Ephemera

Since a few people hadn't heard of the word "wanderlust", I'm not taking any chance with today's word of the day, which is ephemera.

Ephemera, noun. Items designed to be useful or important for only a short time, especially pamphlets, notices, ticket stubs, etc.

As scrapbookers, we tend to be hoarders, collectors. Of papers, products, memories, experiences, etc. I also happen to be a collector of ephemera. A few weeks back I created a layout using a museum ticket stub that I had stashed away for some time. It was the perfect accent for my page (Museo Chillida pictured below) and also a wonderful memento. I mentioned then, that I'd share with you all my most prized piece of ephemera. But then life caught up to me and I totally forgot. Until now...

This is my ticket stub from a trip to the top of the World Trade Center. I think you know why this is so special to me. Here it is in it's special frame, along with a few photos of me and my parents on top of the building (look how young [and awkward] I am!!) I can still so vividly remember that day and our visit. I'm so so thankful I got to see them before the came down.

And now I have a little piece of it with me. And better still a tiny piece of history, encased in a frame in my very own home. This is one of the many reasons that I collect and retain all the little bits and baubles that we encounter on our everyday lives. You never know what can take on even greater significance.

I also love including pieces on my scrapbook pages. Because honestly, what better place to put them, than with photos from the same event! Here are a few pages I've created using various collected items.

This layout features a ticket stub from the museum where this photo was taken. I love it because it has the time and date, which are often important to us scrapbookers, and also because it's in a foreign language. And those 2 black blotches? Well, they aren't actually after all. They're graphic designs of Chillida's own artwork. The same artwork that we were standing in as this photo was taken. See how it helps to reinforce not only the photo, but my own little painted design in the back there as well. I wasn't kidding when I said it was the perfect accent for my page!

Here's another layout I created using some ephemera. Now it might sound weird to consider a DVD as ephemera but it is definitely one of those disposal items we have in our society. I found it special enough to include, because it was the actual DVD that we watched time and time and time again in our flat. It's the only tangible thing that can emphasize the bond that we had over that movie. Plus, truth be told, it just makes me happy!

Ephemera can also make for greater emphasis on the theme of your pages. I created this page about my internship in London. Specifically about what it was like to work in "The City" and so I included a postcard that featured a little map of all of the DB buildings located in the city. I originally picked it up because I'd get so lost going to and from the various buildings, but now I get to showcase a little piece of my life then, on this page. How can you not love that?!

I make sure to keep maps and brochures, receipts and even coasters, as I'm off and about traveling. I'll just stick them in my bag as I go and store them in folders (and even further ephemera...a cigar box from the Dominican Republic and a biscuit tin from London) once I get home.

So here's me preaching on the wonders of ephemera collecting. You might have been doing it all along and just didn't know it. But as you can hopefully see, it's totally worthwhile!

xxbesos

j.leija