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Making your own Embellishments

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Apr '12 Drunkfromhiskiss

I need some help coming up with ideas. Since I am scrapping on somewhat of a budget, I was thinking about trying to make some of my own embellishments instead of buying them. Sometimes they can be so expensive. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or tips for this.. Like what kinds of things do you use to make them? I am going to try to use up a lot of my paper scraps, old ribbons, buttons, etc.. but anyone have any ideas besides that? Any suggestions would be helpful.
Apr '12 CommaHolly

RE: Drunkfromhiskiss: I need some help coming up with ideas. Since I am scrapping on somewhat of a budget, I was thinking about trying to make some of my own embellishments instead of buying them. Sometimes they can be so expensive. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or tips for this.. Like what kinds of things do you use to make them? I am going to try to use up a lot of my paper scraps, old ribbons, buttons, etc...

Youtube is my friend. I make tons of my own flowers,,,,,I have punches and dies I use to cut the paper (and they are worth it because they can be used over and over again) and then I shape them with a stylus on a foam mat.
Apr '12 CrimsonMama

RE: CommaHolly: Youtube is my friend. I make tons of my own flowers,,,,,I have punches and dies I use to cut the paper (and they are worth it because they can be used over and over again) and then I shape them with a stylus on a foam mat.

I agree, I got two sizes of flower sqeeze punches from Fiskars and can put together a lot with just scrap paper. I never buy a tool without it being on sale or having at least a 40% discount coupon.

I also made acordian flowers from paper by hand and fabric yoyo flowers, really easy, just add a button, etc.

I have salvaged a ton of buttons from my mom's stash. It's amazing how many cool ones she had saved from over the years, I will never use them all.
Apr '12 MrsAnnieS

RE: CommaHolly: Youtube is my friend. I make tons of my own flowers,,,,,I have punches and dies I use to cut the paper (and they are worth it because they can be used over and over again) and then I shape them with a stylus on a foam mat.

youtube and blogs are my go-to places to look for tutorials on your own embellishments.

And like Holly said, punches and dies are great investments for making your own flowers and other embellies
Apr '12 Drunkfromhiskiss

RE: MrsAnnieS: youtube and blogs are my go-to places to look for tutorials on your own embellishments. And like Holly said, punches and dies are great investments for making your own flowers and other embellies

Thanks.. I was planning on buying a few more punches since I only have a couple. Any favorites you can recommend??
Apr '12 Debby_westbrook

RE: Drunkfromhiskiss: Thanks.. I was planning on buying a few more punches since I only have a couple. Any favorites you can recommend??

For brads, buy the plain gold ones at the dollar store and paint them with nail polish....
Apr '12 Ms.Schwiet

RE: Debby_westbrook: For brads, buy the plain gold ones at the dollar store and paint them with nail polish....

Most all flower punches rock. You can build different layers, crumples, twist and get lots of variety. Also butterflies are great to. But I love both on my pages
Apr '12 HisGEM

RE: Ms.Schwiet: Most all flower punches rock. You can build different layers, crumples, twist and get lots of variety. Also butterflies are great to. But I love both on my pages

Melissa made beautiful flowers just using a circle! I will add a link to her http://kelseymel.blogspot.com/2012/02/simple-flower-tutorial.html .

If you get a 5 petal punch, you can make an array of flowers! I do this often with die cuts but it works just the same. I do that http://mygazelleandme.blogspot.com/ .
Apr '12 Theellenbee

RE: HisGEM: Melissa made beautiful flowers just using a circle! I will add a link to her blog . If you get a 5 petal punch, you can make an array of flowers! I do this often with die cuts but it works just the same. I do that here .

If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon!
Apr '12 Nswilliams

RE: Drunkfromhiskiss: I need some help coming up with ideas. Since I am scrapping on somewhat of a budget, I was thinking about trying to make some of my own embellishments instead of buying them. Sometimes they can be so expensive. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or tips for this.. Like what kinds of things do you use to make them? I am going to try to use up a lot of my paper scraps, old ribbons, buttons, etc...

I'm also a big fan of fussy cutting images from the paper I'm using. Sometimes i'll emboss it as well.
Apr '12 AlisonJ

RE: Nswilliams: I'm also a big fan of fussy cutting images from the paper I'm using. Sometimes i'll emboss it as well.

Things used to make embellishments......

