From an Old Schoolbook:"Safety First"

It's fun dipping into our archives and finding something we'd never seen before online. Here's another example of what you can expect from us in future. And it's our pleasure to share with others our strange and varied collections of oddments of ephemera.
Happy Creativity!
Rose McG

Click on an image for its

largest size(s)

"Safety First"

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

What All Young Athletes Are Wearing

I found this thumbing through the pages of a now extinct athletic journal. Isn't it quaint? I couldn't resist its charm! I'm even tempted to alter it for one of the journals I keep. Her expression is so outdated, and the clothing is so beyond retro! Lots of fun with this one!
Happy Creativity!
Rose McG

Click on any one of our images for 

larger size(s)

Athletic Wear Ad

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Sheet Music Memories: The Romance Era

Dear Friends: We are just as happy as can be you like our designs here at PPS. There's just one thing, however, we would like to share before it is too late. The designs you see here, prior to our changeover to better settings for our scanner and equipment, programs, etc., may well have been faulty from the start. This error is now being corrected. However, it may not be correctable in all cases. This particular offering has been found to be faulty for printing. It may, however, still be used via digital art-making, just not as a print-worthy option. Please see our newest and upgraded selectios, all of which will be noticeable via the "Download HERE " or "Downloadable Version HERE" phrases. New to our site? Do be selective with your choices. As we are in the process of changing our lineup for you all, it may yet take some time to come full circle to give our best.

Thank You

Sincerely,

Your Friends at The Studio
We thought these old songs would be fun to use in collage work, scrapbooking, ATC's--you name it. And aren't they kitschy, funny and cute? Kinda sweet, really. Just right for a little valentine or three.
Happy Creativity!
Rose McGuinn

Click on an image for its larger size(s)

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Pretty Papers for Your Artwork

Dear Friends: We are just as happy as can be you like our designs here at PPS. There's just one thing, however, we would like to share before it is too late. The designs you see here, prior to our changeover to better settings for our scanner and equipment, programs, etc., may well have been faulty from the start. This error is now being corrected. However, it may not be correctable in all cases. This particular offering has been found to be faulty for printing. It may, however, still be used via digital art-making, just not as a print-worthy option. Please see our newest and upgraded selections, all of which will be noticeable via the "Download HERE" or "Downloadable Version HERE" phrases. New to our site? DO be selective with your choices. As we are in the process of changing our lineup for you all, it may yet take some time to come full circle to give our best.

We are sorry for the inconvenience and hope to do better in future.

Thank You

The Studio
I found one of the prettiest patterns imaginable this morning hidden between a book and its cover. Consider it the book's lingerie, if you will. I then changed out its color a few times for you, leaving a few flaws to play with at your leisure. I'll give you the existing color  first, followed by candy colors--see it as wallpaper for a greeting card, a valentine's cover, an ATC's background or detailing. I may have to try some of these myself!
Happy Creating!

Click on an image for its larger size(s)

The Original Book Liner

Green

 Bluebell

Lilac

Rose

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

You are free to:

make art with these for fun or profit

provided you will credit our work

(a link to our site shows us that you care)

You are not free to:

Repackage any of these for sale.

Thank you 

for respecting our gift to the public.

Old Typewriter Graphics

Just My Type
Here we have a lovely old diagram of the various kinds of typewriters available into the 1940's, along with descriptions of the parts. They look even more old fashioned to me today than ten years ago. I just love that clunky look. And typing one of them was a chore. Remember changing out or inking ribbons? I think that most of us would take a computer over one of these any day!
Happy Creativity!

Click on an image for its larger size(s)

Typewriters in Diagram

Credits:

Image scanned by Plush Possum Studio

from existing stock in the Studio's archives.

You are free to:

use the above graphics in artwork

for fun or for profit.

You are not free to:

sell them in sets or as is.

Thank you for helping me to

keep free things free!

In the Swim Ladies In Color

I like this one for its fresh color palette and pretty facial expressions. Ultra feminine and cute.

I've supplied a regular background with its original patina, along with one I touched up to white for your use. They'd be great attached to other bodies. Once fully embellished, that could be really unique!

Happy Creating!

Rose McGuinn

Click on an image for its largest version(s).

Swimming Caps in Color

and one with a white background

Note:

The above images are from an

earlier post here at PPS.

The quality isn't up to my current standards.

That being said,

here is my Guideline for this one.

You are free to:

use the above images in artwork

that is intended to be either given or sold.

You are not free to:

ever use them in sets made by you

and which are intended for sale.

Thank you

for helping me to 

keep free things free!

The Play's the Thing: Romantic Clip Art for Collage,etc.

