Get out those deco scissors you bought years ago. They’re back, but in a new, fresh way. Don’t, and I repeat, don’t cut your photos with them like in the old days. We’re much smarter than that now. Use them to add a decorative flair to your pages and projects.
First, a few tips for caring for and using your decorative scissors. To keep them sharp, use some tin foil folded over several times and cut through it as best you can. You can use tin foil for your punches, too, to keep them sharp. Next, use some wax paper folded over several times and cut through that. This will help enable the scissors to slice through the paper with ease.
Okay. Now for the fun part. No matter what pattern of scissors you have, you can use them to add a creative touch. I have several different kinds of deco scissors myself, but my favorites are the pinking edge and the scalloped edge, large and small.
First, determine where you want to make your cut. Draw a very light pencil line along the point where you want your cut. Make your first cut. In making the next cut, line up the scissors with the first cut, still along the pencil line, and go for it and make the next cut. Repeat until you get to the end of your paper. You may want to practice several times on some scrap paper, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Just make sure the blade is lined up with the portion that is already cut. After the first cut, don’t open the scissors too wide to make the next cut.
I use my deco scissors to cut decorative strips, much like the paper frills being produced by a popular manufacturer. Just cut one side of a piece of paper and then decide how wide you want the strip to be and draw another marking line to follow. Make your next cut along that line. Voila! You have your own "frill" to use.
Happy cutting!
