What is ephemera? It is defined as things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time…”there were papers, letters, old boxes – all sorts of ephemera.” Most often, ephemera is made of paper that has been printed or written on and to be used briefly then discarded. Think ticket stubs, programs, vouchers, post cards, love notes, napkins, etc. However, scrapbook suppliers do produce “vintage” ephemera in packages to emulate the look of discarded items from long ago.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Whether authentic or purchased, ephemera is useful, decorative and enhances your story. If you have ever seen a junk journal, a journal/album made of found “trash,” then you have seen ephemera in use. I define ephemera as pieces of paper or fabric that help enhance your story.
So where do you get stickers, lace, memorabilia, and/or ephemera? Well, after I have sorted my photos, I typically know my theme – if I’m going for a vintage, modern, abstract, playful, or serious vibe. I collect items from the events of my life such as those listed above. I keep them in a box in my closet that allows me to easily rummage through to find items that were used by saved at the time of the event. After I rescue the memorabilia from the box, I turn to my junk drawer, yard, scrap piles, office supplies, thrift stores, and newspaper clippings. And yes, I said my yard. I frequently harvest Spanish Moss from the foliage in our yard to add to projects.
If you are trying to find authentic antique items, they can be very expensive because the owner may not want to part with the memory associated with it. Searching for online collectors will take time but can save you money because they may offer a more reasonable price. However, I like to look in local thrift stores, estate sales, small antique shops, and garage sales. I mean, I love to spend time rummaging through old books or newspapers, collecting scraps of lace or hand crocheted doilies.
As mentioned, you can purchase ephemera the emulates vintage items from the big box stores and Amazon or smaller specialty craft stores, too. But what I haven’t mentioned is that you can make your own. Use tea leaves or coffee grounds to dye copier paper and envelopes to make paper look aged. Use archival ink and sponge to ink around the edges of your paper items to add to the aged look. Dry or press flowers and greenery. Fussy cut images from magazines or other publications. My point is to save your money and spend it where you’d get the biggest bang for your buck – on the supplies you need, not the decorations.
But if you want to find a more modern ephemera or something abstract, many handcrafted scrapbooks, like those I make have ephemera included on their pages and in their pockets. And sometimes even has photo spots to help you with page layouts. They are so much fun to decorate!
So you see, finding the ephemera to enhance your scrapbook doesn’t have to be expensive and it can be fun to find or make. Start with your theme and then use your thinking cap to sort out what would enhance your story, then go on a treasure hunt. Your scrapbook will be that much richer from your adventures.