Monday, March 10, 2014

Paper Love ~ Ephemera

{rolled vintage sheet music}

Welcome to the PaperLove blog hop! Thanks for hopping over from UK artist, Liz Plummer. If you have gotten this far along on the hop, you already have discovered so many that love paper and the many different reasons why. I'm excited to participate and can't wait to see what others find lovely about paper too!

I have to admit I had trouble limiting myself ~ I really love all sorts of paper ~ from humble cardboard to expensive textured papers as well as beautifully lithographed papers and antique illustrated books. Being a designer and a collector of many things, I thought I would share my passion for paper ephemera and how I use it in my work and for inspiration. Below are some of my favorite paper finds from my personal collection ~ it's no wonder I cannot pass up an antique show or flea market!

*GIVEAWAY! Make sure to leave a comment with your contact info below for a chance to win a handmade paper ornament similar to those shown. I will draw a name and post the winner on March 15. If you would like to keep up with me and my work, please like my Facebook page or follow this blog.

 {collection of stamps ~ more here}

{antique book ~ inside pages here}

{lovely die cut & embossed wedding announcement}

{laminated, embossed & printed cardboard box}

{group of sympathy letters}

{page from Mabel's scrapbook ~ one of my best finds of all! See more here}

Below are ways I incorporate my finds into my work. Sometimes I will use a piece of sheet music, a handwritten letter or a page from a ledger book as a background for a piece of jewelry or bauble. As I find it next to impossible to cut or glue ephemera or my old books, I scan these things instead and manipulate them digitally. As I have no problem using newer books of no value (mostly romance novels!), I do cut them up and use them to make various paper ornaments, functional pieces and paper sculptures. See more of my work here.

{sheet music cover used as background}

{practice writing exercises used as background}

{surface design digitally created using antique book endpapers and antique lace}

{surface design digitally created using antique book pages, chipboard texture and carved mother of pearl buttons}


{Paper ornaments made from folded book pages ~ see more about these here}

{paper sculpture made from folded books and punched paper}

Thanks for visiting ~ I hope you find old paper as exciting as I do!  Make sure to pop on over to Michelle Reynolds ~ she is next on the list of PaperLove participants.


The PaperLove Blog Hop is a celebration of all things paper! Follow the links to discover more bloggers who love paper and use it to inspire and delight. And if you want to explore a whole world of paper, and stretch your paper passion further with a host of creative projects, why not join the innovative new online course PaperLove (starts March 31). Led by book artist Rachel Hazell, PaperLove is a five week creative adventure for paper lovers. Find out more here.

Majo Bautista / Tona Bell Louise Best Cathy Bluteau / Jennifer Bomgardner / Giova Brusa / Lindsay Buck / Beka Buckley / Joanna Caskie / Jonathan Chapman (Mr Yen) / Halle Cisco / Sarah Clare / Cathryn Clarge / Dawn Clarkson / Rhiannon Connelly Jenny D'Fuego / Molly Dhiman / Ian Dudley / Ayisatu Emore / Akmal Farid / Monika Forsberg / Claire Fritz-Domeney / Louise Gale / Chrissy Gaskell / Julie Hamilton / Emma Hawman / Rachel Hazell / Holly Helgeson / Claudine Hellmuth / Kim Henkel / Sarah Hoffman / Joanne Hus / Paula Joerling / Beth Kempton / Julie Kirk / Eos Koch / Katie LaClair / Kristy Lankford / Michelle Manolov / Doreen Marts Rosie Martinez-Dekker / Tori Mears / Maria Mederios / Lise Meijer / Debbie Miller / MaryJane Mitchell / Suzy Naidoo / Grace Noel / Hannah Nunn / Camilla Olsson / Jo Packham / Rachelle Panagarry / Monette Pangan / Melanie Paul Nicole Piar / Jen Pitta / Liz Plummer Julie Reed / Michelle Reynolds / Lisa Rivas Angee Robertson / Natalie Ryan / Aisling Ryan / Elisabet Sapena / Kyrrha Sevco / Jamie Sprague / Elizabeth Steele / Terri Stephens / Juniper Stokes / Mary Tanana / Maike Thoma / Linda Tieu Gabrielle Treanor / Tammy Tutterow / Deborah Velasquez / Jordan Vinograd Kim / Cat Whipple / Brooke Witt / Katie Wood Amelia Woodbridge

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my what a beautiful blogpost and blog. And your love for paper really shows. What a lovly gesture to have a give away. Id be happy to enter. My email is camillas [at] telia.com

I so love doing this blog hop. So nice to read about every once love for paper. Thank you for sharing yours.
/Camilla Olsson - also in the blog hop www.camillaolssonart.wordpress.com

Sharon Landon said...

Julie, as you already know, I absolutely love your blog and your work. Your ornaments are gorgeous and I loved seeing the sources for them. The pattern design was also incredible! I have many containers of buttons, and plastic tubs full of paper samples. Feeling inspired by your creativity!

Louise said...

Oh My! I don't know where to start. I love all of those images and paper goodies. What a beautiful array of enticing items. I shall be sure to follow you now I have found you through the Blog Hop....
{*}

Maike said...

Just beautiful Julie !

Debbie Miller said...

simply beautiful. so happy to find you - loving being a part of the bloghop and seeing all this cool stuff!!

Shells said...

Beautiful. Great blog post.

Unknown said...

wowza....just found you...beaut-i-full....play well...shelley....
mrtc at madisonrain dot com...

Unknown said...

Julie - what a lovely collection of paper! I love the little tied bundles of stamps! This blog hop has made my heart start racing over all this paper! I love paper too!!!!!!!! Your ornament is beautiful! I have the perfect spot for it! :-)
xx - Christine

Unknown said...

Your paper collection is amazing!!
And your ornaments are a delight - i love old pages from really old books (when they don't smell).
Loved your post!!

Anonymous said...

It was such a thrill to be a part of this blog hop. I loved sharing my love of paper and the craft of decoupage with everyone. and even more excited to read about everyone else’s. #paperlove #bloghop In the blog hop – http://www.designfivestudio.blogspot.in/2014/03/for-love-of-paper.html

Beka said...

...I have always admired those paper sculptures - another paper craft for this fellow paper lover to try some time ;) But you know how it goes: so much paper, so little time! *hehe!*

Delighted to have found you and your lovely work via today's hop-along. Thank you for joining the fun!

Kim Moulder said...

Hi Julie! I devoured your paper post! I love all of those things too and have hoards of ephemera that I love to use in my work. I had not seen all of your beautiful paper work! You are SO talented and creative!!! Love it all!

I too will put you in my follow list!
oh—and my email: chat {at} kimmoulder.com

Lori said...

Love your post. Now I'm going to hop back through of your other posts.

Paula J said...

Ok, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog. So glad I found you through this hop. What an honor to be part of such a creative group!

Laura Lou said...

I LOVE the paper flowers - I've seen quite a few posts where people have used these as centre pieces at weddings, which I think is just adorable! It'd be great to bring paper into more of our designs.

Laura @ Zurleys Home Furnishings

Julie said...

So sorry for the delay in posting the winner - it is Sharon Landon! Ornament will be packaged and shipped out this week! Thanks for your patience - my blog has gotten lost in the shuffle these last few months.
:) Julie