Phaneuf's process involves collecting, sorting, and observing collage materials as much as it involves the act of collaging itself. She incorporates natural, ephemeral materials like leaves, flower petals, or bark alongside more long-lasting sources of color such as gold leaf and clay. She is particularly interested in the ephemerality these natural elements bring to a piece. Instead of creating work that will simply fade, she experiments with pieces designed to age gracefully as their colors naturally change over time.

Her work is significantly influenced by her research into the historical use of pigments in traditional painting and tapestries. This understanding of how pigments naturally lose their vibrancy over time allows a viewer to interpret the age of a work by observing which colors have, or have not, survived extended exposure to factors like time, light, and the elements.