Scrapbooking For Beginners: How To Use Scrapbook Embellishments To Create Gorgeous Layouts

Discover how a little bit of glam goes a long way.

This page only has few embellishments but they draw focus to the photos

This is a common mistake that a lot of scrapbooking beginners make. They feel that the entire page has to be filled in order to give it the best appearance. Once you have selected your photos and your background, choose just a few scrapbook embellishments and temporarily place them onto your layout. Decide if the embellishments are actually enhancing the page or if they're taking away from the main focal point.

For example, if your background contains different shades of purple and your photos are of a Purple Hat luncheon, then using cute tiny orange flowers would be very distracting. Decide if your embellishments should be scattered throughout a page or used as a grouping.

Sometimes by keeping your photos cropped and matted as squares and your journaling parallel to the photos, you only need two or three scrapbook embellishments near the bottom or top of the page.

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One of the key rules regarding scrapbooking for beginners is to take it easy with the mixing and matching of embellishments.

Beads, twine, brads, stickers, and other scrapbooking supplies...all of these things are a lot of fun to use. However, when a spread contains too many types of scrapbook embellishments, it creates chaos.

On average, use only three kinds of embellishments for a spread. Let's say you're creating a spread pertaining to your son's Little League games. You might embellish the spread with sports scrapbook stickers, brads, and buttons. It's okay to use more than just one sticker, one brad, or one button, but just make sure that the totality doesn't overwhelm the page.

You also need to be selective in terms of the types of embellishments that you use. Make sure that you are using acid free scrapbooking adhesive and paper items. Otherwise, over time, they may get faded, discoloring your scrapbook page or flaking away. For the most part, you'll want to use flat embellishments for scrapbooks, and save the poufy flowers, charms, and large beads to adorn the front of greeting cards.

♥Washi tape–  Patterned tape strips that are very versatile. Washi tape comes in a wide variety of colors that can fit most of your layout ideas, it can be used as photo corners, washi tape scrapbook feather embellishment, and many more.

♥ Beads– Tiny beads work well for special emphases, such as the center of a flower. Although beads can be used in a scrapbook, they are better suited for greeting cards, calendars, etc.

♥ Brads– Brads are also referred to as mini-fasteners. As a special effect, choose a brad with color to attach a die-cut to a page. Using a needle, poke a small hole through the die-cut and the page. Poke the legs through both items and spread out the legs. Be sure to cover up the legs on the flip side of the page with card stock. Avoid covering the legs with a photo or sticker because the outline of the legs will press through.

♥ Buttons – Flat buttons of different colors and shape look super cute on a page. Save the bulky buttons for greeting cards.

♥ Charms – Flat metal charms add a special touch to any scrapbook page!

♥ Confetti– Whether it's store bought brand metallic confetti or confetti that you make out of paper, use confetti to emphasize the focal point of a page.

♥ Die-cuts – Die-cuts can save you lots of work! Die-cuts are made out of different types of paper using different types of die cut tools or machines and come in all sorts of themes.

♥ Eyelets– Eyelets are colored metal shapes with a hole in the center. Typically we think of eyelets being round, but they actually come in shapes such as hearts, flowers and diamonds, and all-new fun shapes.

♥ Embossing. Scrapbook embossing powder makes a stunning embellishment for your page. It also creates a lovely rustic look often times as well.

♥ Foam shapes– Foam shapes aren't just for kids! Because of their thickness, foam shapes add dimension to a page. Whether it's letters, fish, numbers or smiley faces, you'll discover a wide variety of shapes for any crafts project

♥ Glitter glue– Super easy to use, glitter glue adds texture to a page. Create free-form swirls or use it to form a frame around a sticker or die-cut.