8 Creative Ways to Repurpose Old Yearbooks, Varsity Letters, and Trophies
As the school year wraps up, root through your own miscellany of memorabilia with this roster of cheerfully repurposed ideas.
Before you toss those yearbooks, varsity letters, old trophies, and class photos into storage, consider giving them a second life. From clever home decor to meaningful keepsakes, these creative ideas turn high school memorabilia into nostalgic pieces you’ll actually want to use and display.
Pennant Pillow and Megaphone Lamp
Pennant Pillow: The long shape of a felt souvenir pennant makes for a whimsical twist on a bolster. To make, cut a piece of fabric the same size as the pennant, and topstitch the two together, leaving an opening for stuffing. Fill with batting, then sew the opening closed.
Megaphone Lamp: A vintage megaphone lights up with school spirit when outfitted with a bulb. (Enlist a local lamp or hardware store for wiring help.) Top with a colorfully trimmed shade.
Winning Display
Keep kitchen utensils within reach in antique silver-footed trophies.
Collegiate Carryall
Turn an old letterman sweater into a one-of-a-kind tote. Cut the sweater crosswise where the body meets the underarms. Fold a length of jute ribbon over the cut edge and sew it on to prevent fraying. Use more of the same ribbon to make handles. Sew the bottom together to close.
Spirited Server
Corral team photos, event tickets, and other school ephemera under a piece of glass or clear plexiglass* set into a vintage tray. (Many hardware stores and glass companies will cut glass to your dimensions.) *Use a plastic cutting tool to cut the plexiglass.
Sporty Centerpiece
A vintage football helmet scores points as the perfect graduation party table topper. To keep it steady, wrap a 3-inch embroidery hoop with jute ribbon, and center the helmet upside down on it. Fill a glass vase with water and place in the helmet; add flowers to the vase (here, butterfly ranunculus, chamomile, and brown-eyed Susans).
Stadium Blanket
Personalize a wool blanket by “monogramming” it with chenille letters and patches. Topstitch onto the blanket or adhere with iron-on fusible tape.
Yearbook Box
Store school keepsakes (game tickets, programs, jewelry) in a hollowed-out vintage yearbook. Use an X-Acto knife to remove the pages where they meet the spine. Cut a piece of white mat board the size of the spine and hot-glue it to the inside. To create the box, cut four strips of mat board that are the width of the yearbook spine (so the “book” can close). Two should be the length of the yearbook’s height and two the length of its width. Glue in place. Add additional mat board dividers, if desired.
Class Rings
Napkin rings, that is. Set a table with school spirit by using old buttons. Craft by wrapping an unfinished wood ring with thin neutral twine. Open each pin back and thread the spear through a few strands of the twine, then close.
Big Bear Valley Eaglets Luna and Sandy Fledge
Jon Pardi Surprises Rhett Akins with Opry Invite
4 Bad Lawn-Watering Habits to Break
30 Things to Do Before Vacation
