How To Do Faux Vintage

[NewGirl13]

After seeing a group on Flickr for "Faux Vintage" photographs, I became intrigued. I've googled, searched and even tried to play around with my Photoshop Elements, but I cannot replicate this effect for the life of me. I've heard some say it's an action that does it and others that play around with the gradient map. BTW...gradient maps confuse the heck out of me.

Can anyone help?

Specifically I'm trying to replicate these two looks.

Vintage 1


(Image Courtsey of jessamae22 on Flickr)

Vintage 2

(Image Courtsey of colyn & april brown on Flickr)