Tips for Crafting with Paper Ephemera

A few weeks ago over on my ephemera page on Facebook I started a series of posts called 'Thursday Tips' where I share a little tip or trick that I've learn through my own crafting. I thought, now I've posted a few of them, that I'd collect them here to create a little article.

I also like to post projects I find, things I make, ephemera I have for sale and anything other vintagey and papery I find! If you'd like to discover a new tip every Thursday do head over to my page take a look.

Thursday Tips

When you've finished cutting up old book pages use a circle punch to make small colourful circles with the scraps. I save them until I find a suitable projects for them. These 1/2 inch circles are left from a 1960s book I cut the pictures out of.

                            


Use a black (or other colour) fine liner pen to create a stitch effect border around paper embellishments for cards and scrapbooks to make them stand out and look defined.
                           

 
To help add definition to pieces of paper you might be layering in a card making or scrapbooking project, gently run an ink pad around the edges. It gives a slightly muted soft edge to help it stand out.

                           


When cutting out small details from paper use a small, sharp pair of scissors and keep them still. Turn and move the paper with your other hand. This makes for a cleaner and sharper cut.
                             

Ephemera doesn't just have to be old paper (although that is my favourite type!). Technically it's any item that was produced to have a short, one off purpose and not meant to be kept and last a long time. I find it useful to keep a box to put all these kind of items in so I've always got plenty of ephemera ready to go when I'm feeling crafty!

                            

If you're making paper beads using strips of vintage (or other) paper, use a quilling tool to make the process easier. Just slot the end of the paper between the gap in the middle of the tool and roll up! It's a lot quicker and neater than rolling paper around cocktails sticks like I used to do.
                                         


If you're doing some stamping over vintage book pages try stamping the pattern as normal (the darkest green in this picture) and then re-stamping without adding more ink going backwards to create a worn effect to match the vintage style.

                                   


If you're making something with vintage papers and there's a tear or mark on it, cover the blemished part with a postage stamp. (This is why my vintage map cards have stamps on!)

                                        


If you're decoupaging an object and are making paper strips to cover it, use a ruler to tear the paper rather than cut it with scissors. Tearing the paper instead of cutting it gives it a softer edge so it lays flatter to the object you're gluing it to and using a ruler means the torn paper will be straight!