creating curated clippings collage bundles

Wednesday 7th Oct 2026

Sometime in the spring of 2026, I started to think more about what kinds of materials I have been collecting for creative journaling and collage. I realized that while I had created collage bundles that helped with the understory and the final layers of mixed media, I didn't really have any way of sharing the many images I had gathered.

I always bring a good stash of images to my workshops, but beyond that space, I hadn't really provided people with a means to keep going. And, no matter what we are making in a workshop, it's the images people reach for first. They are the beginning of the stories we tell.

So naturally, I decided I simply did not have enough paper (?!) and ephemera. But I was also disturbed by the relentless onslaught of AI driven images and cheap paper products. They were appearing everywhere in my social media. While they might be useful, they don't carry that aged patina (or the odour of old paper, more on that below, ahem).

gathering ephemera

There is so much paper out there already. I've always been drawn to work with what has been discarded, but it seems much more urgent now. I started searching to add to my collection, knowing many people do not have the time for this and hoping that there will be support for upcycling to journals and collage. Will there be people who also want to rescue these old things? I'm not sure. Are you out there?

Despite that uncertainty, I began to gather more of 'the things.' From an auction in Beckwith came a huge pile of old yearbooks nobody else wanted. They date back to the 1930s and 1940s. Interesting times to say the least. From another auction came women's magazines from the 1920s and 1930s. The ads are fascinating. I had no idea women had so much purchasing power back then. Other estate sales brought me atlases and maps and even an old globe that someone claimed for their son through our local buy nothing group. I was thrilled to pass it on. Someone else in my neighbourhood was giving away Greek books. Nobody wanted them, but the typography and illustrations are captivating.

I could look through these things for days. It's especially moving to think about what might have happened to the university students from the 1940s. Or who made all of the recipes in the magazines. Or who just wistfully wished for the latest fashions as they flipped through the pages...So many possible stories.

practical paper matters

While the vast majority of books, magazines, and other materials were in surprisingly good shape, many carried what one of my daughter's refers to as 'old house smell.' Some books remained on my porch for a few days and that seemed to clean them up a bit. Others, including the yearbooks, had to be dusted with baking soda. I tried putting the soda and the books in a box, but that wasn't really effective. It was a process to dust and remove the soda. But it was a small task since it meant the pages could be reused.

Then came the clipping. There was a lot of teasing about my 'factory' as I had both my mother and my husband clipping away. They both liked the yearbooks. My mother did not, however, like working with the technical manuals. She did prove to be excellent at ironing antique handkerchiefs (a whole other summer project!). The clipping was helped along with a modest purchase of a large circular punch and an impressive collection of scissors from an auction. I have always wanted a pair of pinking shears and ended up with two pairs, along with some vintage scissors (apparently quite collectible) from the 1940s. They really do not make them like they used to and bringing home the old scissors was one of the highlights of my summer! I'm sure people were amused when I told them "You'll never guess what I found this week!!! Scissors!" I'd like to think my joy was contagious though :-)

curating the clippings

After the cutting came the sorting. Well, there was actually a lot of random piling of things before the sorting. Months later, there is still a huge pile of books under a table in my living room. I live with some very patient people, thankfully. As I started to sort through what we had clipped, I thought about the elements of stories ~ people, places, nature ~ along with the visual elements needed for collage, such as shapes and textures.

Despite all that preparation and reflection, I was really nervous about pulling the first ephemera bundle together and even more nervous about sharing it. Again, I wondered: Is anybody out there?

what even is this?

As the clippings started to come together (more piles!), I had to think about how to share these. What are they exactly? How do they differ from all the papers that are being mass-produced? I started to think about the fact that I think the oddness of them is what might appeal to some people ~ they are curious finds for creatives. They are not just images, but typography as well. And words waiting for the right journal page. Or, maybe the wrong journal page? They are not meant to be precious. After all, many of the original sources were discarded. They are focal points and accents for journaling and collage ~ wherever your imagination takes you. And, if your imagination is stuck, then they are the perfect starting point to just get something on paper.

So, after all that, here they are! Each 5X8" bundle is one of a kind. Every curated clippings bundle contains a minimum of 60 pieces, in colour and black and white. Diagrams, charts, people, places, textures, sizes ~ a variety worth discovering. I really hope that there are creatives out there who will consider (re)using what has already been produced. Most of all, I hope these bundles inspire lots of unique art and crafting.

What do you think?