Vintage scrapping remains popular for many crafters who love the timeless appeal of this distinctive paper crafting style.
About Vintage Scrapping
Vintage scrapbookers try to make their projects resemble family albums from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Trademarks of the vintage style include:
- Pages that make liberal use of brown, tan, cream, black, grey, and other neutral colors
- Embellishments such as buttons, keys, old postcards, and pressed flowers
- Use of newspapers, handwritten letters, or maps as background elements
- A collage-inspired design, as opposed to the clean and simple look favored by contemporary scrapbook artists
- Handwritten journaling
- Use of script or typewriter fonts for title treatments
- An emphasis on projects that include genealogical research
While the vintage style doesn't appeal to everyone, it can be fun to try this look even if you normally take a more modern approach to your projects. Part of the appeal of scrapbooking is experimenting with different creative approaches!
Vintage Scrapbooking Products
Many different scrapbook supply manufacturers have released product lines with a vintage look. Anna Griffin is perhaps best known for vintage patterned papers and embellishments, but many of the BasicGrey products will work for vintage projects as well. Karen Foster Designs also has an Honoring the Past line that is a beautiful addition to any vintage layout.
However, if you find a product you like that seems a bit "modern" for your tastes, you can still incorporate it into your layout. Just use one of the following tricks to give a vintage look to the item:
- Sand cardstock with a white core to add texture, then drag a brown ink pad across the surface.
- Crumple patterned paper, then spritz the sheet with a bit of walnut ink to give it an old fashioned charm.
- Tear the edges of your border and matting papers instead of making perfectly straight cuts with your scissors.
- Layer fabric scraps, ribbon, and lace across plain paper to make a unique background for your project.
- Use brown chalk and a cotton swab to give bold stickers and die cuts a vintage look.
- Paint embellishments with a coat of acrylic paint, then wipe off the excess for a distressed appearance.
- Print out free clip art with a vintage look to make your own embellishment tags.
- Look for beads, buttons, charms, and other interesting items at thrift stores and garage sales to use to make your own unique scrapbook design elements.
Vintage in a Digital World
What's a digital scrapper to do when she's craving a dose of vintage style? Even though vintage elements are often associated with traditional paper scrapbooking, you can get the same look in the digital environment using these free scrapbooking kits:
- A Whimsical Adventure sells a digital paper pack that contains several papers with a vintage feel, as well as a number of useful embellishments.
- Vintage Pearls from Designs by Helen is a simple kit with a classic blue and brown color scheme that works well for both masculine and feminine layouts.
- My Memories has a huge selection of vintage papers. From floral to vintage tools to vintag maps, you'll find something here you can use no matter what your vision.
Not Just for Heritage Photos
Although vintage scrapping is often associated with heritage photos, you can scrapbook almost any type of picture using vintage inspired techniques. After all, today's memories will eventually be considered "vintage" by your ancestors.To make modern photos fit in better with a vintage themed scrapbook project, consider converting them to black and white or sepia tone using your favorite image editing software. Depending upon the type of digital camera you have, you may even be able to snap pictures in a separate black and white or sepia tone mode.