- paper tape to make flowers
- circle punch to make the circle-type flowers
(folding two sides of the punched circle in, do a bunch of them, attach them one at a time with pointed end inwards on another circle and put a brad in the middle...quick way of explaining!)
- grungeboard - I've used this to make my own haunted house for halloween layouts, clouds, moons, stars etc...I cut pieces to make pickets and strung them together with thin gauge wire to make a picket fence for a beach layout....
- vellum - makes really cool butterflies (you can dip the edge of the wings in white paint or gesso for an added cool effect)
- you can also use fabric, string, burlap, Kory's ribbon idea (stamping on cotton to make your own ribbons)

Have fun!
Alison
Apr '12 Kim222

RE: AlisonJ: Things used to make embellishments...... - paper tape to make flowers - circle punch to make the circle-type flowers (folding two sides of the punched circle in, do a bunch of them, attach them one at a time with pointed end inwards on another circle and put a brad in the middle...quick way of explaining!) - grungeboard - I've used this to make my own haunted house for halloween layouts, clo...

You can cut out the designs and pictures on your paper and use them like a sticker.
You could mount them on chipboard or cardstock.
You can use glossy accents to make an epoxy embellie, distress it with ink and/or crackle paint to give it a worn look or emboss it to give it a whole other look.
Ink the edges or spread a thin layer of "clear" stickles (like Rock Candy Distress Stickles) across them to give it a sugared coating.

You can also print your own clip art/pics/etc to use as embellies too.

Simple shapes will give you lots of options (ie: using circles/ovals for flower petals). You can then draw in the stem or run some flat ribbon through your ink jet for a custom printed look
like this :

http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/88426/view/ 913995/-1...
Apr '12 ScrappinGirl162

RE: Kim222: You can cut out the designs and pictures on your paper and use them like a sticker. You could mount them on chipboard or cardstock. You can use glossy accents to make an epoxy embellie, distress it with ink and/or crackle paint to give it a worn look or emboss it to give it a whole other look. Ink the edges or spread a thin layer of "clear" stickles (like Rock Candy Distress Stickles) acros...

Paper piecing is another way to make your own embellishments! There are many free templates out there & you only need a craft knife, self-healing mat, paper, and chalks or colored pencils!
Apr '12 Sassie

RE: Theellenbee: If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon!
theellenbee Said:
If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon!

Which Martha punch? She has so many!!
Apr '12 Lenethren

RE: Sassie: theellenbee Said: If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon! Which Martha punch? She has so many!!

I made some awesome flowers from dryer sheets (Bounce). I don`t recall the tutorial but if you google that I am sure it will come up.

Also you can buy foil tape at the dollar store, stick foil to plain cardstock, punch out. It looks like metal punch outs!

Hope these help!
Apr '12 Kim222

RE: Lenethren: I made some awesome flowers from dryer sheets (Bounce). I don`t recall the tutorial but if you google that I am sure it will come up. Also you can buy foil tape at the dollar store, stick foil to plain cardstock, punch out. It looks like metal punch outs! Hope these help!

You can also wrap chipboard shapes with aluminum foil and color or stamp with alcohol inks, copics, staz on etc.
Apr '12 SoonerT

RE: Kim222: You can also wrap chipboard shapes with aluminum foil and color or stamp with alcohol inks, copics, staz on etc.

I was going to say what Holly said, YouTube is a great resource.

I make some of my own embellishments, especially when I am altering a letter, can, etc...

You might look around at a dollar store or Walmart for wooden shapes---hearts, stars, circles---that can be mod podged. I also cut interesting tags from clothing and keep them as well as keeping strings, pins, etc... from the tags that are attached to the sleeves and collars.
Apr '12 Wilbur

RE: Kim222: You can also wrap chipboard shapes with aluminum foil and color or stamp with alcohol inks, copics, staz on etc.
Kim222 Said:
You can also wrap chipboard shapes with aluminum foil and color or stamp with alcohol inks, copics, staz on etc.

That's a good idea! ... Thanks.
Apr '12 CommaHolly

RE: Sassie: theellenbee Said: If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon! Which Martha punch? She has so many!!
Sassie Said:

theellenbee Said:
If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon!

Which Martha punch? She has so many!!

these two are my fav MS butterfly punches! they make 3 different size butterflies for almost anything you can think of!
Apr '12 Sneezy1956

RE: CommaHolly: Sassie Said: theellenbee Said: If you like butterflies look into Martha Stewarts butterfly punch. It's my favorite punch because no matter what your style, a butterfly will fit into almost any LO or project. I have made tons of butterflies from kraft brown to shabby chic pink and they always add something special. Don't forget to use a coupon! Which Martha punch? She has so many!! ...

