Welcome back to the craft room! In today’s Vintage Floral Card with Distress Watercolor project, I’m creating something special for my sister. Since I’ll be mailing a larger item along with the card, I needed a bigger card base than usual. A 5″ x 7″ card is perfect for this project and gives me room to feature larger elements—like a vintage paper doily I’ve been saving for years. Join me as I give it new life with a soft, vintage-inspired design.
The Paper Doily
This card started with a delicate 4″ paper doily. I’ve been holding onto it for ages, but the idea of trimming it down to fit an A2 card always stopped me. A 5″ x 7″ card is finally the right fit. The detail in this doily is incredible, and I know pieces like this are hard to find today. I still have a few tucked away, including some larger ones, and I’ll be saving those for future projects too.
The Flower & Leaves
To complement the doily, I am using the Simon Says Stamp Etched Layered Daisy die set! This large bloom sits beautifully on a 5″ x 7″ card front. Since the set doesn’t include leaves, I paired it with my favorite leafy branch from the Brass & Bliss Foliage Trio Die set. All of the pieces are cut from Strathmore Bristol Vellum card.
Coloring the Daisy
For a vintage vibe, I reached for my Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils and a water brush. I began with the petals, coloring them with Scattered Straw before softening the pigment with water. Once dry, I deepened the base of each petal by lifting color directly from the pencil tip. To add texture, I flicked strokes upward—similar to my technique with Copic markers. I repeated the process for the flower centers on both layers.
For the flower centers, I used Vintage Photo. The darker tone gave just the right aged look to match the vintage theme.
When the layers were completely dry, I blended more Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo around the edges using Waffle Flower Shader Brushes. It’s subtle in photos, but in person, the shading adds beautiful depth.
Coloring the Leaves
For the leaves, I used Forest Moss on the foliage and Ground Espresso on the stems. I kept the coloring soft without additional shading so the leaves wouldn’t overpower the flower.
Assembling the Flower
This project was also my first time trying Bearly Art Glue. While I’m normally an Art Glitter Glue fan, I had run out and decided to test this brand after finding it at The Tilted Brick in Longmont, Colorado. It worked perfectly for layering the daisy pieces.
Finishing the Vintage Floral Card
The base of the card is cut from 110lb Ivory cardstock (Recollections Coffee & Cream pack). It measures 10″ x 7″ and is scored at 5″. I love how this warm ivory pairs with the vintage theme.
For the mat, I chose a pinstripe design from The Paper Studio Glossy & Kraft paper pad. After cutting it to 4.75″ x 6.75″, I blended Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges for a worn look.
The Sentiment
For the sentiment, I used the “Just because…” stamp from Stampabilities Card Phrases. Instead of black ink, which felt too harsh, I stamped with Ground Espresso Distress Archival Ink. It’s dark enough to stand out but blends better with the card’s tones.
I stamped on a scrap of ivory cardstock with my Mini Misti and trimmed it into a strip, angling one end for interest.
Final Assembly
To bring everything together:
- I adhered the mat with 1/4″ Scor-Tape.
- The doily was glued lightly with Bearly Art Glue.
- The sentiment strip was lined up with the right edge of the mat, then secured with both tape and liquid glue.
- Finally, I added the daisy and leafy branch. The slight warping from water coloring gave them natural dimension, so only a little glue was needed at the base of each leaf and the center of the flower.
The result is a soft, vintage-inspired card that highlights the beautiful doily and floral centerpiece.
Wrapping Up This Vintage Floral Card
Thank you for joining me for today’s Vintage Floral Card with Distress Watercolor post. I had so much fun finally using this beautiful paper doily that’s been waiting in my stash for years. It felt like the perfect choice for a card I’ll be sending to my sister, and I know she’ll appreciate the handmade, vintage-inspired touch.
This project reminded me that sometimes the supplies we hold onto end up being even more meaningful when the right occasion comes along. Do you have something tucked away in your craft room—maybe a paper, embellishment, or special stamp—that you’re saving for just the right project? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
If you’re curious to see more ways I’ve been experimenting, check out my other projects using Distress Watercolor Pencils for inspiration. Until then have a wonderful week and I’ll see you back in the craft room soon!
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