This is how she did it: Before starting you may want to cut off the white border some stickers have, but that is not necessary, it is an option. Peel the backing off the sticker and then peel the backing off one side of a pop dot or, if the sticker is larger, you can use foam tape. Next you place the pop dot on the sticker, making sure both sticky sides are together. This is where the baby powder comes in (like I said before, you can use corn starch but I like the smell of baby powder). Take an old make-up brush, or you can use your finger but its harder, and dip in just a little bit of powder and brush it on the back of the sticker. Shake off any extra powder. This neutralizes the adhesive so that the sticker won't curl over the pop dot and stick to the page. Now you remove the backing on the pop dot and adhere to your page.
Nicole did this same technique on her layout "They're so cute it's Scary" to make the stars stand out when they were layered. This is a good idea when you place stickers on top of each other so that you don't loose the details of the one under it. She also used pop dots on the spider to make it appear to jump off the page. There are other options such as popping the stickers in a title to replace a letter or two, like putting footballs stickers in place of the "O's" in the word. By giving the footballs a different level they seem to fly.
Speaking of layering . . . I saw these stickers by Tumblebeasts and thought they would be perfect to layer because they are on clear backgrounds you can see the stickers behind them.
What better theme than fish, eels, seaweed, and coral for layering. To start I wanted the eel to move in and out of the coral so I cut along the coral and seaweed and then wove the eel sticker into the border sticker. I did the same with the sea horse by cutting around and under the branch then tucked his tail behind and then in front of the coral. To layer yet some more, place some of the fish behind the border and the starfish on top. You can also integrate your stickers by having them "hug" your photos such as the Octopus here. Simply cut along one of his tentacles and slip the photo in his arms.
Everyone knows that you can use stickers for borders on your layout, but layering the stickers on the borders gives them a more personal touch.
On this layout "A Day At The Zoo" I used the simple border stickers next to each other but, to add a bit of whimsy and to bring your eyes down, I added the lion. Not centering him on the border and having his paw off the mat, makes the little guy stand out more. Some borders stickers can be to thin when used by themselves for borders such as this one on my layout "Bantry House".
I loved the romantic feel these border stickers gave my layout, but alone they didn't make much of a statement. Placing them on a mat together makes a bolder look. The key to this technique is to leave a little space between the border stickers. This gives them more visual space. The flower stickers look almost like pressed flowers and adds to the feel of the romantic house and gardens. Some of the stickers now a day are so detailed they seem like miniatures of the real thing.
Nicole, on her layout, "Uncles Are A Blast" needed the border to be wider so she layered the cloud borders.
Now if you're thinking that you don't like to use stickers. Hopefully you will change your mind when you see these stickers from Pebbles, Inc. They have come out with a line of stickers called Snip Its that puts all the embellishments into a sticker. So if you don't have the time, or want the bulk that some embellishments have, then these stickers are for you. Yes that's right, these stickers look like buttons but you don't have to sew them on your page.
I used the Snip Its' Baby Sampler sticker and the coordinating border sticker to do this layout. This page was done in a day and yet it has all the buttons that I love to use, and I didn't have to sew any of them. I did mat the title and put on foam tape to make it pop a little more, otherwise this page is all stickers. They even give you a place to journal on the sticker. I suggest using a pen like Permapaque from Sakura because they dry quickly on the stickers. Otherwise, I suggest you let it dry over night before putting it in a page protector.
Have you ever wanted to put a sand dollar on your page but you were afraid it would crumble in your album On this layout I used the Snip Its' Sticker Beach Sampler.
They have tiny sand dollars and crabs on the border, and on the embellishment squares. There is even a sand castle that looks like you've taken the time to paper piece. These stickers give you so much detail without having to do any work, and it makes doing a layout a snap.
There is so much you can do with stickers; you just have to be creative. Don't be afraid to trim, cut, layer, and even lift your stickers to a new level. You will never see a sticker the same again! So go dust of your stickers and give them another try.
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