A Beginners Guide To Card Making Terms

Understanding basic terms when card making or scrapbooking is half the battle.Armed with this knowledge you are well on your way to creating wonderful cards and scrapbook page layouts

Acetate - Acetate is a plastic film that has many applications. You can stamp onto it using rubber stamps, use it for making shaker cards, and use it to make an image or embellishment appear to hang independently. You can also paint Acetate with glass paints and glitter glues.

Acid Free - Anything that is acid free is perfect for card making and scrap booking as it will not deteriorate or discolour. Acid free is simply a product that is manufactured free of acid.

Adhesive - Adhesive is something that is used to stick one material to another. Common craft adhesives include glue dots, glue sticks, double sided tape and photo stickers.

Bone Folder - A bone folder is used for scoring and folding paper and card. It is a flat piece of plastic or bone which is pointed at one end and round at the other.

Brads - Brads are available in a wide range of designs, shapes and colours. Brads have two prongs at the back which are pushed through the paper or card and then flattened to hold in place in much the same way as a split pin..

Brayer - A brayer is usually used to create backgrounds or to roll over two pieces of paper to help glue them together. A brayer is a roller that is soft and made of rubber.

Cardstock - Cardstock is a sturdy thick scrapbook paper which is available in many different thicknesses, weights and colors.

Cello Bags - Cello Bags are used to protect your cards and often used when making cards to sell. They are made from thin plastic which is transparent.

Clear Rubber Stamps - Clear rubber stamps are usually used with an acrylic block, clear stamps can be positioned how you like, and can be mixed and matched with other stamps that you add to the acrylic block.

Corner Punch - A corner punch is used for cutting corner shapes, usually to round off the corners of cards.

Craft Knife - A craft knife is an essential item for card making and scrapbooking. It is a very sharp pointed knife that has replaceable blades.

Cutting Mat - A cutting mat is used with the craft knife. It is a mat that protects the surface you are working on.

Decoupage - Decoupage is a technique used to decorate cards. It is a technique where you build up a 3D picture using several pictures as layers.

Die Cut - Is a term that means 'cut out shape'. The shape is usually cut from a metal template called a 'die'.

Distressing - Distressing is a method used to give your project an old and worn look.. This can be achieved in many ways including, stamping, crumpling, inking and tearing.

Double Sided Tape - Double sided tape is sticky on both sides and can either be flat or 3D.

Embellishment - An embellishment is used to decorate a handmade card or scrapbook page layout.

Embossing - A technique used when stamping to create a raised image.

Embossing Powder - Embossing Powder is a fine powder that is available in a variety of colors. Embossing powder is sprinkled over a stamped image and heated to create a raised impression.

Eyelets - Eyelets are metal fasteners with holes in the middle. They are attached to cards and scrapbook pages. Once attached ribbon and fibres can be passed through the holes.

Gel Pens - Gel pens come in many different colors and can be used to colour small areas in a precise color.

Glitter Glue - Glitter glue is glue that is pre mixed with very fine glitter. Glitter glue is usually white and dries clear.

Glue Dots - Glue dots are used to attach embellishments such as buttons or other heavy materials. They are extremely sticky and should not be removed once applied.

Heat Gun - A heat gun is used to heat embossing powder

Iris Folding - A technique where strips of paper are folded and overlapped to create a background in an aperture card.

Light box - A back lit box used with an embossing stencil. The light in the box transmits through the image so that it can be seen through card and paper.

Matting - Matting is also known as mat and layering. It is a technique where a layer of paper is built up to produce a frame around an image or embellishment.

Pigment ink - pigment ink is normally used for embossing because it is like a water based ink that dries slowly enabling the embossing powders to stick to it.

Rub Ons - Rub ons are transfers that are applied by rubbing with a lolly stick. Once applied they are permanent. They are commonly used on scrapbook page layouts and for card making ideas.

Scoring - A way of creating a line that can be used to fold a card.

Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in Card Making Ideas also providing you with excellent tips and ideas for Scrap Booking The site also provides information on How To Use Chalks.