Tuesday, April 3, 2012

So what do you do with all that vintage wallpaper?



Happy April Bloggie Friends,

After my post about my vintage wallpaper for sale last week, I thought maybe it would be fun to show you some of the things you can do with it.  Of course, you can use it for the walls, but you knew that from the name WALL-PAPER, so let's step out of the box, shall we?

As you have already seen, you can cover boxes with it and have a very pretty storage container reminiscent of the circa 1940's hat boxes...


Heather from Pretty Petals covered some new boxes from Michael's with beautiful results:


Speaking of Heather, she offered an awesome online class for an art journal called "A Beautiful Life".  She steps you through lots of fun but pretty easy techniques to make a lovely piece of art using some of your hoarded saved treasures.  She uses lots of vintage wallpaper in her art and I also used it for my journal on the inside, I didn't use any on the cover, but I wanted to do a show and tell since I never got around to showing you the finished product after I talked about it a few months ago.


This page features a transparency picture of my grandmother.  Lots of vintage wallpaper peeking out from these pages.


Her name was Cecilia, so I made a little tag with her name on it.


There's lots more pages in the journal, but we must press on with the subject at hand. Now back to other uses for vintage wallpaper...I had this plain pad of paper, I think it was a refill for some notebook that I no longer had.  It was functional, but not pretty.  I covered the front and back cover with some wallpaper scraps and added a little bit of paper lace that I had.  Much better now.  It took about 10 minutes start to finish, easy peasy.  Love projects like that.


If you recall my lace organization cards from a few posts back, you might remember I said I finished them off with vintage wallpaper on the back, but I didn't show you the backs.  Oops!


I figure if I want a change from looking at the pretty graphic fronts, I can just turn them over and love me some wallpaper florals.


I also used wallpaper to cover my 1920's rosette trims which I ended up putting in a clear glass container so I can look at them as well as store them.


Speaking of storage, why not paint some plain old tin cans which you were going to throw away anyway (hopefully in the recycle bin), and upcycle them instead into pretty storage for your paintbrushes, glue sticks, etc.?


Can  you tell I REALLY got into the pretty factor for my studio storage?  If you use Kilz spray on primer, it will cover up the paint on coffee cans and things that are not just covered in paper labels.  Since I wanted white cans, I don't think I even bothered to paint over the primer. 


I was working on these cute tags yesterday and chose to cover the backs with...


Why yes, you got it!  Vintage wallpaper.  Naturally, you could make some killer tags using the paper as the front, but I just happened to have this work in progress handy, so lucky you, you get to see photos before they are done with the wallpaper gracing the back.


I love using wallpaper to back cupboards.

Source
You can get a new storage unit and jazz it up with wallpaper...

Source unknown-if photo is yours, please let me know and I'll link back

Carol at Boxwood Cottage made this amazing holder for wallpaper using a cereal box and...vintage wallpaper.  LOVE IT!


Niki from Nostalgia at the Stone House is an amazingly talented blogger and shopowner in the U.K. and she finds all sorts of uses for vintage wallpaper.  Did you know it looks pretty wrapping up handmade soap?  Now you do...


She has also used borders (or perhaps she handcut them from larger paper, not sure) for kitchen shelves.


Lastly, one of my favorites I've seen Niki do, embellished shoes using wallpaper for lining the inside...how cute is that?


So, my friends, these are just some of the fun things you can do to pretty up your world with vintage wallpaper.  There are many more uses out there?  Do tell, what do YOU use your vintage wallpapers for?

Until next time,


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39 comments:

  1. What a wealth of fun projects...I use the wallpaper too on those OATMEAL containers. I cut them down about HALF WAY...I can NEVER throw those out!
    Thank you for the ideas and the Beautiful Post!
    Have a wonderful holiday week,
    Donna

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  2. What lovely and special ways to use vintage wallpaper! I like the idea of lining the back of a little cupboard. Beautiful post.
    Mary Alice

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  3. Everything looks beautiful! I love it all--I love vintage wallpaper.

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  4. Judy,
    So many great ideas.I don't come across vintage paper very often.I wish I did.
    Anne

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  5. WOW! What great ideas! I was saving mine to do one wall of all different papers in our guest room but now.....you have me thinking of other things to do:) Thanks for the inspiration:)
    ~Debra xxx
    Capers of the vintage vixens

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  6. so pretty and inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Oh my gosh Judy, your journal is just beautiful... I am in the process of making my first one through Jeanne Oliver's class. I think the wallpaper looks gorgeous in there. Your tags are equally beautiful! I think the wallpaper fell into the right hands, you have created masterpieces with it. Niki's shelves look so sweet with it as the trim too. Thanks for the inspiration! t.xoxoox

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  8. Judy, I am always just amazed coming here. You do such BEAUTIFUL things. I am just in awe of all the wallpaper things you did here. And you tags? GORGEOUS! What a beautiful post! If I had antique wallpaper I would send it to you! xo Diana

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  9. What a pretty and so apprealing post. I loved each and every photo. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. SOLD! Thanks so much for all this inspiration, Judy. I just purchased some wallpaper from you & am excited to get going. :)
    I just love your journal!

