Beginner Scrapbooking – Tool Substitutions

If you are a beginner scrapbooking and your tool supply is limited here are some quick and easy substitutions that even the veteran scrapbooker will find handy.

Making a circle – there are a ton of circle making tools on the market but all you really need is a glass or plate (depending on the desired size) to trace around.

Eyelets – if you don’t have the proper tools or inclination to set eyelets brads are a great substitute. They even have brads that have holes like eyelets if you need the hole for a design element. If you want to make a hole to set an eyelet you can use a regular small hand hole punch.

Folding or creasing tool – There are plenty of plastic tools made for this purpose but you can just as easily use a ruler or spoon.

Wire twisting tools are easy to find around the house. You can use a pen, knitting needle or embroidery hook.

Colored chalk – If your layout calls for using chalk you can substitute out getting a similar effect from a stamp pad on the edge of a project or colored pencils anywhere. My favorite colored pencils become watercolors when you add water with a small brush.

Vellum adhesive – While there are vellum adhesives on the market many will still “show through”. If you don’t have any to use you can adhere vellum down with brads, eyelets, stitches or staples.

Deckle scissors give a nice heritage effect but you can get a similar effect by tearing the paper.

Need a tag? An easy substitute is a circle punch (or other shape) and a regular hole punch to make the small hole to attach string or ribbon.

Be sure to check out our recommendations for a basic tool kit for beginner scrapbooking.