We're having a little fun today here in the studio and wanted you to benefit. First, we have a set of Graphics sheets culled from our library of Antique Ephemera, with the theme of the plays of long ago. One is quite old, dating back who knows how long. It's an old French story from the Comedie Francaise, an old and cherished tradition. Our second contains quotes from everybody's favorite, William Shakespeare (spelled "Shakspeare" in the book). Both books lack copyright. Our Shakespeare one looks right out of the 1870's, while the French play one comes out of the earlier part of the 20th century.
I love the golden brown discoloration due to age and the smell and the feel of all those old books we treasure.
We hope you'll find many fun ways to use today's free clip art!

Click on your chosen image for 

best resolution (in largest format)

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Romance and Proposing Gallants

Here we have two scenes from another volume of Thackeray's works.With romance on everybody's mind this time of year, we thought we'd offer you two new ones to be used any way you choose. Aren't they interesting? I get a kick out of the scene where an appalled woman stands with her cane firmly planted. Very cute.
Happy Creativity from our home studio to yours!
The Plush Possum

Click on an image for its larger size(s)

The Rose and the Ring

Flat Rebellion

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

FREE ORIGINALS SUNDAY: Hearts Within Hearts + Fun Frame Graphics for you to use!

Dear Friends: We are just as happy as can be you like our designs here at PPS. There's just one thing, however, we would like to share before it is too late. The designs you see here, prior to our changeover to better settings for our scanner and equipment, programs, etc., may well have been faulty from the start. This error is now being corrected. However, it may not be correctable in all cases. This particular offering has been found to be faulty for printing. It may, however, still be used via digital art-making, just not as a print-worthy option. Please see our newest and upgraded selectios, all of which will be noticeable via the "Download HERE " or "Downloadable Version HERE" phrases. New to our site? DO be selective with your choices. As we are in the process of changing our lineup for you all, it may yet take some time to come full circle to give our best.

We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to bring you better products in future.

Thank You

Sincerely

Your Friends at The Studio
Here at our studio, we like to play with all these images until they become a whole new way of expressing ourselves. It's just like being a kid with a whole new, fresh box of crayons to use!
Today's theme should take us right on into Valentine's Day, with its warm tones and graceful lines. Wherever possible, I will include a brush producer's name, along with their web address.
We hope our first offering will please you and give you a lift.
While they are FREE  to be used, we respect others' rights when blogging and using the works of others. We'd appreciate the same thought for our team here when others use our fresh works. Works like these have never been published before. Please respect our point of origin if you use anything here by crediting our web address along with any links applicable.

In other words, they are for home use alone and not for sale.

Please try and check out the following two LINKS for artful brushes of all kinds:

Obsidian Dawn

and

Magical Viper



The finished images you see below are
©Plush Possum Studio

Click on any chosen image for larger view(s)

here's something for your own embellishment

and something simpler for you to play with

Another Frame

And two hearts for the finale!

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

"Lovers' Retreat": Stereoscopic Viewpoint

This is just another of the fun finds to be had from our collection of freebies for our readers. Found at a thrift store, it cost all of 15 cents! I got a good chuckle at the checkout.

Happy Creativity!

Rose McGuinn

Click on an image for expanded size(s)

"Lovers' Retreat" Stereoscopic Viewer card #1029

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Seed Ephemera with Fun, Free ATC Backgrounds for you to use!

NOTE: Upgraded Version currently unavailable. We hope to have it ready for use next month. Thank you for hanging in there for us during this transition.These seeds caught my eye today. I just love their colors, textures, and the detail included. Couldn't you see the seeds in their groupings as backgrounds for ATC's? I just love that idea! So I'm including two cropped singles of my favorites for you out of the same illustration for that purpose. Also, I could see the Butterflies we just put up yesterday as working in the same colorway. Might be fun to combine the two within the same pages of, say, your visual journal or altered book!

Click on an image for its largest size(s)

Seed Illustration

(whitened background)

same illustration

(yellowy background)

ATC from detail

ATC #2 from detail

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Free Butterfly Ephemera

{Coming SOON: New Upgraded Versions!}The beauty of a butterfly captures attention on a cold wintry day.  Maybe it's the longing for spring air and green things growing, or maybe the colors and brightness make us dream of wide open spaces. These images come to us out of the 1901 reprint of W.J. Holland's "The Butterfly Book," a masterful volume full of sage advice on the study of butterflies of North America. There are many other lovely images like this one in our current collection, but we hope to keep updating our files over time.
Included with the usual imagery, we've added an enhanced version of one of our favorites from this page. We hope you'll find lots of uses for these images.
Happy Creativity!
Plush Possum Studio

Click on images for full resolution.

BUTTERFLIES

Plate VIII  

with tissue veil

and without the veil

A single

Enhanced

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Three Vintage Ladies

Vintage Fashion Graphic
Aren't they chic? So spruce in their pretty new clothes! Don't you just wish that you could step back in time to dress like one of them? They are from a book which lost its copyright in the 1940's.
Happy Creativity!

