A Pretty, Embossed Postcard from 1909 Looks Splendid in a Scalloped, Glass Paperweight

Antique postcards are among the easiest, most affordable things you can use to create beautiful, high-end paperweights that look like they came straight from the pages of Victoria or Country Living.

These century-old pieces of artwork often feature rich colors, embossed designs, and metallic detailing that truly look splendid under glass.

The postcard I used for this project was just $2.00.  When you add this to the price of the paperweight kit ($10.75), this finished paperweight cost only $12.75 to make.

For this project you'll need an antique postcard and a glass paperweight kit (PhotoWeights: Scalloped Paperweight Kit).   An optional template was also used.

It isn't necessary to use a template for this project.  However, you may find a template makes it much easier to mark the area you'd like to display in your paperweight.  Our templates are reusable and may be purchased on our website (PhotoWeights: Display Area Templates).

Place the template opening over the desired location and lightly trace around the artwork with a pencil.  Cut out your artwork with a pair of good scissors by following the line you traced.

The photo above shows the area of the postcard I marked and cut out.  You can see the embossed flowers and metallic gold circling the Best Wishes seal.  There's also a metallic gold swag in the background.

Remove the protective film from the self-adhesive bottom pad.

Place your artwork onto the adhesive side of the mounting board and press down to adhere.

Take a minute to clean your paperweight with streak-free glass cleaner to remove any dirt, finger prints, or smudges.  Also be sure the bottom surface is free of dust.

Place the mounting board (artwork facing down) into the recessed area on the underside of the paperweight.

Remove the protective film to expose the adhesive on the bottom pad.

Place the bottom pad on the underside of the paperweight.

The finished paperweight will add some color and charm to the lucky owner's desk.