Vintage ephemera isn’t always easy to work with. Many of the labels are quite large and it can be difficult to incorporate them into your layout without losing some of the key details of the label. Sometimes, you get lucky and the label can be just the right fit. Let’s take a look at a label I altered to fit my scrapbook layout.

Sometimes, I come across an item and it defines my whole page. Such was the case with this Sun Smile brand pear label. It’s perfect for documenting summer and sunshine. In my case, I wanted to use it to document a trip over the Sunshine Skyway bridge in Tampa, Florida.

When it comes to vintage labels, I try to identify the parts of it that I want to use. In this case, I want the sunshine but I really am not interested in the anchor or the text about the pears. I know those are areas I can cover with photos or embellishments.I can also cut them away.

Honestly, I wasn’t big on the title either. Sun Smile doesn’t really fit my story. I wanted to work the label title into my layout title. There are a few options. One is to cover the portion of the label title I don’t want. Occasionally, a little creative cutting will also do the trick.

I realized that I could cut apart the letters in smile to make the word shine instead. This required a gentle touch as labels are very delicate. Before cutting, I also chose to adhere the label to thin cardstock. It makes it a bit sturdier and less prone to tear.

I cut small sections of the letters as I worked. Once I was done, the background portion of the label beneath the letter was pretty damaged. I hid the damage by sliding a die cut card over the damaged space and layering the letters on top.

SunShine Skyway Bridge by Christy Strickler |Supplies Patterned Paper: Jenni Bowlin, My Mind’s Eye;Vintage Ephemera, German Foil: JBS Mercantile; Letters: Basic Grey; Enamel Dots: My Mind’s Eye; Die Cuts: Chic Tags; Other: tape

I covered the text about the pear with photos. I gently cut portions of the title and slid the photos underneath. After removing the anchor, I placed a photo of my son inside the circle. The label retains a block shape with the photos and embellishments placed on top. Consider the visual weight of the block( and the title and photos within it) as you place it on your 12×12 canvas. Place it so that the page feels balanced and the block feel as though it is anchored.

I was pretty lucky to be able to alter the title to fit the exact wording for my page. While this may not always be the case, examine label titles for the option to alter them to fit your story. When that’s not possible, simply cover the sections of the label that won’t work for you.

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