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  11. Love all of your inspirations! The painted and embellished cans are my favorite. I love your tags, too. Where do you find vintage wallpaper? I haven't come across any but I will have to be on the look out now!

    ~Shanon

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  12. I want to come hang out and create with you Judy...your treasures are beautiful!

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  13. Very pretty. I love the backing on the cupboard and the trimming for the shelves!

    I just can seem to cut in to my pieces. They sit there rolled up and tied with a ribbon taunting me!

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  14. Wow, this is lovely. I love the shelves with all the beautiful decorations.
    Amazing. Love this post. I am so inspired to make something just looking at all
    this creativity has my wheels spinning so to speak. Just lovely.
    blessings,
    Debbie
    Happy Easter!

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  15. I can hardly believe how amazingly beautiful all this is. How fabulous are you! xxx

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  16. Hi Judy,
    What an inspirational post - I love the journal you created...And your lace cards are just too delicious!!
    Thanks for the mention...some of those posts of mine are from way-back, so I feel honoured that you've included them in your selection. :)

    Happy crafting!
    Niki x

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  17. Judy, all of your pictures are gorgeous! The cabinet lined in pink wallpaper would be my favorite!

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  18. Judy, what a fantastic post. There is not one thing I don't love that you did with the wallpaper. The ideas you came up with are simply wonderful.

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  19. Judy, this is all so pretty! This is the ultimate recycle project and look what is produced! These are all wonderful gift ideas as well. Thanks for sharing these lively ideas.

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  20. What great ideas for vintage wallpapers! I use them mostly for covering boxes. Love the wallpaper on the hat box in the second photo. Just gorgeous!!

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  21. You have an absolutely stunning, gorgeous and beautiful blog! Your header is what attracted my attention first; all that lace is just amazing! If there was only one item I could collect, it would without a doubt be antique lace. My favorites are Victorian wedding hankies. What you've done with vintage wallpaper is fabulous. And I'm a fan of Heather, Carola and Niki as well... all their creations inspire me.

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  22. Such wonderful ways to use vintage wallpaper. I often pick it up when flea market shopping. I have used it line cabinets, for paper crafting and lately.... for torn paper roses. Vintage wallpaper tears so easily and makes wonderful paper flowers.

    Thank you for inspiring us!
    Happy Easter.
    Elizabeth
    The Porcelain Rose

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  23. Gorgeous!! Oh how pretty....I love old boxes wrapped and covered in beautifully decorated papers and fabrics...LOVELY job on those! Love those beautiful tags too...
    I'm so excited you joined me for Pearls and Lace Thursday!!
    Blessings,
    Doni

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  24. Oh and I forgot!
    I love your header pic...that is soooo pretty!!
    all those gorgeous pillows just make me swoon each time I look at your blog!!!
    Thanks for sharing all the beauty!!
    Doni

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  25. OMGoodness! So many pretty ideas here!! Love them all - especially the ribbon organizing cards. Thanks for sharing! Visiting from Feathered Nest Friday and am hooked...signed up to follow you.

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  26. I'm so happy that I have some old wallpaper books in the basement. When our recycle center had them I took some home. They said if I didnt want them just bring them back. The center is now closed down and I'm happy I still have several old vintage books..
    What you do is such an inspiration. Your work and talents are wonderful. I need to find the time to use these! Thanks to you, I can see the possibilites!

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  27. Ok...that is just all to die for gorgeousness!!

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  28. OMG! such beautiful things from such talented people. Thank you for sharing,Happy Easter, take care and enjoy! Cheers SpecialK XoXo

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  29. Thank you for sharing soooo many beautiful ideas for my stashed wallpaper! So pretty to see them being used.

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  30. Judy, What a artist, you are. This post is absolutely amazing. You make it look so easy, it's wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing on Simple & Sweet Fridays.


    Jody

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  31. Judy,
    oh my...this post is chock full of inspiration. Thanks sooo much for sharing your incredible ideas. I think my favorite is the covering of the cans that were on their way to be recycled. Gorgeous!
    Blessings & hugs,
    Karen

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  32. This is such a gorgeous post Judy!
    I love all the wallpaper projects you showed here! Your journal pages,tags and altered cans all look wonderful and I feel really honored that you included one of of my vintage wallpaper wall boxes!
    Wishing you very happy Easter celebrations!
    Carola

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  33. This post is fabulous!!! Great inspiration!!!

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  34. Too much gorgeousness for one post!! Beautiful! Thank you for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  35. All these pretties so inspire me!
    Brenda

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  36. Judy, This is such a fabulous post an you do absolutely gorgeous work! I love everything you have created. I'm looking forward to following you, your style is right up my alley. So lovely! Happy Pink Saturday. ~Marti

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  37. Such great ideas for using the wallpaper. I love the cereal box idea!

    Debbie

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  38. Such beautiful ideas for vintage wallpaper...just wish I knew where to find some.
    HPS
    Michelle

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  39. Wonderful! Love this site!
    Sandy xx

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