Layout by Katie. Taking Chances by Megan Mullins (Wild Dandelions) from The Digi Files 10 font is LD Elementary. Template unknown.

Have you ever paid attention to the edges of your layouts? I (Katie) had not really put a lot of thought into it until last year. I put together this page and thought I was finished.

Layout by Katie. Credits: Stephanie 2 Whirligig Kit  Kaye Winiecki template 6 (modified).

After I saw it posted online a few days later, I just knew something was “wrong”, but I couldn’t figure it out. Soon afterward, I read this post about Janet’s most used scrapping trick of adding a border to a layout. There was my answer! I needed something around the edge to reign my eye in and keep the attention on the photo and story.

I followed Janet’s advice and added a simple dotted border. What a difference that made!

Ever since that time, I’ve kept a lookout for how great scrappers use the edges of the page to contribute to the overall layout design. It’s something that I’ve noticed that our creative team here at The Daily Digi is very good at, so I asked them for their tips and examples to help us all “live on the edge” a little more comfortably.

As you will see, edge treatments can range from minimalistic and simple to all out bursting with  oodles of layers and creativity! We are excited to show you several different ways to utilize the edges of your layouts. Here are our very favorite edging ideas:

Hands down, this is the method we use the most! Adding a simple framed edge of stitching, doodles, or even a straight line, seems to be the perfect finishing touch for many different types of pages.

Here are a few resources for this type of border effect:

• Inked Edges
• Easy Border Tutorial

Plenty of page examples from the team:

Layout by Katie. Template by Debbie Hodge. Hello Sunshine by Kelley Mickus.

Layout by Melissa L. Dani Mogstad Take Me Away kit Gina Miller Simple Singles Template: Roundabout 3 Gina Miller border stitching Font is DJB Smarty Pants

Layout by Katie. Credits: Shabby Princess Word Whimsy Shabby Princess Blossom
Kitty Designs template (modified) Traveling typewriter font

Layout by Jenny B. Credits: Template: Tiffany Tillman Background Paper, Yellow Checkerboard Paper (masked over elements): Girls Are Yucky Kit by Lili (TDF #8) Paint Swash, Doodle Border, 2010 Punch Label: Altered 365 Kit by Something Blue Studios (TDF 11) Yellow Paper (masked over paint swash): Sunshine Kit by Suzy Q Scraps (TDF 12) Alpha, Button, and Papers: Upside Down Kit by Dunia (TDF 16) Arrows: Sketchy Elements Kit by Spencer at Design House Digital Staples: Wonderful Kit by Shabby Princess Drop Shadow Layer Styles by Megan Turnidge Fonts: CK Stenography and LD Shelly Print

Layout by Melissa L Lauren Reid 365 Remembered May papers, elements, and template  Lauren Reid You’re Moody kraft paper Lauren Reid Lift Me Up border Ali Edwards Remember word art Font is Pea Devon

Layout by Katie. Credits: Anne Made Chromophobia papers and Heart Paper Trails
Template by Janet Phillips. fonts are CK footnote and Fontologie Weathered Low Fat

Layout by Melissa L Daydreamer kit by Leora Sanford Simple Solutions Set 3 by Leora Sanford Font is DJB Renee

Layout by Dúnia Basic Neutrals Paper Pack by Dúnia  Whole Lotta Love by Dúnia Doodling Page Frames by Annick Philibert Crazy Squares Template by Gina Miller

Layout by Dúnia Spacey Templates Mini Vol.7 by Amy Martin Pure Love Kit by Jenna Desai Sugar Plum Alpha by Amy Wolff Font: 2Peas Just Plain Little

This is another subtle way to create a border within a page. By using rounded corners in the design, you automatically end up with and interesting and classic edge treatment. Be sure to read our tutorial on How to create rounded corners. You can also use purchased background masks with rounded corners from several digital designers.

Here are a few examples of borders using rounded corners:

Layout by Katie. Credits: Layout made with Wendyzine action from The Digi Files 15 (March 2010) Impressions of Friendship kit by Scrapbook Graphic designers. Font is Pea Jiawei

Layout by Karen. CREDITS: Lauren Reid Wonky Templates 5, Journal Mates, Second Spring kit, You and Me Elements; Font is Pea Muggy’s Girl

Layout by Katie. Credits: Michelle Coleman Wonderful Kit Ali Edwards template no. 3 from Designer Digitals CK Ali’s writing font and CK Ali Circles font for dingbats

My most used scrapping trick is adding another layer of paper to the back of my layout or template to create the look of matted paper. I guess I bring this one with me from my paper scrapping days because I used to love to trim just a small edge off of each side of my paper and then mount it on a full 12×12 piece of cardstock. Now I do this digitally, by simply resizing the first layer of background paper to be just a bit smaller. Then I add another papers as a background layer. I love this trick! Looks like several of our team members use this technique as well.

