I can remember when sheets of simple white vellum were the rage. I would buy them in packs or small booklets, eager to use the sheets as journal strips or to embellish a scrapbook layout. Now I see it appearing as die cuts, tags, or gold foiled sheets.I am tempted to buy some of the new things but I still have a full book of that white vellum hanging out in my supplies. Since vellum is making a reappearance on the trend scene, I think it's time we put it to use. You can easily use it to highlight your focal photo, creating what is essentially a simple vellum frame.
First, you will need to choose the right photo. Look for one that has your subject in the center but might not be the very best picture you have. A lot of empty space in the picture works well. You might be asking why you wouldn't just crop the empty space out of the picture. Sometimes that empty space provides context for the story. For example,I chose photos of my son at a co-workers wedding. He was one of just a few kids( the youngest there) and when it was time for the kids dance, he was pretty much alone on the dance floor. I wanted to show that he was all by himself, but I also didn't want him to get lost within the photo. It's not a great picture of him either. The lighting was horrible. I did play around with cropping the photo, but I found it made it blurry. I printed the photo at an almost 5x7 size.It was the largest I could go with the original picture without losing picture quality. Using the vellum frame allows me to make him the focal point of the picture. The background is still there, but just not as noticeable. Print any support photos in a smaller size.
Once you have chosen the picture, cut the vellum down to a size that covers it completely. DON"T adhere is to the photo just yet. Determine what shape you want the frame to be. I chose a circle, but you could easily use a square, hexagon or other shape. Use a template or draw the shape free hand. Make sure not to bear down heavily on the pencil. Lighter lines are easier to erase.
Use a craft knife to cut the shape out of the vellum. Erase any stray pencil lines, then adhere the vellum to the picture. I used a xyron tape runner, but only placed small sections of adhesive in the corners. I did not press down heavily. My goal was for the adhesive not to show, but if it did,I could cover those spots with the title and embellishments.
You can leave the frame as is, or embellish a little. I chose to add some hand stitching around the circle. You could also outline the frame with a pen. Finish the layout by adding your title, embellishments and journaling.
Do you have a big stash of vellum hidden somewhere? Or have you come up with some unique ways to use it up? Share your vellum tips in the comments.
Supplies Used:
Xyron Adhesive
Xyron Adhesive
Craft Knife by Westcott Brand
Paper by Cocoa Daisy
Letters by Jillibean Soup and American Crafts
Die Cuts by Pink Paislee and Fancy Pants
