 

Naturally, two of my favorite sources for exercising my “resourceful muscle” are the thrift store and the Dollar Tree. I especially love using a bit of vintage- and a bit of new- to create something special.

What about you, do you use vintage items to create? I would love to hear about this in the comments if you do.

~Vintage Inspired Valentine's Day Crafts~

My vintage inspired Valentine’s Day crafts first start with something old.

You all know by now, this involves a back story. Picture this: A little over a year ago, I was visiting a thrift store- when I stopped at their craft section. (This is often one of my favorite spaces to visit… as it requires a bit of digging.) As I sifted through some uninteresting items, I saw… towards the bottom of the bin, a glimmer of vintage charm. Containing my excitement, I continued sifting until the treasure was in my grasp.

What treasure is this you might ask? Well, nothing other than two packs of unopened, vintage Valentine’s Day stickers. In fact, they still had the Harco price tag on them. (Harco was a store from my childhood which no longer exist as it did).

The stickers featured some adorable vintage inspired valentines. I knew these would be the perfect addition to my craft stash. Seeing as they were only fifty cents, I swiftly added those cuties to my shopping cart.

Now, what to do with these…hmmm? 

The inspiration and opportunity to use the stickers did not come until the next year. For one whole year they sat waiting in my craft cupboard…

Last week, the opportunity to use them arose. 

Vintage stickers bought from a thrift store are a perfect addition for a Valentine's Day craft.

~Dollar Tree Crafts Born of a Thrifted Treasure~

Generally, I keep a small stack of Dollar Tree canvases on hand. My children and I like to use these for various crafts and homeschool activities. To my knowledge, these canvases are always in stock, and you can buy different sizes of these for $1.25.

If you are a regular reader, you may have seen me use these handy canvases before. (Why just this week, I shared with you all a kid-friendly “heart art” canvas. To see that thrifty idea click here).

This vintage inspired Valentine’s Day craft began much the same way: a blank canvas, a few inexpensive supplies, and an idea.

Craft supplies from the Dollar Tree are laid on a table to begin making Valentine's art.

~Laying the Craft Supplies and Thrifted Goodies Out~

Before starting a new craft, my top tip is always this: lay all your items out on a table (or the floor). This way, you can see exactly what you have to work with. 

*Being organized is a helpful life skill, but I would be lying if I said I always was organized. Actually, with four young children, I am probably more unorganized than ever. Hey ho, organizational strivings are good.

For this particular project- I had my Dollar Tree canvas, various shades of pink paint, vintage lace that I bought from a thrift store, some small wooden craft hearts, dried flowers that I made from a previous project (see that here), a hot glue gun, my thrifted stickers, and a sweet pink button.

By looking at my items spread out over the table, the ideas begin to “rise up” off the table and “speak” to me.

Let me walk you through the crafting process that happens in my mind.

This is a process I teach to my children as well. How can we take ordinary things and make them lovely? My four Happy Hawks Homeschool pupils come up with some remarkable ideas. Ahh, the joy of creating.

~Vintage Valentine's Day Art- My Love Heart~

Welcome to the craft corner- sit and stay for a while!

  • Step one: I painted the canvas a lovely, soft pink. 
  • Step two: I painted stripes of a dark pink shade on the top of my painted pink canvas. (I was not overly concerned about having perfectly straight or evenly spaced stripes. However, you can certainly use a ruler and some tape to create perfect lines if you wish.)
  • Step three: I chose two different vintage lace ribbons to work with. Placing the lace over the painted stripes and hot glueing the lace to the back of my canvas.
  • Step four: Using a blush pink, matte paint- I painted a wooden craft heart to match my color scheme. 
  • Step five: Using my previously made, dried flower bouquet, and a pink button…I then hot glued these items onto my painted, wooden heart. 
  • Step six: (The finishing touches) I hot glued the heart onto the corner of my canvas, and then “threaded” the vintage stickers through the lace on my canvas. 

*Allow the photographs I took to show you the way. 

