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Looking for inspiration? Maybe a little expert advice from a design professional? Join designer and instructor Arlene Peterson as she lends her experience to three reader questions.

Q. I'm seeing a lot of great layouts using fibers— but I don't sew! Any tips on using fibers on my pages?
So you see, imagination needs moodling — long inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.
Brenda Ueland

Arlene: I love to sew, so naturally I also like to use fibers and thread on my scrapbook pages. You don't have to be a seamstress to use fibers and thread on your layouts; in fact, I've discovered a couple of different tricks to make this technique easier!



  • Floss or jute knots will come loose over time. Put a small dab of glue or a Glue Dot™ on the backside of the knot to keep it secure.
  • When threading fibers through eyelets, put a dab of glue on the end of the fiber lengths, then roll it with your fingers to get one secure end. It's easier to thread one length of fiber than several.
  • Take time to mark your stitches on the backside of your paper with a pencil before poking the holes— it will save you from uneven lines, irregular spacing and wayward holes.
  • Poke all your stitching holes with a needle or awl before you start stitching.
Q. I love to send handmade cards, but I'm unsure of post office regulations. Can I mail cards with three-dimensional embellishments on them? What about large-size cards?

Arlene: These questions come up often, so we did a little
research to get a few answers for you! Here's what I learned:
  • A card weighing one ounce costs 37 cents to mail. Your cost will increase 23 cents for every additional ounce. Do be aware that sending square or oversized cards may cost additional postage. Paper Flair™ blank cards were designed to give you the largest possible card surface without costing additional postage for size. If your envelope is thicker than 1/4", the post office will charge additional postage.
  • If you've used three-dimensional embellishments on your card, protect it by writing "please hand cancel" on the envelope. Give it directly to the postal cler— don't place it in a drop box or home mail box. For very fragile cards (decorated with seashells, for example) you may choose to send it in a padded envelope.
  • Visit http://www.usps.com for specific costs on mailing.

Q. Can I use vellum in my computer printer? Will the ink smudge?

Arlene: Yes, you can print onto vellum— which is a great way to give you an elegant look. Do keep in mind that vellum is not porous, which means the ink won't sink into the paper. Instead, it "sits" on top and has to be given drying time before it's touched. Another tip is to control the amount of ink output by your printer. Try this:

  1. Go into your printer options and adjust it to the Transparency setting. This puts out the least amount of ink.
  2. Go into Page Set-Up and set the margin 1" from the top of the page. This allows the printer time to get a "hold" on the paper and reduces smearing.

And yes, you can cut down a 12"x12" sheet of vellum paper to an 8 1/2"x12" piece and run it through a laser printer.

Catch up with designer and instructor Arlene Peterson by taking a class at the next scrapbook convention that comes to your area or picking up a copy of Making Fabulous Scrapbook Pages. Arlene is a designer for Paper Pizazz™ and for the Paper Wishes catalog.