Crate Paper

Make it with Crate :: Page Tabs w/Marie Lottermoser

 I love the look of having a large variety of tabs along the edge of a mini album. Not only are they great page separators, they're a quick entrance mark for finding a specific page or memorable event! Today, I'm going to show you how to go about making lots of different types of page tabs using everything from photos to bows.

First, gather a small collection of clips, page tabs, brads, stickers, washi tape and so forth. For my album, I crafted tabs using an assortment of items from the Maggie Holmes collection; stickers, bows, flower clips and washi tape paper. 

For the base of the tabs (extra support), trim small pieces of cardboard. Any type of cardboard may be used, including product packaging. If you're concerned about acidity, then your best bet is to research a resource that sells acid-free/archival quality cardboard. 

Paint the cardboard coordinating colors that match your album. My rectangular tabs are approximately 2" wide by 1.5" long, which I then folded in-half.

Then, the fun begins! It's time to decorate the cardboard pieces. Start with stickers and position them right on top the painted cardboard tabs. 

To change things up some, switch to fabric bows, or tiny photos. Consider the theme of the album when dressing up your tabs, as well as the content. Try incorporating elements that support both, and relay to some of the designs already created within the album. This promotes unity and will help to bring the album together as a whole.

You can then simply add the tabs to their corresponding pages. For cardboard tabs, I prefer stapling them directly to the pages. Not only are staples super convenient, they're a snap to add! They're also super sturdy and ensure secure placement of the tabs. Of course, there's always the option of wet adhesive - whatever you're most comfortable using on your pages.

Since I stapled the tabs directly the pages, I placed a small sticker over the staples to hide them.

After positioning the cardboard tabs, I finished the album with even more tabs! Some are directly from the Maggie Holmes cardstock sticker sheet, some are pieces of washi tape folded over and some are made with flower clips which just slide onto the page.

After orienting all the tabs, take a moment to flip through the pages of your mini album. Note how fun the tabs are to use, and how they feel beneath your fingers - they give the album a unique "edge".

I encourage you to try your own variations when tab making. Position them in different spots; bottom, top, right, etc. Mix & match different materials and mediums. Also, consider punches and other helpful tools to create one-of-kind shaped tabs. There is no limit to what you can do!! Have fan with it!

 

DIY Shop & Party Day Winners + Valentine Frames w/Sophie Crespy

I fell in love with the embellishments in the Fourteen Collection; the chipboard and paper cut-outs were calling my name. And of course, I wanted to use them all at once!! So, I decided to find a way to bring them center stage and make them the central focus of my layout.

In highlighting the chipboard and cut-outs, I created small cards with circular windows - each housing it's own unique embellishment assortment. I arranged them in a grid-like format beneath three black and white photos of those near and dear to me. 

Here's how to re-create the look...

Begin by cutting large strips of white cardstock that are equal in width and length. Using a two inch circle punch, punch a a window in each one as shown below.

Select papers from Fourteen's 6" x 6" patterned paper to adorn the edge of your window-punched cards. Place the first sheet on the end of the card and mark, cut and adhere into position.To ensure that it's squared, use a gridded mat as a cutting guide. 

Cut an additional strip of patterned paper in a contrasting color and size and adhere it alongside the first . Trim off any excess.

Round off the right top and bottom corners with a medium sized corner punch. 

Add foam core pop dots to the back of the card. Choose a patterned paper to sit beneath the card. Then dig into your favorite embellishments and layer - make sure to vary shapes and colors.

I chose to add a bit of sprayed ink for an extra burst of color. Here are a few close-ups of the cards on my layout:

Well, I do hope you'll dig into this amazing collection and take delight in it's sweet, bright colored embellishments! 

~

And now for the very exciting news that you've been patiently waiting for - last week's DIY Shop & Party Day Collection Kit WINNERS! As promised, there are two DIY Shop collection kits up for grabs. Congratulations to the following two people:

"OH my goodness!!! I SOOO have to have this collection! Can't wait until it is available! It is perfect in every way! LOVE all the layouts and samples too! Beautiful!!! Heather H. in Wyoming" Posted by: Heather - housesbuiltofcards | January 16, 2013 at 10:28 AM

"Amazing projects and ideas! I love all your new collections, but DIY is my favorite and it's so versatile!!! It's definitely my style:) Thank you so much for the chance to win!!
Beth R. in DeWitt, IA" Posted by: Beth Ruffner | January 16, 2013 at 02:40 PM

And last week's Party Day winner is this lucky person:

"Love the colors, patterns and the versatility of this collection. Perfect for any birthday!
Thanks for the chance to win some cp goodies! Kelly E. Kewaskum, WI" Posted by: kellyann | January 17, 2013 at 08:02 AM

To all the winners, please forward your info to cpblog@cratepaper.com - collections will ship upon availability. We anticipate hearing from the three of you!! Congrats & Enjoy!

