Hi.  My name is Kelli.  And I'm a paper ephemera addict.

I have dozens of boxes stashed away, filled to the brim with scraps and bits and nonesense that I just can't bear to part with (even though I think the hubbers says he will never, EVER move them again) .  The past few days I've been sifting through, amazed at the utter random-ocity of my collection.'

So naturally, I thought I'd share some of that with you.


 Receipts, tickets, sugar packets, maps, a phone card, kinder egg leavin's - from Italy, London and Paris.  No little detail was too mundane to overlook.  Even the sugar seemed happier across the pond.







A high school friend and I used to swap plain folders during the classes we had together, and create complicated doodles for each other.  We've since lost touch, but I kept my folders.  I wonder if she has hers?





I buy old postcards at flea markets.  Boring postcards.  I love 'em.  (Don't judge me.)






Train tickets from a summer class I took in Orvieto, Italy.  Yeah, I went shopping in Florence.  A lot.






One of the first photos I've ever taken with a manual SLR.  High school beginning photo class!





A random polaroid from freshman year in college.  I dont' know who this is, why I shot it or why I've since KEPT it, but there it is.  But I do recognize that as the tangled mess of cords beneath my desk.







A page from a scrapbook I have virtually no memory of compiling. I recognize (vaguely) everything inside, but WHEN did I make this??  Creepy.




This is the stuff that makes me really happy.  Each little scrap is a memory (if only a partial, fuzzy one....).  It probably makes me a weirdo, but I'm comfortable with that.  It's my freak flag, and I'll fly it proudly.  : P




{ do you keep these kinds of things? }








11 notes

  1. Diana Mieczan on October 7, 2010 at 12:49 PM

    So glad that I am not the only one who loves keeping cards and train tickets as a memory...I love this!!!
    hahah..I love that college polariod too:)

    Kisses and have a great day

    Ps: I got a paper from post office saying that tomorrow I can pick up my package....YAY!!!...I cant wait..I am so excited...yuppie..

     
  2. T@PoppyPlacePdx on October 7, 2010 at 1:15 PM

    Your no a weirdo at all :)

    It is wonderful that you have done this. It isn't necessary that you remember everything but I bet everything you see and touch you get a feeling, you sense the importance.

    I have to admit I do this too. I have kept it to about 5 boxes but I have letters from friends too(Yep, I'm that old! He! He!)

    The postcards, are gorgeous :)

    Have a lovely day, non weirdo :) T.

     
  3. yourstrulydear on October 7, 2010 at 2:50 PM

    i love this. i keep lots of random tickets and little papers that i like as well. i need to get some little boxes to keep these stored. i love your collection my dear :]

     
  4. ana on October 7, 2010 at 7:56 PM

    oh my. what a wonderful collection! you could definitely scan them all in, high quality and use them for graphics ::snort snort::, that totally sounded pixel-dorky. i really love the post cards! & the school-doodles. a friend and i used to do something similar, but we'd have to add to whatever the previous person drew. hah. :)

     
  5. Janet Mazorie on October 7, 2010 at 9:25 PM

    I don't really keep stuff like this but I totally understand. My boyfriend loves-loves to keep tickets and things of that nature. God forbid I throw one out...even a movie stub! But I think it is nice to have things for memories and knowing me I'd probably never remember it without keeping the stubs.

     
  6. Leia on October 8, 2010 at 2:06 AM

    This kind of stuff makes me really happy as well :) I keep it all in a wicker basket in my room!

    Leia

     
  7. Unknown on October 8, 2010 at 7:14 AM

    i initially keep things - and have intentions of putting it in a 'scarpbook' - but never happens - so i end up throwing it all away - i'm really not "all" that sentimental .. yea come to think of it - i really don't keep much of sentimental things - cards, tickets, notes, ect - all go in the garbage .. OPPS!

    PS --> ~Join In on the Necklace Give-Away Here~

    *kiss kiss*
    Erika @ ~Tiptoe Butterfly~

     
  8. My Life Under the Bus on October 8, 2010 at 9:48 AM

    LOL !!! I am laughing at the random photo of you-don't-remember-who!!! I HATE that I always feel like I'm in early stage Alzheimers when I can't remember a picture. Although I do enjoy the vintage postcard IMMENSELY !!! Evrything seems more exotic from elsewhere doesn't it?

     
  9. Anonymous on October 8, 2010 at 11:03 AM

    I'm not quite as bad as you...I mean, I don't keep receipts, but I keep nearly everything else. Tickets to plays, napkins from planes, brochures. Plus, touristy gift shops must have been made for people like me. I NEED a coffee cup or a water bottle or a magnet or a pin from every cool place I go. Most of the time I'm fine with it - I mean, I don't think I'm ever going to go to the Virgin Islands again, so I'd like to be able to remember the time I did go every time I use the water bottle I got there. But it gets a little ridiculous when I buy a magnet that says "oregon coast". I go there once a month, pretty sure I don't need to commemorate it on my refrigerator.

     
  10. Tania on October 10, 2010 at 7:19 PM

    oh dude...i totally do the same thing!

     
  11. Holly Knitlightly on October 12, 2010 at 12:46 PM

    What an awesome post! I keep a ton of things too! Haha. I never know what to do with them. The folder is great, I used to do something similar with my friends too!