Ephemera & Artisan Supply
We are a bookstore. Which means we have a particular abundance of something that paper crafters, junk journalers, collage artists, and mixed media makers have always hunted for — beautiful, literary, aged, storied paper. Welcome to our supply shop.
Ephemera is the name for paper that was made for another purpose — book pages, letters, sheet music, maps, ledger pages, postcards — and has since become material for something new. The word comes from the Greek for "lasting only a day." The irony is that these things last forever, because artists keep finding new life for them.
As a bookstore, we are uniquely positioned to offer paper with genuine literary character. Our book page collections come from books too damaged to sell, books that fell apart at the spine, and excess stock — nothing we sell was torn from a book anyone wanted to read. Every page has texture, typeface, and history that manufactured craft paper simply can't replicate.
Alongside our own book-sourced materials, we carry artisan supplies, kits, and tools for junk journaling, collage, altered art, decoupage, bookbinding, and mixed media work of all kinds.
"The most interesting thing about a page from an old book isn't the words on it — it's the texture, the smell, the evidence of another life that once held it."The philosophy behind every junk journal
Six sub-categories, each with its own character. Browse them in order or jump to what you need. Every product listing links directly to our store checkout.
Loose pages from real books — novels, encyclopedias, dictionaries, poetry collections, atlases, and more. Each page carries genuine age, typeface character, and the particular warmth of paper that has spent decades in someone's hands. These are the foundation of junk journaling, collage, and altered art.
We source our book pages from books that are beyond repair — damaged spines, water-stained covers, pages already loose. Nothing in our supply shop came from a book anyone could still read and enjoy.
Book Pages & Text Paper
Add your products to this category in Mage-OSJunk journaling is the art of making handmade books from layered, mixed, and repurposed papers — book pages, fabric scraps, washi tape, vintage images, pockets, tags, and anything else that catches your eye. The result is a deeply personal, deeply beautiful object that looks like nothing you could buy.
This is one of the fastest-growing paper crafts in the world right now. If you've never tried it, our beginner section below is a good place to start. If you're experienced, our supply packs are curated with the serious junk journaler in mind.
Junk Journal Supplies
Add your products to this category in Mage-OSCurated collections of vintage-style loose paper pieces — labels, postcards, botanicals, tickets, tags, illustrations, and more. Ephemera packs are designed for layering, collaging, and embellishing journals and mixed media work. Each piece is intended to be cut out, arranged, and glued into a composition.
We carry themed packs (botanical, literary, Southern, seasonal, vintage travel) as well as general mixed assortments. Many are produced by local and regional makers — ask us about what's in stock.
Ephemera Packs
Add your products to this category in Mage-OSCollage is the art of combining materials from different sources — paper, fabric, paint, photography, found objects — into a unified composition. Mixed media expands this further, layering paints, inks, and dimensional materials onto a paper or canvas base. These are among the most expressive, accessible, and forgiving art forms there are.
This category holds everything that bridges paper and paint: specialty papers, cardstock, stickers, rubber stamps, ink pads, washi tape, and cut-out ephemera books designed specifically for collage.
Collage & Mixed Media
Add your products to this category in Mage-OSBookbinding is the craft of making books by hand — sewing paper signatures together, attaching them to covers, and creating objects meant to be written in, drawn in, or worked on for years. An altered book takes an existing book and transforms it: adding pockets, painting over pages, cutting windows, embedding objects.
As a bookstore, this category is particularly close to our heart. We carry bookbinding supplies, blank journal bases, and the materials you need to make or alter a book from scratch.
Bookbinding & Altered Books
Add your products to this category in Mage-OSDecoupage is the art of decorating surfaces — furniture, pots, frames, trays, boxes — by gluing cut or torn paper onto them and sealing the result. The word is French for "cutting out." It's one of the oldest and most satisfying paper crafts, and book pages make exceptionally beautiful decoupage material.
This category covers the sealants, adhesives, and specialty papers used in decoupage and general paper crafting — from Mod Podge to tissue paper packs to decoupage medium in matte and gloss finishes.