Once again, we'll have plenty more giveaways of the new collections in the very near future. The giveaways have been especially welcomed thus far, so we figure why stop now?! Check us out later this week for an extra special "multi-collection" surprise!! 

Christmas Gift Box Tutorial w/Michiko Kato

 

Hello CP Fans! Michiko here to share with you a special "how-to" about how to create a bits & pieces, eclectic "Christmas Gift Box". Trimmed with the help of my Silhouette Cameo, creating the box took very little time and effort. If you're without a Cameo, that is entirely OK! The tutorial is still really easy, so lets give it a try! First, here's a peek at the supplies you'll need - feel free to change the design/colors/embellishments/patterned paper, etc. 

:: General Supplies :: 

Sleigh Ride Blue Christmas Paper {680113}, Sleigh Ride Silver Stripes Vellum {680124}, Sleigh Ride Phrase Stickers {683095}, Sleigh Ride Vellum Die-Cuts {683106}, Sleigh Ride Chipboard Accent Stickers {683098}, Sleigh Ride Brads and Buttons {683101}, On Trend Glitter Clothespins {683061}

 

Find a ready-made box to use as part of this project - a pillow box is just one type of box available {Sample}, though there are an infinite number of box styles to choose from. Select a box design that best fits that task at hand - it should be large enough to house your gift! This one is about 4" x 5". After cutting out the box, assemble it and temporarily set it aside.  

 

Decide which elements you'd like to combine to create a "topper" for the gift box. The trick is to incorporate as many patterns, textures and shapes that match well together, but are still different enough to be of interest next to one another. 

I trimmed a leaf from white cardstock using my Silhoutte. Lots of "leaf" designs out there - pick a leaf that suites the eye! Here are a couple of great examples: Fern, Leaf Branch, Flower Branch, Botanique Branch. Apply an even coat of gold glitter onto the shape. Set-aside to dry.

Moving right along, I then trimmed a silver striped notched circle from Sleigh Ride's Silver Striped Vellum.  I kept the size of the circle at about the same width as the leaf. Next, I punched a hole on-center the chipboard snowflake shape and positioned a brad to the area. 

 

Tie the vellum and paper tags with red twine, and then attach them to the box with an assortment of other embellishments as shown. Finally, attach a gold glittered clothespin to the top, just behind the snowflake. 

I love to layer with embellishments and paper - the more, the merrier. I think it looks so gorgeous! And with an added hint of gold, a favorite color of mine, you can't go wrong - it's this year's Christmas-y hue! 

 I'm really looking forward to Christmas and can't wait to celebrate it with family and friends! I wish all of you a Happy Holiday, enjoyable New Years! Thank-you for joining me today! 

 

A Christmas Canvas Tutorial w/Rahel Menig

 

*There's been an extension set forth for Creative Weekly's CP Ornament Challenge! You now have until Thursday, December 20th to submit an entry to cpblog@cratepaper.com. Full details are published HERE. Please ensure that your entry arrives either before, or by the noted deadline. The Grand Prize Winner will announce Friday, December 21st, along with the three "prize earning" runner-up's!! Winners take home "Sleigh Ride" + space at the Crate Paper Blog and Crate's "Christmas" Pinterest Board. Help us to create a Merry and Bright Christmas for all with your CP Exclusive Ornament Creations!

~

When I was thinking about my assignment to use paint on a project, I remembered that I had that one canvas for a while sitting in a corner. I didn't know what I wanted to do with it, just that it would be a wonderful painting. Now, I don't actually paint, other than a little bit of watercolor.

So, one fine day with enough courage in tow, I took out the blank canvas and started adding color to it. Around lunch time, I showed it to my husband and the only response I got was "It kinda looks like someone went to the carnival and...." Yes, he really hit the nail on the head with his comment. It didn't look pretty at all. So, I decided - frustrated with myself - to paint a layer of white on top of it and start again. 

