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Dictionary

Use our handy dandy dictionary!

      C    D    E    F       H       J    K    L    M    N    O    P    Q    R    S    T    U    V    W    X    Y    Z

Click here to get your own download-able PDF of our dictionary:
 
 A  
 12"x12"
Standard size for most scrapbook papers, albums, and layouts
 
 Acid Free/Archival Safe
Refers to products that don't contain acid or lignin. Acid free products help to preserve photographs and to prevent them from deteriorating.
 
 Acrylic
Transparent, heavy-weight plastic. Available in mini-books, letters, and many embellishments.
 
 Adhesive
Available in a multitude of forms including liquid, roll on (often called a tape runner), permanent, repositionable, and dimensional.
 
 Adobe Photoshop
Computer program that allows you to enhance photographs in a variety of ways.
 
 Album
Available in a wide variety of styles, fabrics, and colors. Most scrapbook albums are either post bound (pages held in place by three "posts," which may be expanded), or three-ring binders.
 
 Alcohol Ink
Fast-drying, acid free inks specially formulated to create metallic highlights. Must be used on non-porous surfaces such as light or dark gloss paper or other slick surfaces.
 
 Altered
Scrapbookers' term for decorating (or altering) almost any item.
 
 Archival Mist
Spray used to neutralize acid and lignin in non-scrapbook related materials like newspapers, invitations, and so on.
 
 ATG Gun
ATG stands for advance tape glider. It holds up to 72 yards of adhesive. 
 
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 B  
 Big Bite
Tool that sets eyelets, snaps, and grommets anywhere on a scrapbook page.
 
 Big Box
Refers to any large retail chain like Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, Michael's, Target, or Walmart that sells crafting supplies.
 
 Bind-It-All
Binding system that punches holes and binds projects of any size or length including cardstock, chipboard, and CDs.
 
 Blending Tools
Tool with a foam pad. Ensures better control of ink placement by creating a smooth transition of ink when applied directly onto papers, tags, chipboard die cuts, canvas, and more.
 
 Bling
Refers to any number of jewel-like embellishments. Available in a wide variety of colors and sizes.
 
 Bone Folder
Tool (often made of bone) used to make sharp creases when folding paper for cards, envelopes and so on.
 
 Border Punch
Punching tool used to make a decorative edge or border around the sides of paper.
 
 Brad
Small metal or fabric embellishment available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. Brads are held in place by inserting them through a hole in paper and then spreading the "wings" of the brad.
 
 Brayer
Small rubber roller used to ensure even coating of paint or adhesive. May also be used to smooth out paper that has been applied to another medium as a covering.
 
 Buttons
Many scrapbook manufacturers make buttons to go with their lines. However, you may use any type of buttons on your pages or projects.
 
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 C  
 Cardstock
Refers to solid colored scrapbook paper, frequently used as the base for a layout.

 
 CHA
Refers to the Craft and Hobby Association, which holds a convention several times a year where manufacturers from a variety of craft companies show their latest products.
 
 Chalking
Used to stamp, color, or edge elements. Gives a soft, feathery look.
 
 Chipboard
Low grade of cardboard. Available in sheets, mini-albums, letters, and other embellishments. It may be painted, inked, covered with paper, and so on.
 
 Chronological
Refers to scrapbooking photos in the order in which you took them.
 
 Circle Cutter
Tool for cutting circles in a variety of sizes.
 
 Coluzzle
Cutting templates for shapes and letters. Must be used with a Coluzzle mat and an X-acto knife.
 
 Copic Markers
Copic markers are a brand of refillable markers made in Japan. They have two tips, one on each end of the marker; one end is a chisel tip, and the other is a brush tip. Copic markers allow the user to blend colors to create a number of dynamic effects.
 
 Core'dinations
Cardstock with a colored "core," which allows you to sand, tear, emboss, or distress the paper for a different look.
 
 Corner Rounder
Tool used to give the corners of photos a rounded edge.
 
 Crackle Paint

Paint that has been specially formulated to crack as it dries, giving a weathered look

 
 Craft Sheet
Non-porous, non-stick mat that withstands high temperatures. Perfect for use with a heat gun, embossing powder, ink, or any other messy application.
 