Decoupage & Paper Craft
Add your products to this category in Mage-OSTwenty Things You Can Make
With Book Pages Alone
One bundle of book pages. Dozens of possible projects — from a five-minute beginner craft to a weeks-long art project. Here's a taste of what paper crafters are making with book-sourced materials right now.
"There is something genuinely moving about an object made from pieces of other objects. The book that became a flower. The map that became a pocket. The page that became a journal. Each one carries a kind of memory forward."On the appeal of ephemera crafting
We teach junk journaling, collage, decoupage, and altered book techniques downstairs at the Makers' Basement. If you'd rather learn alongside someone than figure it out alone, that's what we're here for.
See Classes →You don't need experience, expertise, or a lot of supplies to start. Most people who love this craft started exactly where you are — curious, a little overwhelmed, and not sure which end to pick up first. Here's the path.
Paper crafting has its own language. Here are the terms you'll encounter most often — demystified.
- Ephemera
- Paper made for another purpose that has since become craft material — book pages, tickets, letters, labels, postcards. The word comes from the Greek for "lasting only a day," which is why it's so ironic that crafters preserve it forever.
- Junk Journal
- A handmade book assembled from repurposed and mixed materials — book pages, fabric, found paper, washi tape, tags, and ephemera. The "junk" is intentional: the beauty comes from the imperfection of the materials.
- Signature
- A folded stack of paper that forms one section of a hand-sewn book. Multiple signatures, stitched together, become the pages of a junk journal or hand-bound book.
- Altered Book
- An existing book that has been transformed into an art object or functional journal — with painted pages, added pockets, cut-away windows, and layered materials. The original book becomes the structure; the artist fills the space.
- Decoupage
- The craft of decorating an object's surface by gluing cut or torn paper to it and sealing the result with a clear medium. Book pages make exceptionally beautiful decoupage material because of their texture and type character.
- Mixed Media
- Art that combines materials from more than one category — typically paper with paint, ink, fabric, or three-dimensional elements. The phrase distinguishes this work from "pure" drawing or painting.
- Collage
- An image or composition created by assembling pieces of paper, fabric, or other materials onto a surface. The word is French for "gluing." Collage is the technique; mixed media is the broader category it often belongs to.
- Gesso
- A white preparation medium applied to a surface before painting or mixed media work. In altered books, gesso is applied over existing text to create a neutral base for layering. It can be used thickly for texture or thinned to a wash.
- Tuck Spot / Pocket
- A design element in a junk journal where a piece of paper is partially glued down to create a hidden slot for tucking small pieces of ephemera, journaling cards, or tags. An envelope glued by three sides becomes a pocket; one side becomes a tuck spot.
- Washi Tape
- A decorative paper tape from Japan, typically semi-transparent with printed patterns. It is repositionable, writes on easily, and is used throughout junk journaling and collage work to hold, frame, and embellish. Available in hundreds of patterns.
Are You an Ashling Artisan?
We sell the supplies. But we also sell the finished work — and we're always looking for talented makers to join the Ashling Artisan program. If you create work using paper, book pages, ephemera, or any of the materials in this shop, we want to hear from you. Location is no barrier. We accept artisans anywhere in the country.
Ashling Artisans sell their work through our online store and, for makers in driving distance of Toccoa, through our physical shelves. Whether you're a junk journal maker, a collage artist, a bookbinder, or a decoupage creator — if your work is beautiful and thoughtfully made, there's a place for it here.
You Don't Have to Sell to Belong Here.
The Ashling Artisan program is for makers who want to sell. But this community is for everyone who loves making things — whether you give your work away, keep it for yourself, or are still figuring out what you're doing.
If you've bought supplies from us and made something you're proud of — even if it's your very first junk journal and it's lopsided and wonderful — we want to see it. Share it. Tag us. Tell us what you made and what you used. That's community, and that's what this shop is here to build.
See the section below for how to share your makes with the [ash-ling] community on Instagram and Pinterest.
Resident and Studio Makers already have selling privileges as part of their membership. The Artisan program is specifically for remote makers and those not enrolled in a studio membership.
Learn About Makers' Basement →Questions? Come Find Us.
Whether you need help choosing your first supplies, want to know what's currently in stock, or are looking for a specific type of book page — we're at 47 Doyle Street in Historic Toccoa, and we love talking about this stuff.