Show off your other crafts

How many of us scrapbookers have multiple crafty hobbies? I think many of us enjoy multiple crafts. A lot of people do incorporate other paper crafts into their scrapbooks. I did a layout this winter using ribbon embroidery. I wanted the layout to have a subtle but eye-catching touch, and I decided that this would be the perfect effect. I backed my patterned paper with fabric to give it extra support so it wouldn't tear the paper excessively, although it will still create relatively large holes where the ribbon goes through. The layout reflects celebrating Christmas just before the passing of my mother-in-law.

Do you crochet? You could crochet a flower for your pages, or punch holes along the edge of a piece of card stock and crochet a piece of trim for your page. Or add some Spirelli to your pages; notched paper shapes that are wrapped with thread all around. With experience the designs can become quite complicated, but even a simple design can add a nice touch to the right page. Here’s a blog with an example of the technique. If you have the gift of drawing, what better way to show it off than to incorporate it into your scrapbook pages for future generations to see! Tole painting is another way to incorporate some beautiful art work into your scrapbook pages. If you want to try cross stitching on your page I would suggest planning your pattern first, by creating a template and placing it onto your layout so you can pierce holes for your design ahead of time. Then use a needle with a much smaller head than the traditional cross stitch needle.

Maybe you’re not so crafty; keep your eye out when you are shopping and you might be able to pick up something crafty to incorporate into your pages. Thrift stores and yard sales are usually great place to keep your eye out for these little touches.

Whatever your crafts may be, try to find a way to incorporate them into your scrapbooks. Not only is it a great way to decorate a page, it will also say a lot about yourself, and what you like to do.

Adding a Title onto Your Photo

Here’s a fun way to add a title to your layout. It is also very versatile, because you can do it so many ways, both digital, hybrid, and in a paper layout. Add your title right onto your picture, using the image itself. As I mentioned there are so many ways you can do this, digitally, using an outline stamp, or hand cut the title from a second copy of the original photo. In my ‘Spring’ layout I outlined the image after I cut it, embossed and added a drop shadow to give it definition. With the fall image I embossed, and added a drop shadow after I played a little bit with the colour of the layer. If you hand cut a title from the photo you may have to outline or ink the edges to add a bit of definition and I would suggest using pop dots before mounting it back onto the photo.

I would love to see how all of you implement this fun technique. If you do a layout using this technique leave a link to your layout in the comments section. I will randomly draw a name from everyone who leaves a link to his or her layout for a small RAK on May 1^st.

For the Spring layout I used patterned paper from the Lisa Habisreutinger's Challenge Freebie*, Obsidian Dawn brush, and embellishments from the Rustic Elegance Kit*, Black Chancery, Brock Script, ChiselD fonts, and Bucephalus font on the fall photo. (*colours altered by me)

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