9. Vintage Book Page & Parchment Rose Medallion

Introduction

A nostalgic, literary installation featuring paper roses folded and sculpted from yellowed vintage book pages, antique sheet music, and tea-dyed parchment paper.

What This Idea Means

Perfect for home libraries, cozy study corners, or Victorian interiors, this concept blends literary history with paper craft. Reclaiming vintage paper materials creates a warm, sepia-toned wall centerpiece filled with story and character.

How to Make It

  1. Paper Prep: Collect damaged vintage book pages, old sheet music, and parchment paper. Tea-dye some pages in warm black tea to vary sepia tone depth.
  2. Rose Petal Cutting: Cut spiraled circle templates out of the vintage pages, scalloping the outer edges with pinking shears.
  3. Rolling Petals: Roll the spiraled paper strip tightly from the outside inward using a quilling tool, releasing the coil slightly to form a relaxed, open rose bloom (4 to 8 inches wide).
  4. Circular Medallion Base: Cut a 24-inch circular wooden or heavy cardboard base plate.
  5. Pattern Placement: Glue the parchment roses onto the circular baseboard in a spiral arrangement, mixing sheet music text with book print pages. Add tiny dried baby’s breath sprigs between rose gaps.

Tips and Variations

  • Tip: Lightly ink the raw cut edges of the book page petals with brown distress ink using a foam dauber to exaggerate vintage antique edges.
  • Variation: Shape the vintage book page roses into a large wall-mounted heart shape instead of a circular medallion.

What You Need to Make It

  • Damaged Vintage Books, Sheet Music & Parchment Paper
  • Black Tea & Spray Bottle (for aging paper)
  • Quilling Tool or Fine Needle-Nose Pliers
  • Vintage Brown Distress Ink Pad & Foam Dauber
  • 24-inch Circular Cardboard/Wood Baseplate & Hot Glue