Inchies Tutorial for Scrapbooking and Handmade Greeting Cards

Inchies are 1 inch by 1inch squares used for the purpose of embellishing scrapbooks, handmade greeting cards, etc. I even saw a bunch of them grouped together inside a picture frame for wall art. This is a super easy and quick project with endless possibilities. You can make them all different or make a partial design on each of them to make a whole-sort of like a mosaic. They can be made from patterned scrapbook paper, you can do a small collage on each of them, you can paint or doodle your own designs on them and you can use rubberstamps. I even saw some that were made from fabric, felt and also some out of polymer clay. They are very popular right now among scrapbookingand rubber stampingsites. Immediately I was inspired to make some of my own because they are just so darned easy and cute! Now I am anxious to share how I made mine. So lets go.........

• Paper (A thicker paper is best)
• Paint (Watercolor, Acrylic-whatever you like)
• Paint Brush
  
• Rubber Stamps
• Stamp Pads
• Mod Podge (optional)
  

Cut your paper into 1 inch by 1 inch squares. I did this using a cheap paper cutter I bought at the Dollar Store and then group up your squares into about 9 per group or however many you want in your group. I worked with groups of 3, 6 and 9.

Paint your squares. I painted my squares different colors for each group. You can paint them solid, sponge on your paint or whatever you want to do. I painted mine solid and painted each of the groups different colors.

After your paint has dried then take your rubber stamp and stamp it in some ink and stamp your squares. I used coordinating ink colors but this is also one of those times you can have fun and experiment! Once I got my squares stamped, I inked the edges of the squares with the coordinating color ink pad. And that's it!

Once your squares have all been stamped and dried you may want to seal your squares using something like Mod Podge... it will help pop the colors and also also protect your work.

I tried doing some different "looks" of the inchies. I did the stamped ones which is what this tutorial is about but also did some others using Sharpie markers. They are included in the photos above. I've seen some really awesome ones! Here are more inchie links:

http://heartaday.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/heart-110-glitter-heart-inchies/

The link below is the instructables site (one of my favorite sites!) and contained here is yet another tutorial on how to make these! There is some beautiful work here...

http://www.instructables.com/community/Inchies/

http://www.chicaandjo.com/2009/04/10/art-by-the-inch/

The link below contains a photo of inchies in a frame. So, so pretty!

http://artsquaresswap.blogspot.com/2007/05/my-blue-inchies-in-frame.html

Here inchies are used to embellish a handmade greeting card..

http://bellepapier.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2009/12/06/of-inchies-twinchies/

So the above is just a few sites I found where you can see how unique these can be and what the possibilities are with these cute little things! If you really want to see an assortment, do a google image search on inchies.. you will be amazed! I hope that I've inspired someone to make some inchies.. I can't wait to make some more myself!

Happy Inchie Making!!