Nothing makes me happier than finding a way to make something out of nothing. As I mentioned in a previous post, my neighbor recently gifted me with a stack of plain chipboard which I have been dutifully transforming into elaborate scrapbook embellishments.
Well, some of the page decorations are not that fancy, but they certainly add color and texture to my layouts and that is my ultimate goal. Moreover, enhancing the plain chipboard has saved me a ton of money. Premade chipboard stickers and other accents are not cheap. In addition, when you purchase chipboard products that are already decorated, you don’t have the ability to customize them to fit your specific layout.
Currently, I am about halfway through the stack of chipboard sheets my neighbor generously presented to me. I’ve embellished them in a variety of ways using simple techniques that any scrapbooking fan could follow, including:
Painting: One of the easiest methods to decorate chipboard is to paint it. I would suggest using inexpensive acrylic paint. The paint comes in every color imaginable and is readily available at discount stores and scrapbook shops. If you want to add even more pizzazz to your homemade chipboard accents, you could cover it in paint that has a metallic or crackle finish. Doing so will give the chipboard added texture. Another option is to use traditional paint, and then apply rubber stamps or rub-ons.
Flocking powder: I am a huge fan of flocking powder and stock up on it whenever it is on clearance. Consequently, I have lots of leftovers to use on projects like embellishing plain chipboard. Like paint, flocking powder is available in a variety of different colors and adds texture to chipboard. Flocking powder gives the chipboard a fuzzy, velvet-like appearance. What’s more, it is easy to apply. Simply cover the chipboard with adhesive from a glue pen or glue stamp pad and sprinkle the powder over the surface. I typically apply two coats of powder to ensure that there are no empty spots left behind.