Daily Paper Prompt #54 + #55: Organize Ephemera
Sun, September 23, 2012 at 11:21AM “If you run out of ideas follow the road; you'll get there”
Edgar Allan Poe
A double-day prompt: organize your art journaling ephemera, bits of junk mail, to-do lists, product tags, catalog + magazine clippings, abstract-painted-pages-to-be-cut-up, tissue paper, old book pages, postage stamps, found journal fodder, bits of twine, dried tea bags, paint chips...
Wouldn't it help to get a little organized?
Great spots for your paper stuff: zip-lok baggies, baskets, lidded plastic containers, shoeboxes and cigar boxes. You can store ephemera + collage cuttings by theme, type, color, size, or usage. For example, you might keep stuff to create "people" together {dresses, clothing, faces, shoes}, keep found words or phrases together {for found poetry or wise remarks on journal pages}. Or maybe by color - greens in one zip-lok, blues in another, etc.
Part of art journaling is collecting STUFF and part of collecting STUFF is organizing said STUFF.
I looked through my paper collage fodder and it's mostly organized by size or type. For example, the tiny sucrets box (altered with washi tape) is for teeny tiny fodder like postage stamps, fortunes, words. I've got zip lok baggies of tissue paper, abstract painted pages, magazine/catalog clippins. These are stored inside large flat baskets from Pottery Barn. I keep maps, catalogs and magazines in a separate basket.
Find ALL of the prompts at this link: Daily Paper Prompts
Reader Comments (5)
I must have had a premonition of this prompt, cos I just spent yesterday sorting out my quilting & art supplies :-)
I think I collect too much crap, but I have just done a giant throw out of stuff. And I am trying to use more ephemera in my journals at the moment to use it up because if I only paint, then what is the point of keep it all??
Oh to have space and time to organize. It always seems to be one or the other. I like the accordion files to store all the paper bits and pieces in . They come in all sizes form coupon to 8.5 x 11
Tammy, we are on the same wave length! This morning, twenty minutes after waking (and before i even meditated) I straightened up my art space.
I'm not a collector-- too much stuff makes me crazy. I tossed some things (lots of circles and some ripped catalog pages) in the recycling bin. I usually just go in the recycling bin when I need something to craft with anyway, so I find "keeping" stuff in there keeps things interesting and fresh. It also puts a fire under my bum to "use it or lose it" since we put out the bins at least every other week.
What I did save (some brown paper bag "pages", awesome poster paper I saved from recycling at work, 2 background pages, and a posh wedding invitation) is tucked on top of a box of art supplies. Visible and ready to be used soon!
I do love your ideas for keeping things organized though. That little box pictured is too cute! I have a few new tiny things that could use the TLC of a special place. I'm going to share this post on my facebook page www.facebook.com/oliviacleansgreen
what a great idea!!! i actually HAVE a pretty good established system, but had let it get a bit messy & overflowing, so this was a great way to get back on track! thank you!
http://llaurenb.blogspot.com/2012/10/no-more-daily-paper-prompts.html