Cut out of stiff and durable chipboard, dimensional letters provide eye-catching accents for scrapbook layouts, handmade greeting cards, bookmarks and home decor projects. Instead of buying pre-made chipboard letters at a scrapbook or craft store, create your own with a simple technique that allows you to customize the letters’ size and font. After cutting the letters out, embellish them with paints, inks or stickers to coordinate with the colors and style of your scrapbook page or craft project.
Step One
Place the piece of chipboard face down on your work table.
Step Two
Position a letter stencil in the desired size and font face on top of the chipboard. Hold the stencil down with one hand and trace the letter shape with the other hand using a pencil. Remove the stencil and set it aside.
Step Three
Protect your work table with a self-healing cutting mat sold at scrapbooking, office supply or sewing shops.
Step Four
Lay the chipboard on top of the self-healing cutting mat and carefully cut the letter shape out with a craft knife.
Step Five
Smooth any rough corners or edges on the letter by rubbing the sides with fine-grain sandpaper. Use a soft cloth to wipe away any gritty residue left by the sandpaper.
Step Six
Leave the letter “as is” or embellish the shape to use as a scrapbooking embellishment, container label or gift tag monogram, for example. Coat the surface of the letter with two coats of acrylic paint with a paintbrush or foam applicator, letting the letter dry for at least 30 minutes between coats.
Step Seven
Add accents to the letter, if desired. Decorate the shape with stickers or dimensional embellishments like rhinestones, tiny buttons, sequins or paper flowers affixed with adhesive dots.