Have you noticed what's old is new again? Die cuts and paper piecings have made a big comeback in the scrapbooking world. In the past, I never was a fan of the die cut machine. But lately, I find myself creating large embellishments as accents and backgrounds more and more.
With all the personal die cutting machines out there, it's easy to cut a variety of designs in all different sizes. But what if you don't have access to one? Well, here's one solution...use your scanner!
I wanted to make a bowling layout for a class I was teaching and was inspired by a small sheet of Pebbles stickers. I scanned the stickers and enlarged a portion of them to make a pattern for the bowling pin and starburst. I cut the bowling ball with my circle cutter and made the finger holes with a circle punch. What an easy paper piecing!
In this example, I scanned a flower-shaped sanding block and used it as a pattern for my title block. Fast and easy! (If you don't have a scanner, try using a copy machine).
Another solution to easy paper piecing is to use clip art for a pattern. The internet provides us with literally thousands of free images to use.
I created this baseball layout for a scraplift challenge last year. The pattern for the ball came from Microsoft Word Clip Art. I handstitched the threads in the ball with red floss and extended it off the top of the page. It makes a big impact...at a glance, you know what this page is about.
Digital elements and printables are another way to make custom embellishments for a hybrid layout. Because you can change the color and size of the item before printing, the possibilities are endless. A great website to visit is
Jen Wilson Designs. She has taken some of the embellishments from the Laundry Line and other paper collections she has designed, and turned them into digital images. You can purchase these accessories for a small price to use over and over again. These journaling dials are some of my favorites:
So the next time you are in need of some inspiration, look around you! Perhaps you can enlarge your favorite flower embellishment that is too small or turn to your old tole painting books for ideas. If you have some creative ways to make inexpensive accessories, please post it here!
Happy Scrapping!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Check out all the luscious new goodies Maya Road is releasing at CHA! So much inspiration here! I love the trinket pins and the flowers and the stamps, and the chipboard, and the canvas albums. OK...so I love it all! Excuse me while I drool!
Image from Cards blog/Northridge Media
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I can't wait!!!
I ran across this super inspirational crafty blog today. This gal isn't afraid to try anything! Check it out!
I'm feverishly working on more projects at home, both for Porter's and for Cindy's scrapbooking conference coming up on June 4th and 5th. I'm so excited for the conference, but there's always lots of work to do to get ready. I am teaching some classes there and will also have some kits for sale. I will post those over the next few days. So until then, happy scrapping!
p.s. I love how Jennifer made the rolled scalloped flowers. How cute would those be on a layout or card?
Created by Lesley Langdon
Sketch and Layout designed by Suzanne Powell
I ran across this awesome blog today called The Vintage Moth and thought I would share. I have always been drawn to vintage images and love the selection I found here! You can just click on an image and save it to your computer. Here's a few examples:
Love this one!
Here's the link to the American Crafts blog where you can read all about making them. If I ever get caught up on my projects, I might have to whip some out.
(Layout was made using papers from DCWV, stamps from Inque Boutique, ink by ColorBox, felt, rickrack, and buttons from my craft supply, Accucut dies, and a sketch from CTMH).
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