There are a variety of techniques and methods that can be used to add a little sparkle to your layouts. From an all out sparkle with gemstones and glitter, to a more subtle shine with metallic paints and rub-ons.

One of the most effective (but yes, sometimes messy) ways of adding bling and sparkle to a layout, is to add glitter to chipboard letters (such as in a title).

Firstly, choose the colour glitter that you want for your letters. Then choose a paint in a similar colour. It doesn?t have to be an exact match, a few shades difference is still okay. Paint the chipboard letters with the paint, using one or two coats as necessary. Now, working one letter at a time, coat the letter with Diamond Glaze (or Dimensional Magic). Place on a flat surface, then sprinkle with glitter. Do not touch or move for an hour or two, until completely dry. This technique also works with other chipboard shapes. In fact, nearly anything made of chipboard can be glittered.

On the layout below, I have glittered the entire word ?LOVE?. I often do swirls and flourishes too.

Another more subtle way of adding bling to a layout, is to use metallic paints, glazes or rub-ons. Hambly Screenprints create beautiful overlays and rub-ons in various metallic shades. Very quick and easy to use. Both Making Memories and Lil? Davis create beautiful metallic paints and glazes.

If you are using the metallic glazes on chipboard shapes or letters, remember to paint them with a similar coloured paint first as the chipboard soaks up the glazes. For even more shine, once the glaze is dry, coat with a layer of Diamond Glaze and allow to dry.

On the layout below, I have used metallic glazes on the chipboard letters, and silver Hambly rub-ons, for a more subtle effect.

Finally, there are GEMSTONES. Most are self-adhesive, and can be adhered to nearly anything. Kaiserscrapbook make fantastic packets of gemstones and pearls in nearly every colour imaginable. Heidi Swapp produces beautiful bling borders and frames. And Karen Foster has beautiful gemstone brads. All look fantastic on layouts.

The gemstones can be used in the centre of flowers, on chipboard letters and elements, on ribbons, and on photos themselves (they look beautiful on wedding dresses and on tiaras). The Heidi Swapp bling borders can be cut to size to create beautiful photo corners. The gemstone brads make beautiful bling centres for flowers.

On the layout below I have used Heidi Swapp bling strips to create sparkling photo corners.

Hope this has been helpful, and can?t wait to see what your creative minds produce next.

I’m sure you have all used 3D cushions on your LO’s , making your embellishments pop. But have you ever tried it with your photos? It’s very, very simple, but it gives you a very cool effect on your page!

For my first two examples, all you need is two copies of the same photo, scissors and 3D cushions. Simply cut out the part of the photo that you would like to highlight, in my case the face on the first LO, and the shoes on the second. Attach 3D cushions under your cut-out, and place it so it matches EXACTLY on the other photo – and voila – you have a nice 3D effect! To make the photos pop even more, I have added a “frame”. A painted scalloped chipboard on the first LO, and bling on the second. It makes the eye go to that part of the photo immediately!

The third LO is a little bit different, I have used onnly one photo. By cutting out the whole object – my daughter in this case – almost makes it a 3D effect as soon as you put it on your page! But by doing the same as on the other two – framing it, and pushing it up with 3D cushions, I think the effect is very cool!

See – very easy!!!

I hope you have found some inspiration today, good luck!

Foam is a fairly new scrapbooking embellishment that has hit the U.S. Scrapbooking market. The likes of American Crafts have come out with fabulous foam stickers in different colors and fonts to give our pages great dimension. It is so easy to use and serves a great embellishment with out the bulk and weight of the metal and chipboard embellishments.

As a former paper tole lover, layouts that I have created will always have a dimensional element to it. My dimensional elements are papers extracted from pattern papers and made into 3d for a more unique look. We all know buying commercial 3d embellishments/ foam squares hits us deep in the wallet. What best way to solve is to buy foam sheets with sticky back and create our own 3d embellishments

When you scout local dollar stores in Australia, they sell this at $2.99, sheets of foam in various colors (10 pcs) packed together for your crafts and are tagged as acid free.

Here are varied ways you can use FOAM on your layout (and even behind the scenes creating your layout.

1) Reinventing old stickers

If you have old stickers or even the nice see through/ transparent stickers you can easily color match these babies to your color scheme. If you have ordinary stickers you can mount them in shapes like a circle ? and it becomes 3d dimensional stickers. This is an inexpensive way of making die cuts without the dollar punch.

As you can see above the round embellishments are all transparent stickers (happy family, love, time, kids, #1 daddy ,family and heart shape) mounted on white foam and unlike leaving it flat on page, the foam help it pop off the page.

2) Using foam as title There are limitations to cutting your own titles using foam. With its make, its very hard to use craft knives and scissors to cut straight and precise. Some people with baste glue on it to make the surface stiffer. Some use dimensional glaze to come up with same. However, its best cutting it on any die cutter (Cuttlebug, Big shot, Big kick or Sidekick) in the market without it weighing heavily on the cutting plates nor your dies. You can dress up foam with stamps, bling, epoxy stickers, kindy glitz, diamond glaze. You can also use stamps on it for added design. The only thing you can?t do is heat emboss on it because it is possible to melt the not only the embossing powder and the foam itself. You can also make letters pop by layering two foam letters and this wont damage your protector sheets (unlike chipboard or metal embellishments).

It is good to note though should you want to layer foam, crop a little off your base cardstock of your layout. This way, your page doesn?t warp in the protector sheets. It gives it the breathing space to move without warping.

Here are some samples:

These are pre cut foam where ?take the plunge? title was doodled on with stitches like lines. The background with the whale figure was cut and made 3d by foam.

The BOYS? sample has title inked on the edges, cut on a die cutter and its round paper background lifted with 3d foam once again. The difference foam makes for dimension on a page.

3) Making your own 3d embellishments

Most scrappers desire unique pages and what a better way to create their own embellishments on the page. Of course it depends on the extent, you want to show off your cutting prowess, even the simplest of shapes provides great accents to your pages. If you are a newbie in this hobby, this is a great suggestion. You will save yourself money and it will also give you the chance to learn and nurture a technique that never goes out of style.

Here are some tips to enhance your pages (which you can achieve with the use of scissors, craft knife, glue and foam):

As mentioned earlier, you can cut use die cutter to cut titles & paint with dimensional glaze for extra gloss. You can trace and cut a pattern of a crown, adorn with blings, punch holes with your crop a dile and apply glaze & kindy glitz. The flexibility of foam allows you to adhere the crown with glue on page (note this i lifted with foam on bottom for pop of the page look). Photo corner is also made of foam.

If you are game to cut intricate patterns of flowers and vines, foam sheets available can help protect and allow ease in adhering them on a page. You can cut them as thin and not be visible on the layout. Your own DIY embellishment will not go flat on your page even in protector sheets and even in an album.

There is no need to waste scraps into the bin, if you have the patience to cut little flowers such as this, again your foam can be handy to give your pages unique accents. These flowers from different pattern papers were cut, glazed, added bling and connected with fancy ribbon and rub-ons. Mount them on foam, you have your own 3d die cuts.

A simple way of using your sticky back foam is to adhere it to patterned paper and run it through a diecutter to cut your captions and title. If you picture the old manufacturers who were pioneers of 3d embellishments, Jolees stickers, they were layered 3 to 4 times. This die cut where it says ?say cheese? is layered with 3 pattern papers, same with the captions and backed with sticky back foam.

In this sample the photo was also mounted on foam, alongside the flowers which was also layered with foam on the left hand side. A big difference it makes to see layered embellishments on a page

.

With this skill, you would never need to buy a single 3d embellishment! EVER!

Joanne Yap