I like making my own flowers check good will for 10 cent clothes and pull the trims and buttons off of them. If you have a circle punch you can make really cute flowers.

some glossy accents and some words printed on your printer and you can make some cute dimensional accents.
Apr '12 Sonsie

RE: Sneezy1956: I like making my own flowers check good will for 10 cent clothes and pull the trims and buttons off of them. If you have a circle punch you can make really cute flowers. some glossy accents and some words printed on your printer and you can make some cute dimensional accents.

I made these with material scraps, a lighter and some glitter.

Cut some circles of various sizes, singe the edges and they curl up. Then a little glue and some glitter on the edges and a brad for the middle.
Apr '12 Pwiswell

RE: Sneezy1956: I like making my own flowers check good will for 10 cent clothes and pull the trims and buttons off of them. If you have a circle punch you can make really cute flowers. some glossy accents and some words printed on your printer and you can make some cute dimensional accents.

I love all the ideas on this blog. Thanks for sharing. I make a lot of my own embellishments with my cricut machine and my various punches. It does save on money.
Apr '12 Mr Mister

RE: Pwiswell: I love all the ideas on this blog. Thanks for sharing. I make a lot of my own embellishments with my cricut machine and my various punches. It does save on money.

One of my favorites is picking up men's silk neck ties at thrift stores. Use a seamripper to open them up and iron flat. Cut thin strips and you have really cool silk ribbons, look inside the back for a fiber content tag, to make sure it's silk.

Ties are cut on the bias so the cut edges do not unravel and the silk has a wonderful luster. There is a surprising amount of fabric in a tie but watch out, it's addictive hunting them down. Some of the flashiest, tackiest ties make the most beautiful ribbons and its extra fun seeing the funny looks you get buying them. I've even cut out flowers with Tim Holtz shabby flowers dies. They look fantastic!!
Apr '12 Flintridgescrapper

RE: Mr Mister: One of my favorites is picking up men's silk neck ties at thrift stores. Use a seamripper to open them up and iron flat. Cut thin strips and you have really cool silk ribbons, look inside the back for a fiber content tag, to make sure it's silk. Ties are cut on the bias so the cut edges do not unravel and the silk has a wonderful luster. There is a surprising amount of fabric in a tie but watc...

Mr., that is an awesome idea! Now I can't wait to go to the thrift stores. Hubby will just wonder what I doing though since he doesn't wear ties!
Apr '12 Mr Mister

RE: Flintridgescrapper: Mr., that is an awesome idea! Now I can't wait to go to the thrift stores. Hubby will just wonder what I doing though since he doesn't wear ties!

For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags.

If you have a cutlebug or other diecutting/embossing machine (you will someday!), you can try using every day objects to emboss paper. Try washers, coins, gears, cut cardboard into strips or other shapes and glue to paper to make your own embossing plates.

Scrapbooking by nature becomes more enduring, the more you come up with your own elements.
Apr '12 GIGIGI30

RE: Mr Mister: For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags. If you have a cutlebug or other diecutting/embossing machine (you will someday!), you can try using every day objects to emboss paper. Try washers, coins, gears, cut cardboard into str...
Mr Mister Said:
For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags.

What a great idea Mr Mister! Do you print in regular printer paper or just plain cardstock? I bought a very nice printer pp @ WM this past weekend with great earth tones colors that I would like to try out but don't know if it will work.
Apr '12 Trina_P

RE: GIGIGI30: Mr Mister Said: For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags. What a great idea Mr Mister! Do you print in regular printer paper or just plain cardstock? I bought a very nice printer pp @ WM this past weekend with great ea...

I have been using the pop tops from soda cans as buckles that you run ribbon thru. Stickle them in any color and they look great! Free makes them look even better.
Apr '12 Mr Mister

RE: GIGIGI30: Mr Mister Said: For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags. What a great idea Mr Mister! Do you print in regular printer paper or just plain cardstock? I bought a very nice printer pp @ WM this past weekend with great ea...

