Archive for the ‘Scrapbooking’ Category
There are a multitude of scrapbooking supplies available to make your projects more attractive. However, some items that I really love are craft punches. Punches come in nearly any design you can think of. Whatever your theme is, I’m reasonable sure you can find a punch to coordinate with it.
Fortunately, we don’t need any knowledge or training to use a craft punch. Just insert your paper, card stock, or light metal into the slot or opening (depending on what type punch you are using) and squeeze or push down. The neat thing is that you can then use either the piece you’ve punched out or the surrounding area or both.
One word of warning!! Don’t try punching anything with an adhesive backing. I tried punching out some self-stick metal tape. It gummed up my punch.
Scrapbooking, as we all are aware of, is such an extremely popular hobby. One of the benefits and enjoyment of this is that it can be shared with the entire family. Once you get bitten by the scrapbooking bug, you can very easily become addicted to this fun pastime, and soon you’ll be looking for new scrapbooking layout ideas.
Think of an occasion or special event in your life. Gather together your photos and design your page(s) around that particular theme. Choose scrapbook papers that will coordinate with that theme. Add embellishments (there are so many to choose from), stickers, punch-outs, etc. Post a little journaling next to your photos, and you will create a memory of a special event for all who views it to enjoy.
My sister was the artsy-craftsy type. She was good at scrapbooking and other keepsakes, while I was horrified at the thought of even cutting through a photograph. She has heaps and heaps of beads, Wallies, yarns and papers in all colors. She’d be surrounded by all that stuff when she was working, and that one wrong move can topple everything stuff over.
But when she’s done working, the finished product is simply fabulous. She can match the mood and colors of the photograph perfectly, or if she’s in a different mood she can do contrasts to show off something unique. Her creations also stand the test of time, so goes the cliché. One of her wall designs that was made eight years ago is still there, the color still sharp. The scrapbook she made for one of our nieces, who is now ten, is still with them. She’s just extremely talented and we all admire her for that.
Add Craft Punches To Your Cardmaking & Scrapbooking Supplies
If you haven’t added an assortment of craft punches (or at least one or two) to your cardmaking and scrapbooking supplies, you might want to consider doing so. There are a lot of really neat punches available, and these punches are so much fun to use. You can find many, many uses for them. Punch out a design on your scrapbook page or card for effect and then use the shape you punched out elsewhere. Make fancy edges and corners on your papers , cards and envelopes. The possibilities go on and on.
When you consider all the designs and subjects that are available, it seems as if you can get nearly any style or design of punch you desire. I’ve just purchased a double-edged one that cuts out a piece of paper that looks just like a piece of lace. It makes a really beautiful embellishment.
If you are looking for a way to add pizzazz to your scrapbooking page layouts, why not try trimming some or even all of your photos with these fancy-edged scissors. These special scissors are very inexpensive but can add a personal decorative touch to your scrapbook pages. These also add a new dimension to your handmade greeting cards.
You can find these in such a vast assortment of fancy cuts that you will more than likely be tempted to buy several pairs. The neat part is that you won’t break the bank if you do.
(If you have an old pair of pinking shears that you no longer use for fabric, you can also achieve a beautiful edging for your papers with those.)
Paper crafting has become extremely popular in recent months. Scrapbooking is a perfect way to show off family photos and chronicle family history. In addition, other fun paper crafts are making your own greeting cards, making hand-made papers, quilling, and origami.
Often, paper crafts enthusiasts begin with scrapbooking, but when the ‘working with paper bug’ hits them, then they branch out to making their own greeting cards. Handmade cards are very unique and original and are sure to please anyone, regardless of whether the receiver is interested in paper crafts or not.
I may be telling my age, but when my boys were born, mothers as a rule didn’t consider making a scrapbook, at least in the sense of the ones made today. We bought what was called simply a ‘baby book.’ The contents were pretty much pre-written, and we (mothers) just filled in the spaces with our answers or remarks and added a photo or two.
There was a space to paste a photo of the baby at birth and blank lines to fill in the date and time of birth, weight and length of the baby at birth, plus various other pertinent information. Of course, we always included a footprint and a lock of hair. If I remember correctly, a record of shots and immunizations was listed in this book along with various happenings over the first few years of life.
It is fun to go back and browse through our children’s baby books and although we have a number of photos scattered around the house which were taken throughout the years, how nice it would be to have it all arranged in an orderly scrapbook. (Now that sounds like a great project, but at this stage in life, it’s one that I probably won’t get to.)
If your children have taken an interest in arts and crafts, scrapbooking is an enjoyable activity that you can share with them. This is also one of those activities that they can perhaps ask their friends and playmates to participate in. If you plan properly, this could just be a means of keeping them occupied for an extended period of time.
A few suggestions to help you keep down the cost of your supplies are:
* Let them cut out pictures from old magazines.
* Gather up old photos that you no longer want or need and let them scrapbook with them.
* Make photo copies of your pictures for them to scrap.
* Kids always love using stickers. Often these can be bought very inexpensively.
* Check your scrapbooking supplies for leftovers and odds and ends. Kids are good at finding uses for unused pieces you will probably not use.
Oftentimes selecting a gift for a friend or family member can turn into a very tedious process. Trying to decide what type of present might be appropriate and appreciated can be difficult. Even though we may be familiar with someone’s likes and dislikes, we still often do not know what they may already have.
Have you ever considered that a personal scrapbook might be the ideal gift? If you have access to photos of the person you are getting a gift for, a scrapbook would be something truly one of its kind.
One year at Christmas, my daughter-in-law gathered together photos of her family members and created scrapbooks for each of them. Certainly a gift of this nature would be loved, appreciated, and enjoyed for many years to come.
Add A Die Cut Machine To Your Scrapbooking Supplies
A die cut machine is a really neat addition to your scrapbooking and card making supplies. This fun tool allows you to cut out intricate shapes, designs, letters, frames, and more with ease and without scissors.
There are a number of styles of die cut machines available on the market, and they vary greatly in price and how they perform. Some of them are manually operated, others are electronic, and some of them require a computer to operate them. It is a matter of personal choice as to what you choose and how much you are willing to pay.
Regardless of which you choose, be prepared to spend more money after your initial purchase, as all of them (as far as I am aware) require additional cartridges, templates, dies, or software. Even if you purchase a die cut package which includes the machine and additional supplies, you more than likely will be tempted to buy more.
If you do not have one and decide to purchase one, be ready to have fun and create some neat projects!