Long story short, it was one of those happy accidents. The white paint covered most of the unattractive color beneath it, but didn't forgo the patterned paper that I had covered the canvas with originally. Now, the canvas is hanging on the wall, proud and all!

So, how did this happy accident happen? Let me share this tutorial with you so as to create your own peek-a-boo effect with paint and paper! It's actually a great lil' effect suited for just about any project, including the ol' traditional layout! 

Select a patterned paper {Sleigh Ride "Happy Holidays"} that has interesting color or pattern going on. It'll contrast against the white, so choose something bright, or that has a bit of "pop" to it.

 

Add white acrylic paint to the paper, squish it around with some cards (playing cards or retired plastic work fab!) and allow the paint to dry before continuing with the page. When you're done, you'll have randomly painted sheet of patterned paper and a cool, must-keep card for another project.

 

To add texture and further interest to the layout, use some Puffy Paint that is readily available at the local craft store and add it directly to your photo'(s). Since my image features "snow", it worked out perfectly for this particular technique. Of course, adding the puffy paint is an optional deal. Do what works best for your photo'(s)!

 

To top off the entire page, add lil' snowflakes to the rest of the layout with puffy paint. Simply create little dots with the brush and allow them to dry for a few hours. Don't forget to include them directly on top some of the embellishments - scatter the snow throughout!

Adhere the beautiful layout to a 12" x 12" canvas using either a spray adhesive, or a gesso of some kind (rolled on with a brayer roller). Allow it to dry and when ready, hang it on a wall, or set it on top a shelf/dresser for family and friends to admire.

 

 Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! Happy Holidays Crate fans! 

Mixed Media Exploration w/Kaori Watanabe

 

Hello Everyone! It's Kaori with you today to present a fun, mixed-media tutorial using readily available supplies and a quick application method that can tried on nearly any project. All that's needed is washi tape, acrylic paint, gesso, a vintage-themed stamps, an ink pad and colored spritzer. A flat plastic card essential as well. Last but not least, Crate Paper's "On Trend" collection is a sure must!! It's quite splendid...

 

Select one of Crate's "neutral-friendly" backgrounds such as this simple, clean woodgrain from On Trend. In studying the composition of the layout, decide on an area to stamp random images onto the background. In this instance, I concentrated the placement of images in the lower right corner, behind my photo. 

 

After the stamped images have dried, apply washi tape (or masking tape) over the stamped area in the shape of a lattice.

 

Pour a small amount of gesso on top the lattice and spread it around with a plastic card. You've also the option of using acrylic paint instead of gesso. What ever you have on hand, go with it! Acrylic is totally ok :)

 

Punch a large circle from scrap paper and using it as a mask, spritz circles over portions of the lattice. Try mixing colors when doing this - I opted for plum & sunshine yellow. There are no hard and fast rules here, so create as many circles as you like. 

 

When the paint is fully dried, remove the tape. Do so very carefully to avoid tearing the paper behind it. Pull gently and watch closely while lifting it away from the layout. 

 

One of the benefits of white gesso is that it doesn't interfere with the coloring of the circles. If you were to try painting with other colors, which is certainly worthwhile, the circles might not be as vibrant, or true-to-color. Still, try it once! You might like the effect! Work with different mask shapes, too!

 

With the base complete, it's time to get to work on the rest of the layout! Stitch across the layout a couple of times, and over some of the paper pieces scattered throughout. Again, pay close attention to placement of your sewn lines - they should interact with the rest of the page in a way that is balanced, and is central to the photo.

As a base for the photo, build layers from On Trend's patterned paper, journaling cards, and chipboard. This floral cluster has beautiful coloring - you can't miss it, which makes it the ideal attention grabber..it draws the eye inward.

 

One last tip I'd like to share before leaving you is the idea of "softening" up paper. By crumbling up this number seven On Trend die-cut element, curling it's edges forward, and then sewing just across it's top, you now have what looks like a "clothing tag". Kinda fun, eh? 

Thank-you for stopping by the Crate Paper blog today! Happy painting & sewing!

A Christmas Album Revamp w/Anabelle O'Malley

 

 

December is nearly upon us! And that means that Christmas will be here before we know it. Each year, I take a ton of photos. I rarely scrap them all, but I would like to print them out and keep them in a special place. I decided to create a little photo album to house them. 

