Of all the patterned papers out there, the ones with the big beautiful designs are the hardest to use. When you see the paper, often, your first thought is about how to design the layout in such a way as to not cover the design. Then you wonder how to create layers and embellishment clusters using that large image. I will be the first to admit, that often, this is the type of paper that ends up just staying in my stash.
Using the paper is far easier than you think. It just takes a little bit of skill with a craft knife. You can cut parts of the image to create a sort of flap which will allow you to slide paper or embellishments underneath the larger image.
Make sure your knife is nice and sharp. Dull knives contribute to paper tearing. You don’t have to cut the image in once consecutive line. Look for the most delicate sections of the image and start there first. The delicate parts are easy to tear.They are small and difficult to hold. You may accidentally put to much pressure if you cut it last. When you cut the small sections first, you can easily hold onto a larger section of the paper or image.
Cut small slits each time. Stop and rotate the paper between cuts. This makes cutting more accurate than attempting to cut at the same time as moving the paper. You want to try to get as close to the image as possible, but don’t get caught up with having to remove every single tiny border from around the image.
Once you have finished cutting, practice sliding paper or embellishments underneath the cut image. You may have to cut a few more slits or sections to be able to slide items into the right spots.
Getting Around Puerto Rico by Christy Strickler |Supplies Patterned Paper: Jillibean Soup, My Little Showbox; Letters: Basic Grey, My Little Showbox; Wood Veneer: Studio Calico; Stickers: Making Memories, Jillibean Soup; Felt, Pearl Dots: Freckled Fawn; Flowers: Hero Arts, Sassafrass;based on Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #417; part of the Scrapbook Challenges Pattern Challenge-Maps
Flat embellishments or a piece of patterned paper work best when sliding items under the cut image. It creates an instant layer. You can then build up the dimension by placing a few items on top of the image. On the layout above, I slid a piece of patterned paper under the image. I allowed sections of the flat letter stickers from the title to slide partially underneath as well. Glossy accents allowed me to build the title upwards. I added clear enamel stickers with word phrases and flowers to finish off the various layers of the cluster.Working above and below the main image, I was able to create an embellishment cluster with four layers.
Homeschool Helper by Christy Strickler |Supplies Patterned Paper: Webster’s Pages; Letters: Jillibean Soup; Tape: Freckled Fawn; Stickers: Twine and Ink, Webster’s Pages; Flair, Wood Veneer: Studio Calico; Based on a Page Maps Sketch
In this layout, the heart and flowers on the lower left were part of the original image. I chose a page design which would allow me to work the cluster into the main design of the page. Take into consideration the size of the pre-printed image when choosing your page design. How will the image interact with photos, the title and other embellishments on the layout? There are always multiple options, but one in particular may work best with your embellishment style.
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