Why It Works: Creating your own Ephemera

Discussion in 'Learning Pad' started by IntenseMagic, Aug 15, 2017.

  1. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

    Messages:
    11,954
    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    [​IMG]

    Welcome to another edition of Why It Works, where we share and highlight a page from an awesome scrapper in our gallery that utilizes a really cool technique, a design trick, a photography tip, journaling ideas or any number of other things to get you scrapping outside your comfort zone. We hope to share and inspire you to try something new, revisit an old technique you may have forgotten about, or maybe just approach that blank canvas in a new way.

    So, here are some of the things you can do to be involved in this thread if you want to be:

    1. Ohhh and Ahhh over the awesome layout or project that has been highlighted, and head over to the gallery, and show the scrapper some love.
    2. Learn something new from the tip or tutorial. It's all about becoming better at our craft!
    3. Try the technique yourself, and post it in this thread for us to see.
    4. Show off other pages from the gallery that use the technique as well. Be sure to link them, so we can give them the love they deserve!
    5. Ask questions about the technique that you may have, or tell us how you may do it differently. There are many ways to do these things, and this thread is all about the learning!

    *NOTE: This is not to be a critique of the page/project in any way. It's all about learning to emulate the awesome technique highlighted. Any negative comments about the highlighted page will be deleted. *
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I was so inspired by Anne-Marie @A-M's layout for the August Scraplift Challenge! I love how she scanned a brochure and blended it with a paper for the background and the addition of the scanned receipt/ticket! This is such a creative way to preserve a memory!


    [​IMG]


    Ephemera is defined as: things that exist or are used or enjoyed for only a short time.
    - items of collectible memorabilia, typically written or printed one, that were originally expected to have only a short-term usefulness or popularity.


    The Lilypad has an awesome Ephemera category in the shop with so many different options. But how about creating your own with memorabilia you’ve saved from different trips or events. You can use receipts, cards, show programs, magazine pages, posters, or ticket stubs. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got these things tucked here and there and everywhere! Why not get them out of the drawers and on to your scrapbook pages. Scanning them is a great way to preserve them as well.


    I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks for scanning some of these items. With Photoshop or PSE it can really be a quick and easy process.


    1. Place all the memorabilia face down on the scanner. They don’t have to be straight, but shouldn’t be touching.
    2. If the items have a white or light background, try placing a piece of black paper or cloth over them.
    3. Scan at a high setting - at least 300dpi
    4. Scan and save all of the images as a jpeg


    In PSE -
    -Open the image file
    -From the menu click Image-Divide Scanned Photos


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    In PS-
    -Open the image file
    -From the menu click File-Automate-Crop and Straighten Photos


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    If the images are not perfect, you can always tweak them as you work with them and add them to your pages.


    Judie has a great blog post on using Travel Ephemera with some really helpful tips. You don’t necessarily have to use them as an element. Like Anne-Marie did in her layout, you can blend the scanned image into a background paper. I would also suggest creating folders for your ephemera. Either keep it with the photos of a particular time or event, or create an ephemera folder.


    So, save all those maps, brochures, receipts, matchbooks, buisness cards, menus, postcards, all the things! Scan them, preserve the memories, and get rid of them. If you don’t have access to a scanner, take photos of them!

    I'd love to see other examples of how you use those little bits of memorabilia in your pages! Or maybe you've seen other awesome examples in the gallery!
     
  2. A-M

    A-M Not a lot of hustle in my hustle anymore

    Messages:
    3,882
    Joined:
    May 3, 2016
    Thank you Jan for using my layout as inspiration for your great instructions. This was a thrill to discover when I visited the forum today.

    Just as an added information..... I do my scanning at 400dpi
     
    bellbird, jesskab, wvsandy and 2 others like this.
  3. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

    Messages:
    11,954
    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    Awesome!! Thanks so much for the inspiration and the information...very helpful!!
     
  4. Tree City

    Tree City Get a stepladder, I'm busy

    Messages:
    6,267
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2011
    Very cool! Thanks for the thread, Jan @IntenseMagic and thanks Anne-Marie @A-M for the page. Lots of great inspiration and information!
     
    IntenseMagic likes this.
  5. jk703

    jk703 CEO of Anything and Everything, Everywhere

    Messages:
    13,408
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2012
    What a great idea! Great post, Jan!
     