 Creative Memories
Company that hosts in-home parties to sell their products to attendants. Many scrapbookers get their first exposure to our craft at a Creative Memories party.
 
 Cricut
Electronic die cut machine that uses a variety of cartridges to cut a variety of alphabets and shapes.
 
 Crop
1. Gathering of scrapbookers at a store, home, or other venue.
2. Cutting photographs to enhance them or to fit them onto a scrapbook page.
 
 Crop-a-Dile
Tool that punches holes through a variety of materials including paper, chipboard, acrylic, fabric, wood, and so on. Can also be used to set eyelets, snaps, and other embellishments.
 
 Crystal Lacquer
Liquid adhesive that gives a glossy, three dimensional effect when dried.
 
 Cuttlebug
Tool used to shape, emboss a shape, or cut then emboss shapes, using a variety of embossing folders.
 
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 D  
 Dauber
Applicator tool for inks, stains, adhesives, antiquing solutions, dyes, and other craft products.
 
 Decorative Edge Rulers
Rulers with any type of decorative edge (wavy, scalloped, and so forth). Used to give paper a patterned edge.
 
 Decorative Edge Scissors
Scissors with any type of decorative edge (wavy, scalloped, and so forth). Used to give paper a patterned edge.
 
 Design Team
Refers to scrapbookers who design layouts and other products for a magazine, manufacturer, web site, or store.
 
 Diamond Dust
Glitter made with crushed glass.
 
 Diamond Glaze
Liquid adhesive that dries to a clear, glass-like finish. Holds heavy embellishments like buttons well, and can also be used to glaze over the tops of embellishments to give them a shiny finish.
 
 Die Cuts
Refers to paper that has been precision cut by any type of machine, including Cricut, QuicKutz, Sizzix, Slice, Spellbinders, or Wishblade.
 
 Digital Scrapbooking
Refers to scrapbook layouts made by using digital elements like brushes and digital scrapbooking kits.
 
 Dimensional Adhesive
Refers to adhesive like Pop Dots that raise elements off of a scrapbook page, giving it dimension.
 
 Distressing
Using any of a variety of methods including inking, chalking, or tearing to give elements a distressed, aged look.
 
 Distressing Tool
Tool designed to tatter the edges of paper and other elements to give them a distressed, aged look.
 
 Distrezz-It-All
Hand-held machine used to give an antique or distressed look to almost any material, cardboard, chipboard, leather, wood, and more.
 
 Doodle
Refers to elements that have been hand drawn in a free form manner.
 
 d-Stress

Tool used to distress edges of photos, cards, and other paper crafts

 
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 E  
 Embellishment
Refers to any item used on a scrapbook page to enhance the overall design.
 
 Embossing
Refers to using a template or other medium to give a raised surface design.
 
 Eyelet
Small, round metal embellishment with a hole in the center.
 
 Eyelet Setter
Tool that punches holes in paper so that an eyelet may be inserted and secured in place.
 
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 F  
 Fabri-Tac
Liquid adhesive ideal for gluing fabric elements such as felt.
 
 Fastenater
Long reach stapler that can attach special ½" wide staple bars anywhere on 12"x12" paper. Cannot be used with standard-sized staples.
 
 Felt
Soft, non-woven fabric that may be used like paper. Available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as well as in pre-cut shapes.
 
 Flex Ruler
Bendable ruler used to cut paper into a variety of shapes.
 
 Foam Brush
Paint brush with an absorbent foam head. Ideal for applying craft paint.
 
 Font
Assortment of types in varying shapes and sizes.
 
 Freestyle
Refers to a scrapbooking style that is free form and eclectic.
 
 Fussy Cut
Targeting and cutting out a specific motif on a piece of paper.
 
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 G  
 Gesso
Plaster of Paris prepared with glue for use as a surface for painting
 
 Glossy Accents
Clear, three-dimensional glass medium, which can be used as an accent or as an adhesive.
 
 Glue Dots
Small round adhesive ideal for attaching small embellishments of any weight.
 
 Great American Scrapbook Convention
Held in numerous cities several times a year. Features shopping with a wide variety of manufacturers, as well as classes.
 
 Grungeboard
Grungeboard is a compressed, flexible sheet of dingy material with a debossed texture that can be painted, inked, sanded, hammered, die-cut, or grunged. You can even wash ink off with water and start again.
 
