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I am addicted to paper ephemera, especially if it's vintage theme, but those little packages can sure mount up in cost. In the past I have downloaded free stuff, and I also have a lot of the clip art books with CD's, but the stuff on Etsy is really interesting and the quantity for the money is impressive. I ordered just two downloads; so I am just starting out.
If you have been an Etsy digital fan, do you have certain vendors you prefer? Any glitches in some downloads? Are you keeping track of your purchases to avoid duplication? Do you archive and organize the files on your computer or a CD? Got a preferred paper for printing, especially vintage photographs? Do you print out all the items that interest you or print only as needed? Anything else I've forgotten to ask?
The following 2 users liked this post by GypsyRoseStamper:
I am not into the traditional vintage. A lot of my Etsy fav sellers are fantasy, Kawaii, fashion. I can't help with Vintage. I am sorry.
I do own hundreds of thousands of files. I have been collecting for twenty plus years & used to be a designer. I do really have that many files.
There will always be glitches in downloads- Server Down, Traffic hiccup, maintenance, power outage at the server site, file corrupted on download or opening, etc... I never have had a problem if there is a glitch. The companies always gave me my downloads. Etsy will protect the buyer. You can purchase confidently.
Archiving- I backup my zip file to it's own portable hard drive. That is taken off of my computer & stored safely. If you have a Cloud drive you can do the same. You might have to pay a premium subscription for Cloud if you have a large number of files.
Once a year I backup all my files to a DVD. I know DVD's are not on computer's any more. I have an external DVD burner.
I do use Cloud server's from time to time. I just prefer offline copies. I keep everything in a fireproof safe box. A lot of times my backups are my own art work.
The files themselves are on another portable hard drive, organized by company & the collection. Then the collection is broken down into categories on how I use them for my art.
Individual files I have downloaded are archived by their type- photo, font, paper, etc... Then archived into categories. The file itself I will include the design name & a description that is easy for me to remember.
This must be so confusing. I have been organizing, archiving a loooong time. It's second nature to me. The best advice I can give is start by putting your files by Designer Name, Collection & then backup. After a few months you will start finding a system that works for you.
The ladies over at DigitalScrapbook (PixelScrapper) are a treasure trove for tips & excellent help for organizing files- https://www.digitalscrapbook.com/forums
I have heard some digi crafters are using the cheap USB sticks and they have a stick for each company-designer they buy from. Then they label them and keep them on a ring or box. Then they can pull out the USB and download what they need. I really thought about doing that. I tend to grab my collection and then pull out individual items from other categories I want to use. Example I will use an Echo Park collection. I have the perfect font I got from DaFont.com. I will grab that too. I like to have my files all together on one hard drive. I have large hard drives, plural.
Organizing digital's is like setting up a craft room. It really is like that. What works for one will not work for another. You will find your system.
I do not print out vintage photograph's. I know some of the vintage digi artists prefer matte photo paper. I tend to print out all my photo's on Epson Presentation Paper or Glossy/Satin Photo. Graphic'sFairy has really good info on printing digital photograph's.
Printing- I print out what interests me. I don't want to keep running back and fourth to my printers/computer when I am working. I use to print out as needed. I can say with certainty the things you printed out that you thought were needed that one important image is the one you did not print out.
If I don't use some of that collection after my project. I put it one of my photo boxes. I have baggies full of paper ephemera that I organize by categories. I am always digging in that box for things. It never goes to waste. I am using it in a later project.
If you have a good printer program or buying ink won't hurt your budget print out two of your image. You will be right back at your computer printing the one that you messed up because you glued it wrong or the tape went crazy or you accidentally got ink on your image. Something crazy will always happen.
HTH!
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Last edited by lylacfey; 02-09-2022 at 12:03 AM..
The following 2 users liked this post by lylacfey:
Wow! That is a heap of information! I will work on digesting it all. Just like with organizing a new craft room, it's a good idea to imagine your small needs at the beginning growing into a complex challenge. How many stampers started out with just a shoebox worth of stamps or dies . . . . .
I am printing your info out and will see what might work for me. Thank you for all the time you took to explain everything.
I’ve bought vintage digital images from several Etsy sellers with no issues. I don’t have favourites I go back to, I just find what I need when I need it! There are free resources too — one of the best I’ve come across is The Graphics Fairy(mentioned in all the great info from Lylacfey)she has lots of interesting photos, illustrations from old books etc. There is a Premium Membership option as well but I’ve never explored that.
My go to site for digitals is Etsy. I like My Porch Prints, Andiamo to name a couple shops,
I have an HP Envy 7155 and it does a good job printing on specialty papers (rice paper, tracing paper, photo acetate and canvas), as well as 80# cardstock. An added bonus is it prints double-sided copies on standard papers. I also subscribed to HP Instant ink which is great, They send replacement cartridges automatically when my supply starts to run low so I'm not without ink.
I did have one experience on Etsy where I purchased digital papers and then came to realize that the artwork was very poor quality and actually lifted from Pinterest - I was thankfully able to get my money back... so just beware that not every seller is honest. :(
My go to site for digitals is Etsy. I like My Porch Prints, Andiamo to name a couple shops,
I have an HP Envy 7155 and it does a good job printing on specialty papers (rice paper, tracing paper, photo acetate and canvas), as well as 80# cardstock. An added bonus is it prints double-sided copies on standard papers. I also subscribed to HP Instant ink which is great, They send replacement cartridges automatically when my supply starts to run low so I'm not without ink.
