One of the most fun aspects of scrapbooking is all the other crafts that can be utilized with it.

And what a perfect excuse to try out a new craft… or two!

Here are some of the other crafts that I have combined with my scrapbooking over the years.

1 – Doodling

Very on trend right now, whether it is Zentangle™, something you learnt from a book or course, or just making it up as you go along (the good old fashioned, tried and tested way!!) doodling is a fun and easy way to personalize your scrapbooks. I am working on a doodling article and will have it up here for you very soon.

2 – Stamping

Stamping has come a very long way from the days when it was seen as a children’s hobby. Nowadays you can choose from millions of stunning stamp designs on every subject. Stamp in coloured inks, emboss with powders, colour them in or leave them as outlines – stamps are easy to use and very versatile. And despite the modern sophisticated designs available, you can still get a lot of use from the cheap children’s sets in your local supermarket or discount store too!

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3 – Painting

Lots of scrapbookers enjoy adding little paintings to their pages. Some are brave enough to paint straight on to the page, others (like me!) prefer to paint on to paper, card or another surface and then glue that into the scrapbook. Even if you do not consider yourself a very good painter, including your own artwork will really add a personal touch to your projects. You can include paintings of things in lieu of the more usual photos, or use it as embellishment and decoration.

4 – Cross stitch

Because fabric is acid free you can safely add your finished cross stitch (or other needlecraft) to your layout. Another fun use is to scan or photograph your work, then print it out and use the printout on your page. Of course this allows you to use the image again and again, and resize it too. You can even cross stitch directly onto card, if you pre-pierce the holes with a sharp awl or needle.

5 – Knitting and Crochet

Again you can add finished pieces to your pages, or choose to use scanned and printed versions instead. I love using little crochet flowers in my scrapbooks as they are so very fast to make, colourful and add a bit of texture. If you fancy making some of these, why not try my Simple Crocheted Flowers pattern.

6 – Sewing

You can create unusual pages using fabric instead of paper – or mix and match the two. Your sewing machine can stitch on to firm paper or card, but be aware that this does blunt the needle pretty fast, so be prepared to replace it before using the machine for sewing fabric again. You can buy mini sewing machines just for paper crafting too. Felt, ribbon and colourful cotton fabrics are great additions to your pages. And quilting a piece of fabric with thin batting (or felt) can product a very original and attractive backing ‘paper’.

7 – Cords, friendship bracelets, lucet and Kumihimo

Lots of people are enjoying making cords, friendship bracelets, lucet (cords made on a wooden or plastic ‘fork) and Japanese kumihimo (cords made on a disk). These cords are very versatile for use with many different crafts, including scrapbooks. It is best to stick to the flatter sorts of cord for actual scrapbooks, keep the more 3d ones for cards and other projects that will not get squashed the way that book pages do. Cords look great as borders and frames. Twirl them around to spell words or make little patterns.

8 – Pressed flowers

Whether you press them in a smart flower press, or in the age old manner of between the pages of a book, pressed flowers look beautiful on scrapbook pages. Because they dry out over time and can get very brittle, it is often best to protect them in plastic pockets, or encapsulate them with a laminating machine or similar. Some pressed flowers can ‘bleed’ colour out a little too, so again it is wise to cover them before using them.

9 – Beads

Tiny beads are small enough (and therefore ‘flat’ enough) to use on scrapbook pages. String seed beads on thread for unusual borders and lines. Include woven bands from your bead loom. Peyote stitched pieces are also ideal and make great embellishments. And again you can also scan your creations so as to use them over and over in your paper crafts – and use the original beaded item for another project too!

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10 – Patchwork

As well as the usual ‘piece of fabric, cut and stitched together’ version, you can also simulate it with your pretty scrapbook papers. Source patchwork books and websites for traditional ‘blocks’ to use. Include your photos and journaling as part of the design too, just substitute the snap or a written panel for the piece of fabric (or paper). You can patchwork the full page, or just a small area. Or even make a miniature quilt to include. Lots of fun as you experiment and a great way to use up even quite tiny pieces of pretty paper.

 I would love to hear what other crafts you have incorporated into your scrapbooking.

10 Crafts to Complement your Scrapbooking
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