 Gypsy
Handheld design studio for the Cricut. It stores Cricut cartridges and works with Cricut machines.
 
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 H  
 Hall of Fame
Most scrapbookers consider this contest, sponsored by Creating Keepsakes magazine, to be the highest honor a scrapbooker can achieve. The magazine suspended this contest in 2009.
 
 Heat Gun
Used to puff up Liquid Appliqué, dry ink, or melt embossing powder.
 
 Heritage
Refers to scrapbooking older photographs.
 
 Hybrid Scrapbooking
Refers to scrapbooking that incorporates both digital and traditional elements.
 
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 I  
 Idea Books
Refers to magazines or books that have layout and project samples and ideas.
 
 Ink
Used to ink stamps or other scrapbook elements.
Click here to get a PDF copy of Scrapbooks, Etc.'s  Guide to Inks.
 
 Iris Folding
Paper craft technique that involves folding strips of colored paper in such a way to form a design. The center of the design forms an iris, like the iris of a camera lens.
 
 i-Rock

Tool used to permanently affix rhinestones, jewels, pearls, or mirrors to paper, fabric, or even furniture.

 
 i-Top
Tool used to make custom brads.
 
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 J  
 Journaling
Refers to the written elements of scrapbooking including any words you write in your book or on the scrapbook page, from titles and captions to long descriptions, poems, or stories.
 
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 L  
 Latest & Greatest
Refers to the newest products on the market.
 
 Layouts
Refers to a scrapbook page, whether it is one page or two pages.
 
 Light Box
Writing tool that contains a light. Used to trace items or to emboss.
 
 Liquid Appliqué
Product used to give a puffed-up look to writing or embellishments. Can be dried with a heat gun or left to dry on its own.
 
 LSS
Local Scrapbook Store, or an independent retailer not associated with a major retailer.
 
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 M  
 Mask
Masks are the opposites of stencils. Usually made of light, flexible material that has a tacky repositionable backing to hold the mask in place while you paint. Can be used multiple times.
 
 Matting
Refers to using cardstock or patterned paper as a mat for photographs or other elements.
 
 Melting Pot
Used for melting UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) to create 3D embellishments for paper crafting or other art projects.
 
 Mini-book
Refers to any scrapbook that is smaller than the traditional 12"x12" format. Mini-books frequently have fewer pages than a traditional scrapbook, and often focus on one theme or event.
 
 Mini-iron
Small iron used to smooth out ribbon or other elements before adhering them to a page.
 
 Misting Spray
Water-based, archival safe spray paint with fine glitter in it. Dries quickly. Available in a variety of colors from a number of different manufacturers.
 
 Mod Podge
Liquid adhesive ideal for gluing paper to projects like chipboard books or letters. Available in smooth and shiny finishes.
 
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 N  
 National Scrapbook Day
Usually celebrated the first Saturday in May.
 
 Notch Tool
Tool used to make notches in paper.
 
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 O  
 One-Page Spread
Refers to a layout that is only one page.
 
 Origami
Japanese art of folding paper into a finished sculpture.
 
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 P  
 Page Protector
Clear plastic sleeve. Once you have finished a scrapbook page, you insert it into a page protector in an album to form the pages of your scrapbook.
 
 Paint
Most scrapbook paint is acrylic. Ideal for painting a wide variety of scrapbook elements.
 
 Paper Gator
Tool used to trim the corners of multiple sheets of paper at the same time.
 
 Paper Piecing
Cutting paper to make it into another shape.
 
 Paper Piercer
Tool used to make small holes in paper or other elements.
 
 Paper Trimmer
Lightweight, portable trimmer used to cut paper and photographs.
 
 Patterned Paper
Paper printed with a pattern. Available in a wide variety of colors, prints, weights, and textures.
 
 Photo Corner
Embellishment in the shape of a photo corner.
 
 Photo Turn
Embellishment place at the corner of a photograph to hold it in place.
 
 Pliers
Tool used to hold and/or close embellishments.
 
 Powder Tool
Tool used to prevent sticker adhesive from adhering to a project or to turn a sticker into a dimensional element.
 
