20 ways to use a Silhouette for your scrapbook layout |

I’ve heard many people ask if a Silhouette Portrait or Cameo is worth it for scrapbooking. Personally, I can’t make a scrapbook layout without my Silhouette Portrait! That might sound a bit extreme but there’s so many different ways to use it on a layout that it becomes a part of your creative process. I have compiled a list with examples of over 20 ways to use it on a scrapbook layout. It doesn’t matter if you have a Portrait or a Cameo, there’s plenty of uses for both.

Backgrounds:

There are so many ways you can make your own backgrounds for scrapbook pages with your cutting machine. Here are a few, click on any photo to take you to the blog that it’s from for more details.

1. Layer a cut pattern

This is the most basic way to jazz up a background. You can cut one big one on a Cameo, or if you have a portrait, just cut half at a time.

2.Negative space backed with pattern paper

Similar to the first one, you just add different pattern papers behind each hole. It’s easy and fun, and looks a lot more complicated than it is.

3. Cut your own stencils for mists or modeling paste

You can use cardstock for a one time use stencil or stencil material for reusable ones. I like to use page protectors for reusable stencil.

4. Sketch a design with a sketch pen

Use your black sketch pen to sketch a black and white design or word, then add watercolor for a beautiful effect.

5. Cut a big shape and fill it

So simple yet so effective.

Layering Pieces:

You can use a Portrait or a Cameo to make these smaller layering pieces.

6. Smaller pattern designs

It doesn’t have to be big to be effective.

7. Smaller pattern designs backed with pattern paper

You can use your Portrait or Cameo to make this any size as a layer.

8. Cut a specific shape and make it the focal point

Isn’t that tree just gorgeous? You can do any shape.

Titles:

9. Replaces alphas with any font from your computer

I made this layout using 4 different fonts, 2 cut with my Portrait and 2 sketched with a sketch pen.

10. Pre-designed phrases as titles

There are so many phrases in the various cut file stores that you can use for your title, and you can cut it as big or as small as you like.

11. Titles cut from the background and backed with pattern paper

Similar to cutting and backing a pattern, you just use words instead. This one you have to use a Cameo unless your layout is 8.5×11 or smaller.

12. Sketch a template with sketch pen for hand stitching

Use a sketch pen to draw exactly where you want your hand stitched title to be and then use a paper piercer to make holes along the lines. Then use embroidery thread to cover the lines.

13. Scan and cut your own handwriting

I used a brush with black watercolor to paint this phrase, then used the Pixscan mat to cut it out. You can also scan it instead and trace and cut it from black cardstock.

DIY Embellishments

14. Small designs used as layering pieces or bits of ephemera

There are so many little designs you can cut and use as an embellishments- frames, tags, shapes. You can cut them from pattern paper or cardstock to make unique elements.

15. Print and Cut designs to make these DIY chipboard embellies