Stenciling is a fun and relatively easy way to add colorful and elaborate decorative features to your walls. You have a wide variety of options, allowing you to get as creative as you like. All you have to do is envision what you want the space to look like, and then find the perfect pattern to get you there.

While there are hundreds of different stencil templates which can be purchased from the craft store, many people prefer to make their own, allowing them to customize and craft exactly what they want right from their own kitchen tables. You just need to start by finding a design that inspires you. You can take cues from fabric, wallpaper, or from design books and online photos.

Copy the picture or design onto a piece of paper. If it’s a repeating pattern use a straight edge to add a dotted line to the top as a reference point for later. Once you’re happy with the quality of the base picture, you can take a sheet of clear acetate and tape it down to the original for copying. As you trace the drawing, start with the dotted reference line at the top. Then only trace those shapes which all are going to be the same color on the wall. The idea is to create a different sheet for each color so you don’t have to worry about spills and drips.

Those designs which are not of the same color can be traced using more dotted lines, so that it will be easier to line up the entire pattern on the wall later on. Repeat this with each color in the design until you have the entire picture complete.

The last step to creating a stencil is cutting out the actual pieces. Place each acetate sheet on a cutting board separately. Then use a craft knife to carefully carve the shapes from the material. Each line should be sliced with one fluid motion, the knife drawing through the sheet towards your body, with your hands carefully positioned away from the blade. As you work, turn the sheet itself to get a better angle on your cuts.

Whether you make your own stencil, or use a store bought one, the process of applying paint is basically the same. First you need to prep the wall, removing any wall clocks, nails, portraits, or decorative objects, and patching any holes in the sheet rock. If the design repeats, use a straight edge to draw a faint dotted line on the wall itself in pencil or chalk. Then match the stencil line up to this to keep the pattern straight.

It may be helpful to actually tape the stencil to the wall to stop it from sliding down. The paint itself should be applied using special stencil brushes, which will spread the color evenly over the surface. Dip the brush in the paint very lightly, making sure to wipe off any excess. You want the bristles to be just barely damp.

Applying the paint can be done in one of two ways. You can use a technique called stippling, which involves dabbing color over the open area to create a soft even coat. Alternatively the paint can be applied in swirls which will allow you to press harder at some points, and softer at others, creating a sense of depth in the final creation.

Paint each color on separately, using the various template stencils that you created, and waiting for every coat of paint to dry completely before moving on to the next. Check that the designs on the stencil match up evenly with each move. If there are small problems with the finished product, you can use a tiny paintbrush to touch up errors. If any major mistakes occur, a roller can be used to simply paint a fresh coat over the stencils, allowing you to start over once again.

Go into any Hallmark store and you'll see rack after rack of pre-made greeting cards -- all nearly the same, and all priced at upwards of three and four dollars each. But why pay several dollars for a generic card when you can make your own, quickly and easily!

If you can scrapbook, you can create fabulous cards. In fact, the same principles you use to design your layouts can be used to make unique and original handmade cards. Here are some tips to help you create your own cards:

• Have plenty of pre-made blank cards on hand. Standard card size is 4.25"x5.5" -- exactly half of an 8.5x11" sheet, folded in half! Take an 8.5x11" piece of cardstock and cut it in half, and you'll have two cards ready to decorate.
• Save your scraps. After each scrapbook page you create, use the scraps on a card. The patterned paper, cardstock, and embellishments are already pre-selected to coordinate, so it will take only minutes to make a card from the leftovers.
• Use your page layouts for cards. Scale down the different page elements, and any design you use for a page could easily be used for a card.
• Make a variety of cards for different occasions. You'll need all the common occasions -- birthdays, thank yous, etc. -- but don't forget to make some anniversary, thinking of you, and get well soon cards as well.
• Use cards to experiment. Want to paint on a scrapbook layout but nervous that you'll "wreck" your photos? Eager to give stamping a try? Use the smaller format of a greeting card to try some of the techniques you'd like to incorporate into your scrapbooking.

Card-making is the perfect complementary craft to scrapbooking. You've already got all the supplies and tools, now you can give them a workout and save yourself some money at the Hallmark store.

For more suggestions to make your scrapbooking fun, fast, and fabulous, visit Lain Ehmann's blog, Layout a Day. You'll get tons of scrapbooking ideas suitable for scrapbookers of any level.

For many of us a treasured family cookbook is a great way to recreate the beloved foods from our youth. Many of us have fond memories of particular foods or occasions. Incorporating these recipes within a scrapbook can create an heirloom that will be treasured for years to come.

Cookbook scrapbooking is taking recipes and incorporating them into a scrapbook. This can be done by transcribing the recipes onto paper or index cards and placing them into the album. But unlike a traditional cookbook, it’s not just recipes that are included. Adding comments and stories to correspond with each recipe is what makes these books so special. For instance, taking Grandma’s recipe for pumpkin pie and write it out on an index card. Attach that card into an 8X8 scrapbook page. Underneath the card, write a journal entry that includes when she made the pie, why you loved it, and special memory.  You can even write about the first time you tried to make it, maybe it was burned or flopped. This makes the recipes special for your children, their children, and continues throughout each generation.

To enhance cookbook scrapbooking, ask family members to write out their favorite recipes and include their own comments. Attach each handwritten note to a page and write who the recipe is from. You can also include your own thoughts on the recipe. If you have any photographs of the preparation or finished project be sure to include them. Maybe someone won a prize for a bake-off, include the newspaper article or other item. Let your children write out their favorite recipes, or if they are very young, ask them why they like a particular item. You can also add notes about where the recipe came from, why it was a hit. Maybe your favorite party appetizers came from the internet, write a short story depicted why you chose that and why.

When you are done creating your cookbook scrapbook, include blank pages at the end, so that other family members can include more recipes as the book gets passed down through the generations. Add page protectors to each page to avoid damaged pages. This will not only protect the pages from water or other spills, but make them easy to wipe clean.

Cookbook scrapbooking is a great way to pass on a tradition to our children. These are a great way to spend quality time together as a family by cooking and baking together. Not only will our children learn how to follow directions and patience, but they will also learn a little bit about their family history. It is a great item to pass down and it will still be useful for many years to come. Include your prized holiday meal recipes and it will sure to be a much sought after item. Other family members will be begging to borrow it. It’s an easy, innovative way to keep our recipes organized and our traditions intact for now and the years from now.