Stripes are painted on a canvas.
Vintage lace is added to the top of the painted stripes.
*Any lace could be used but, in my opinion, vintage lace adds the most authenticity and charm.
Strips of vintage lace are hot glued onto the vintage Valentine's art canvas.
*Just a bit of hot glue will do.
A pink canvas is decorated with difference vintage laces.
*Right, all my lace stripes have been secured in place. Not overlly taut... and not overly perfect. A bit of wonky adds the character.
The supplies to make a vintage inspired Valentine's Day art are laid on the table.
*A little matte, pink paint on the wooden heart is all it needed.
A wooden heart is painted pink, and a mini bouquet of flowers is added to the canvas.
*Mini, dried flower bouquets are so easy to make ...and oh, so sweet.
A wooden heart and a lace covered canvas.
The vintage inspired art is completed with the Valentine's Day accessories.
*Again, a bit of glue is all this simple project needs. A hot glue gun is a crafter's right hand man. Do you agree?

~The Finished Vintage-Inspired Art~

Valentine's Day art and an antique jewelry box help to decorate a dresser top.
*The amalgamation of old and new---one of my favorite things to do---it is true.

The idea for my vintage sticker art was to create a bulletin board effect. A sweet place to store stickers or maybe even stamps. I enjoy when function and beauty collide. Cue the jewelry box accompaniment…

~An Enchanting Jewelry Box~

My husband bought me this antique jewelry box for my birthday. It is delicate and beautiful. The inside is lined with an elegant red felt, and it smells just like my grandmother’s perfume. I appreciate this gift so much that I showcased it in a previous blog for my daughter’s birthday; you can see that post here.

The style of the jewelry box pairs nicely with my vintage inspired Valetine’s Day craft. Do you agree?

Vintage inspired Valentine's Day art is being displayed on a gold bookstand.
*You may have begun to notice how much I adore my thrifted brass bookstand.
Vintage art is decorated with vintage ribbon and vintage stickers.
*My antique jewelry box, how lovely it is to behold.
A vintage inspired piece of art is beside a vintage heart jewelry box.
*Delicate details dance in my mind... for this is the joy of an antique find.

~Next, a Fabric Journal Cover~

Last week, a dear friend gifted me (and the other moms in our homeschool co-op group) a sweet journal. I love journals as they help me to gather and organize my thoughts. I also like to use journals to record special happening of the day or to write Bible verses and quotes in. (You can see another version of a kid-friendly journal activity here.)

Being resourceful, I happened to have some leftover velvet fabric that I had bought for a previous project. (There is just something about the pinkish- purple velvet that says Valentine’s Day to me?)

(You may recall the heart table centerpiece I made this past Tuesday?) I used that same fabric to cover my journal…giving it a little vintage inspired, Valentines’ pizzaz. 

Craft supplies to make a fabric covered Valentine's journal.

~How this Valentine's Inspired Craft was Made~

Here are my simple steps:

  • Step one: Iron your fabric.
  • Step two: Lay the journal open (covers of the journal on top of the fabric).
  • Step three: Cut the fabric around the perimeter of the journal (leaving about an inch excess fabric on all sides.)
  • Step three: Cut out small 90-degree square corner tabs at each corner of the journal.
  • Step four: Cut a straight line slit on each top, and bottom center, of the fabric (this is where the journal bends).
  • Step five: Hot glue the fabric onto the under cover of the journal. *Being sure to pull the fabric taut to avoid wrinkles.    
  • Note: now that the journal is fully covered, you can begin decorating with ribbon or accessories. To keep the insides of the journal cover neat- you can also place strips of ribbon over the folded and glued fabric edges. (This will hide any uneven edge).

