Question:
What are some good scrapbooking techniques?
Scrapbooking Techniques: Mosaic Borders
Mosaic borders are a great scrapbooking technique, not only to add interest to a page, but as a way to use up scraps of paper. Cut your scraps into equal size squares. One quarter of an inch squares are a good size. I cut mine into inch squares using a trimmer and then cut each into quarters with scissors. Sort the squares by color and store in zip-lock bags. When placing squares onto the page, there are a few scrapbooking techniques to keep in mind. Mount them on contrasting card stock to give the effect of mortar. For adhesion, you can use a continuous piece of photo tape (if the squares are close together). Otherwise a piece of tape runner on the back of each square works well. An inexpensive scrapbooking technique to enhance a page is to create a frame for a photo, border the page or follow a line across a double page spread to connect the two together.
Scrapbooking Technique: Photos for Backgrounds
New scrapbook techniques to keep your pages unique and fresh can be tough to find. If you have taken a particularly good scenic shot, have it blown up and use it as a page background. You can have the image enlarged as is, or you can have the image washed out so it fades into the background. Mat other photos or a smaller version of the same photo over the top.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Pocket Pages
Memorabilia is an important part of any scrapbook but sometimes you have too much to fit nicely on a page. Using pocket pages is a great scrapbook technique for storing bulkier memorabilia such as brochures, booklets and paper clippings. Pocket Pages can be purchased ready made or you can make them up yourself. Simply tape the sides and lower edge of a piece of cardstock directly onto the page. Pocket pages can be decorated to match the theme of the memorabilia.
New Scrapbook Techniques: Marking the Times Page
When documenting the era of your pictures, there are several scrapbooking techniques that can be used besides photos. It can be fun to document interesting facts, such as prices, incomes, fads, popular movies, songs, news items, sports headlines and your favorite things. Ticket stubs, box lids and labels, receipts and bills could also be mounted on this type of page.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Choosing The Color Of Your Mounting Papers
When laying out a page, the mat color for your photo can have a large impact. One scrapbooking matting technique is to choose a color in the photo itself. The backing paper will then draw the eye to the matching color in the photo. If you want to draw the eye to a face then choose backing paper to match skin tone or eye color. Another good scrapbook technique is to use a double mount. Double mounting using a skin tone based paper directly behind the photo and then a color to match your decor or a layout will work well too.
Scrapbooking Techniques: DIY Backgrounds
Bored with the background papers you have and want to add some personality? Try some of these scrapbooking techniques. Lightly sponge the paper with acid free, archival inks for a soft effect. Too tame? Try tearing acid free paper into jungle print spots. - Black on gold for Leopard skin, brown on camel for Giraffe skin, or cut black on white irregular stripes for Zebra skin and black on gold for Tiger skin stripes.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Silhouette cropping.
It can be tough to come up with creative new scrapbook techniques to keep your pages lively and unique. Try using silhouette cropping. To give a silhouetted photo "oomph", don't cut right to the edge of the subject. Leave about 1-2 millimeters of the background surrounding the subject. Depending on the background color this will give the appearance that the subject is mounted.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Cropping No No's
There are several scrapbook techniques and rules to keep in mind when cropping your photos. Never crop out anything that identifies the era. That car or toy in the background will make a photo more interesting in years to come. Do not crop old or important photos. Cropping is irreversible. Have copies done and crop those instead. Never crop Polaroid's as the chemicals will leech out and may cause skin and eye irritation. One scrapbook matting technique is to crop a copy of the photo, or use a frame around the Polaroid on your page.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Tracing Templates
Use this scrapbooking technique when you want to avoid erasing pencil marks. When using a template on photo mounting paper, turn the template over before tracing around it. That way there will be no need to erase any pencil marks not removed while cropping.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Turning Scissors Upside Down
New scrapbook techniques can be tough to find for different looks. Try flipping your decorative scissors and rules. Cut out a negative pattern to achieve a different look for your pages.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Attaching Photo Corners
Do you have trouble getting photos and memorabilia on straight when you use photo corners? Here is a scrapbooking technique to make the job easier. Using a pencil, lightly draw on your page where you want the photo to go. Place photo mounts in opposite corners on the item, and place it on the page, using the pencil guide. Then apply photo mounts to the two existing corners. Don't forget - if you are using lick and stick corners, use a sponge not your saliva. Saliva is acidic.
