YLE’s Crafty Chic – Vintage Postcard Invitations

VINTAGE POSTCARD INVITATIONS
by Sharon Tittle, Creative Directo (aka YLE’s Crafty Chick)

Whether you are having a few guests over for a game night or many more for an outdoor movie night, these invitation will get your guests excited and intrigued about what kind of a party they will be attending.
The vibrant hues and graphic designs of vintage postcards have such a retro appeal. My parents travelled for 25 years with the Big Bands in the 30’s and 40’s and the postcards we have used are just a few of the many, many postcards my mom collected going from town to town, state to state. Inspired by her postcard album and the fun of their journeys, Crafty Chic has developed this project to re-purpose her collection into retro appeal invitations.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Vintage postcards
Scrapbook paper, 2 contrasting colors & white card stock
Scrapbook embellishments, stickers & foam dot
Ribbon, to go with your paper color
1 Button, contrasting color
Decorative & regular scissors & or paper cutter
Hole punch
3 Paper clips
Glue stick
Ruler & pencil
Needle & heavy thread, lighter than your paper

HERE’S WHERE TO GET IT

Vintage postcards can be found at antique shops, flea markets, or online sites such as eBay.

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT

Envelope & Invitation
1.  Copy the postcards or the actual postcards can be used. I used a copy not to compromise my collection. In this case, 3 postcards can fit on a page when copying.

2.  Print out your info about your party and cut the same size as the openings of the film frame.  Glue postcard to decorative paper, leaving 1/4″ on all sides, cut out and glue in place on next contrasting piece of paper. Measure another 1/4″ and cut out.  For back paper which should be the same as contrasting paper, measure same width but add 1″ to top (to fold over).

3.  Attach papers, wrong sides together, using paper clips to hold in place while sewing. Hand stitch 1/8″ blanket stitches around 2 sides & 1 bottom of contrasting paper edge. To make a straight stitch line, draw a light line around the three sides where you will stitch wit your pencil and ruler.

4.  Cut a 1″ x 2 1/2″ strip of to your darker paper and glue to center, top of flap, over fold to address side of envelope.  Glue a button to end of strip. Glue flap down, after you place continence inside, with your glue stick.

5.  Address the plain side of your envelope and place the real postcard or copied one inside, with your note or party information.

6.  Create movie invitation with white & colored card stock paper and scrapbook embellishments, stickers and ribbon. Use decorative scissors to cut paper, foam dot to give paper raised dimension, under “Your Invited” paper and hole punch for holes ribbon will go through. Postcard will go on the back of this invite.

TIP: Check the backs of postcards, if they are blank, you can write your own note or party info on them, then place it in your hand made envelope. Some have great old stamps and faded postmarks, which have a wonderful retro appeal.