How to Make Easy Scrapbook Embellishments- Bubbles from Paperclips

Sometimes there is that one themed item you wish you had when you are making a scrapbook layout. You have two options. You can either wait and try to buy that perfect thing or you can try to make it yourself. I chose option two. I had these wonderful pictures of my son blowing bubbles but I didn’t want to wait and buy bubble themed paper or  embellishments. I chose to make my own scrapbook embellishments- bubbles made from paperclips. If you are looking for ways to scrapbook about blowing bubbles or bubble baths, then you can make similar bubble embellishments from paperclips.

Paperclips are relatively easy to bend. I had a few blue and white ones from a local office supply store. I gently pulled them open, then rebent them, forming the hint of a circle. I didn’t worry about the circle being perfect because I knew that just wasn’t going to happen. I also didn’t worry about closing the circle. The idea is to create a very abstract bubble using the paperclip, not an exact bubble.Think of it as relaxed geometry.

Create a Matte of bent paperclip circles to house your photographs. I clustered the bent paperclips in the center of the cardstock canvas. I decided that a lot of them would feel too heavy, so I added pieces of blue thread, placed in loose circles. I alternated the colors of the paperclips and the thread to make the “matte” feel more fun. The paperclips I chose were relatively large. Your matte may look a bit different if you use smaller paperclips. Alternatively, consider using various sizes of paperclip to make the matte even more interesting. If you feel your cardstock base doesn’t seem sturdy after adding the paperclips, let the glue dry and then add a sheet of very thin chipboard to the back. A full 12×12 sheet shouldn’t be necessary. You can use one just large enough to cover the size of the matte.

In this closeup shot, you can see how the glue was placed strategically so that each dot joined 2 paperclips together. I knew the glue dot was going to be visible in spots. so I added a few dots of glue here and there in a random pattern. You can also add small glass beads. The glass beads add a  pearlized look reminiscent of soap bubbles. Both the glue dots and beads add more texture to your layout.

Depending upon how big your paperclip bubbles are, the photo may need a little added support. Adhering a thin sheet of chipboard to the back of the photos will ensure they don’t get bent or pushed inward. It also makes it easier to glue the photos down to the paperclip matte as well as providing structure to layer embellishments on top. Once again, a liquid adhesive will be your best best. Once the photos are in place, you can complete the layout by adding your title, any additional embellishments and your journaling.

Concentrate, Focus and Blow by Christy Strickler |Supplies Cardstock: Bazzil: Letters. Tape: American Crafts;Acrylic, Fabric Hearts: Freckled Fawn; Other: Sequins, Paperclips,Glass Beads, Glossy Accents; This page originally appeared in an article for Get It Scrapped

I kept the embellishments to a minimum as I felt the bubble matte provided a lot of it’s own texture and dimension. To keep the page from feeling dull, I used glitter letters. To further support the idea of bubbles, I added in some round sequins with a white, pearl finish. The paperclip bubbles were the perfect solution, allowing my layout to feel unique yet supportive of the story. If you create your own layout using paperclip bubbles, I would love to see. Share a link to your page in the comments.