Rather than creating my album from scratch, since I'm already starting to feel the 'holiday crunch', I used one that I had laying around the house. This particular album was one given to us by our hotel in Maui. I never used it because I needed a much larger album for our vacation photos, but I knew it would be the perfect size for some Christmas shots. These 4 x 6 albums are easy to come by. You can get them at the big box craft shops and even at local dollar stores. 

I started by painting Gesso along all of the edges. I didn't want any of the original album's color showing through.

After it dried, I measured the length and width of the album. I cut a piece of Sleigh Ride Silver Bells paper to fit and scored it at the point where the spine on the album is. I added lots of adhesive and adhered it to the album cover. 

Next, I measured the inside covers of the album and added the same paper to finish it off.

Now came the fun part. I knew I wanted to keep the design on the cover rather simple. I designed an embellishment by layering a punched paper circle, a label sticker, a snowflake chipboard piece and a brad from the Sleigh Ride collection. 

I added strips of paper from Sleigh Ride and On Trend and layered some tab stickers onto it as well. A piece a border sticker was the perfect accent for the edge of the front cover. Finally, I added a half of a doily on which I could layer my embellishment.

I'm really happy with the final results! The addition of a bit of red bling really gave it some shine.

 

The little sticker on the spine was a fun touch, too.

 As I said, I plan on using this to house the many photos I will be taking this Christmas. But, this album would also make a perfect December Daily or December Journal Album, as well. 

Thanks for visiting today and have a great one! 

Make it with Crate :: Quilt Love w/Naomi Atkins

 

 

Hello!! Naomi here with a "quilting w/paper" tutorial! I LOVE to quilt..my favorite part is the piecing, lining up all of those gorgeous fabrics into handmade beauty! So far, due to the lack of time, I have only completed two quilts..my first was a simple baby block quilt for my son, Weston, when he was born. My second project was a chevron quilt using Basic Grey's "Hello Luscious" fabric. I LOVE how it turned out! Anyway, I have this great book, 1000 great quilt blocks. :)

I pieced this one called a disappearing 9 patch. The best part about it is the technique. I love paper piecing my layouts to look like quilts. And since I love patterned paper, it's probably one of my favorite techniques. I decided to try the disappearing nine patch pattern on my layout. The best part about this layout is that it looks like it took hours to piece and cut, but it's so simple. Turns out, it was equally simple for my scrapbook page! I think this may be a technique to repeat.

The concept is simple; a grid pattern of nine blocks. I took my creative memories square punch and punched nine squares. I lightly glued them down to an old piece of scrap paper. I did this twice so I would have more blocks.

All you do, is then cut those in half, and in half again (makes four larger squares from that). The result will be different size patterned blocks that look like you spent hours cutting them. 

Although I love the look of all the brightly patterned blocks, I didn't want them to 'overpower' my layout. I did a few things to 'tone it down' some. First, when I pieced the blocks around my picture, I had some odd spaces that could not be filled. I simply added some squares of burlap and/or lace to those empty spaces. I have an old lace curtain that I got from the salvation army for a $1.50 to add lace to all of my projects. I love being thrifty! The burlap ribbon, I got from Jo-Anns. It has a stiff texture, which makes it great for adhering to layouts. I added the lace over some of the very bright blocks. Also, I misted some of the blocks with Mister Huey's white and cream mists..this really helped create a softer look as well! I used a mixture of Acorn Avenue and On Trend papers, but mostly Acorn Avenue. The papers added a lovely "Fall" feel to the layout. Once I added all my squares, I sewed lines up and down them, just as I would over quilt blocks when "quilting" them. I love how it turned out!

I then embellished the page with some of Crate's deer themed embellishments and woodgrain thickers. The deer elements went perfectly with my theme of Doe Eyes. My daughter has the sweetest, soulful brown eyes, and always looks up at me with her "doe eyes" so it made the perfect page title!

I hope this inspires you to mix up your crafting. Don't be afraid to combine your love of sewing, painting, or whatever you enjoy into your scrapbook pages!!

Thankful Mini Notebook Tutorial w/Piradee Talvanna

Piradee here today to share a fun and super easy mini album/journaling booklet that you can put together in a flash (uhmmmm, I think I might be making a few more of these as Christmas presents too). All you'll need is some pattern papers (I'm absolutely loving the design of the Acorn Avenue Peanut Deli pattern paper), some thread and a needle.

