Sometimes, when I have completed a layout, it looks too plain.  Borders always spruce up my pages.  Here are some borders you can easily add to your pictures or layouts using just your pen, stamps, stickers, or decorative edge ruler.

Pen Stitched Letters

Supplies

• Red patterned paper (Keeping Memories Alive)

• Blue gingham patterned paper (Paper Patch)

• Star punches, mini and small (Family Treasures)

• Cardstock (Making Memories)

• Black pen .01 and .08 (Millennium, EK Success)  

This is a new twist to writing sayings or words around your page or photos.  Matt your photo so that you have about ½” all the way around.  This photo is triple mounted; 1/16” on navy, ½’, on natural, and 1/16” again on navy.  Next, cut out four 1” squares in a pattern and place on corners of photo.  Pencil in the words you want to use around the photo.  When you go back with pen, trace your penciled lines using dashes.  You can add stickers or punch pieces to your four, 1” corners too.

Flower Stamps

Supplies

• Cardstock (Making Memories)

• Black pigment stamp pad (Marvy Uchida)

• Flower stamp cube (Judi Kins)

• Leaf stamp (Joyful Heart Stamps)

• Title (The Art of Creative Lettering by Becky Higgins)

• Colored pencils (EK Success)

• Black pen .05 (Millennium, EK Success)    

Do you have rubber stamps but are too afraid to stamp right on your page?  Get those stamps out and use them!  Stamp on colored cardstock or patterned paper and cut out along outer edge of design.  Don’t just stick with black ink.  Try a darker blue ink on a light blue cardstock for a flower or dark green ink on a lighter green cardstock with a leaf stamp.  For this layout, stamp flowers on two different blue cardstocks and a leaf stamp on a green cardstock.  Trim along black edge of stamped pattern.  Cut two, ¼” strips of white cardstock and adhere to your page, one lengthwise and the other horizontally along the bottom.  Glue flowers and leaves randomly along white strips. 

To add a little more spice to your photo, matt the photo in white and closely cluster the flowers and leaves along the top of the photo.  Check out your stamp collections and see what you can do by adding some colored cardstock.

Sticker Border

Supplies

• Snowflake stickers (Printworks)

• Cardstock (Making Memories)

• Black pen .05 (Millennium, EK Success)

If you want to stick with simplicity for your layout but still want to add something decorative, try stickers.  For a simpler look, stick with the same pattern but use different sizes like this snowflake layout.  This is a great idea for all of those little stickers you don’t know what to do with.

You will need to create a matt that will give you room to add these embellishments.  Mount your photo on a colored cardstock leaving 1/8” of border.  Next mount your photo on the color that will show the most leaving about 3/8”.  Finally, mount your photo on the same color that you chose for the first matting.  Now you can add the stickers.  Less is better!  Try clustering them together and leaving open spaces.  If you put too many stickers on, you will lose the focus of the picture. 

Supplies

• Patterned paper (Hot off the Press)

• Small snowflake punch (Stampin’ Up)

• Large snowflake punch (Hyglo)

• Silver opaque pen (EK Success)

• Silver metallic paper (Making Memories)

• Border Buddy (EK Success)

This border is a great way to add patterned paper to a layout without overwhelming your pictures.  Grab any decorative edge ruler and patterned paper (or colored cardstock) that goes along with your theme.  You can do this on the horizontal or vertical edge of your layout.  I usually make this layout 1 ½” to 2” wide depending on how many pictures are going to be on the page.  Turn your patterned paper to the backside.  Place your ruler 1 ½” to 2” away from the edge and trace.  Cut this out with your scissors and then mount this piece on a matching colored cardstock.  Trim along decorative edge leaving about 1/8”.  Mount on page.

You can overlap a picture on this border or add a title going vertical or horizontal.  Try adding stickers or other embellishments if you haven’t used a busy patterned paper.  The possibilities are endless with all of the edges in rulers that are available.