Collecting beautiful vintage graphics from the Victorian era of the late nineteenth century has become a passion for me and I’m always seeking copyright free photos, trade cards and postcards to add to my growing collection of ephemera.
There’s just something so alluring about the flamboyant typography and hand penned illustrations of that era that make my heart beat a little faster.
So….. when I was searching my collection for an image to create a vintage bookplate for my new journal, I stumbled upon these lovely cherubs and knew that with a little bit of tweaking and adding in a frame, they’d be perfect. Aren’t they just adorable!!
I loved them…. but I originally had a floral bookplate in mind, so created a second option with a few pretty roses floating in the background.
Now they looked thoroughly romantic and are perfect for a vintage journal.
Do you add a bookplate inside your journal covers?
Bookplates, also known as ex libris (meaning ‘from the library of’), have been used since the 15th century and often included a coat of arms, a crest or custom artwork.
As I mostly use my journals for writing in or as art journals, I use bookplates to identify them as mine and to date them….. who knows, maybe they will be passed on when I’m gone.
I’ve not seen a bookplate quite like these before…. which for me, makes them even more appealing.
In a market flooded with graphics and re-worked vintage, I strive to be different to others when I’m designing and although these bookplates were initially created for my own use, I thought that perhaps you might appreciate ‘something a little bit different’ too.
I added in a more standard rectangle shaped bookplate as well and have created a printable collage sheet containing five bookplates.
It’s available as a free download PDF in both A4 and letter size.
How to Download the Vintage Bookplates
I’ve added the Vintage Bookplates printable to my newsletter subscribers Free Printables Library, as the monthly freebie.
Don’t forget, the NEW password is on the latest newsletter email and will also be in the email going out today.
If you are not yet a Shabby Art Boutique newsletter subscriber, that’s okay…. you can subscribe to my newsletter here to gain access to the library of free printables.
I send out a newsletter email two to three times a month and your subscription comes with FREE unlimited access to the Member’s Printable Library.
To make my bookplates, I simply printed the page on matte photo paper, cut them out and lightly inked the edges. I used my corner punch on some of them too.
These are 300 dpi graphics and can therefore be resized, if you’d prefer your bookplates to be smaller.
PIN for later ~ thank you!
Happy crafting my friends!
Hugs
♥
Kerryanne
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LOVE these! It would be lovely to have them as regular book plates or as empty graphic to use as gift tag or whatever we choose. Thank you!!!
Hi Wendy, unfortunately it wasn’t my intention to make something specifically for my blog readers…. these were for my own personal use with journals, but I thought maybe other journal makers might enjoy them too. 🙂
Thank you, they are lovely.
I’m so glad you like them Tracy. Hope you can use them in a journal 🙂
Hi Kerryanne, from a fellow Aussie can I take this opportunity to tell you that I have spent countless hours searching the internet and some money on purchasing Victoriana materials for journaling. I have not been long at it and have yet to finish my first journal which is a prayer journal, but I have never come across a site a beautiful as yours. The free printables really are free and the quality is to die for. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I don’t think I need search the internet any more, I have found my most loved site. Thank you for your generosity of heart in sharing your wonderful talent with so many. If I could put in a request, as I am in the process of trying to strengthen my faith (hence the prayer journal first), could we possibly have a few angels, crosses, you know the kind of art work that would suit the Christians in the same space as I am. Thank you again. Enjoy your seaside, I live in Sale which is not to far from the ocean but due to my mobility issues, I rarely if ever get to go…… Much love and hope for brightness and light to shine on your path. Rose.
Hi Rose,
Welcome to Shabby Art Boutique. I’m glad that you found your way here and that you are enjoying the free printables.
Good luck with your first journal 🙂
Happy crafting,
Kerryanne