Scrapbook Techniques: Cropping Quickies
One of the most important scrapbooking techniques to remember is cropping your photos. When cropping photos, show only the most important parts of the picture. This makes the page more interesting and allows room to place more photos and for journaling. There are several different scrapbook techniques you can use for cropping photos. You can use scrapbook templates, you can try silhouetting, i.e. cutting around the main subject, or bumping part of the picture out beyond the “frame”. Feet, hands, hats, balloons, are ideal - you are limited only by your imagination.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Using Decorative Scissors
There are several different scrapbook techniques you can use to add interest to your photo mats. One way is to use decorative scissors. When double or triple matting with decorative edges, start by cutting the smallest mat first. Adhere the smaller layer onto the next larger before making the next cuts. This makes it easier to evenly cut the second mat.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Mulberry Paper
Mulberry Paper is a fibrous paper which adds a lovely soft touch to a mounted photo, journaling or title. There are several scrapbook techniques to keep in mind when working with this paper. Take care to use only paper which is acid free and lignin free. For best effect Mulberry Paper should be torn. The trick to tearing Mulberry Paper to the desired shape is to moisten it using a paintbrush dipped in water before gently easing apart the fibers. The wider the area moistened, the more ragged the edge. Make sure the paper is dry before mounting.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Using Diecuts
Diecuts are machine cut paper shapes and are a great scrapbooking technique to add interest to your pages. They come in many styles, colors, thicknesses and many are self adhesive. You can use scrapbook diecuts to frame photos, journal on, and/or reinforce the theme of the page. Another scrapbooking technique is to spice up the diecuts. Shade them using chalks or pens and pencils. If the edges are uneven after you press out a diecut just run your thumb nail around the edge. Don't throw away the surround. You can use it as a stencil to make more diecuts, mat a photo or just punch out some shapes. I like to keep some basic shapes among my supplies to fill in gaps if I need them. Basic shapes that may suit several themes include camera, flower, butterfly, sun, or star diecuts.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Silhouetting
One of my favorite scrapbooking techniques is silhouetting. While there are exceptions to every rule, this is one I usually recommend croppers follow. Unless you are doing a sequencing of events where the photographer has moved in closer as each shot was taken, silhouettes look best on a page if they are of subjects taken from the same distance. Silhouetting the close-up of a head and placing it beside a silhouetted full length body will, nine times out of ten, look odd.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Using Corners To Hold Memorabilia
Keeping memorabilia is important, and a unique scrapbook technique to mount them on your pages is the use of decorative photo corners. Use large transparent photo mounting corners to hold a small coin, button, gold nugget or medallion on your album page. The memorabilia will be protected and easily seen.
Scrapbooking Techniques - Wax Pencil on a Page
Every scrapbooker with a wax pencil will someday have the misfortune of getting it on the background of their page. Don't panic, there are a few scrapbook techniques you can try to repair the damage. Hitting it with an eraser first up will only spread the damage. Gently dab the mark with a tissue or gently scratch any blobs away with your finger, then rub with a soft white eraser. (Make sure you clean the eraser when you finish.) If this fails to remove all of the blue from your page you can always put a sticker, journaling box or photo mat over the mark.
Scrapbook Matting Techniques: Cropping effects
Cropping effects are a great scrapbooking technique to add character and personality to a page. However, try not to go overboard. It is easy to fall victim to wanting the scrapper's high and try new and exciting effects on every page. Remember you want to get your pictures into a safe album with journaling – not waiting in boxes for years while you cut paper into intricate shapes for ever single shot! For a quick and easy photo cropping effect, try using a decorative photo corner
Scrapbooking Techniques: Sticker Art
Working with scrapbook stickers can be tricky. You want to make your design is laid out properly before you adhere them to the pages. An easy scrapbook technique is to lay out your design on wax paper or plastic wrap. As wax paper and plastic wrap are transparent, you can move it around over the page and get some idea of where the art will look best before having to commit.
Scrapbooking Techniques: Adhering punch outs
Find that sticking those small punches onto your paper is somewhat annoying? Try this scrapbook technique. Put a strip of photo tape on the paper (leave the tape backing on) before you punch out the shapes. Remove the backing and adhere the shapes to your page. If the tape makes the punches hard to push out, you can use a small block of wood to increase the pressure, or a power punch.
Scrapbook Frequently Asked Questions
Where is information on crop, cut, trim, cropping or cropped?
How can I crop interesting shapes?
How can I stop fingerprints getting on my photos?
What sort of paper can I use in my album?
How can I decorate my album pages?
What sort of adhesives are there?
How can I store memorabilia in my album?
How can I put my photos on a page?
What sort of photos should I not crop?
How do I scrapbook for my kids?
How do I scrapbook with my kids?
How do I choose a scrapbooking album?
How do I do scrapbook journaling?
What are some creative ways to use scrapbook paper?
How can I use stickers in scrapbooking?
What are some easy scrapbooking techniques?
What are some good scrapbooking techniques?
What are some fun scrapbooking themes?
What are some good scrapbook tools?
What are some interesting scrapbook layouts?
How can I find scrapbook supplies?
What is scrapbook embellishment?