Click first on any image you see below for its enlarged version(s).

Vintage Fashion Models

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

You are free to:

use this image in artwork that is either given or shared,

but

please do not sell it to anybody.

Please respect our gifts for the public's use.

Thank you.

Wednesday Evening's Free Ephemera-for fun!

This comical scene is taken out of a book by William Makepeace Thackeray, circa 1859, in its 1884 printing here. I love the way he looks so jaunty and dignified, while she would appear to have feelings too strong for words.
Happy Creativity!
Rose McGuinn, editor.

Click on images for largest sizes offered.

Thackeray's Lovers

Original Patina and Texture

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

Free Advertising Ephemera

Dear Friends: We are just as happy as can be you like our designs here at PPS. There's just one thing, however, we would like to share before it is too late. The designs you see here, prior to our changeover to better settings for our scanner and equipment, programs, etc., may well have been faulty from the start. This error is now being corrected. However, it may not be correctable in all cases. This particular offering has been found to be faulty for printing. It may, however, still be used via digital art-making, just not as a print-worthy option. Please see our newest and upgraded selectios, all of which will be noticeable via the "Download HERE " or "Downloadable Version HERE" phrases. New to our site? Do be selective with your choices. As we are in the process of changing our lineup for you all, it may yet take some time to come full circle to give our best.

We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to being you our best with this one shortly.

Thank You

Sincerely,
Your Friends at The Studio
These I found in an old magazine about athletics. They seemed comical enough I had an idea to use them as collage pieces. They are a stunning example of how times change, and people with them. Already, I can think of three uses for each one, including making a mockup of the posture doll out of the various papers offered here. A few brads later, and she might be a puppet. Who knows what else I'll come up with here?
I've included a cropped image from this first ad, along with one of the first of the two posture model dolls here for you.
Happy Creativity!
Yours at Plush Possum Studio
Rose McGuinn, editor

Click on an image for enlargement.

"PDQ" Advertisement

Posture Model Advertisement

Posture Model Doll

Male Advertising Figure

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

A Fun, Colorful Bit of Postal Ephemera

This one may be chipped, so to speak, but I just loved the name and bold letters of the design. This time, 3 views will be available for free here, one of the original card front, one of its reverse side, and then one I did a little cleaning up around for those wishing to lose the background so they might choose a letter more easily.Happy Sunday, and Happy Creativity!
The Plush Possum

Click on an image for the larger versions.

Front

Reverse

Letters Only

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

While this is one of our earlier posts, some rules still would apply:

You are free to:

use the above images in artwork for fun or profit.

You are not free to:

repackage them in any way for sale.

Please respect our gift for the public's use.

Thank you.

"Charming" Snake Ephemera

Good Morning, and welcome to today's freebie pages. This time, we have an old volume to pull from, vintage 1893, which has fallen apart. A friend's gift, I now pass along two of the best pages for your use. Note the cool embossed seal to one side of the title!
Ssssssssss!
The Plush Possum

Click on an image for the larger version.

Frontispiece 

One Illustration

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

TODAY'S FREE IMAGERY: Parts of an antique book

This is a 115 year old copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare. I include for your enjoyment its spine, which has a lovely tattered appeal for me. Its leather covers were falling off as I picked it up. I hope someday to include a few pages from it here. The whole thing is bound rather like a dictionary, with indents for your thumb, and labeled, gold on black inside each tiny indent. This won't show up on a scanner, unfortunately, but we have some fun stuff to play with here anyhow.
The Plush Possum

Remember to always click on your chosen imagery 

to get the biggest size I offer. This will ensure the 

quality will be of a higher grade.

The Spine

The Fly Leaf

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

Free for Public Domain Use

A Rose of an Antique Post Card

Dear Readers: Please excuse the quality level differences between our earlier image scans and our more recent ones. You may find the images in this post to work well enough for you. Trust us when we say they have yet to be replaced with our better upgrade. Please be patient while we go through this transition.
Thank You


This postcard I bought from a curio shop. I liked the front, but found the handwritten note on its reverse so charming, it had to come home with me. You'll notice it's very readable. My third freebie for you can be used more freely than the original. Hope you'll enjoy all 3 views!
The Plush Possum

Be sure to click once on an image for the
larger version before saving to your desktop!

Postcard Front

Same postcard, reversed.

Same postcard, cleaned up.

Scanned Imagery courtesy PPS Archives

While this would be one of our very earliest posts, some rules would still apply--

You are free to:

use the above images in artwork for fun or profit.

You are not free to:

repackage them in any way for sale.

Please respect our gift for the public's use.

Thank you.