Try using a light and dark shade of
the same color for your mats.

Use a light, narrow mat to provide contrast against the photo and a dark, wider mat to "pop" the image from the brick-and-ivy patterned paper. To make outlining letters easy, use a lettering template and trace around the shapes with the gold pen first. Then, cut out the letters just beyond the gold outlines. You'll get smoother, straighter lines this way, and the work is done on one piece of paper, not on multiple -- and possibly unruly -- cutouts.

• Design Originals Poshabilities Bricks and Border background paper #0357
• DMD Paper Reflections card stock: plum and tan
• DMD dusty lavender vellum
• C-Thru 3" Whimsy Deja View lettering template
• Family Treasures Corner Frame punch
• All Night Media Baroque Border punch #44 BAR
• Fiskars 45 mm Paper Trimmer
• Sakura permanent quickdry metallic gold pen

All Night Media 800/STAMPED www.plaidonline.com

Family Treasures 24922 Anza Dr., Unit A Valencia, CA 91355 800/413-2645 www.familytreasures.com or www.teacups-and-treasures.com

Fiskars 7811 W. Stewart Ave. Wausau, WI 54401 715/842-2091 www.fiskars.com

Sakura of America 30780 San Clemente St. Hayward, CA 94544-7131 510/475-8880 www.gellyroll.com