With Sweetest Day coming up this weekend, I thought it would be fun to share a little vignette I recently put together at my friend’s home.

You might have seen her jewel-toned dining room here.  Or her amazing tree-lined entryway here.  Or her screened porch here.

 

Vintage Love Story Vignette :: Book Page Love Letters

 

Today we’re back in her entryway.

She has the sweetest desk there and it made a perfect spot to create this vignette.

 

Book Page Envelopes :: Vintage Love Letter Vignette

 

Here’s how it all started.

Around Valentine’s Day, I created a box disguised as a stack of letters filled with words of affirmation.  (You can find the tutorial here.) I loved its simplicity in red and white.  But, I also wanted to create a box with a  vintage look.  And so I used book pages.  (surprise!)

You know what they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men….

I didn’t have the time to create another box.

Mostly because I was busy making sweet heart hand pies, embellished hand towels, dangling beaded heart ornaments,  a chalkboard love printable, and a book page Valentine mantel.

In the midst of that whirlwind of heart-shaped creativity, I did find time to create a faux collection of love letters in handmade envelopes made from book pages.

This is one of the easiest projects I’ve made.  You can do this!!

 

Book Page Envelopes :: Vintage Love Letter Vignette

 

The most challenging part of the project is finding a book page that is large enough to make your envelope.  I used the glossary of a large old art book.

All you need to do is unglue an invitation-sized envelope and you have an envelope pattern.

I know you want pictures of the process…but I didn’t take any!  I know….horrors!  When am I not taking pictures?  Haha!

To create your envelope…

  • with a pencil, trace the original opened envelope that is now your pattern, on your large book page or scrapbook paper
  • cut along your pencil tracings
  • using another intact envelope as a guide, fold the flaps in
  • and glue the three sides together – like the original, creating an envelope.

I told you it was easy!

 

Homemade Book Page Envelopes :: Vintage Love Letter Vignette

 

I had a little extra fun as I used an ink pad to distress my paper and a rubber stamp to fake out addresses.

Then I added a piece of thin cardboard, cut to fit inside the envelope, sealed it with glue, and placed a stamp on the envelope.

Of course in order to have a stack of letters, I needed to repeat the process numerous times.

 

To keep the stack of letters from sliding around, I put a little glue dot between envelopes.

You can tie your stack of letters together with a pretty ribbon, or jute as I did here.

At first I was going to get fancy and make some tiny roses from book pages.

I don’t remember why I only made three…

It still looks sweet with just the jute and no extra embellishments.  Yes?

 

Vintage Coffee Cup :: Vintage Love Letter Vignette :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

I think this vignette deserves a story.

Let’s pretend that a lovely young woman is sitting at her desk with a stack of love letters from her far-away beau.

She hasn’t seen him in a long time.

He had been in the war, but it ended and he returned home for a brief time.

Something called him back overseas.

He left…

Following a marriage proposal…

Which did not include a ring…

Just a promise.

 

Vintage Photo :: Vintage Love Letter Vignette

 

Here she is today….

Sitting down at her desk with her favorite coffee cup

and her carefully bundled letters.

I’m afraid she’s reading them for the last time.

If her heart doesn’t change in the reading….

She’s planning to write her love a dear John letter.

Not because someone else has stolen her heart….

But because her heart is broken from his prolonged absence.

 

Vintage Desk with a Vintage Love Letter Vignette

 

My vintage love story vignette might not become a novel.  But, if it evoked emotion….I can consider it a success.

If you can create another story for the vignette….I’d love to hear it.

Maybe I’ll share a collection of the best here.

That would be fun.

 

As Sweetest Day approaches this weekend….

Don’t dismiss the day as a ridiculous commercial holiday for card makers and confectioners.

Instead….use the holiday as an excuse do something special to express your love for the one who has your heart.

Be creative.  Have fun with it.

But, most of all… show your love to your sweetheart.

 

Thanks for stopping by today.
I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.

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Wishing YOU an extraordinary day!
Diane

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Comments

  1. What a gorgeous vignette! Love every detail.

    • Diane says

      Thanks Maria Elena! It was so much fun putting it all together.
      Blessings!

  2. I have gone back and forth about crafts made from book pages. It seems almost ‘sacrilege’, for lack of a better term. But those envelopes are a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.!!!

    • Diane says

      Haha!! I know…but obviously…I got over it. 🙂 I generally use books that are really of no value any longer. And in this case…whoever looks at those pages filled with numbers and words to who knows what?

      Thanks so much for loving my envelopes with me. They make my heart go pitter patter, too!

      Blessings, my friend! Hope you’re enjoying a lovely fall!

  3. Love your story of love. The photo in the frame is so cute.
    Thanks for sharing
    Lots of blessings from South Africa

  4. Betty Brown says

    MY story is a young girl sixteen years old already married with a young child ,her love gets orders for overseas and has to leave them behind to go fight a war.She is torn with being young,left behind and being “married” woman and a young child with a child.She sits at her desk trying to write to her love and trying to figure out her own feelings.

  5. Kim says

    I love the book page envelopes, Diane – and the story. You and your friend had more fun than I realized. It’s a beautiful vignette. I can imagine the two of you standing there at the desk together. You – moving this and that while the two of you create the story. That’s what friends are for! 🙂

  6. Mel says

    You’re a creative mind, I’ll give you that. I imagine a beau in love and a woman not. His attempt to trap her in a proposal she would’t accept before….off to war he went, never to return. And her, with her sought after practice in medicine, sitting with her guilt, her coffee and the stack of love letters…..ah, what life could have meant had she chosen differently… Bit sad, huh? Oh the truths that life can present….
    Lovely bit of peace she’s created and you’ve shared here with the simple splashes of days gone by.
    Such a lovely home!!

  7. Jann Olson says

    Sweet vignette and story Diane. Love the letters, but I would have to change the ending of the story. I have to have a happy ending. lol! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

  8. Susan says

    What a lovely idea!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

  9. angie says

    wow, danke für die tollen bilder und inspirationen, liebe grüße von angie aus deutschland

    • Diane says

      Sie sind so willkommen Angie! Vielen Dank für den Besuch und verlassen Ihre freundlichen Worte. [ umarmt ]

  10. Lisa says

    Adorable vignette and captivating story to go with it. I would have totally missed Sweetest Day; life is crazy for a grandma with two resident toddlers!

  11. Kathy says

    This is so lovely, Diane. I will be featuring your post in this week’s Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

  12. I love these Diane! You spin a winsome tale my friend. I won’t attempt to improve on that! Thank you for sharing these and your fun faux love letters Valentine box at What We Accomplished Wednesdays. Have a lovely week! ~Deborah

  13. I want that tea cup!

  14. Oh I love that you did this for Sweetest Day! So cute!

  15. Lovely story with a charming vignette!

    • Diane says

      Thank you Jeanette!
      Hope your November is extraordinary!

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