You might be surprised by how much money you can save on scrapbooking materials by simply looking around your home. With the Fourth of July rapidly approaching, many avid scrappers are prepping to snap super shots of their holiday festivities. The pictures will be used to create Independence Day-themed layouts filled with patriotic tributes and memorable moments with family and friends.
Creating these holiday-inspired page designs can be costly, which is why I highly recommend making your own paper and embellishments. Take a moment to channel your inner Martha Stewart and turn every day items into works of art. For example, instead of purchasing kits with pre-decorated Fourth of July-themed paper, simply add some red, white or blue ribbon to the border of solid-colored cardstock.
Another way to jazz up inexpensive scrapbook paper is to sew some decorative stitching around the edges. Last year I stamped stars and stripes on plain blue cardstock to create a great background for one of my Fourth of July layouts. If you are really tight on money, then use a leftover piece of white chalk and create a distressed look on a flag-themed paper that you can pick up at drastically reduced prices at post-Memorial Day sales.
Cheap embellishments can be made from tissue paper which you can fashion into fireworks by twisting the paper into a flower shape. Another inexpensive way to add some bling to a Fourth of July scrapbook layout is to decorate black cardstock with glitter glue. If you are really artsy you can draw exploding fireworks with sparkly gel pens. Or, if you are really pressed for cash and time, use leftover gift wrap paper featuring stars or stripes as the background for Fourth of July-themed memorabilia, photos and journal entries. Finish by adding a catchy title like “America the Beautiful” or “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and you’ll be well on your way to making a memory book you can treasure for years to come.
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