Question: how to make a scrapbook really special? What can you do to lend your project a uniquely personal character and give substance to your most cherished memories?

Part of the charm of any scrapbook is its ‘handmade’ appeal. This means giving free rein to your own imagination and creativity. So as you assemble your pages, think about how elements from the world you’re recording might be incorporated as embellishments, borders or backgrounds!

Here are some suggestions for using everyday items as decorative embellishments in your scrapbooking. They’re only suggestions to get you started. As you progress, you’ll probably come up with many more ideas of your own.

Note: just be aware, however, that many everyday items that you may wish to use to embellish your scrapbook are not lignin free or acid free and therefore may reduce the life of your scrapbook page.

Using Puzzle Pieces

Puzzle pieces make playful embellishments and borders. Puzzle pieces give a creative and playful look to children’s art and educational scrapbooks.

Since the bottom of a puzzle piece is flat, gluing and placing puzzle pieces is simple.

Dried Flowers

Dried flowers make elegant embellishments and accents in scrapbooks. Flowers can be placed whole, in bunches with other flowers, as petals, or punched into various shapes. Flowers can be used to add a homely touch to photographs or to counterbalance a busier area. Flowers can also be used to add to an outdoor or elegant theme.

When gluing flowers, place a thin line of glue along the stem or directly on each petal. Alternately, use embroidery cotton to tie the flower or a bunch of flowers into the appropriate place on your scrapbook.

Natural Objects

Various natural objects can be used as interesting and creative embellishments for your scrap book page. Choose items that will add to your theme of outdoors or personal hobbies.

Keep in mind that objects such as shells, pine cones, leaves, and twigs become quite brittle and messy. These items are not appropriate for long lasting scrapbooks.

Popcorn Garlands

Add popcorn garlands to your Christmas scrapbook pages.

Just use a cloud punch to create the individual popcorns from regular paper. Next, crinkle the individual popcorns and roll them into tight balls. Then, glue individual popcorns together to make garlands. Add a red punch cranberry for additional color.

Fur

Fake fur can be used to add details to drawings and embellishments on your scrapbook page. Fake fur is fun on children’s artwork, to create animal embellishments, or to create wild designs.

To attach fur, simply cut out the desired shape. Then, paste the fake fur onto your scrapbooking page or onto an object. To reduce static electricity, place a drying sheet over the fake fur before you glue it into place.

The Value Of Embellishments

Decorations in your scrapbook emphasize a sense of its overall theme and unite the various pages of your album. Your choice of embellishments can also direct the eye towards areas of interest or the primary focus of your page. You can easily embellish pages with items found around your home and these familiar elements give an added dimension to your photographs and other mementos.

If you need a scrapbook punch, glue, scrapbooking templates or any other tools or materials for your work, check out our scrapbooking suppliers’ section.

Next time you want to find materials to make free scrapbook frames, have a look in your sewing box or craft cupboard! You’ll almost certainly find bits of ribbon, lace or embroidery cotton that can be re-used to make fascinating and unusual borders for pictures, photos, text or even entire pages.

These items can be used in many different ways by the scrapbooker and help create a sense of theme or mood, as well as contributing color and texture to your pages.

Ribbons and Lace

Ribbon and lace are by far the most common and most beautiful border embellishments. The flowing nature of both materials encourages a touch of softness and elegance. Ribbon and lace are especially popular in gift and memory scrapbooks.

Moreover, ribbon is easy to glue and attach. Lace requires a bit more patience.

For an interesting change from ribbon and lace, try using jute or raffia.

Embroidery Cotton

Embroidery cotton can be used in a number of interesting scrapbooking ways. Individual fibers can be used to highlight focus items or used to add dimension to artwork or drawings.

Embroidery fibers can also be twisted or braided for use in artwork or as imaginative borders. Embroidery cotton can even be used to tie down other items in a beautiful and creative way.

Hemp

Hemp can be used for a number of purposes in scrapbooking. Single, twisted, or braided fibers can be used to accentuate focus objects, as picture frames, or along the edges of the scrap book page as a border. Hemp looks especially good in western themed scrapbooks. In general, hemp can also be used to make a scrapbook appear more masculine.

Hemp glues quite easily and hides glue messes well. To increase the likelihood that a piece of hemp will stay in place while the glue is drying, place a piece of scotch tape over the rope until the piece dries fully.

You’ll probably find free bits of ribbon, lace or other material at home that will do just fine for your scrapbook. But log onto our suppliers’ page if you need to stock up on general craft supplies for scrapbooking - and don’t forget to check out the other sections of our site for more tips, tricks and ideas!