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10 Ways to Embellish Your Scrapbooking Layouts

So, you’ve sat down to do your scrapbooking and now your wondering, “How can I pep this layout up?” Well, read on, because there are plenty of tips for you in this article.

An easy way to add some elegance or softness to your layout is to use paper tearing. Use a patterned paper to tear either diagonally, vertically in the middle or on either side about 1/3rd of a 12″x12″ sheet and adhere it on coordinating cardstock. E viola, there you are!

If you want to use embellishments such as die-cuts and they look a little plain to you, then use a darker shade of chalk to shade the edges to give it more depth. You can even use foam pads for a 3D look to adhere making it really stand out. The same can be done with punched out patterned paper or cardstock.

For adhering certain items that you do not wish to use glue with, such as vellum, you can use eyelets, brads, staples, safety pins, ribbon and oh so many more! Vellum really adds elegance and softness to your page.

Shaker boxes are really easy to make and gives your layout that special look. For this you might want to use a sturdy cardstock or chipboard to make the frame. Cut out a window and pick out some things you might want to put into the shaker box, such as beads, flakes or mini diecuts or punches. Use a piece of transparency for the cut out window, adhere. Then place foam tape around the inside edge of the window making sure there are no spaces in between. Then pour the “filling” into the upside down frame and adhere a patterned paper piece for the back of the shaker box. Adhere to layout and your done!

Heat embossing is another good way to make a layout elegant or special. You need an embossing heat tool, embossing powder and embossing clear ink. Stamp the pad with your stamp and stamp it on your layout. Immediately pour the powder onto the stamped area, then shake off excess. Heat with the embossing heat until the powder melts.

Dry embossing is also pretty easy. You need an embossing tool, stencils and a light box. Just place the cardstock on the lightbox, place stencil where you need it and trace around the shape of the stencil pushing down on the cardstock (not too hard). When you’re done you can chalk the embossed area to make it stand out a little more.

If your journaling looks boring to you, why not use a tag to emphasize it some more. There are plenty of tag templates available as well as punches, but also free downloads to trace from the internet. Embellish the tag with ribbons, fibers, eyelets, etc. and your journaling will stand out.

Another beautiful and wonderful way to embellish a page is with quilling. Quilling looks difficult, but it’s really not! Even using a toothpick you can make pretty flowers or little animals and shapes that look like a million bucks! Use various thin long or short strips of cardstock, twist around a toothpick, then let go, shape and glue.

Now you have some advice on how to make your layout special. Have fun scrappin’!

About the Author

Jacqueline M. Schimmel is a Professional Scrapbook Designer who designs custom and premade scrapbooks, cards, frames and teaches scrapbooking courses in Germany. Her portfolio consists of over 580 designed layouts and she was hired to design an album that was given to his Holiness the Pope in 2005 on his visit to Cologne, Germany. The name of her business is Memories Artwork™, http://memoriesartwork.typepad.com.

What did you color?

for your wedding and what kind of invitations that you like? I am currently building a portfolio based my marriage is over, I like making wedding invitations (or any other type of call) using cardstock scrapbooking stores, we made ourselves and everyone loves them and I had a few requests .. but I want to know your colors and types of layout were your invitations (Tri times, the card flat?) etc. So I can make my wallet! Thank you all!

Our colors are blue and cream, my mother made our calls. She received a card brilliant blue (like fine sand paper, but is made for arts and crafts) and cut a rectangle of colored paper and then pearly cream printed words on paper pearl. She put him on the map so that blue light blue border around it showed. Then in the top right corner it put two of these fluffy marabou feathers, blue, cream and then glued a heart-shaped pearl at the bottom of the feathers to hide the end of the rod. Wrapped around all it was a thick band of sailing (thick enough to cover the words), which was tied together at the front with ribbons. I wish I had pictures of themselves to post here!

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Scrapbooking With Cardstock & Canvas (Paperback) $10.93 Explore intriguing possibilities using all your favorite supplies to make clever calendars and memory pages.  Combine canvas, cardstock and chipboard to make memo boards, wall hangings and photo displays.  A crafting adventure!

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Darice Core Impressions Graphic 45 12×12-inch Embossed Cardstock $16.58 An exclusive, vintage collection of Graphic 45 designs is embossed on Core Impressions cardstock. This is the only sandable cardstock and comes in five different colors in a package of 20 sheet.