Scrap-booking Hints.

I use a lazy Susan for my most used supplies.

I use a fishing tackle box filled with supplies, which I take along when we go camping.

I use photo albums for my large Acrylic stamps.

Some hardware stores sell extender posts for post-bound albums which are longer, stronger and cheaper than the one’s sold at craft stores.

My pages in progress file.

I use a magnetic planning board.

I decorate my own patterned papers. Please click for more information.

I keep my most used supplies close to me.

I tear out the best magazine articles and file them under subjects like “Scraplift, Vintage, Titles, Embellishments, etc.

My craft-room. I love the table down the middle, where I can spread out the layouts that I’m working on. I cover them with glass sheets (microwave oven glass plates, second hand from thrift-stores) to protect them when I’m not working from “you know who“.

Photographing your scrapbook layouts.

How to Photograph your scrapbook layouts indoors without sunlight.

How To: Photograph Your Scrapbook Pages by Crystal Jeffrey Rieger.

Tutorial – Photographing Layouts

I cut these photo, title, borders, embellishments, etc. templates from opaque flexible plastic cutting board sheets as used for cooking.
I got them at a Dollar-store.
They are marked with a permanent marker.
I then punched a hole in them, with a hole punch and hung them from a shower curtain ring. I think they will be handy when I design pages.

I traced some of my templates with a permanent marker on opaque flexible plastic cutting board sheets as used for cooking. I got them at a Dollar-store.

Here they are cut out.

I punched holes in them with a hole punch and hung them from a shower curtain ring.

You can find some of templates on my Pinterest board.

I got these 12 “x 12” dividers from a thrift-store.

• I photograph my layouts on my magnetic board, attached with magnets, which I remove in Adobe Photoshop. I also use perspective correction in Photoshop.This is the way I do it, I don’t crop the photo, (leave a space around the image). I use the grid (view-show grid), to see when it is straight, select-all, Edit-transform-skew. You will see a frame around the image, pull the corners till it’s straight. Enter. Then crop off the unwanted, Save.

I use rubber-stamps to make background patterns.  You can see more by clicking here. Nikon D70 ©

I always try out my stamps on a piece of scrap paper before stamping onto my projects. You can see more by clicking here.

I use brass paper fasteners for brads. Nikon D70 ©

• I paint them different colors with nail polish. Nikon D70 © You can see more by clicking here.

I always sign my work at the back, and cover the backs of the Brads (brass paper fasteners) with adhesive tape, so that I don’t damage my scrapbooks. Nikon D70 ©

I bought small acrylic picture frames and acrylic blocks at the dollar-store, to which I attach my acrylic stamps, I have so many that I don’t have to remove the stamps from the ones I use regularly.

These acrylic picture frames are bigger.

The ones that come in sets, are in zip-lock bags.

Organization | Stamp Storage

How to Store Rubber and Craft Stamps.

I also use the lids of Stack-able Interlocking Clear Containers for Beads, Crafts Findings and Small Items.

These are great for alphabets.

I store the bags in clear plastic containers by size.

The small bags, Rubber-stamps and ink-pads fit nicely in the Ikea Antonius divided organizers.

Larger bags are kept in a clear larger plastic container.

• I always buy more than one set of chipboard alphabet sets, as I use some letters more than others.
  
• I use an index card file box to organize the techniques that I have tried out. I try out the technique on the one side, make notes on the back and file.

My Light-Box

I store Stickles, Distress inks, glitter/glue, etc. in Vanity Organizers for lipstick and nail polish. I store them upside down, they fit better and it helps keep the nozzles clear.

Essentials 16-Compartment Plastic Organizer

12″ x 13″ Plastic crates on wheels under my table, which holds my 12″ x 12″ patterned papers, kits, etc.

13″ x 13″ Plastic Milk crates, plastic totes, plastic drawers, etc. Available from Homedepot, Walmart, Staples, etc.

Stencils in magazine holders.

Creative Options – Vineyard Collection – 12 x 12 Project Boxes – Clear.

13″ x 13″ Plastic Iris boxes, 12″ plastic pencils cases and spray bottles in shelves.

• Stencils in magazine holders.
• 
• I keep my glue gun in a tape dispenser.

• How to Rehydrate Your Glue Sticks.

• Store ink-pads upside down so that they don’t dry out.
• I store my rubber-stamps in printer’s trays.
• Use a Nail clipper instead of a corner rounder.
• Use empty “Huggies” travel baby-wipes containers to keep a wet cloth, paper towel, sponge, etc.
• Use a paint stripper Heat gun instead of a heat gun for heat embossing.
• I keep an empty tissue-box on my table for small scraps that I want to throw away, like the backs of mounting tape.
• When I have photos printed, I include the date in the file-name, as some stores print the file-name on the back.
• I cover my work with clear glass sheets like used for kitchen counters to protect and flatten them a little.
• I scan and publish my layouts on a Blog, adding information like paper, fonts, sources, etc. It encourages me to work a bit neater, I learn a lot from the feedback and it helps me keep track of sources and information.
• I use a Paper-shredder to cut Cardstock into strips.  I got this idea from the book “Cutting edge photo cropping” by Memory Makers.
• I use a craft knife to remove stickers.
• Printing Multiple Photos, clip-art, etc. on a single page in Adobe Photoshop Click on File- automate-photo-merge choose interactive layout drag and drop from the top.
• I use flexible plastic cutting board sheets for My Light-Box and working with hot glue. I spray them with cooking spray and drop hot glue on them for making faux wax seals, pebble accents, etc. A few hours later I just peel them off. Hot glue, alcohol ink and Powdered pearls
• I use a dry Sticky Lint Roller as a Brayer.
• I use Nail-clippers, instead of a corner rounder.
• You can remove old stuck photos by sliding dental floss beneath the corners of the photo and carefully sliding it back and forth to gently “saw” through the adhesive.
• Scan newspaper clippings, cards, mementos, etc. and print them on archival paper.
• I color ribbon, fibers, lace, etc. with food-color or die.
• Pour talcum powder over sticky glue which won’t dry.
• Ink the edges when fussy cutting.

These are some of my favorite scrapbooking hints.
Do you have any, I would love to hear from you?

Homemade Pop-Up Dots

Craft supplies, sources, etc.