Scrapbooking is a great hobby, and it’s much simpler than many people think! There are thousands of ready-made scrapbook embellishments that can add instant color and drama to a layout. You can mixed and match these according to your personal style, or use a pre-prepared kit so you can finish a project in minutes. For a bigger creative challenge, you can buy ‘raw’ embellishments that you can paint, alter, and combine all on your own, to create a truly unique project that showcases both your skill and your personal style.
Here are some of the different kinds of scrapbook embellishments available today. Try one (or all) not just on scrapbook layouts but altered books, art journaling, decoupage and other crafts.
1. Chipboard
Chipboard comes in varying thicknesses and more shapes and sizes than you can imagine! Letters in different fonts, flowers, animals, curliques and scrolls, frames.
You can find pre-designed chipboard, usually covered in paper or accented with glitter. Many of these coordinate with scrapbook paper lines. Raw chipboard, on the other hand, can be inked, painted, covered with paper, doodled on. Think of it as your mini-canvas!
Chipboard can add dimension to a scrapbook layout or glued on craft projects like decoupage boxes.
2. Felt
This is one of the more recent trends in scrapbooking, especially since people started experimenting with fabric albums. But even if you don’t sew, felt embellishments can add a playful touch to baby or kids’ scrapbooks, or complement the rustic or vintage feel of more ‘feminine’ paper lines.
You can stamp on felt embellishments, layer on buttons and brads, or stitch with embroidery thread.
3. Ribbons and lace
You can find ribbons and lace in any craft store, in every color and size. There are also ribbons that have pre-printed words, or have two designs (one on each side). Add these to tags, or run across a scrapbook layout to make a ribbon border. Ribbons also make excellent enclosures for mini books or accordion books.
4. Buttons and brads
These scrapbook embellishments are quite versatile! Group buttons to make a pretty photo corner or accent a journaling block. Line them up for an adorable border.
Brads are also great for anchoring vellum papers (which are difficult to glue), ribbons, and for adding color (and cuteness) to a page.
5. Rub-ons
These are a great alternative for people who don’t enjoy stamping but like the idea of superimposing images on a photo or a journaling tag. Simply position the rub-on and then (as the name suggests) gently push against the image with a coin or stick to transfer it. There are rub on letters, pictures and geometric designs.
You can also buy blank rub-on sheets that let you make your own design! Just type the desired phrase or select an image on your computer, than print.
6. Bling
Think crystals or miniature pearls and diamonds. These are perfect for accenting flowers, or lining up along the edge of a photo or journaling block. You can find really small bling and larger jewels that can be used as a focal point in a vintage-style decoupage or craft project.
Budget tip: to mimic the look of bling, buy Stickles. This is actually three-dimensional glitter glue that can harden into small, jewel-like dots. Comes in a variety of colors and is easily one of the most popular scrapbooking tools today!
7. Metal tags
Depending on the design, these can help embellish a masculine scrapbook layout, or add the perfect, final touch to a heritage album or a vintage layout.
The more simple metal tags can be used as journal boxes or embellishments for practically any layout. Some scrapbook brands have a ‘tag maker’ tool, but you can also buy sets of five or more tags in various shapes and sizes.
8. Paper flowers
You can find small flowers that are barely larger than the end of your pinky finger to huge blooms that can be used to decorate the covers of mini books! These flowers can be layered one on top of the other for added dimension and color, lined up in a row, or clustered (along with buttons and bling) for a truly beautiful touch.