Layout by Katie. Cheeky Monkey A Happy Heart kit from The Digi Files 12 (February 2010) Template by Sine Journaling font is traveling typewriter

Layout by Jen. Credits: Good Day Sunshine by Megan Turnidge Going Postal Date Stamps by Man In The Moon Designs Makin’ Me Happy alpha by Stolen Moments Tuesday Template by Canadian Mommy Font: Pea Walker

Layout by Karen. CREDITS: Free to Be by Tracie Stroud

Layout by Karen. CREDITS: Leora Sanford Just Like You

There’s no reason this type of layering has to be done in a straight line. How about tilting some background layers? It’s makes the layout even more fun, and it’s a great way to use several different papers without overwhelming the page design.

Layout by Katie. Blessed by Nancie Rowe Janitz.at Scrap Artist. font is CK constitutional. Template unknown.

Layout by Katie. Credits: The Digi Chick kit from The Digi Files 8 (every life has a story)
flowers from Weeds n Wildflowers journaling font is Darcy Baldwin Tracy Script Template by Natasha Nast

Border treatments don’t have to be on the very edge of a page. You can create a bordered space by using a frame or lines to frame a smaller portion of the layout.

Layout by Katie. Credits: Pamela Donnis school kit from Digi Files 7 at The Daily Digi
template by Janet Phillips collection 14 (also from The Digi Files 7) fonts are CK footnote and Fontologie Messy Bessy.

Layout by Jen. Credits: Cara Copycat Template by Man In The Moon Designs What’s Cookin’ by Man In The Moon Designs Superstar by Bisontine Everyday Scatters 2 by MickeyB Designs Hello Sunshine alpha by Kelley Mickus Stamp ABC by Brittish Designs Font: mtf Sketchie

Layout by Jenn. Credits: Vaca Templates by Purple Tulip Designs Queen of Scrap by Scrap Matters Designers Polka Dot Vellum alpha by Man In The Moon Designs Detention alpha by Krystal Hartley Vintage Linens by Shabby Miss Jenn Font: Designer Notes

Layout by Katie. Credits: Everything from the Digi Files 15 (March 2010) for the -From the Files challenge. Template by Jen Caputo.

Creative team member Jenn loves to blend papers to create a subtle edged effect. She says “ I’ve got a few tricks that tend to use over and over with my LO’s.  One is to create a “new” background paper from two other ones. I’ll choose two that I want to combine, then erase the center portion of the top one with a large grunge brush, or a large soft round brush. Then I play around with the blend modes until I get the desired effect.”

Layout by Jenn. Credits: Moi  – A Magic Autumn Lily Designs – Fall Freebie stamp frame – JenLin Designs New Life Dreams – Indian Summer Font: Perpetua

Layout by Jenn Credits: Template No. 7 by Victoria Greenlees (Studio Saturday) Winter Morning Paper Pack by Victoria Greenlees (Studio Saturday) Playtime collab by Sahlin Studios and DeCrow Designs Squishy Dots by Karah Fredricks Midnight Kiss by Bren Boone A New Beginning by Digital Crea Design Team Comfort and Joy alpha by Brittish Designs (recolored) Fonts: Pea Devon Caps, Pea Jane

This is just a simple little way to do something fun around the edge of your layout. It’s an extra bonus that you can fit in your journaling as well!

Layout by Dúnia  Are We There Yet? by Kate Hadfield Going Places by Kate Hadfield Road Works Alpha by Kate Hadfield Shmootzy Alpha by Nancie Rowe Janitz Font: Go Boom!

Layout by Katie. Credits: quick page album template by Ali Edwards. Fall paper pack by Katie the Scrapbook Lady. Fontologie giggles font and CK classical font.

Some designers do the work for you. I love papers with natural bordered designs. They make the page interesting and beautiful.

Layout by Katie. Credits: Purple Phase by Vinnie Pearce Template by Hillary Heidelberg
font is Susie’s hand

Layout by Katie. Credits: Happyness paper pack by Nancie Rowe Janitz. fonts are CK constitutional and Fontologie weathered in-between.

Feel free to have fun with your edges! It’s a great place to layer embellishments and page curls without cluttering up big portions of the layout. Some designers put together pre-clustered page edges to make this even easier! (see enabling portion of this post)

Layout by Melissa S. Credits: Trap the Spark by mgl scraps.

Layout by Dúnia  Credits: Peekaboo Cardboard by Tracy Ann Take Two Photo Mats by Tracy Ann Overlay from State the Date 2 by Tracy Ann Ribbon from Lemon Drops by Holly Designs Torn Paper, String, Star from About a Boy by Jenna Desai Itty Bitty Epoxy Alpha by Emily Powers Bakward Staples by Jenn Patrick Stretchy Glue Blobs by Jenn Patrick Boys Dressed Denin by Natalie Braxton Font: AL Sandra

Of course we want to make it easier for you to find great digital products to give you more time for scrapping. That is part of our mission here at The Daily Digi! So here are some designs that we love.

(All images are linked)

So are you ready to live on the edge now? I bet you will find one of these techniques to be your most used scrapping trick as well!

P.S. The font used on the blue title blocks in this post is Fontologie Printing Primer.

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