How To Craft With Free Vintage Seed Packets Art
Seed companies generally produce seeds for amateur gardeners to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables. The seeds were traditionally sold in mail order, using a catalogue and seed packets. I've curated some lovely artwork from these catalogues and made them into free downloadable vintage seed packets.
Many catalogues from the 1880s until the early 1900s had beautifully coloured painted covers. This period is often called the “Golden Age of Seed Catalogue Art”. With this collection, I have focused on floral vintage seed packets.
Vintage Seed Packets Art And Ideas For Using Them
These beautiful floral images can be downloaded as just the original artwork. Or you can also download the floral art as vintage seed packets.
To download the images, click on the title above, and a higher-resolution picture will open in another tab in your browser. Then you can save the image to your hard drive or print them out immediately.
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How To Construct The Vintage Seed Packets
The catalogue floral images have been placed in a vintage seed packet template.
On the floral art links below, click on the title to download the image as a pdf and click on the seed packet link below to download the same image as a seed packet.
- First, choose your flowers and print out the seed packet template.
- Cut out the envelope shape
- Crease and fold along the flaps
- Glue the envelope flaps together as in the picture below.
Making Upcycled Vintage Seed Packet Planters
Some spring bunting and flower seed packet planters are fun to make with the seed packets.
I used rusty old tin cans to make the planters. These tin cans had been left in the garden to the elements for a few weeks.
- Sand off the loose rust where you will stick the seed packet label.
- Cut out the floral image from the centre of the printed seed packet.
- Use a brush to wet the outside edge of the label. Then carefully tear around the edge of the image. This will give your floral label a more rustic/aged look.
- Using a decoupage glue such as Mod Podge, stick the label to the front of the tin can.
- Finally, to seal the cans and stop the rust flaking, cover the label and the outside of the tin cans with another layer of Mod Podge. Use a waterproof Mod Podge or sealer if the planters are for outside.
Planting the tin cans
I often use tin cans as planters. I have found the best way to use the cans as planters are to create plastic bottle inner pots. This helps with drainage and makes it easy to move plants between cans.
- Cut a small water bottle to fit the tin can's height.
- Punch some small holes into the bottom of the bottle.
- Fill the bottom of the bottle with a small layer of pebbles.
- Then plant the bedding flowers.
Another suggestion for using the seed packets is to make a seed packet box like this one here. Or you can add a handle to hang the planters from like with these Easter tin can spring planters.
The Vintage Seed Packets Art Work
1. Carnations from Maules Seed Catelogue 1883
The carnation and floral seed packet template
2. Pink Waterlily Dahlia 1883
Pink waterlily dahlia seed packet download
3. Maule's Seed Catalogue 1900 Dahlias
Dahlia vintage seed packet download
4. Maule's Seed Catelogue 1900 Yellow Cannas
Yellow Cannas vintage seed packet download
5. Aquilegia Seed Packet Art
Aquilegia seed packet download
6. Vintage Tulip Seed Packet Art
Tulip Seed Packet template to download
There are some vintage tulip paintings on the site.
7. 1900 Pansy Seeds
Pansy vintage seed packets art template download.
8. Peter Henderson & Co 1894 Petunas
Petunas vintage seed packets template to download
9. Sweet Peas Flower Seed Packets
Sweet Peas Seed Packet Download
There are a couple of vintage seed packets for lilies in this collection of vintage lily prints and chrysanthemum illustrations. There is also a wonderful collection of rose illustrations from vintage gardening catalogues and other flowers in this Yokohama Nursery Catalogue.
I love crafting with vintage images, and I'm always looking for new ways to display and use the images in crafts. I've used some gorgeous still-life flower images to make an upcycled tray table.
If you love vintage bird images, you should check out this gorgeous songbird tin can wind chime or a wonderful parrot paper decor for a cloche.
If you liked these floral vintage seed packets, you might like these free printable vintage floral illustrations.
This tutorial can be found on the top ideas for a repurposed garden. The cans, like these Christmas tin cans, can also be decorated for other seasons. Check out these other botanical craft ideas.
For more thrifty planter ideas, visit cheapthriftyliving.
I just found your incredible site via Pinterest. It's been a long time since I've dropped a comment anywhere but you really have an incredible eye! I really appreciate your effort and creativity!
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much!!!
You're welcome thank you
Very nice!
If you want to rust a tin can over night submerge it in a 50/50 mix of bleach and vinegar. Ive been building pallet wood furniture for years and rust my own nails. There’s a particular uncoated nail I use that will actually rust in less than an hour using this 50/50 mix, I almost rusted 100 nails together once. Just make sure the cans are tin and not aluminum.
Thank you, that is a really handy tip. I often want to rust my own nails. I normally hunt skips for rusty nails but can now rust my own.
These are gorgeous! I love the rust with the fresh flowers.
Thank you so much, I like the contrast too.
Hi Claire! Just letting you know that your seed packet project is one of my features at Homestyle Gathering this week. These are so cute and would look nice out on my porch. Thank you for joining us and sharing at HG!
That's lovely to hear. Thank you, I look forward to seeing it.
These are gorgeous and so perfect for Spring. Thank you for the seed patterns, I can think of various uses for them. Loving the banner.
Thank you, Leanna. I do love spring flowers.
Thank you so much for putting this website togethger. The images are wonderful.
Thank you, there will be plenty more images to come.
I adore these Claire! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm--pinned!
Thank you, Cecilia.
Adorable!!! I love this project. You did a great job!
Thank you, they were fun and easy to make.
Ohhh how I love this project, Claire! What a great tutorial and idea! Thank you bunches for linking up and sharing with us! xoxo
Thank you so much Kristi. Thank you for hosting.
I'm such a fan of seed vintage packets . I'm completely obsessed with the banner. I'm gonna have to make one.
Thank you, Michelle. It was very easy to make.
I adore the seed packets. And what a lovely way to display them in the old tin cans. Thanks for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make Party.
Thank you so much. I like the rustic nature or cans with the old seed packets.
Love it Claire and that vintage clip art is so inspiring, wish I had time to just paint a painting using one as inspiration.....thanks for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
Thank you Sara. Yes the paintings are gorgeous.
Oh, these are gorgeous! Those tin cans are perfection. My favorite is the pink dahlia. So pretty. Thanks so much for sharing at Sweet Inspiration!
Thank you, who knew a rusty tin can could look so good.
These are beautiful, Claire! And fun projects, too!
Thank you, yes they wer fun to make.
I don’t say this too often regarding projects I see on link-ups—I’m making these! Great idea!
Thank you so much. They are very easy to make have fun.