 Punch
Tool used to punch a shape into a piece of paper. Available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
 
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 Q  
 QuicKutz
Handheld die cut tool used to make a variety of alphabets and shapes.
 
 Quilling
Using strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. The paper is glued at the tip and the coil shaped into forms like flowers, leaves, hearts, and so on.
 
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 R  
 Red Eye Pen
Pen used to remove red eyes from photographs.
 
 Ribbon
Many scrapbook manufacturers make ribbon to go with their lines. However, you can use any type of ribbon on your pages or projects.
 
 Rub-on
Art work, fonts, word art, and other designs that are made to be applied to surfaces (such as paper, wood, and metal) by "rubbing" them on; usually a tool such as a flat wooden stick is used to rub across the back of the transfer until the design has been transferred.
 
 Rub-on Tool
Tool used to apply rub-ons.
 
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 S  
 Sandpaper
Tool used to scuff up elements such as paper or pictures.
 
 Sanding Grip
Tool that holds sandpaper that can be used to sand the edges of chipboard albums or other projects.
 
 Scoring Board
Heavy plastic board with evenly spaced grooves that allow you to make sharp folds on cardstock or other malleable material. Used with a bone folder.
 
 Scraplift
Refers to copying another scrapbooker's idea onto your own work.
 
 Self-healing Mat
Heavy duty craft mat that cannot be damaged by cutting.                                        
 
 Sew Easy
Piercing tool that makes patterned holes in paper, which you may then stitch to mimic the look of sewn or embroidered elements.
 
 Shaker Box
Dimensional embellishment made by making a raised box of any shape, lining the outside of the shape with foam tape, sprinkling loose elements like beads, glitter, or sequins inside the foam lining, and then sealing the top with a clear cover like a transparency.
 
 Silhouette
Electronic cutting tool that connects to your computer, allowing you to cut fonts and image in cardstock.
 
 Sizzix
Manual die cut tool used to make a variety of alphabets and shapes.
 
 Sketch
Drawing used for placement of photos, paper, and embellishments.
 
 Slice
Cordless electronic die cut tool used to make a variety of alphabets and shapes.
 
 Spellbinders
Dies that allow you to cut, emboss, and stencil.
 
 Stamps
Tool used to transfer images to a variety of media. Stamps are available in foam, rubber, and acrylic.
 
 Steampunk
The combination of items and motifs from the “steam” age (circa 1900) plus funky, scientific items.
 
 Stencil
Tool used to trace, paint, or copy a shape onto another item. Can be used multiple times.
 
 Stickers
Self-adhesive embellishment available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes.
 
 Stickles
Glitter glue available in a wide variety of colors.
 
 Stitching
Refers to hand stitched or machine stitched elements.
 
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 T  
 Tacky Tape
Double-sided adhesive ideal for adhering ribbon to projects.
 
 Tea Bag Folding
Form of origami in which identical squares of patterned paper (cut from the front of tea bag packets) are folded and then arranged into rosettes. The rosettes are then used as a decorative embellishment.
 
 Templates
Anything that serves as a pattern or mold.
 
 Tissue Tape
Roll of thin, translucent adhesive-backed paper used for decorating or binding items together.
 
 Title
Words used to describe the contents of a layout.
 
 Transparency
See through plastic used as patterned paper or as an embellishment.
 
 Tweezers
Tool used to handle small embellishments.
 
 Two-Page Spread
Refers to a layout that includes two corresponding pages.
 
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 U  
 Un-du Adhesive Remover
Solution used to remove adhesive and sticky residue from paper, embellishments, or tools.
 
 UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel)
UTEE, which stands for Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel, is a specially formulated, large particle embossing powder that you melt with a heat gun to achieve a glassy finish
 
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 V  
 Vagabond
Electric die-cutting machine that works with Sizzix dies.
 
 Vellum
Light weight, translucent paper used for embellishment or journaling.
 
 VersaMark
Clear pigment ink used for stamping and embossing.
 
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 W  
 Wishblade
Electronic die cut tool used to make a variety of alphabets and shapes. Fonts and shapes may be downloaded directly from your computer.
 
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 X  
 X-acto Knife
Inexpensive craft knife for cutting items by hand. Make sure to purchase one with
a metal shaft.
 
 Xyron
Converts paper items into permanent or repositionable stickers.
 
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