Monday 24 February 2014

Tips for Using Paper Ephemera in Crafting

If you're a reader or follower of my blog you will already know how much I love using vintage papers - and writing about it too! So instead of me rambling on about it again, I thought I'd share some other peoples' ideas and tips to give you a different point of view on the subject.

All these talented crafters create great pieces themselves using upcycled papers and other materials, so it's well worth clicking the links and taking a look at their work too.

tip for using paper ephemera for crafts
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Crafters' tips for using paper ephemera

Kelly from Funk T Junk says it's important to be organised:

"My craft cupboard is filled to the brim with shelves to store all my salvaged nick nacks for crafting. I have different containers for each & they didn't cost a penny: I have buttons in jam jars and Ice cream tubs; stamps in empty butter containers (all washed of course); shoe boxes filled with magazine clippings; 26 empty take away cartons to store my cut out letters of the alphabet (1 for each letter); this makes it very easy on craft days. Empty biscuit & chocolate tins now store my drawer knobs and fittings. I labelled them up with strips of masking tape and a hand written description. The possibilities are endless, just look around see what you've got."
Handmade notebook - HARRY POTTER & The Order of The Phoenix - plain pages - recycled
Funk T Junk uses all kinds of ephemera - here a DVD box is turned into a notebook!


Whitney from Every Girl's Story has a great tip for gluing papers:

"Vintage papers can be delicate. Using a soft paintbrush apply wallpaper paste to the base of whatever you are collage-ing then lay the paper on top and smooth over with the brush, dabbing extra paste around the edges if needed. The paste will be invisible when dry and can be mixed up in small quantities and keeps in a plastic airtight container for weeks."

Vintage Paper Mini Notebook
Every Girl's Story makes cute notebooks using vintage wallpaper

And Heather from Moose in the Mint also has a glue recommendation:

"I like to use a double sided glue gun - Scotch ATG 700 - when I am making gift tags and note cards. It has really good 'stickability', easy to use once you have worked it out, and the tapes last a long time."
Upcycled music decorated domino pendant
Moose in the Mint incorporates paper ephemera into their jewellery

Kim from Trashy Crafter says choose your project based on the paper you're using:

"Vintage paper has a certain level of magic, because it has the ability to tell a rich story of the past. When I use pages from old books, old maps or magazines I love doing projects based in decoupage. This method seems to be the most gentle on fragile paper, if the paper is not too delicate I love turning the paper into flowers or paper beads. Either way you go, it's an adventure and serves as a piece of history from our society."

Jack And The Beanstalk, Recycled Paper Bead Bracelet, Handmade With Book Pages, Jack and the beanstalk
Trashy Crafter uses paper ephemera to make beads to turn into unique pieces of jewellery

Martine from Empty Nest Crafter has advice on picking your paper:

"Buy books from flea markets ... I have learned the hard way; take a moment and examine the paper throughout the book to make sure that it's not brittle. If the paper is brittle it will crumble and is of no use in my crafting projects"
Ornament - Wreath - Petite Vintage Textbook Wreaths Ornament sold in sets of 6
Empty Nest Crafter uses old books to make pretty flower garlands

 Vicky from Recycability recommends experimenting and playing with papers:

"I started by collecting paper from my old school textbooks, pages from magazines, old maps and old music sheets. People would also help me by giving me paper that they would be throwing out and although they would be recycled and made into new paper; imagine reusing it and seeing what can you produce with it instead of throwing it away.
Every time you go to throw out a piece of paper think ‘How else could I use this?’ Even if it is written on one side and plain on the other – how about cutting it in half and using it as a scrap notebook? Play around with paper; it can be anything you want it to be. Paper isn’t just something to write or print on. You can cut, sculpt, twist, paint, glue and much more."


 

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