CreativeArtsCraftsHobbies

Paper crafts are popular pastimes right now. Scrapbooking is a great way to display photos and chronicle family history. Other fun paper crafts include making your own greeting cards and even making hand-made papers.

When getting started in paper crafting, it is easy to spend a lot of money! Go slowly at first until you are sure what sort of paper craft products you are likely to use. For example, you may find that you love using stickers in scrapbooks, but rarely use your rubber stamps. If this is the case, you would be better off spending more on stickers and less on rubber stamps for your paper projects.

Nearly everyone has at least some photographs stored somewhere in a shoe box or drawer. Scrapbooks are a great way to get those photos out so that people can enjoy them. To get started simply and inexpensively, you will need a loose leaf binder, some plastic page protectors, and some colored cardstock for starters. (Eventually, you may want to purchase a pretty binder and printed scrapbook paper, the designs of which are unlimited.) Many paper craft experts insist on only archival quality materials. Check the labels as you buy. Most paper products, even the cheaper ones, are labeled “acid-free,” which means that it should not fade or otherwise deteriorate if stored for any length of time. Sunlight will bleach almost anything, but your paper crafts most likely will not be out in the sunlight very often.

To start a scrapbook you have several options. You may select photos that all relate to one event, such as a trip, a child’s participation in sports, or any special occasion you want to commemorate. This type of scrapbook will be short, but can be designed around a theme. This is a good choice if your photos are not in a jumble. If they are, then you may wish to choose 3 or 4 photos around a general theme, and change the theme for each page. You may also want to include some 2 page spreads in your scrapbook.

Attach your photos to the cardstock with double-sided tape squares or a gluestick. Then it’s time to decorate the page with stickers, paper shapes, or rubber stamped designs relative to your theme. In addition, you can use a colored gel pen to write dates, names, and other highlights about the activities in the pictures.

Other items are available in craft stores. These include die cuts, which are pieces of paper already cut into shapes and objects. You can also purchase special scissors which cut paper with an interesting edge. A pair of the type called “deckle” scissors is very useful for making elegant-looking scrapbook pages, greeting cards, and other paper crafts. If you also have an old pair of pinking shears that are too dull to cut fabric, you may want to use those for cutting out shapes and photos.

Many paper crafts enthusiasts begin with scrapbooking, but then branch out to making their own greeting cards. Greeting cards may or may not have an original poem written on the inside. A simple “Happy Birthday,” “Get Well Soon,” or even just “Hi!” is enough to brighten someone’s day, so don’t worry about not being a good enough writer to make your own greeting cards. Rubber stamps often make beautiful greeting cards. You can even attach small ribbons, beads, and other items to hand made cards. A handmade card is sure to please anyone, whether they are interested in paper crafts or not.