How can I use stencils in my scrapbooking?
I'm looking for basic ideas on how to scrapbook?
Any ideas on scrapbooking for kids?
Is crayons acid free, or safe to use to color embellishments? How about pastels?
What is the best glue to use for embellishments such as buttons?
I'm moving and want to preserve some memories so what can I buy or do to help me get started?
I would like to know how to attach my photos to the scrapbook pages. I am a novice scrapbooker.
Is it okay to use regular white glue for scrapbooking?
How can I make the cover of my scrapbook more interesting?
What is the best size scrapbook to use?
What is the best way to label the outside spine of scrapbook albums?
What size does the paper have to be?
What kind of pen is safe to write on the backs of pictures with?
How do I have just one theme for my book?
Where can I find instructions on how to use my new embellishing tools?
How do I preserve actual ultrasound pictures for a scrapbook?
How can I use paper piercing for my scrapbook pages?
What is the purpose of hinges on your scrapbook layouts?
How can I use accordion albums?
How can I customize metal accessories?
What is a new background technique I can use for my layouts?
How can I create dimension with my stamps?
How can I use facial tissue for my stamped images?
How can I use fibers on my pages?
Where on my scrapbooking pages can I use rub-on transfers?
What are the most common scrapbooking album sizes?
What are Paper Bliss embellishments used for?
How can you use Stickopotamus stickers for crafts?
What can you make with a scrapbook punch?
What kind of writing tools are safe for my pages layouts?
How can I create page layouts in a fast efficient manner?
Who uses stickers for scrapbook pages?
What type of artistic technique offers variety for my pages?
What are different types of templates that can be used for scrapbooking?
What are some types of metal embellishments that can be used on page layouts?
How can you organize your scrapbooking ideas?
What are some methods of aging paper and some terms or names to describe this technique?
How do you get started with scrapbooking?
What is a fun technique to do on your scrapbook pages with stencils?
What kind of materials can be used in a tag maker?
What is a scrapbook tool that a lot of people forget about?
What are some types of specialty paper?
Name a paper distressing technique.
What is one way you can use scrapbook paper scraps?
Where can you print your digital scrapbook pages?
What is the first step to creating your own digital scrapbook?
What are the two basic types of digital programs?
What is an important thing to know before you start digital scrapbooking?
What is one reason scrappers like digital scrapbooking?
What is the key aspect of digital scrapbooking?
How should you start to make your own scrapbook page kit?
What is included in most scrapbooking kits?
What is one way to organize your scrapbook kits?
What is included in scrapbooking kits for kids?
Where can you buy photo calendar kits?
What can you use to decorate a unique Disney page border?
What is included in a full Disney scrapbook kit?
What type of item makes a great Disneyland memento to include in your Disney album?
What is one idea for scrapbooking character autographs?
Why not use rubber cement on your scrapbook layouts?
What is a good scrapbook glue to use for fibers and ribbons?
What do you do when you use too much glue on your scrapbook embellishments?
What can you do with adhesive sheets?
What is a solution to spreading liquid scrapbook adhesive evenly?
What can you use to decorate your die cuts?
How much are die cutting machines?
What is a unique type of die cut?
What is one tip for taking good photo of your baby?
What is one idea for a quick baby book?
What is a pregnancy scrapbook?
What is one technique you can use to enhance your baby scrapbook pages?
What is an option for organizing 12x12 scrapbook paper?
What is the best way to organize stickers?
How should your store pens and markers?
How can your protect your clear stamps?
How can you quickly organize photos so you can have them ready to attach to your pages?
What is one suggestions for storing and organizing scrapbook tools?
What is one suggestion for using a scrapbook punch?
What will help clean and sharpen your scrapbook punches?
What will types of material will scrapbook punches cut through?
What is one embellishment that may not be safe for your scrapbook pages?
What is one idea for embellishing your scrapbook pages with ribbon?
What are some common uses for slide mounts?
What is a gift idea for a wedding shower recipe book?
What comes in a recipe scrapbook kit?
What is one of the easiest ways to make a recipe scrapbook?
What is a mini recipe scrapbook idea?
What is one idea for a recipe scrapbook?
What is the first thing to do when creating your wedding scrapbook?
What is one wedding scrapbook idea?
How can you start to prepare your wedding scrapbook?
How can you create a digital scrapbook slideshow?
What are some ideas of what to include in a wedding anniversary scrapbook?
How can you use letter stickers on your scrapbook pages?
How can your buy scrapbooking sticker at a discount?
What is doodling on a scrapbook page?
Where can scrappers get ideas from?
What is one use for liquid applique?
What happens when you use a magnetic scrapbook album?
What should you cover the board book with for your scrapbook?
How can you store Christmas cards?
| Guru Spotlight |
| Barbara Gibson |
