vellum is an elegant, translucent paper with some great uses. It's also a fun way to embellish your scrapbook pages to add interest and dimension. Vellum is available in a wide variety of colors as well as in polka dots, swirls, stripes and other patterns.
How do you adhere vellum?
When using vellum, the most important thing to remember is that you can see through it. Because of this, you need to take special care in how you attach it to the page. Some glues and double-sided tapes will be visible and look sloppy beneath the vellum, but because it is so light and sticks well, you only need a few small dabs of adhesive in the corners. You can also hide the glue or tape spots with other embellishments such as die cuts, stickers, brads and eyelets. Another option is to use special adhesive specifically made to appear invisible beneath the vellum.
How do you use vellum?
Before cutting, always place the vellum over the paper and embellishments that will be behind it to see how the color shines through. It will change color depending on what color you place it on and you simply might not like the way the base color seeps through the vellum.
Sheets or strips of vellum spread over the page as backgrounds will add a soft look, allowing your paper colors and any other patterns to show through. Patterned vellum looks nice over solid paper, and solid colored vellum looks pretty over patterned paper. Experiment before adhering anything permanently.
What Else Can You Do With Vellum?
Using vellum on your scrapbook pages is a really fun option that is hindered only by your imagination!
Vellum is a particularly good choice for water elements in your page designs. Use blue vellum for the water in pools and lakes. White vellum makes for a nice sheet of ice or patch of snow for ice skating or skiing shots. It also makes fun snowflakes, icicles, ice cubes or any object related to ice or water.
Velum also makes a nice "window" for your pictures by overlaying them with flaps that open like a greeting card. Simply cut an opening on the front of the cardstock flap in the place where your picture will show through and attach vellum to the back. When you choose the flap the photo will be slightly visible through the paper, a sort of preview before you lift the flap to display the full photo.
One obvious choice for vellum is for wings. From angel wings, butterfly wings, or even cute insects on a child's bug collection page. Create flies at the picnic or fireflies buzzing around the campfire or glass lantern. Try combining red, orange and yellow vellum to create realistic flames, twinkling stars or a shining moon. Use vellum to make a fly attached to the strong on a fishing pole, windows on a cabin or waves at a lake.
Cut or punch out vellum shapes and attach them around and slightly overlapping photos for lovely embellishments. Orange and yellow vellum are great choices for fall leaf cut-outs or as a blazing sun. An assortment of pastel shades work well for spring flower construction. Try decorating a green paper Christmas tree with vellum ornaments, topping paper mountains with peaks of white vellum snow caps, dotting your sky background with white vellum clouds, or using yellow vellum circles to surround die-cut candles for a glowing effect.
Stamping on Vellum
Stamping on vellum can make a fun of fancy addition to your pages. Use rubber stamps with acid-free inkpads or stamp markers. Be very careful not to smear the color when removing the stamp. Remember, it takes color on vellum a while to dry because the ink does not soak into it as with regular paper. After stamping, set your vellum sheet aside to fully dry, or speed the process along with a hair dryer on a cool setting. Layering different colors, or the same color in varying shades (lightest colors first in the background, darker colors last in the foreground) creates a graceful depth to the page.
Other Things To Do With Vellum
Computer Journaling
Print a short poem, quote or your journaling in a pleasing font on the computer onto plain vellum and put it over a scenic photo.
Emphasize a Special Feature
Put plain vellum over a photo and cut a circle out over the object you want to emphasize.
Handling Vellum
Wet Embossing
Wet emboss the vellum while using your rubber stamps. The vellum will curl slightly from the heat but it will go back into shape.
Dry Embossing
After dry embossing, color the picture with chalks on the backside. The chalk will softly colors the embossed items. You could also use watercolor pencils to create the same effect.
Handling Vellum Paper
Smudges and creases show up very easily on vellum, so be sure to store your vellum inside a book or file folder. Any creases will appear as a bright white "scar" on the vellum, and smudges are nearly impossible to remove. Also be sure to dust the vellum with baby powder before wet embossing to make sure no residue is left behind!
Tips & Tricks
Soften a dark patterned vellum by placing a dark-colored cardstock underneath.
Double up on vellum punch shapes and layer them for a more detailed and intricate look
Adhere vellum by placing a dot of glue on the paper (not the vellum!) and let dry. Then place your vellum on top -- the glue spot will barely show!
Sew vellum with ease by piercing the holes first with a paper piercer or push pin. A mouse pad under your paper will prevent the vellum from bending.
Print photos on vellum for a dynamic look.
Add texture to vellum with an embossing tool. Simply place your vellum over any textured surface and emboss.
Use vellum as a pocket. Place vellum across the page and adhere the ends down, leaving the middle open for a special keepsake or photo.
Make quick and easy color block accents with complementary vellum patterns and a square punch.
Trace a title, saying or journaling directly onto vellum with either a Zig Vellum Marker or American Crafts Slick Writer -- you'll be happy with the results!
When selecting paper to place under a white vellum overlay, remember this: the brighter the better! Brighter colors and bold patterns will be muted by vellum; pale pastels will look washed out and very dark colors will look muddy.
Make These Items From Vellum:
Snowman, snowballs or snowflakes
Frosting on a cake or cupcake
Lenses in glasses
Mermaid tail or scales
Pool, lake or beach water
Sand (layer three browns, cut or tear)
Waves (layer three blues, cut or tear)
Raindrops or puddles
Leaves
Flowers and petals
Clouds
Fish and fins
Wings
Circles for bubbles
Christmas lights and Christmas ornaments
Sheer curtains
Aquarium
Wedding dress and veil
Ghost
Jewels
Rainbow
Critters such as frogs, snakes, bugs, etc.
Vellum for Card Makers
Some of the things that can be done with vellum when making cards include the stained glass affect, stamped directly on, dry-embossed, heat embossed, and overlays (to soften layers below). Vellum is also a wonderful medium for making die-cuts and envelopes out of, and for making windows and shaker boxes.
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