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Easy and Cheap No-Commitment Way to Display Postcards, Art and Ephemera

I just moved into a new house. The walls are all freshly painted a sort of light khaki color. I actually like the color, which surprises me a bit. After over 10 years of being in the same place that was covered with holes (because I am terrible at estimating where I want to hang something) it was so nice to be in a place with smooth walls.

The problem is that it makes me a little paralyzed. I am afraid to hang anything because I know myself and I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. Also, I'm not really sure what I want to display. I want to put up different things than I had up before.

This is what inspired my No-Commitment Wall of Favorite Art and Ephemera.™

As you can imagine with my fear of commitment I have gotten heavily into Command Strip usage. So, I decided to use Command Strips to put up hooks and then display my favorite pieces from my collection along with other artwork I like. This way I can change it around whenever I feel like it and I can take the hooks down without leaving nail marks. Amazing!  So, my wall is like one big inspiration board.

My No-Commitment Wall so far.

In order to achieve this, I used some hard PVC Sleeves that I had for storing and protecting my postcard and ephemera collection. These are great things to have just for that reason alone. If you have ephemera or photos that are fragile or that mean a lot to you, sometimes just a soft sleeve isn't enough. These rigid archival sleeves protect them like crazy and BONUS, they are great to use for display.

Another cool bonus of this tactic is that the hard case makes it possible for you to create little collages or your favorite things. For example the letter with the Victorian scrap that I have in the bottom right-hand corner of the above image. That is just two separate things placed together, no gluing needed,

So, here's how you achieve it:

• Step One: Buy some Command Hooks you like or use Command Strips on ones you already have.
  
• Step Two:  Find some things you want to display and put them in the appropriate size hard plastic sleeves (now conveniently located in my shop).
  
• Step Three: Use binder clips to hang them from said hooks

That's it: You're done and when you decide to take them all down or move them around you'll have a wall free of holes or chipped paint. 

The only thing I wouldn't recommend displaying this way is originally painted items. The paint might end up sticking after a long period of time. I don't know this for sure - it's just a guess.

It'll be interesting to see how much my wall grows and what will be on it this time next year. Have fun and if you do this, share it with me on The Cedar Chest Facebook or Instagram page.

Ghost in the Woods

I bought this real photo postcard many years ago when I was still in California. I liked the image of the woman with the bonnet walking fast through the woods. It wasn't until over ten years later that I realized that I don't think there is a woman in a bonnet - and who wore a bonnet in 1925 anyway, but it is just an illusion made from the dark shadows of the creek in the background - or is it?

I still feel like I see her more clearly than the woods alone. She seems to be carrying something. Do you see her? Is it a person, an illusion or a ghost? Please tell me your opinion.

The Cedar Chest Blog Lives! Now on Instagram, too.

I have neglected this blog for too long. I could blame it on moving, but that was just part of it.  But, the good news is that I am now in a new home with a cleaner office and I am now going to (I swear) finally organize my large ephemera collection, which will include, of course, adding more beauties to the shop.

I also started an Instagram account for The Cedar Chest.  You can follow me on there are see pretty things almost daily. Here is a little sneak peek of what I have posted so far on Instagram. I hope to see you there!

The Design of this Tag is Perfection

This repair tag from Grand Electric Co. is the most favorite piece of ephemera I own. The design is sublime; the bright yellow, with nonly the deep black, every squiggle and font. Maybe one day I will blow it up into a poster. 

I wish I was friends with Aaron Draplin, because I think he would love this. Have you seen this Aaron?

Collections

I have been going through all my ephemera collections lately. You wouldn't know it by the quietness on this blog, but I have actually been immersed in my collections of vintage photos, postcards and ephemera.

I've been taking some pics as I discover little collections here and there. Here are some I've discovered. It's funny how you don't realize your collecting something sometimes until you see you've got several of a theme.  I like that.

I was pleased to discover I have a collection of Elephant Valentines.

I'm always attracted to photos of shops. I love to see the merchandise and displays.

This is a selection of the dance cards and dance programs I've collected. 

These photos are photos I've used in zines. They stand out to me amoungst the rest like they have day glo-paint. I am so familiar with them.

Using Vintage Christmas Cards for Christmas Decorations

I saw this image in the latest issue of Country Living and wanted to share it. I love how they use clothespins to attach some vintage (and not vintage) Christmas cards.

I see vintage postcards used as decor props in magazines all the time. If you need ideas of how to display your postcard collection my Pinterest board about it has lots of great ideas. Also, another fun way to display vintage postcards is to make a garland.

I've been adding a bunch of new vintage Christmas postcards to the shop. Most are over a hundred years. Check out the shop for some really lovely Christmas and New Years Vintage postcards and cards. More to be added soon!