Jessie is a wife and new mother who crafts and runs two Etsy shops in her spare time. In the following interview, we talk about here affinity for crafting with ephemera and found objects.
ephemera: How did you become interested in crafting with ephemera?
Jessie: Although I've been crafting using found objects since I was a little girl, I had something of a renaissance toward the end of my college career when I discovered Craftster.org, a site where users showcase their craft projects. As I began to see all the different ways found and vintage objects could be used in crafting, I put myself on the lookout for ephemera among other things, and I started coming up with my own projects. Plus, it gave me an excuse to do more garage sale and thrift store shopping!
ephemera: Your craft items are lovely. What challenges or obstacles do you encounter working with ephemera? How do you overcome these challenges?
Jessie: Well, there's the ever-present problem of hoarding and over-buying common to all crafters. But, beyond that, I occasionally find it difficult to determine whether or not I should really tear up, cut up, or otherwise "destroy" my ephemera. I wouldn't want to incorporate any truly rare or valuable ephemera into my items. When in doubt, I go with my gut, and on occasion, do a little internet research.
ephemera: The reuse and re-purposing of ephemera—items which clearly don't have collectible or historic value—is something I personally applaud. What are some of your favorite items that you've created?
Jessie: I love making my yearbook stickers. It's so much fun to go through the old photos and pick out the wildest hair and glasses! I also love my vintage book journals. There are so many great titles out there just begging to be remade as journals. I wish I had more things to write down so I'd have an excuse to keep more of them.
ephemera: What resources do you recommend to people interested in doing the same sort of thing?
Jessie: I get inspired looking at what others have created and what they've used to create. Finding other artists on Etsy and browsing projects on sites like Craftster show me new techniques and really get my creative juices flowing.
ephemera: Thank you, Jessie.
