I’m a stickers, stamps and die cut kind of scrapper. For years I rarely strayed from my standard combo. My method was safe, effective and looked good enough for me. Then, I was introduced to the magic of vellum and my layouts starting taking on a whole new dimension.
So, yes, there are downsides of refusing to experiment with new or new-to-you scrapbook embellishments and accessories. For starters, you simply don’t know how much better your page designs can look if you are too afraid to incorporate different items into your repertoire.
My reluctance to work with vellum stemmed from the fact that I constantly heard other scrappers complain about how difficult it was to get the specialty paper to adhere to patterned paper and cardstock. Due to its transparency, most adhesives show through vellum. However, there are solutions to this problem.
The owner of my local scrapbook shop was the one who helped me get over my fear of vellum by introducing me to specially designed vellum adhesive which doesn’t show through the paper. She also taught me how to run vellum through a Xyron adhesive machine to get the unique paper to stay put on a layout. Another solution is to attach vellum to cardstock with photo corners or disguise ugly glue stick spots with strategically placed stickers or die cuts. My mom simply uses brads to attach vellum to her layouts, while other scrappers I know sew vellum directly onto their scrapbook pages.
I would suggest experimenting with the different solutions based on the type of vellum you are working with. In the last decade or so scrapbook supply companies have greatly increased the number of vellum products on the market. Instead of getting plain white vellum, these days you can purchase colored vellum, as well as versions with flowers and a variety of other prints. In fact, if you can afford it, you can also buy vellum stickers and vellum paper pre-printed with famous quotes and phrases.
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