Scrap Vintage | Ledger Papers

 

One of my very favorite items often included in the JBS Mercantile Antiquarian add-ons are vintage ledger and lined papers. These lovely aged sheets often have detailed graphics and logos, classic fonts and even actual handwriting upon them. And because of the lines and grids, they are perfect for journaling!

Most of these papers are yellowed with age, and while I love that patina on certain layouts, on this page I wanted to add a bit more color.  I started with several old papers from past kits and JBS stamp pads in Chewing Gum and Lavender Sachet, a Chewing Gum Reinker (not pictured), and a Ranger Mini Mister.

After punching the papers with a circle punch, I sprayed half of them with watered-down Chewing Gum Ink (add about 10 drops of ink to Mini Mister and then fill halfway with water). While still wet, I dabbed some of the circles directly on the pink ink pad to add even more color. For the lavender circles, I first misted them lightly with plain water and then rubbed them onto the Lavender Sachet ink pad. This creates a more mottled, watercolor effect.

Once my colored circles were dry, I layered them (along with circles punched from an old index card) across the bottom of my page.  A few lines of stitching helps hold them in the place:
   Topped with a few JBS Pearl Flowers, the colored paper circles create a lovely textured effect on the bottom half of my page:

I also used an aged graph paper to create a journaling circle and a tag, where I stamped my title using the JBS Alpha Stamps. I filled in the letters with pink and lavender ink markers to match my color scheme and added chipboard hearts rubbed with the Chewing Gum and Lavender Sachet inks.

 

I love the colorful results a bit of ink adds to these papers.  So don't be afraid to mix up your antique stash with brighter hued supplies.  It's a great way to customize your page and add fresh twist to vintage!