How to Use Craft Wire in your Scrapbooking Layouts by Michel Maling

Craft wire is a wonderfully versatile embellishment for your scrap booking layouts, and it comes in many different colours and thicknesses. Craft wire can be used in many different ways to add decorative effects to your scrapbook pages.


You don't need many fancy tools to start with, unless you start getting really intricate with your designs. A pair of pliers and wire cutters should be enough for most scrappers.


When you work with craft wire, especially if it is coated, be careful of using pliers or other tools, as the coating is easily damaged. If there is a nick in the coating, the metal underneath will show through and spoil the look of your finished piece.


One can use craft wire to thread beads onto, or to twist into various different shapes for your layouts. Here is an easy technique for you to start with.


The look for this technique is a craft wire running vertically from the top of your page to the bottom with embellishments threaded onto it. Choose where you would like the wire to start and end on your layout. Stick a sequin onto each point and punch a small hole with a pin through the middle of each sequin. From the front, push one end of your wire through the hole, and bend flat against the back of the page. Tape it in place with masking tape. Next thread an arrangement of beads and sequins onto the loose end of the wire. Thread the other end of the wire through the other sequin once you have finished threading, and secure, adjusting the wire so it is firm and straight.


Another scrapbooking idea is to wind the craft wire round a pencil or knitting needle to form coils which you can then thread small beads onto and then flatten to lie flat on your layout. You can experiment with the thickness of the object that you wrap the craft wire around. Craft wire can be twisted into all sorts of swirls and curls before adding to your layout as embellishments.


Lots of crafters like to use the wire to mould their own shapes for their layouts. You can make just about anything you want to, from animals to flowers. You can also buy an assortment of different ready made shapes at your nearest craft store. I have even seen small coat hangers made in this fashion.
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