 

The great thing about these mini's/booklets is that you can pretty much use anything as pages and the more variation you have, the more interesting they turn out. Also, working with pages of different widths and lengths creates a clear contrast that is notably fun to explore. For example, inside mine, I used various patterned papers and embellishments from the Acorn Avenue collection along with some vellum, doilies and envelopes. To dress them up, I added a detail or two, including the cover which is adorned with a border along the bottom meant to hide the pages beneath it.

 

Lately, I've been addicted to using vellum on my projects. I just love the semi-transparent look and also, it's numerous layering applications - When scattered and layered across a page, vellum creates the illusion of depth and intrigue. 

 

To expand upon the album's eclectic feel, I stapled a mini tab to each page. This small touch introduces more color and pattern to the overall design.

 

So, are you interested in making one? All you'll need to get started is a few pattern papers, vellum, doilies, and/or envelopes. You might want a couple of additionals as well. The details are entirely up to you :) 

 

Start chopping it all up, and think about how the varying sizes and shapes come together. Include anything else you might like such as envelopes or other non-traditional inserts.

 

Sew everything together with either thread or twine. First, stack your pages and then punch up to five holes along the binding. In doing this, make sure that each page is accounted for. Starting from the middle hole, sew all the pages together while leaving enough thread behind to tie the ends.

 

Ensure that all holes are covered and then tie the thread ends together. Now you have your album/booklet ready to store and capture all those wonderful memories.

 

I've got a little surprise for you Silhouette users. In creating the mini booklet, I also produced a die-cut file from my handwriting for the title, "Thankful", that you can download HERE. Hope you like it!

 Thank-you so much for hanging out with us today! Have a great week!

Thankful Boxes Tutorial w/Rebecca Luminarias

 

 

Hey there! It's Rebecca and I have a fun tutorial for you today. It's different for everyone, but the first thing I think of when I think about Fall is Thanksgiving. That's possibly because my birthday is right around then and, growing up, I usually got to celebrate it on Thanksgiving Day. I always got that big, wonderful meal prepared by my grandparents and now that I'm 3000 miles away from my family, I miss it so much! But that doesn't mean I don't have a lot for which to be thankful. 

That's the basis of this post...remembering to be thankful this year. Most of us will have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie...all of that yummy goodness spread out on the table just waiting to be gobbled up by our hungry families. But wouldn't it be nice if we all gave thanks first? To do just that, I designed a little envelope box that you can fill with some small treats and "be thankful" notes.

~

You're going to need the following items:

The Template (you can download it HERE for printing)

Patterned Paper

Pencil

Scoring Tool

Ruler

Craft Knife

Scissors

Eraser (Optional)

Double-Stick Tape (I used Super-Tape in 1/8" width)

Embellishments for decorating your boxes 

 

I started by printing the template onto regular copy paper and cut it out. I then chose the patterned paper(s) I wanted to use to make my Thankful Boxes. The majority of this project features Acorn Avenue and the papers I decided on were "Macadamia Diner" (because it's so pretty) and "Chestnut Boutique" (because it's neutral).

Go ahead and trace the box pattern onto the backside of the patterned paper you've chosen. I made small scoring "ticks" on the outside of the traced lines and scored the lines before I cut out the pattern. 

I also cut the slit for the envelope flap using my ruler and craft knife.

 

Now you're ready to cut.

 

This is optional, but I used my eraser to get rid of any stray pencil marks, especially on the inside flap since your guests will see the flipside of your paper when they open their boxes. Now it's time to fold, which is easy since you've already done your scoring.

*Important tip: When folding, you'll fold the middle scoring line the opposite way (accordian fold style) on the 2 side panels and bottom. This technique adds a little "give" to your box and makes assembling and securing much easier.

 

All you have left to do is assemble your box (and decorate it, of course, but that's the fun part!). Fold the bottom part up and adhere it to the 2 side panels. You'll want a strong, skinny adhesive for this, which is why I chose 1/8" width Super Tape.

 

That's it! Your box is ready for decorating. I found that it was easier to decorate if I put the contents inside first. I put 2 Hershey's Miniatures in the box, along with a note that says, "today i am thankful for..." My guest can then write their message on the card and we can share them before dinner.

