Q: (from Pamela in Austin, TX): I’ve seen many creative backgrounds using border stickers, but I’m not sure how it’s done. Can you help?Carol: Borders are mainly used for framing, but can be used as backgrounds and accents all over a page. For a woven backdrop, the easiest way to create it is to lay out a piece of wax paper and begin weaving strips until you get your desired look. You can weave the strips tightly or lightly, whichever you prefer. Once you’ve created the look you like, gently lift the border weaving off the waxed paper and place it onto the page.
Shapes can be created with borders as well. Simply lay borders side by side on a sheet of scrap paper and punch, die-cut or hand-cut the shapes.
One other quick trick is to create confetti by cutting tiny squares from border stickers and applying them to the page. You can have a variety of different options for your border stickers.
Q: (from Amanda in Salem, OR): I am confused about what kind of adhesives to use with the different kinds of papers and embellishments.
Carol: It’s very important to choose the correct adhesive for the job. There are five different adhesives. The paste adhesives are like glue sticks and are good for adhering papers. Often times paste doesn’t stick to photos and leaves a bumpy appearance on the papers. Dry adhesives are usually applied in an applicator gun or on a release paper. This is great for adhering photos and paper. Any extra glue rolls up and can be removed, a lot like rubber cement. Dry adhesives also works best on vellum. Wet glues, like Perfect Paper Adhesive, Tacky Glue and Crafter’s Glue are good for adhering dimensional objects. These will cause the paper to buckle because of the water and if you get a little where it doesn’t belong...it leaves a mark. Spray-on glue offers both a permanent and temporary bond and is great for paper and photos, but it’s hard to control. A good trick is to spray it in a box. Finally, "Dots" glue is little circles of adhesive on a release paper that holds its shape. It’s an improved adhesive and is great for adhering dimensional objects.
Q: (Samantha in Tucson, AZ): How do I use creative lettering on a page?
Carol: Different and unique lettering can add personality to any page layout. I suggest experimenting with different heights, widths and colors on the same page. Here’s an idea to get you started. Find some lettering books that offer different letter styles. Place your selection right side up onto a light box and lay white paper stock on top of the lettering. Begin lightly tracing the lettering using a pencil. Use a marker to ink the lettering. Be sure to erase any pencil lines. Adhere the lettered card stock onto a colored card stock and cut it out to create a border.