I have been curious about the cost of printing lots of digital designs. Do you find that printing background patterns on 8.5 x 11 paper is comparable to purchasing pads of paper? Of course, pads of paper can range from high end (Stamperia, G45 type) to low end (Michael's bogo type pads). Do you have a price per page estimate/range?
[QUOTE=TeriJ;22151799]I have been curious about the cost of printing lots of digital designs. Do you find that printing background patterns on 8.5 x 11 paper is comparable to purchasing pads of paper? Of course, pads of paper can range from high end (Stamperia, G45 type) to low end (Michael's bogo type pads). Do you have a price per page estimate/range?[/QUOTE
Lol, no sorry I don't... it doesn't really matter to me.
I purchase from many many Etsy and non Etsy sellers. They are all great quality.
I love vintage stuff. I make junk journals and use the digital items in those as well as all my other paper crafting projects.
Here is a link to my Etsy Favorites list. https://www.etsy.com/people/buggin2stamp?tab=shops
I store my files by shop name and then kit name. I usually check there before purchasing something.
I have double purchased in the past once or twice. Oops!
I have been curious about the cost of printing lots of digital designs. Do you find that printing background patterns on 8.5 x 11 paper is comparable to purchasing pads of paper? Of course, pads of paper can range from high end (Stamperia, G45 type) to low end (Michael's bogo type pads). Do you have a price per page estimate/range?[/QUOTE
Lol, no sorry I don't... it doesn't really matter to me.
.
Actually, my HP Instant Ink subscription is $11.99 printing 300 copies a month with rollover pages up to 900. When I break down the cost it comes to .04 cents per page.
I print on rice paper, tracing paper, book pages, and canvas.
As for using prints in a collage, I'd spray with a fixative to keep ink from bleeding before adding more mediums.
Oh, I'm doing a happy dance!!
I never knew that there were other ephemera keepers/collectors like me!
First up, I am a complete idiot when it comes to being a techie. I can read and send emails. Also, I can save SVG's. That's it!!
In the '70s thru the '90s, I would save or cut out of newspapers and magazines, flyers, anything paper.
Then we got a computer, but, living in the Death Valley area, no internet.
I started crafting finding bits and pieces of ephemera in craft shops. You know, Tim Holtz and Dover Books.
Moving ahead, I now buy old magazines, picture books, and dictionaries at library sales.
I also purchase old advertisements, handbooks, postcards, and inserts from old items off of Etsy.
As for the dictionaries, those just are the best. I stamp, paint, and collage with them.
I can't believe how many people just offer them to me, as long as I made something in return. I have made a framed piece that had the word "coffee" on it. I used coffee cup rings, cutouts from Starbucks, and coffee stamps and sentiments stamps about coffee. Glued a few beans on it . My friend liked it. She then went to her attic to look for more ephemera goodies for me.
I have been curious about the cost of printing lots of digital designs. Do you find that printing background patterns on 8.5 x 11 paper is comparable to purchasing pads of paper? Of course, pads of paper can range from high end (Stamperia, G45 type) to low end (Michael's bogo type pads). Do you have a price per page estimate/range?
TeriJ- I know you asked about the cost of printing and quality to Bohodiva. I hope it's ok to chime in.
You can get the same quality of prints with a good printer and good paper that you get with Graphic 45 or Stamperia. The only paper I haven't got a close match to is Carta Bella. I know I can. I just haven't had time to hunt down the type of paper they use.
Like Bohodiva I don't worry about the price either. I have my HP Ink program. My Canon that I do buy ink for I buy the big ink cartridges and they last me a long time. I print out a lot on all my printers. I am frugal. I really get irked when I pay a premium price for "high end" paper and it's printed wrong or the quality is not up to my standards. I might be frugal but I am nitpicky about paper quality. I don't care if I paid $1 for it or $20 I want it to fit my exact standards.
I understand that a lot of people interested in digitals are looking at price per page. I really do understand that. When working with digital the mindset, IMO, should be what kind of quality do I want? I do save a lot of money with this mindset. I know you are all looking at your ink draining down, lol. I am thinking "Yes, I got this print in vellum and saved $4.00 & it's exactly how I wanted- size, color, special effects, etc... I have given away so much paper over the years because it's not my style. I have never ever given away a digital paper after I printed. I do print and keep in stash. The paper I have given away I always feel like it was such a waste. I could have bought more Epson Presentation Paper for what I spent to give away on pattern paper.
Oh, I'm doing a happy dance!!
I never knew that there were other ephemera keepers/collectors like me!
I loved your post. I am the same collecting ephemera.
I have been collecting since the 1970's too. Sadly I don't have a lot of those pieces. I was a young girl then. I have been collecting that long.
I love the hunt finding new ephemera. I love fussy cutting. I love just looking at my piles of new ephemera I cut out. I have a little box on my desk & I just leave the ephemera in there for a week to admire it. I am always digging in that box to make something.
Nothing makes me happier than my boxes upon boxes of ephemera I have cut out and collected over the years.
This week I printed, stamped & fussy cut out all sorts of cute things from packaging, magazines & books. It is so inspiring to me.
My Mom always tells this funny story of when I was a toddler my Dad couldn't find his brand new magazine. I was setting there happily tearing up the magazine with a little pile of pretty pictures next to me. My Mom said I have been a little monster about this ever since, lol. One of the rare compliments she game me.
Digital Ephemera
