Scrapbook and Greeting Card Basics
Paper crafts are a
popular pastime right now. Scrapbooking is a fun way to
display pictures and chronicle family history. Other paper
crafts include making greeting cards and even making hand
made papers.
When getting started at paper crafts, it is easy to spend a
lot of money! Go easy at first until you know what sort of
paper craft products you are likely to use. For instance,
you may find that you love using stickers in scrapbooks, but
rarely use your rubber stamps. If this is the case, you
would be better off spending more on stickers and less on
rubber stamps for your paper crafts.
Almost everyone has at least some of their photographs
stored somewhere in a shoe box. Scrapbooks are a great way
to get those photos out where people can enjoy them. You
will need a loose leaf binder, some plastic page protectors,
and some colored cardstock for starters. Many paper crafts
experts insist on only archival quality materials. Check the
labels as you buy. Most paper products, even the cheaper
ones, are labeled "acid-free," which means that it shouldn't
fade or otherwise deteriorate if stored for a long time.
Sunlight will bleach almost anything, but your paper crafts
should not be out in the sunlight very often.
To start a scrapbook you have several options. You can
select photos that all relate to one event, such as a trip
or a child's participation in sports. This type of scrapbook
will be short, but can be designed around a theme. This is a
good choice if your photos are not in a jumble. If they are,
then you may wish to choose 3 or 4 photos around a general
theme, and change the theme for each page. You may want to
include some 2 page spreads in your scrapbook.
Attach your photos to the cardstock with double-sided tape
squares or a gluestick. Then it's time to decorate the page
with stickers, paper shapes, or rubber stamped designs. In
addition, you can use a colored gel pen to write dates,
names, and other highlights about the activities in the
pictures.
Other items are available in paper crafts stores. These
includes die cuts, which are pieces of paper already cut
into shapes and objects. There are also special scissors
that cut paper with an interesting edge. A pair of the type
called "deckle" scissors is very useful for making elegant
looking scrapbook pages, greeting cards, and other paper
crafts. If you also have an old pair of pinking shears that
are too dull to cut fabric, you can use those for cutting
out shapes and photos.
Many paper crafts enthusiasts begin with scrapbooking, but
then branch out to making their own greeting cards. Greeting
cards may or may not have an original poem written on the
inside. A simple "Happy Birthday," "Get Well Soon," or even
just "Hi!" is enough to brighten someone's day, so don't
worry about not being a good enough writer to make your own
greeting cards. Rubber stamps often make beautiful greeting
cards. You can even attach small ribbons, beads, and other
items to hand made cards. A handmade card is sure to please
anyone, whether they are interested in paper crafts or not.
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