this is a very simple vintage craft made with help of a quick microwave oven method.

Step 1: Needed Materials

materials
1/2 yard crocheted lace
(Also look for "Cluny Lace" or "Dyeable Cotton Lace"
Small bowl
Tacky Glue
1 sheet posterboard
scissors
clear packing tape
paper plate or parchment paper
thin butterknife or offset spatula
sewing pin
Gold or silver metallic paint**
Rubber gloves
Paint brush
Hot glue gun or a jewelry adhesive (I used Aleene's Platinum Bond Glass & Bead)
Vintage jewelry, rhinestones, jeweled scrapbook trim, etc...

Step 2: Step 1:

Place lace in a small bowl and cover with fabric stiffener. Soak for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Step 2:

While lace is soaking, prepare a crown form by cutting a 20" x 4" strip of poster board. If using a smaller piece, cut two 10.5" x 4" pieces. Overlap by a 1/2" and tape together on the front and back.

Step 4: Step 3:

Roll the poster board in to a tube, 17.5" in circumference, and secure with packing tape.

UPDATE: Some readers have experiences some trouble with the lace sticking to the poster board. I recommend lining the poster board (on the outside) with packing tape to provide a non-stick surface.

Step 5: Step 4:

Remove lace from bowl, allowing excess to gently drip back in to the bowl. Return excess stiffener to the original bottle. Wrap the wet lace around the base of the poster board form. I used a spot of tacky glue to hold the overlapping ends of the lace together.

Step 6: Steps 5, 6, 7, 8

Step 5: Put crown and form on a paper plate or piece of parchment. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds. There may be some crackling sounds in this initial phase. Continue to microwave in 30 second increments (depending on the power of your microwave, you might be able to go up to a max of 1 minute increments), until the lace is dry to the touch.

Step 6: Remove plate from microwave and completely spray the crown (while still on the form) with stiffener. Return to microwave and microwave in short increments till it is dry to the touch.

Step 7: Repeat the process of spraying and drying until you've achieved the desired level of stiffness. For me, I found that 7 spray/dry cycles was sufficient.

Step 8: Remove crown from the form. You may need to slide a butterknife or offset spatula underneath to help loosen it. If some of the stiffener has closed up some of the holes in the lace, you can easily clean it out with the end of a pin.

Step 7: Step 9:

Return the crown to the plate and microwave for an additional 30 seconds to a minute. When removed from microwave, crown should be completely dry and stiff. Set the crown aside while you set up your paint.

Step 8: Step 10:

Wearing rubber gloves to keep your hands clean, paint the crown, inside and out. Do not be surprised when the crown goes soft with the application of the wet paint. It will stiffen, harder than ever, when it dries.