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1. Cut 4-inch squares
and rectangles from several coordinating papers and arrange the pieces
into a pleasing collage. When you have the final arrangement, glue
everything to white acid-free matboard. You can mat and frame your
design as colorful and inexpensive artwork.
2. Wrap a clear glass
vase with paper bands to match the blooms. Tape or glue the ends
securely. This technique will work with any square, rectangular, or tall
cylindrical vase.
3. Look for papers with
meaningful words or phrases. For example, cut out a greeting such as
"Welcome" to hang it over an entry mirror, or use "together forever" as
a title block for a photo album or scrapbook.
4. Cover acid-free
matboard and use as a colorful mat for existing artwork. Or try the
technique in #1, using a collage of paper patterns glued to a picture's
mat.
5. Cover books in papers
to give a bookcase a brand-new look. For many books, try using
coordinating patterns -- florals, stripes, geometrics, and mini-prints
-- and use these on various categories of books (travel, cookbooks,
reference, etc.).
6. Use decorative paper
to make personalized greeting cards of any size or shape. You can even
use shapes of coordinating papers to decorate a blank card from the
craft store.
7. Snip 3-inch-wide
bands of paper and roll them into party napkin rings. Or try decoupaging
or gluing decorative papers to sections of cardboard tubing (such as
paper toweling tubes) to use for more durable napkin rings.
8. Trace cookie-cutter
shapes onto patterned papers, cut out, punch a hole in each top, and use
as holiday tree ornaments or gift tags. Or glue pretty papers to card
stock, then cut out the shapes for a sturdier version of this idea.
9. Use pretty papers
under glass -- as a tray insert, underneath a glass tabletop, or between
two sheets of glass sold as a picture frame in art stores.
10. Slice a piece of
paper for a bookmark, add a grommet at the top, and thread a ribbon
through. |
