Question: I’m new to scrapbooking and I like layouts that have buttons, eyelets, or brads on them to enhance the page. Now I’m wondering if the eyelets, buttons, or brads would damage the photos on the opposite page when you close the book.

LeNae says: If you use 3-D page embellishments I highly recommend you use page protectors (sheet protectors) on each page. They act as a buffer between the pages and keep things safely together should anything fall off.

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Lumpy items are really trendy in scrapbooking and lots of fun to use—but their use totally depends on personal preference. I try not to put anything thicker than the head of a standard size brad on my pages—that seems to work just fine with the page protectors covering them. Now, if you like very bulky items (like keys and bottles) just know that you won’t be able to fit as many pages in your album. Too much of any embellishment could cause indentations or dimples on opposite pages, so I’d also recommend careful placement. When planning your pages, make sure the 3-D item isn’t directly across the page from a vintage heirloom photo.

I also recommend you don’t use superbulky items on every page—your album will be full with just a couple of layouts! And the best thing to remember is to store your albums upright on a bookshelf instead of stacking them.

Lumpy and 3-D items are a lot of fun to scrapbook with. Just keep the guidelines above in mind and you’ll be able to use them for lots of papercrafts. Enjoy!

LeNae Gerig is the designer of idea books such as LeNae’s Scrapbooking Basics and LeNae’s 30-Minute Scrapbook Pages.