MAGAZINE | MAKE IT YOURS | FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

Formula For Success

Scrapbookers use a wide variety of techniques – and materials – to create their art. The challenge is to take a technique or material and bring it into your layout in a unique way.

Supplies. Take special note of layouts using products you already have to jump-start your creativity. Or perhaps there’s a product you’re eager to try. Mark layouts that use that product so you can refer to them when you have the supply in hand.

Substitutions. If you like a certain patterned paper or embellishment on a layout but don’t have an exact match, dig through your stash. Look for a similar pattern or color family and substitute. If a layout uses jute or string but you don’t have any, try raffia or fibers. Employ torn paper for a fabric’s frayed edge. Substitute clip art for rubber-stamped images and vice versa. If you like the look of ink along the edges of a layout but don’t own any ink pads, use chalk.

Alterations. You like the way a certain product was used on a layout, but the color isn’t right. Alter the look of premade cutouts, die cuts, borders, and photo mats by sanding, chalking, inking, tearing or heat-embossing them. Change the color of metal embellishments by inking them with a solvent ink. Paint embellishments and then sand them for a textured look. An extra touch here and there can make a layout your own.

Clever fakes. If you’re uncomfortable using bulky elements in your scrapbook, you can still gather ideas from layouts peppered with brads, eyelets, buttons, and other embellishments. Use a hole punch or group of punches to punch circles from metallic and colored papers to create the look of brads and eyelets. Use circle, rectangle, and square punches to create fake metal-rim tags from metallic card stock, tying a string through the tag for an authentic touch. Create a button using a combination of circle and hole punches. To give it added depth and dimension, glaze the top with dimensional glue.

Using the principles outlined here, you can find inspiration in every layout. It may be a small touch, such as a folded corner on a photo mat, or something big, such as a background design. Any spark that feeds the flame of creativity is worth pursuing.

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