Looking to the Classics

I have always had a soft spot for collecting vintage gems. I love to spend hours strolling the grounds of flea markets and quaint antique shops I find off the beaten path. Little is more inspiring than something truly original—a real velvet damask pillow from the early 1900s, a wrought-iron and crystal chandelier, a barely-ripped Hitchcock poster—or in today’s case vintage gift cards in all of their lovingly aged and slightly worn glory.

Recently, a friend of ours heard about Giddy Ink and sent over a small tattered scrapbook filled with cards her grandmother had saved from her bridal shower and wedding back in 1935. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I don’t think she had any idea how much I treasured her thoughtful gesture and the pages of inspiration.

Why do we look to these classics for inspiration? When you add a modern spin to vintage elements through color, pattern or material, these beauties of yesterday are still perfectly relevant: the hand-lettered typography and engraved illustrations are such a work of art.

The pages of the book have definitely seen better days but the cards inside are so sweet and timeless in their styling that peeking inside never fails to give me a burst of creative inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!