Free Vintage Flower Ephemera Giveaway: 10 Creative Art and Junk Journal Projects to Try
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Nature Meets Creativity: 10 Art and Junk Journal Projects Using Free Vintage Flower Ephemera
What's Inside:
Explore 10 creative junk journal and art journal projects using free vintage flower ephemera printables.
Download an exclusive set of printable floral tags and ATCs for your journals, scrapbooks, and mixed-media collages.
Learn versatile techniques to use botanical ephemera in journaling, scrapbooking, and paper crafting.
Why Vintage Botanicals Are Perfect for Your Journals
Vintage flower illustrations have a timeless charm that effortlessly bridges history and creativity. Their intricate lines, soft color palettes, and delicate details bring an authentic old-world feel to any project. Whether you’re a junk journaling enthusiast, a mixed-media artist, or a scrapbooker looking for new inspiration, botanical ephemera offers endless possibilities.
Today, I’m diving into 10 fresh ways to use vintage floral printables in your creative practice. These projects are perfect for beginners and seasoned journalers alike, offering quick wins and techniques that will make your pages bloom with character.
Free Printable Vintage Flower Ephemera Giveaway
Before we jump into the projects, I’ve put together a free set of vintage botanical printables for you to use!
This giveaway includes:
Two printable collage sheets featuring hand-drawn floral illustrations with birds and insects.
Sizes include:
A sheet of 2.5” x 3.5” ATCs (Artist Trading Cards)
A sheet of 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles, perfect for journal tags and layered collages
Scroll down to see previews of the printables and download them.
These designs are sourced from authentic vintage botanical illustrations and formatted for high-resolution printing, ideal for junk journals, art journals, scrapbooks, and more.
10 Art and Junk Journal Projects Using Free Vintage Flower Ephemera
Here are 10 inspiring ways to use these free floral tags and ATCs in your paper crafting projects.
1. Create Herbarium-Style Journal Pages
Botanical illustrations are perfect for herbarium-inspired spreads. Use the printables to mimic vintage plant specimen pages:
Glue the floral ephemera on aged or tea-stained paper.
Add handwritten labels for each flower with faux Latin names or notes.
Enhance the look by layering small bits of washi tape, stamps, or typed text to mimic archival tags.
Tip: Pair this with a pressed flower or leaf for a dimensional, tactile effect.
2. Use Them as Junk Journal Tag Inserts
The ATC-sized cards are the perfect size for junk journal tags. Tuck them into side pockets or envelopes in your journal for a delightful surprise element.
Back them with lined or grid paper so they double as journaling spots.
Punch a hole in the top and add lace or twine for a finished look.
These make wonderful decorative pieces that also serve a functional purpose.
3. Make Layered Collage Clusters
Vintage flower ephemera adds instant charm to collage clusters. Here’s how:
Layer one of the floral printables over old book text or sheet music scraps.
Add torn edges of kraft paper or handmade paper underneath for texture.
Finish with a postage stamp or wax seal to create ready-made embellishments you can glue anywhere in your journal or scrapbook.
2.5” x 3.5” ATCs
4. Turn Them Into Envelope Seals or Flap Decorations
Print the flowers smaller (50% scale) and fussy-cut them to create envelope embellishments.
Use them to decorate the flaps of handmade envelopes.
Use double-sided tape to make envelope stickers.
Perfect for pen pal letters, happy mail swaps, or sealing journal envelopes.
5. Build Botanical-Themed Scrapbook Layouts
If you enjoy scrapbooking, these floral illustrations make beautiful accents:
Use them as decorative corners around photos.
Create a vintage garden-themed layout by combining them with kraft or linen-textured papers.
Add dimension with foam adhesive squares to make layered elements pop.
This is an excellent way to tie together nature-inspired photo spreads.
6. Create Mini Botanical Booklets
Turn the smaller floral ephemera into charming mini booklets that can be tucked into journal pockets or used as standalone keepsakes.
Fold a strip of cardstock accordion-style and glue a different floral image onto each panel.
Add handwritten notes, tiny quotes about nature, or stamped accents on the blank spaces.
These mini booklets are perfect for interactive junk journal elements and can double as thoughtful gifts or happy mail inserts.
7. Design Botanical Tip-Ins and Flip-Outs
Tip-ins and flip-outs are a fantastic way to add interactive elements to journals.
Fold the edge of a floral rectangle printable and glue it to your journal margin to create a flip-out.
Hide a journaling area or quote underneath for a secret note feature.
This technique adds movement and depth to your spreads while keeping them functional.
8. Make Nature-Themed ATC Swaps
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are perfect for sharing your art with others. Use the floral ATC sheet to create nature-themed swaps:
Decorate each card with layered lace, text snippets, or postage stamps.
Sign and date the back to trade with fellow artists.
Even if you don’t trade, ATCs are a fun size for experimenting with collage and mixed media without committing to a full page.
9. Create Collaged Journal Covers or Divider Pages
Transform plain notebook covers or divider pages into lush botanical collages:
Arrange floral ephemera across the front cover in a scattered pattern.
Blend edges with gesso, watercolor washes, or ink splatters for a painterly effect.
Seal with matte gel medium for durability.
This technique instantly elevates inexpensive notebooks into vintage-inspired art journals.
10. Pair with Coordinating Ephemera for Garden-Themed Journals
Use these floral printables as the foundation for a themed junk journal:
Combine them with vintage bird illustrations, old seed catalog graphics, and insect ephemera (many of which are available as free printables on TheArtScavenger.com!).
Add fabric trims, lace, and garden-inspired charms to complete the theme.
This creates a cohesive, immersive nature-inspired journal perfect for spring or summer crafting.
1.5 x 2.5-Inch Journal Tags
Pair These Flowers with Other Free Printables
Looking for more free ephemera to coordinate with these floral designs? Try these from TheArtScavenger.com:
Mixing these elements creates beautiful layered pages that feel collected over time.
Final Thoughts: Let Your Journals Bloom
Botanical ephemera is endlessly versatile. It connects us to nature while adding elegant, timeless beauty to our pages. With these 10 project ideas and your free printable vintage flower sheets, you’ll have everything you need to bring a fresh burst of creativity to your junk journals, art journals, and scrapbooks.
Download your free vintage flower ephemera now and start crafting!
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