 

For embellishing, I made each one different but kept them simple since we have a big family and there will be several boxes to make. A bit of string or thread wrapped around the box several times and then a little something to dress it up -- a wood shape, a chipboard flower, a phrase sticker, etc. Luckily, Acorn Avenue has got you covered here with a whole bunch of wonderful goodies! The wood shapes were my favorite, I think, because just one small piece seemed to say much about the beauty of Autumn and why there is so much to be thankful.

 

And in this case, I used the "hi" fabric brad from On Trend and cut off the prongs with wire cutters so that it would sit flat when I glued it down.

 

Anything goes for decorating and really, this box can be used for anything, too. I made a couple of them so I can use them to give a friend a tiny, heartfelt gift like a hand-written note, a pair of earrings or some pretty barrettes.

 

And let's not jump ahead to Thanksgiving without celebrating Halloween first, right? Simply change the colors and patterns of your paper (in this case, it's "Style" from On Trend) and embellishments and you have an appropriate treat..or trick!

 

Finally, I wanted to make a slightly larger box that I could fit a gift card into. You can download that template HERE. Whether you're getting a jump on your holiday wrapping or you have some birthdays coming up soon, gift cards are sure to be on your shopping list this year. Why not personalize them by making your own packaging?

Again, just changing the paper patterns (Acorn Avenue's "Hazelnut Boutique") and embellishments (an Acorn Avenue Standout Sticker) makes this box, birthday music - themed.

 

I hope I've given you some good ideas to think about when planning your Thanksgiving feast or Halloween party. Fall is meant to be festive and Crate's got you covered! And don't forget to take a moment this year to be thankful.

Make it with Crate :: Stamped Veneer with Tami Gookstetter

 

I'm so excited for Fall this year, and the arrival of Crate's new Acorn Avenue collection! The colors and patterns in this collection are among some of my very favorite, and I'm loving the variety of different embellishments. I was thrilled to see the wood veneer shapes with this release, so today I'm sharing with you a fun and different way to use these on your paper crafting projects. I will be using two of the wood veneer shapes with a little craft paint to create custom stamps. 

 

First, I started by gathering some supplies I thought I would use for this layout, including a few colors of craft paint that coordinate well with the Acorn Avenue papers, an assortment of wood veneer shapes, a handy-dandy paint brush, and a few alphas & embellishments. You'll see that I'm very indecisive as I work and did not use everything gathered. 

 

I knew that I wanted to use the Hazelnut Cafe paper on this page, because I think it may quite possibly be my favorite piece of paper that Crate has ever made!! So, I cut a 4" strip from the pattern paper to sit along the bottom of the page and then chose two wood veneer leaf shapes and coordinating paints to accentuate it's organic feel. I stuck mostly with neutrals, but you could easily pull in some brighter colors for a more vibrant effect.

 

This is a messy and imperfect technique, though personally, I think it lends the page more character. Don't worry about being exact here. I just dabbed some paint onto the wood veneer while making sure it was thick enough to avoid drying too quickly. Pay attention here though because if it's too thick, it might ooze out when stamped.

 

Using my photo as a guide, I turned over my paint-loaded leaf and pressed it onto the page ever-so-slightly with my finger. You can use either more or less pressure to vary the coverage depending on the look you're after. Less equates to shabby chic in-case that's more your style. Reapply paint as needed to make additional impressions.

 

I stamped three leaves next to my photo, and then added pattern paper behind it to make it pop off the page. There's a small section of border sticker behind it, too. The leaves are still well noticeable and create a sort of layered effect. 

 

To finish the page, I added a few more embellishments on top the stamped area, positioned a couple pieces of Crate's washi tape stickers beneath my photo, and dropped a few sprinkles of mist before finally adhering the photo down permanantly. The title is created using both Crate mini alpha stickers {which I overlapped a little} & wood grain thickers. For more balance, I stamped a couple more leaves onto the upper right corner of the page. I finished it by using a journal pen to write about my daughter's and husband's relationship, letting the journaling wrap around the border of the page. 

 

You can have a lot of fun using this clever stamping technique. The key is to think "outside the box"! Along with using the stamped images as an accent, you could try stamping them all over cardstock to create your own unique background. And while you're at it, feel free to throw on some glitter or embossing powder for extra texture!