Stickers are Essential

Stick to It!

By Kerry Jensen

Stickers Are Essential
I must confess—when it comes to designing scrapbook pages, stickers are near the top of my “essential supplies” list. Their current good standing on my layouts stems from pleasant schoolgirl memories of trading stickers with my friends at recess. But those childish trading days are over.

Now on each trip to the scrapbook store, I am amazed at the variety of stickers available to fit my many design moods and themes. Just knowing there’s such a wide selection lifts my spirits. Naturally, I pick up a sheet or two of economical and downright easy-to-apply stickers that “a-peel” to my pages!

The truth is, with a few basic guidelines, stickers will liven up your scrapbook pages and save you time. Here are four techniques and lots of expert tips that will make a believer out of you. Scrapbooking is quicker with a sticker, and these ideas prove it!

Technique #1 Anchor Away

Stickers floating alone on a scrapbook page can look haphazard, creating a “sticker sneeze” effect. Instead, anchor them to something. Mounting a sticker on cardstock will emphasize the sticker and give your page a more polished look. Journaling boxes are another great place to anchor stickers. For variety, try placing them directly on other page elements, like ribbon or vellum envelopes.

Technique #2: Think “Triangles”

Use stickers to create a visual triangle that frames your photo subject. Use this basic design technique once—or multiple times—when positioning stickers, photos or journaling boxes on the page. The imaginary triangle needn’t be exact; a general approximation will do. This tried-and-true rule is a simple way to design consistently eye-pleasing scrapbook pages.

Technique #3: Order at the Border

With stickers, borders have never been easier. And with so many sticker styles to choose from, the design possibilities are practically endless. A bonus? There’s little measuring or cutting involved. Many stickers are made specifically for use as borders. Why not combine multiple stickers to create your own borders? Whether they’re used as subtle accents or as frames for photos or entire pages, border stickers are versatile page enhancers.

Technique #4: Make a Scene!

Use stickers to create a scene on your page that invites interaction with your photos. It’s really a snap to group stickers with photos to create the scene you envision. Many sticker manufacturers design stickers expressly for that purpose.

Once you get going, you’ll be surprised how far one sheet of stickers will take you. Also, you’ll never need to worry about wasting the leftovers, because you’ll find countless uses for them: handmade cards, gift tags and boxes, envelope seals, children’s foreheads. And you know that headboard in your bedroom that has been looking a little drab lately? Have at it, because these days a little adhesive remover will fix just about anything!

Why Reinvent the Wheel?

If you find a basic design scheme you really like, repeat these elements on other pages. Using stickers from various companies ensures your efforts don’t appear repetitive.
Source: http://www.scrapbookeh.com/articles/s070828.html

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