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One of my favorite pastimes is frequenting quaint little boutiques, funky thrift and antique stores and eccentric flea markets. I’m drawn to an eclectic mix of items from different eras of history: the charm that comes with a vintage pea coat from the fifties, or the funky look of chunky beaded necklaces from the same era, or hand-stitched embroidery on blue-jeans from the sixties. I love the sparkle in these stores, like jewels on an antique broach or sequins on a garment.
A lot of these elements are very evident right now in fashion design and home décor. It’s only natural that the same elements can carry over to scrapbook design in a trend we like to call boutique style.
I combined many elements of boutique style on this colorful, lively page. Each flower embellishment is handmade from different materials while keeping a similar shape and feel to tie them together. Some flowers are made from layers of fabric and patterned paper with a rhinestone or button in the center. The small mint green bloom on the right is corrugated cardboard accented with ocean blue rhinestones. In the lower left corner, a crocheted flower found at a vintage store adds texture, and a tiny crocheted square bought online becomes a funky center for another blossom. Hand-drawn doodles, white-pen journaling and a curvy, eclectic title give motion to the layout.
supplies: Cardstock • Patterned paper (Provo Craft, Cherry Arte, Chatterbox, BasicGrey) • Fabric • Crocheted flower • Crocheted square (Urban Arts and Crafts) • Beads, rhinestones, cardboard, pipe cleaners (Westrim) • Twine • Button (Autumn Leaves) • Letter stickers (Me & My Big Ideas) • Plastic letters (Heidi Swapp) • Letter stamps (Fontwerks) • Pen (Uni-Ball, EK Success) • Mini brad (Making Memories)
handwritten journaling
Handwriting is a telling characteristic of boutique style. Reminiscent of old handwritten letters you might find in antique stores which have a history, handwriting encourages viewers to imagine the person behind the pen. Your handwriting doesn’t have to be perfect. That is what makes “boutique style” cool, things aren’t perfect. Elements are put together that you wouldn’t normally put together. That is fresh, and unpredictable. For the title letters on this page, I drew the letters freehand onto fabric scraps, and then layered and stitched the letters onto pieces of fabric or paper. The journaling spins and twirls, keeping the viewer’s eye moving.
supplies: Patterned paper (BasicGrey, Junkitz) • Fabric scraps • Felt • Embroidery floss (DMC) • Rhinestones, bell, beads, sequins (Westrim) • Pipe cleaners • Pens (EK Success, Sakura, Uni-ball) • Acrylic paint (Making Memories)
tip: Write your journaling in an unexpected place, such as directly onto a photo (but not a one-of-a-kind photo), around the perimeter of a circular page element or in trails that lead your eye across the page.
patterned paper
Susan Weinroth, Masters ’06, used patterns from different manufacturers to create an eclectic, unique look. She ended up with a lively look that isn’t overly coordinated. Look around vintage-clothing stores for pattern inspiration. There you’ll see lots of patterns from different garments that weren’t manufactured to go together, but when you put different pieces together it makes for an eclectic, fun and funky mix. Likewise, choose patterned paper from different manufacturers that aren’t made to go together, but with similar color palettes so the combination is still pleasing to the eye.
supplies: Cardstock (Bazzill) • Patterned paper (American Crafts, Iota, Scenic Route, Chatterbox, SEI, FiberMark, Paperfever, BasicGrey, KI Memories) • Ribbon (American Crafts, May Arts, SEI) • Rhinestones (Westrim) • Buttons (Foofala) • Craft felt • Pen (Signo by Uni-Ball) • Stamp (Fontwerks) • Embroidery floss • Nilland computer font
tip: When picking papers, don’t be afraid to mix several patterns, such as polka dots, stripes, loud patterns and even subtle patterns on the same page. Think of walking into your favorite boutique or antique store. Let patterns blend on a page just as they do in the store.
