Scrapbooking eyelets are tiny round pieces of metal with a hole in the middle. Think mini-donuts for the Geico gecko. I think they only come in two different sizes: 1/8 inch and 3/16 diameter. The smaller 1/8 inch are the most common. Sometimes the 3/16 inch eyelets are a little more difficult to find.

They are most often made out of aluminum or brass, although I have also seen pewter. Three finishes are available: plain, top coat and anodized. The plain finish means what you think it means, bare metal. Top coated eyelets are painted and you can find a full spectrum of colors in both brights and pastels. Anodized eyelets have been specially treated to display a more interesting metallic finish.

Scrapbooking eyelets can be used in many different ways to embellish your scrapbook pages. Give a snowman 3D buttons. Use the eyelets as touchable ornaments on a Christmas tree picture. Use them as entry or exit points for ribbons. Once you try scrapbooking eyelets, you’ll begin to see all sorts of possibilities for them.

In order to install eyelets on your pages, you will need a hole setter and a hammer. The hole setter will make a hole in your scrapbook page wherever you choose. Then you insert the eyelet into the hole. Turn the page over and, while holding the eyelet with the setter, lightly tap the eyelet until it flattens into place. Hole setter designs vary, so check the instructions first.

You can find eyelets and hole punches in any store that carries scrapbooking supplies. Of course, like everything else now, you can also find several online sources.

Embellishments probably began with adding little paper cutouts or maybe a few gold stars. But today’s scrapbooks are filled with stickers, tags, charms, ribbons, eyelets, feathers and more. You’ll find concert tickets, train tickets, wrapping paper from gifts and confetti from the celebration. These items can come from your personal collection of mementos or you can buy bagfuls at your craft supply source. Anything that decorates the page and adds to the theme is “allowed.” (Like you were looking for permission, right?)

How do you get all this stuff to stay in the book? I almost always secure my embellishments using glue dots. These handy little pre-made drops of glue will hold most items with ease. Depending on the embellishment, double-sided tape or a glue pen would probably work just as well. As always, make sure any scrapbooking adhesive you use is acid-free.

Using embellishments, especially personal items, is a great way to make your album unique. I know that I have encouraged you several times on this blog to stick with simple designs, and follow the instructions of a kit if necessary. However, once you’ve gotten the basic layout done, you can always step back for a minute and imagine what kind of embellishments you might be able to add. Imaginative use of these items can really transform a basic scrapbook into something really original.

It’s easy to get carried away when you start adding embellishments to the page. Be careful not to draw too much attention away from your focal point photograph. Anything you add to the page should be all about emphasizing the idea or the memory you want to get across. Believe me, I know how hard it can be to stop, because embellishments are just plain fun.