How to Add Dimension to a Scrapbook Layout (Foam Tape, Layering & More)

What makes a scrapbook layout truly pop? After 25 years of creating layouts and teaching students across the country, I—Inessa Persekian of Paper & Bling—can tell you that the single biggest difference between a forgettable page and one that makes people stop and say “wow” is dimension.

Dimension is the art of creating visual depth on a two-dimensional page. It makes your layouts look handcrafted, intentional, and alive. And the good news is: adding dimension doesn’t require expensive tools or advanced skills. It requires knowing a handful of techniques and applying them with intention.

Here are the five techniques I use on almost every page I create.

Technique 1: Foam Adhesive (The Essential Dimension Tool)

If you only take one thing from this post, let it be this: buy foam adhesive and use it on every layout.

Foam adhesive comes in many shapes and sizes, I recommend starting with foam squares. They are small, double-sided adhesive pads with a foam center. That foam center is what creates lift. When you place a photo, die cut, or embellishment on a foam square instead of flat adhesive, it hovers slightly above the page surface. Even a 2mm lift creates a shadow and a sense of depth that immediately elevates the page.

How I use foam squares:

• Under the main photo, so it floats above the background paper
• Under title letters or word stickers, especially on larger title pieces
• Under layered paper pieces to create a stepped, dimensional background
• Under larger embellishments like flowers, chipboard pieces, and accent clusters

I keep a variety of foam tape, squares, dots and sheets on my craft table at all times. If I had to choose one supply that has the highest impact-to-cost ratio in all of scrapbooking, foam adhesive would be it.

Technique 2: Clustering Embellishments

Embellishments—stickers, die cuts, chipboard—add texture and three-dimensionality to a layout. But the way you place them matters enormously.

Random embellishment placement creates visual chaos. Clustering—grouping embellishments together in a deliberate arrangement—creates a focal point and a sense of intentional design.

How I build an embellishment cluster:

• Start with one larger anchor piece (a flower, a big sticker, or a chipboard element).
• Add two or three medium pieces around it, overlapping slightly.
• Fill gaps with small pieces (sequins, small brads, tiny die cuts).
• Lift the largest elements on foam squares. Leave the smallest flat.

The result is a cluster that looks organic but is actually quite structured underneath.

Technique 3: Varying Height and Placement

The most overlooked dimension technique is also the simplest: not everything should be flat, and not everything should be at the same height.

Vary your foam square heights. Use a single foam square for a slight lift, stack two for a more dramatic float. Different elements at different heights create a landscape-like depth.

Angle your elements. A photo or paper piece placed at a slight angle—even just 3 to 5 degrees—creates movement and breaks the rigid grid that makes pages feel stiff.

Overlap intentionally. Let embellishments cross the edges of your photos, let one paper layer slightly under another, let your title letters overlap a cluster. Overlap keeps the eye moving across the page.

Technique 4: Add 3D Embellishments

As you build out your stash of supplies, look to add enamel dots, sequins, buttons, charms, twine and thread. These are great options for filling in empty space and to bring cohesiveness to an embellishment cluster. Adding textured items like these also brings a lot of depth to a page.

On my Paper & Bling class layouts, you’ll often see me use sequins and enamel dots as the smallest “fill” element in clusters—they catch light, add sparkle, and tie the whole thing together. (This is, not coincidentally, exactly what the Paper & Bling sequin mixes are designed for.)

Technique 5: Distress Those Edges

A simple technique, one that gets a bit messy, is using scissors to distress the edges of paper and die cut embellishments. 

This is a quick and easy way to add texture and dimension to your page. Open your scissors and use one sharp edge to scrape along the edge of your paper. Just be careful so you don’t cut yourself!

Putting It All Together

Here is how I apply all five techniques on a typical layout:

• I build a layered background first, often distressing the paper edges.
• I build embellishment clusters near and around the photo, using foam adhesive and also bending elements like flower petals.
• I angle one or two elements—either the title or a decorative paper strip.
• I add in elements like enamel dots, sequins and thread. 

The result is a page that feels three-dimensional, handcrafted, and interesting—even when you’re working with simple supplies.

Want to practice these techniques with a guided project?

My class kits at paperandbling.com include step-by-step video instruction and all the supplies you need, including sequin mixes for dimension and embellishment clusters. Shop current classes in my shop.