Ever since she saw The Smurfs in 3D this summer, my young daughter has been begging to view old school cartoons. My brother (bless him) has been busy sending her DVDS of the Snorks, Super Friends (hello Justice League of America!) and Heathcliff.
I wanted to create a scrapbook layout documenting my daughter’s new obsession, but I can’t find anything more than sparse clip art featuring most of her new video friends. When I told my mom that I wanted to make an “old school” page design she suggested I draw pictures of the Snorks on cardstock, sand the finished product, and then drag a brown ink pad across the surface.
Did I mention that my mom is old… and confused?
Clearly, she doesn’t remember watching the Saturday morning cartoon featuring the animated creatures that live under the sea. She thought I was trying to craft a vintage scrapbook and was sharing tips on how I could give embellishments an old-world feel.
If it’s an old school or vintage theme that you are after, I would start off with something easier than sandpapering cardstock. One of the simplest ways to create a layout that looks as though it was created centuries ago is to purchase vintage patterned papers and embellishments from reputable scrapbook supply companies. I like K&Company and Karen Foster Designs. The latter has an entire Ancestry line that would be ideal for a family tree layout. Anna Griffin and BasicGrey also have great vintage products.
If you are on a budget and don’t want to spend extra money on vintage-themed products or kits, then simply crumple some patterned paper and spray some walnut ink on it to give it an old-fashioned look. Another frugal option is to tear the edges of your page borders and matting papers instead of making perfectly straight cuts with your scissors. Finally, consider using brown or ecru colored chalk and a cotton swab on stickers, stamps and die cuts to give them a distressed appearance.
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