DIY Pressed Flower Cards: How to Make Vintage Book Page Greeting Cards
It’s time to add to the homemade card box with these DIY pressed flower cards using vintage book pages.
I enjoy a pretty card from the store as much as anyone, but I enjoy the economical benefit and sentimentality of a homemade card even better. And by using the pressed flowers from our garden, these cards look much more complicated than they really are.
They’re made with simple brown kraft paper cards, an old book page, and a few dried, pressed flowers. Add a little Mod Podge, and that’s pretty much it!
If you enjoy a vintage, bookish craft that uses stuff you more than likely have around the house, think you will enjoy this one. They’d be perfect for birthdays, thank-you notes, Mother’s Day, or simply sending a little note to someone because you’re thinking about them.
What You’ll Need
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Here’s what I used to make these vintage-inspired pressed flower cards:
- Brown kraft paper cards and envelopes
- Old book pages
- Glue Stick
- Distress Ink (optional)
- Dried pressed flowers
- Mod Podge
- Small paintbrush
- Scissors
You can absolutely change this up depending on what you have at home. Different flowers, different paper, or even a different color of card would all work just fine!
1. Choose a Book Page
First, choose a book page for the front of your card. Printed words on old book pages add so much character without needing to do much else. (I also love how they look with the pressed flowers.)
If you don’t have any old book pages, you could use other backgrounds like watercolor paper, newspaper, or even cardstock.
Once you’ve chosen your background book page, you can distress it a little to give it a vintage look.
You can do this by simply tearing the edges instead of cutting them, or by using some Distress Ink along the edges.
We’re going for a vintage, character-filled look, not perfection.
2. Attach the Book Page
Once your book page is distressed, carefully glue it to the front of the brown kraft paper card. (I used a glue stick for this step.)
Smooth it down gently with your fingers, working from the center toward the edges.
3. Arrange Your Pressed Flowers
And now comes the best part. Start arranging your flowers and find the design that you like best. No need for glue yet; just enjoy placing your dried flowers and trying different arrangements until you find the look you are going for.
Try moving flowers around, layering some together, adding leaves or stems, and experimenting with colors. You can cover the entire card, or place one featured bloom on each page. This is where you make it your own. There is no wrong way to do it.
4. Mod Podge the Pressed Flowers to the Card
Once you are happy with the arrangement, remove your designs and carefully brush a very thin layer of Mod Podge over the top of the card.
NOTE: You don’t want a lot of Mod Podge, or it will make your card wrinkle and could tear your delicate dried pressed flowers.
Once you have brushed a thin layer of Mod Podge on, you carefully set your flower in place. (It will be difficult to move them once they are down, so be careful to lay them on the spot you want.)
The Mod Podge will look white at first, but don’t worry. It dries clear.
Then let the card dry completely.
After placing the flowers and letting it dry, if you think the flowers need to be a bit more secure, you can go over the whole design again with another thin layer of Mod Podge.
5. Let Them Dry
Let the cards dry completely before handling them too much.
Once they’re dry, you’ll have these sweet little vintage-inspired cards with the prettiest combination of kraft paper, old book pages, and delicate dried flowers.
And because every flower is a little different, every card ends up being completely unique.
A Few Ideas for Using Your Pressed Flower Cards
These would be so pretty for all kinds of occasions.
You could make:
- Birthday cards
- Thank-you cards
- Mother’s Day cards
- Sympathy cards
- Thinking-of-you cards
- Wedding or anniversary cards
- Handmade gift tags
- Little note cards for friends
These would also make a sweet handmade gift. Create a little bundle of five or six cards, tie them together with some twine or ribbon, and you’ve got a thoughtful gift that didn’t require a huge amount of time or money.
Handmade Cards are an Easy, Kid-Friendly Bookish Craft
Handmade cards are one of my favorite ways to use leftover paper, dried flowers, or other scraps I have lying around the house. It’s a simple project that comes together quickly and is handmade in the best way.
Depending on your kids’ ages they enjoy this bookish craft right along with you. My 10-year-old made these with me and was able to design a few all on her own.
If you have some pressed flowers and some old book pages sitting around, give these a try. They’re simple, inexpensive, and such a fun little afternoon craft that you can use for many different occasions.