GIGIGI30, I've just used nice printer paper, but I like the idea of using colored card stocks for a whole different look. Great idea, thank you!
Apr '12 SoonerT

RE: Mr Mister: For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags. If you have a cutlebug or other diecutting/embossing machine (you will someday!), you can try using every day objects to emboss paper. Try washers, coins, gears, cut cardboard into str...
Mr Mister Said:
For cool vintagey scrap and diecuts, google digital ephemera for free images. Print and cut out your own at any size you need. I just made tags for a tag swap and used a half dozen images as elements on the tags.

If you have a cutlebug or other diecutting/embossing machine (you will someday!), you can try using every day objects to emboss paper. Try washers, coins, gears, cut cardboard into strips or other shapes and glue to paper to make your own embossing plates.

Scrapbooking by nature becomes more enduring, the more you come up with your own elements.

Thanks for the ephemra and embossing ideas, Mister.
Apr '12 SoonerT

RE: Trina_P: I have been using the pop tops from soda cans as buckles that you run ribbon thru. Stickle them in any color and they look great! Free makes them look even better.
Trina_P Said:
I have been using the pop tops from soda cans as buckles that you run ribbon thru. Stickle them in any color and they look great! Free makes them look even better.

Cool!!!!!
Apr '12 CommaHolly

RE: SoonerT: Trina_P Said: I have been using the pop tops from soda cans as buckles that you run ribbon thru. Stickle them in any color and they look great! Free makes them look even better. Cool!!!!!

One of the things I love to do, is buy clear plastic buttons and then glue them with glossy accents or zip dry to matching pp,,,,,,,and then cut them out when dry,,,,,,

Just Another card By CommaHolly
Apr '12 GIGIGI30

RE: CommaHolly: One of the things I love to do, is buy clear plastic buttons and then glue them with glossy accents or zip dry to matching pp,,,,,,,and then cut them out when dry,,,,,, Just Another card By CommaHolly
CommaHolly Said:
One of the things I love to do, is buy clear plastic buttons and then glue them with glossy accents or zip dry to matching pp,,,,,,,and then cut them out when dry,,,,,,

Just Another card By CommaHolly

Ohhh Ms. CommaHolly, you just open a whole new world to me....Thank you for the idea on the buttons and btw, that card is so beautiful!!
Apr '12 Flintridgescrapper

RE: GIGIGI30: CommaHolly Said: One of the things I love to do, is buy clear plastic buttons and then glue them with glossy accents or zip dry to matching pp,,,,,,,and then cut them out when dry,,,,,, Just Another card By CommaHolly Ohhh Ms. CommaHolly, you just open a whole new world to me....Thank you for the idea on the buttons and btw, that card is so beautiful!!

Holly, love this idea!
Apr '12 Cshortel

RE: Flintridgescrapper: Holly, love this idea!

Cut the buttons/trim off old clothing you are discarding, save ribbon from candy and other packaging. With a little ink/mist it's amazing what you can use as a stencil.

I lot of shapes are fairly easy to hand cut.
Apr '12 CommaHolly

RE: Cshortel: Cut the buttons/trim off old clothing you are discarding, save ribbon from candy and other packaging. With a little ink/mist it's amazing what you can use as a stencil. I lot of shapes are fairly easy to hand cut.

why thank you, ladies,,,,,,,

it's super easy,,,,,,I have even found plain circular half globe like things at M's that work BEAUTIFULLY as pebbles when I glue pp to the bottom of them. And I got them for CHEAP.
Apr '12 Drunkfromhiskiss

RE: CommaHolly: why thank you, ladies,,,,,,, it's super easy,,,,,,I have even found plain circular half globe like things at M's that work BEAUTIFULLY as pebbles when I glue pp to the bottom of them. And I got them for CHEAP.

thanks everyone for the awesome ideas!!
Apr '12 GIGIGI30

RE: Drunkfromhiskiss: thanks everyone for the awesome ideas!!

I know we were all talking about this topic and just received an e-mail from scrapbooksetcdotcom and their suggestions are great for making your own embellishments and recycling items that we already have. I figured to post it here for everyone's knowledge...I know I would use some of these ideas...Enjoy!!

http://www.scrapbooksetc.com/techniques/embellishing/projects/scrapbook-pages-that-recycle/
Apr '12 Pwiswell

RE: GIGIGI30: I know we were all talking about this topic and just received an e-mail from scrapbooksetcdotcom and their suggestions are great for making your own embellishments and recycling items that we already have. I figured to post it here for everyone's knowledge...I know I would use some of these ideas...Enjoy!! Scrapbook Pages That Recycle!

What great ideas I have read here!! I will use some of them. Thanks.