Tag Archives: scrapbook papers

Jan15

MAKE YOUR OWN CARDS – IT’S FUN AND EASY!

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MAKE YOUR OWN CARDS – IT’S FUN AND EASY!

Make Your Own Cards – Fun and Easy!

Instead of giving out a store-bought card for the next special occasion, try your hand at making your own cards. Making your own cards does not need a lot of hard work, but rather a bit of creativity and the right materials.

To start creating your cards visit your local arts and crafts store to search for materials. Most arts and crafts stores have big scrapbook sections. This is where you will be able to find the materials to make your own cards. Let your inspiration guide you as the sky is the limit. You can create various themed cards such as Christmas, birthday, Valentine’s Day cards and much more.

Rubber stamps are widely available and you can buy almost any color ink to go with the stamps. There are several stamping methods that you can use when making cards including embossing. Embossing is the process of creating a raised image on the card and it can give the card an elegant appearance.

There are several die cuts and die cut machines available as well. Die cuts allow you to punch a shape out with ease. They come in all different shapes and sizes. They are very useful in achieving a layered look. You can punch die cuts out of different color papers to display a colorful card.

Scrapbook papers come in all different colors, textures and themes. You can buy patterned paper as well as glitter paper and pre-scored card kits. Card kits come with the note cards already made and ready to decorate. The kits come in different sizes and often different colors to meet a variety of needs. During seasonal periods, such as Christmas, card kits come out with note cards, envelopes and many die cut shapes.

Both regular and 3 dimensional stickers are available and come in many themes. Disney stickers are available as well as licensed characters and many 3 dimensional designs. Adding stickers to your cards can help to foster even more creativity when matching colors and themes. You can further enhance your handmade cards by adding ribbon or brads. Ribbon comes in a plethora of colors, shapes and textures. Brads hold items such as die-cuts on the card without the use of an adhesive.

Simply put, making cards is a creative process that only you can foster. Use a variety of items which found in your local arts and crafts store, second-hand store or dollar store. You can play around using different methods to decorate the cards and have fun at the same time!

All art tutorials are available on this website.

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Jan2

SCRAP BOOKING FOR BEGINNERS

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SCRAP BOOKING FOR BEGINNERS

Scrap booking for Beginners

Scrap booking has been around for ages, but it has recently experienced a surge in popularity. People from all walks of life have discovered the joys of creating albums to showcase their treasured photos and keepsakes. Don’t be intimidated with all the elaborate scrap booking techniques and myriad embellishments available when getting started.

The truth is, anyone that can use scissors and glue can scrapbook. And you don’t have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to create attractive pages. With some basic supplies and a little imagination, you can create lovely scrapbooks that will last for years to come.

What You Need

You can get started scrapbook on a small budget. Here are the things you’ll need.

* An album – Scrapbook albums come in all shapes and sizes. The most popular are 8 1/2″ x 11″ and 12″ x 12″. Most craft supply stores sell scrapbook albums if you don’t have a scrapbook supply store nearby.

* Paper – Scrapbook paper come in a variety of solid colors and patterns. This will be the basis for each page. You may also use scrapbook paper to make a journal and to create your own photo mats and embellishments.

* Cutting tools – You can easily get by with just a good pair of scissors. But an Exacto knife might make photo cropping easier. And if you’re no good at cutting straight lines, you might want to invest in a paper-cutter.

* Adhesives – There are all sorts of adhesives one could use for scrapbooking. Glue sticks and double-sided tape are quite popular. Some scrap booking enthusiasts also use rubber cement or glue dots for certain applications. But when you’re getting started, just use what you’re most comfortable with.

* Photos – Beginning scrapbook craft lovers often start out with old photos that they’ve accumulated over the years. This makes for a nice, nostalgic album. Of course you can also take new pictures for your scrapbook. A digital camera and photo printer are two modern conveniences that make scrapbooking easier, but they are not necessities. Photos taken by a film camera work just as well.

When purchasing scrapbook supplies, it’s important to make sure they are acid-free. This will keep them from harming your priceless photos.

Basic Techniques

You don’t have to know a lot about scrapbook techniques to create an attractive album. Just a few simple techniques will suffice.

One of the first things many scrapbook enthusiasts learn is how to mat photos. Simply cut a square or rectangle that is about a half-inch longer and wider than the photo you want to mat. Then glue the photo to the center. To make a photo really stand out, double mat it by cutting out a shape a half-inch longer and wider than the first mat, and center the matted photo on it.

Making a journal gives scrapbook pages a nice personal touch. Simply write a note about the photos on a page, telling what was happening or sharing your thoughts on the subject. Use paper that compliments the background, and be sure to write with an acid-free pen.

Adding borders to your pages gives them a finished look. You can make them out of strips of coordinating scrapbook paper. You don’t have to border all four sides. A strip along the top, side or bottom will do. For easy embellishing, use some stickers.

There’s no need to give up if you don’t have the time, money or know-how to create elaborate scrapbooks. Just start simple, and learn new techniques as you go.

 

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