    IntenseMagic likes this.
  6. HeatherB

    HeatherB Ain't nothin wrong with a few dust bunnies!

    Messages:
    14,720
    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2010
    What a great tutorial. I didn't even know Photoshop had the Crop and Straighten Photos option. That will be so handy! Thanks for the step-by-step instructions.
     
  7. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

    Messages:
    11,954
    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    I didn't know either until just recently! Pretty cool!
     
  8. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    me either! such a great post Jan and really beautiful, creative page @A-M ... so inspirational! :beat
     
  9. jesskab

    jesskab Watch me sizzle & twizzle

    Messages:
    4,929
    Joined:
    May 5, 2012
    Last night I was looking through my old paper scrapping stuff. I had saved the dinner/drink tickets from my wedding. They have a picture of the boat & the date. I almost cried. I immediately thought of this thread. I'm glad I had the forethought to actually save things like this.
     
    Serena and IntenseMagic like this.
  10. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

    Messages:
    11,954
    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    That is so awesome!! I have a few things like this tucked here and there and I really need to find them!!
     
    jesskab likes this.
  11. cookingmylife

    cookingmylife Pizza would be my last meal, except ...

    Messages:
    5,791
    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2012
    I have several lifetimes worth of clutter er... ephemera and always swear after a trip I'll scan the lot. Swearing is more like it but this is an encouragement. @A-M 's layout is terrific!
     
    honeyandcheese and Serena like this.
  12. berniek

    berniek I have a girl crush on the Naming Fairy

    Messages:
    2,620
    Joined:
    May 3, 2012
    This is perfect! I was struggling how to add the paper tickets we used for Disney to my album. I was thinking glueing them in after the book was printed, but I didn't like that idea really..

    When we went on vacation when we were little, we always saved everything. Even ice-cream wrappers from that really awesome looking ice-cream. Or pink toilet paper (a clean sheet, lol). And it all was pasted into an album. I have no idea if we still have those albums somewhere though...
     
    honeyandcheese and IntenseMagic like this.
  13. cfile

    cfile My bags are packed for Platform 9 3/4

    Messages:
    23,850
    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2011
    i love this technique and do it alot for my travel books! great tutorial Jan!
     
    IntenseMagic likes this.
  14. scrappydonna

    scrappydonna Blah blah blah

    Messages:
    1,961
    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2011
    great tutorial, jan!
     
    IntenseMagic likes this.
  15. bellbird

    bellbird Pollywog

    Messages:
    16,979
    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2010
    bwahahaha - this is me too, well phrased, Maureen!

    As for me, I know I'm usually too lazy to scan the guidebooks/maps, thos airport luggage tags or tickets (and i love that stuff or maybe it's just that they represent the crazy amount of money we just parted with in some places!) so i tend to take photos and include them on the page like here, here & here
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
    IntenseMagic likes this.
  16. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

    Messages:
    11,954
    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    That's awesome! I love that you take photos of all of it!
     
    bellbird likes this.
  17. michelepixels

    michelepixels A pun is not fully matured until it is full groan.

    Messages:
    8,197
    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2015
    This post inspired me to scan several items such as ticket stubs and something my daughter handwrote in August. I just haven't incorporated any of it into a recent scrapbook page. I have in the past though. I love taking pictures of things my kids make as a record. Even if I don't add the photo to a scrapbook page, I have the memory.
     
  18. jaharvey

    jaharvey Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    573
    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2016
    I had no idea this existed … what a time saver! I have so many little things from trips that I could scan in.

    I like the idea of including my own ephemera. On my travel pages I'll often try to find a good PDF of a map to incorporate into the background or I'll take photos of items in the gift shop (rather than buy a bunch of things that I probably won't look at again and don't really need). As an example, I took a photo of a pin in the gift shop and used it as a flair on page 2 of the 2-page spread. And I used a PDF map and an extraction of my truck for the road trip page.
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2017
    jenn mccabe and IntenseMagic like this.
  19. IntenseMagic

    IntenseMagic Some grannies cuss a lot. I'm some grannies.

    Messages:
    11,954
    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    That's so awesome! I absolutely love the pin idea. I'm going to have to remember that on my next vacation!
     
    jaharvey and jenn mccabe like this.
  20. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

    Messages:
    21,540
    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2013
    I agree with Jan - that's genius - love the pin idea! It looks pretty awesome on your page too!
     
    jaharvey likes this.

Share This Page