Paper Ruffles! A Fun Way to Add Texture to your Layouts!

Posted by Gabrielle Pollacco

2 January, 2013 - ,

Hi Everyone!  Gabrielle here today, I’m so very excited to share with you a project  that I made with one of my favourite Maja collections“Vintage Summer Basics”.  I’m just crazy about the softly distressed designs and muted tones in this collection, and the sweet mini-florals put me in mind of a little girls ruffle dress!  So I thought I would play with paper ruffles to decorate this layout that I made of my little great-niece Kiera.

To make the ruffles I chose 3 of the Vintage Summer patterned papers in shades starting from light to medium to dark and cut 2 x 12″ strips of each (the strips were about 1.25″ thick).  I then glued together each of the pairs of strips to make 3 x 24″ strips.  TIP:  I like to tear the two edges that I’m gluing together rather than attaching two cut edges, it helps give a more seamless look.

dream step out

I then took each of the strips and lightly spritzed them with water and then began taking one edge and gathering them with my fingers.  Be careful not to gather too deeply into the ruffle, you want the other edge to have a nice curvey edge.  I then let the gathered paper dry thoroughly.   Then I took some good strong two-sided sticky tape, opened out my ruffle again so it’s flat and ran the sticky tape along the backside of the pleated edge.  Now bring the ruffle back together, the tape will hold the ruffle together and will also create the adhesive to attach your ruffle to the page.  Layer your ruffles from light to dark for a pretty effect.  Here are a few close-up pic’s of my page…

dream close2 dream close1

Supplies:

Patterned Paper: Maja, Vintage Summer Basics (1908-bs, 1911, 1920, 1922-bs), Chipboard: Dusty Attic Designs, Flowers: Jolee Boutique, Prima, Dusty Attic and Recollections (nest/eggs).  Other: lace trim, kitchen twine, pearl strand all off the roll from local fabric store, adhesive: Tombo 2 sided sticky tape strip.

I hope you give paper ruffles a try!  The Maja papers are of such a high quality, thick and strong so they can take plenty of paper manipulating.  The ruffle technique works beautifully on cards as well!

Gabrielle-sign

Facebook Twitter Email Plusone

11 Comments

  • CamillaE says:

    Fantastic layout, Gabrielle!

  • Marilyn says:

    Gorgeous page Gabrielle!!! love the ruffles!!

  • Oh my goodness Gabrielle! Those ruffles look like real fabric…I am in total awe. Maja papers are so incredibly perfect for you. I cannot wait to see all of your dazzling creations with the papers! WOW! I will definitely be giving this a try!

  • Pam says:

    This is a gorgeous LO! I love those ruffles.

  • mm Maja Nowak says:

    Fantastic idea, Gabrielle! I love the effect and texture those ruffles add to the page.

  • mm Rachelle Sigurdson says:

    Love your photo & LO,Beautiful work & love how the ruffles turned out!!!

  • Ivana Camdzic says:

    Wow! This layout is super gorgeous, Gabi! The paper ruffles are such an awesome idea!

  • Natali says:

    Приятно видеть , что дизайнеры используют не готовые варианты декора , а сами создают их 🙂
    Спасибо – интересно !

  • Jenny Grotherus says:

    Just love those paper ruffles. Have to try that out sometime. Gorgeous work Gabi!

  • Andrea Ewen says:

    What a wonderful suggestion, Gabi…your design is simply stunning! Love the colors and that adorable baby picture.