~The Illustrations~

A journal is laid out on a piece of velvet fabric.
*Open the journal flat to see how much fabric you need to cut.
Tabs are cut out of the fabric for each corner of the journal.
* A corner tab (square) is cut out of each corner. This allows the fabric to lie flat when glueing.
Fabric is cut out and ready to be hot glued to the journal cover.
*Cut a small slit from the top of the fabric to the base of the journal's center fold.
Hot glue and fabric work together to create a fabric covered journal.
* Hot glue the edge of the fabric and fold over onto the journal cover.
The journal is covered in a pink ish purple velvet fabric from the Dollar Tree.
*Adding a fun ribbon helps to create an interesting finish. This ribbon was from the Dollar Tree.
Ribbons are added to each side of the journal to create a tie that can be tied off for pravicy.
*Thin ribbon can be attached to the front and back of the journal for a tied look.
Vintage ribbon compliments the center of the journal.
*A bit of vintage lace on the top of the Dollar Tree, pink ribbon added a little "extra special" beauty.
A wooden heart from the Dollar Tree is added to the front cover of the journal.
*Wooden hearts or other accessories can give a polished look.
Vintage stickers are added to the interior of the fabric covered journal.
*Wanting to use another vintage sticker- I thoughtfully added one to the inner cover of the journal.
The fabric covered, Valentine's Day journal, is complete.
*A little piece of vintage beauty awaits you when you open the journal to write.
The interior of my vintage inspired valentine's journal.
*Little details bring me much joy.
A wooden heart and ribbon make this vintage inspired Valentines Day journal look sweet.
*A ribbon bow to tie things up.

~One Last Touch- a Bookmark~

Bookmarks made from lace and small accessories are a fun addition. Check out my post on some adorable handmade fabric and ribbon bookmarks here.

A homemade bookmark is made from vintage lave to match the fabric covered journal.
*Using the same vintage lace and a tiny rosette, I made a sweet bookmark to compliment my gifted journal.
A fabric covered journal on a desk with a vintage pen set.
*Of course, a vintage pen set doesn't go amiss in this setting.
The fabric covered Valentines inspired journal is ready to be used.
A ribbon tie closes the fabric covered journal shut.

~Dollar Tree Wicker Hearts~

About a year ago, I stumbled across these wicker hearts in my local Dollar Tree. I quickly snatched up three of these $1.25 cuties.

Some of you may remember me writing a post about the lovely hanging hearts that were a common decorative accent in England. England uses lovely hearts to decorate their spaces.

*Note: See my fabric hanging heart post here and a woven basket hanging heart here.

My love for hearts made emulating this look in my home a necessity. Note: I do use these wicker hearts to decorate areas in my home as they are, but I wanted to give them a little Valentine’s Day flare. Therefore, I added some thrifted ribbon, some artificial and dried flowers, and some inexpensive craft accessories to these wicker hearts to create a vintage inspired look.

Here are my simple additions:

Wicker hearts from the Dollar Tree.
*The hearts as I purchased them.
The wicker heart has been decorated with dried flowers.
*Adding dried flowers, with artificial flowers, creates a more realistic vintage look and feel.
A wicker heart from the Dollar Tree has been decorated by weaving ribbon through the wicker.
*Thrifted ribbon adds a pop of color.
A cream wicker heart has been decorated with a bow and a wooden heart from the Dollar Tree.
*Choosing a pretty ribbon to tie in a bow and hot glue a wooden heart to- adds a sweet Valentine's Day touch.
A wicker Valentine's Day heart is hanging in an entryway- giving cottage vibes.
Three wicker Valentine's Day hearts have been decrated and are ready to be displayed in a home space.
A glass dessert stand with a wicker heart inside. This is part of a Valentine's Day table decoration.
*These wicker hearts looked cute under a glass cloche in the middle of the table as well. Endless decorating possibilities!

~Until Next Time~

That is it for this time. I hope this creative post will inspire you to create your own Valentine’s Day crafts. Dollar Tree crafts can be created with a vintage vision in mind- by adding a few old pieces mixed with the new.

I would love to see some of your Valentine’s Day craft ideas if you are up for sharing them with me.

I hope you stay tuned to my Facebook and Pinterest pages as well as subscribe to my blog…ensuring you not miss any spur of the moment ideas and inspirations.

Next week, I will be sharing a delicious, family recipe that I think you will all love. It is lovely, sweet, and just in time for Valentine’s Day.

See you all soon.

~Elizabeth~

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