Holiday project tips

The holidays are the perfect time to get more from your scrapbook supplies!  We used the beautiful Christmas/winter product lines from Melissa Frances just to see how many tips we could find to share with you. Our first project was this Christmas layout:

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  Tip #1--Add pearls or jewels to chipboard elements to give them some spice.  The glittered chipboard holly leaves were nice as is, but adding the pearls helps it really stand out.
  
  
  
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  Tip #2--Create embellishments from the product packaging.  The holly leaves were part of a punch out sheet of glittered chipboard shapes.  The photo corner to the bottom left of the photo was cut from a corner of the glittered chipboard packaging (the part that remains after all the chipboard shapes are punched out of it.)  It perfectly coordinates and didn't cost a thing!
  
  
  
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  Tip #3--Use sandpaper to distress stickers and papers.  The "Holiday Bear" label had a shiny surface and didn't fit the vintage feel of the rest of the layout.  Lightly sanding the top and adding ink makes it fit right in.
  
  
  
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  Tip #4--Use your layout leftovers to make a card:
  
  
  

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  Tip#5--Make a vintage star to use on the card!  Ink the edges of a chipboard star.  While the ink is wet, paint the star with Ranger crackle paint so some of the ink blends into the wet paint.  Using a hairdryer to dry the paint will cause it to really crackle (more than air drying does).  Thread twine through button and tie a bow, then adhere it to the star.
  
  
  
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  Tip #6--Recycle household product packaging to make a COOL holiday gift container. Here's how.  Cover an empty clean cardboard package with patterned paper.  We started with this container:
  
  
  

We added our leftover scraps from the layout and card projects to create this unique package just ready to hold candy or other Christmas gift goodies!