Edgy Effects: Creative Borders for Your Paper Crafting Projects

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Creative borders are a simple way to add a special touch to any paper crafting project.

Author: Becky Cates

Creative borders for scrapbooks and crafts are a simple way to add a special touch to any project. A border can frame a page, provide visual interest and movement, reinforce a theme, help to balance a design, add a contrast of color, hold a title and add layers of depth to a project.

Borders are one of the easiest elements for beginners to incorporate into a design and are a great way to add emphasis to a project. A border can provide a visual frame and can be added horizontally, vertically or even in both directions on a project.

One of the quickest ways to create a border is to adhere a simple strip of cardstock or patterned paper to the edge of a project. Stickers, stamps, buttons and ribbons can all be added to the paper strip to add detail to the border. The edge of a border can be a simple straight cut or have a little flair by creating it with decorative edged scissors, shuttles on a paper trimmer, or a decorative border punch.  In the Mickey Mouse Wish You Were Here, a decorative border representing water was made using a wave shuttle and the Cutterpede paper trimmer.

Borders can also be made with words, ribbons, punches, stickers, stamped images, photos, or sewn on by hand or machine.

In choosing a border for your project, be sure the border you choose enhances the overall look and feel of the design. In the Powder Paradise frame, a snowy scene was framed and then enhanced using a subtle patterned paper with a snowflake border punched on both edges. The simple border adds to the soft and tranquil feel of the powdery snow in the photo.

When creating borders for scrapbooks and crafts, the possibilities are endless and are only limited by your imagination. Think outside the box and try new or unusual materials on your next creative endeavor. Who knows, you might just stumble upon a great new trend!