Adding Sparkle and Surprise to Your Projects with Creative Embellishments

Colorful craft embellishments including handmade cards, scrapbook layouts, ribbon, decorative gems, and paper crafting supplies for adding texture and sparkle to creative projects.

A card or scrapbook layout can be simple yet still beautiful and meaningful, but using embellishments in crafting truly elevates both your creative expression and the visual impact of the finished product. Decorative elements like ribbon, trim, dots, and sequins not only add texture and sparkle, but they also offer an opportunity to bring personality and customization to your crafts, so that friends and loved ones might appreciate details that feel put together just for them.

So whether you’re looking to fill a little empty space, bring in a surprise detail, or just add the perfect finishing touch to your handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and other DIY paper projects, these easy embellishments for crafts are what you’ll want to add to your cart today!

Crafting Embellishments to Try in Your Projects

Adding in dimensional and textural embellishments and ribbon is one of the highlights of sitting down to craft, and we’ve got a few tips on how to make the most of all those extra bits and bobs.

Handmade floral greeting card featuring pearlized faceted circle embellishments, decorative ribbon, layered circles, and stamped floral artwork. — Pictured here: Pearlized Faceted Circles

1. When you’re working with things like gems and dots, odd numbers tend to please the eye more than even. Try arranging your embellishments in groups of three, forming loose triangles. Before applying them, play with direction, orientation, and spacing until it feels just right for your design.

2. You don’t want to go to all the work of designing a beautiful greeting card only to have your embellishments fall off somewhere in the process! Proper adhesive for the type of embellishment you’re using is important, so learning when to use precision glue, dimensional foam stickers, and glue dots can be the difference between beauty and disaster.

Pink floral handmade greeting card decorated with layered flower embellishments, patterned paper, and dimensional accents. — Pictured here: Dreamy Flowers

3. When using embellishments in crafting, keep in mind how you plan to deliver your creation. Mailing heavily embellished paper crafts can be tricky due to weight and thickness. Post office machinery isn’t friendly to 3D bits that create bumps, so it’s best to save heavily embellished cards for hand-delivery and think strategically for mailed projects. For instance, you could try using these cute low-profile pearls that still pack a visual punch!

Looking for more creative ways to make your cards pop? Let’s dive into an entire world of fun and easy embellishments for crafts!

Ribbon and Trim

Ribbon and trim are great ways to add a touch of soft texture and sophistication to your handmade cards and scrapbook pages. When laid flat, they bring a bit of dimension without going overboard. They’re perfect for bordering paper layers or acting as the springboard for a dimensional sentiment. And if your card isn’t likely to see the inside of an envelope, tie your ribbon up in a bow for that extra special touch. tie your ribbon up in a bow for that extra special touch.

Handmade gift tag decorated with Barely Blush ribbon tied into a bow and layered paper embellishments for gift giving. — Pictured here: Barely Blush Bordered Ribbon

Handmade greeting card featuring Golden Glow ribbon wrapped around layered patterned paper with colorful sentiment banners. — Pictured here: Golden Glow Bordered Ribbon

Don’t be afraid to use ribbon in more practical ways, too. Try using pretty gingham to tie on a gift tag, wrapping presents with a fun gold ribbon, or pulling together a homemade banner with a checkered trim.

Dots, Gems, and Sequins

Dots, gems, and sequins are a great way to help your paper crafts sparkle and shine without tons of effort. These work great to highlight your design’s focal point, hide small mistakes (we’re looking at you, tiny ink smudge!), and simply elevate your creation!

Scrapbook layout featuring decorative Array of Dots embellishments, layered paper accents, photos, and dimensional die-cut decorations. — Pictured here: Array of Dots

When working with decorative elements like dots, try using our rule of triangles from above. For a little variety and surprise, try creating more intentional shapes like photo corners or borders in scrapbook layouts.

Thread and Twine

We love using thread and twine as an alternative to thicker ribbon when we need just a hint of something special on the page. This embellishment is simple but versatile and can add a rustic or handmade charm. You can wrap twine around cardstock or the bottom of a photo to give it a little hug of attention, tie small bows to draw the eye, or layer it behind more prominent embellishments to give them an extra boost of visibility.

Gift bag filled with treats and decorated using baker's twine and a handmade gift tag for a personalized paper crafting project. — Pictured here: Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack

One of our favorite ways to use baker’s twine is to tie it into gift-giving. Try matching the bow on your bag of homemade treats to the one on your card for neighbor and teacher gifts!

Specialty Accents

Outside the realm of ribbon, gems, and twine, there are innumerable ways to embellish your handmade creations and gifts. Whatever you choose, it can add something special to your design. Add some metallic flair, thematic shapes, and more, just to make sure every paper craft has a personality you can be proud of.

Green handmade greeting card featuring Faux Bronze Pentagons embellishments with layered botanical die cuts and stamped sentiment. — Pictured here: Faux Bronze Pentagons

Want to amp up the class factor in your handmade card? Bring in some metallic elements with gold flowers or bronze pentagons.

Really need to nail the springtime or Christmas theme in your family scrapbook album? Pop on a few ladybugs or peppermints to help set just the right vibe!

Handmade greeting card featuring Old Olive Specialty Rickrack trim with floral accents, layered circles, and a friendly stamped sentiment. — Pictured here: Old Olive Specialty Rickrack

Elevate Your Crafting with Stampin’ Up! Embellishments

When you’re ready to take your projects from ordinary to extraordinary, add embellishments to your crafting! Whatever your style or experience level, extra elements like ribbon, gems, and colorful dots will help you express all your creativity and love through handmade cards, scrapbook layouts, gifts, and more.

Shop Stampin’ Up! embellishments and ribbon now for the latest styles, perfectly coordinated colors, and top-quality products you’ve come to know and love!