Are you ready for some examples to help you visualize how to use your precious paper?

Let’s start with the most common: a paper with a large design. When you’re working with a large design, you need to decide if you are going to incorporate it, and let it dictate the structure of your page, or if you are willing to cover up some of the design.

In this first example, I used the shape of the design to build my layout. Since it looked like a frame, I treated it like a frame, and kept my photos within the design, by cutting through the paper, and sliding the photo corners under the frame. I added flowers and buttons to the ones already printed to create a visual triangle and give the page more texture.

Fitting photos into a pre-printed design

Sometimes, if you buy paper stacks or a collection, you will find you have a plain patterned paper which complements your paper with a larger design. Then you can make a two page layout, using the large design as an embellishment cluster. To balance this page out, I added some diecut trees on the opposite page, and repeated the stars throughout the page to create more unity as well.

carrying a pre-printed design over two pages

Sometimes you just need to ignore the design entirely, however. The next two photos were both made with one sheet of paper that I love. The part that was more like an illustration than a pattern I used for my alarm clock.

paper in the real world

I saved the part that was more densely patterned, and used that as a background. With no photos, the patterned paper and the journaling became the star attractions.

Using that lovely, huge design

Occasionally, a pattern is really bold and can be rather distracting. Rather than use the whole piece of paper, cut out parts of it, like I did with this page. The original is very bright and cheery, but was difficult to work with. By using pieces of it, I kept the cheeriness, but didn’t have my photos and story overwhelmed by the patterned paper.

Using pieces of patterned paper as embellishments

Laser cut lace papers are another difficult piece to work with. The simplest thing to do is to back the lace paper with a coordinating cardstock. It’s a great way to give your page some support both physically and visually.

Using those fancy lace papers

Lastly, this is one of my favorite things to do with double sided patterned papers when I love both sides. I cut the piece of paper to 8.5×11, and then use the reverse side to create a coordinating stripe down one side of the page. On this particular page, I even used the left over one-inch strip to create a punched border. Fast, simple, and effective, this is a go-to design for me, especially when I have just one or two photos to highlight.

using both sides of a double sided paper

One more idea for you before you go. Have you heard of Shimelle Laine? She’s one of the most inspiring scrapbookers out there, and she scraps using this wonderful idea called a starting point. A starting point is a background built of cardstock and patterned paper that she then puts her photos, journaling and embellishments on. For True Scrap 3 (a live, online scrap retreat) she presented a class called the Perfect Collection. In this class, she showed how she cut all her paper in one collection pack up, and then assembled her pages. Yes, you read that right. She cut her paper up before she knew what she was going to do with it. Radical idea, right? I love it! Here’s an affiliate link to the class: The Perfect Collection. I seriously recommend trying this class and the ideas in it to get yourself over the fear of wasting or ruining your paper.

Are you feeling more comfortable about using your treasured paper? There are a lot of ideas here. Pull out your paper. Use it this weekend. Show me what you make. I’d love to see it!

One of the most common problems I hear about when talking with both new and established scrapbookers, is the fear of “ruining” a piece of paper.

They’ve fallen in love with a piece of paper, and want to make something really special with it, but they have no idea what. Sometimes they even have a project in mind, but it’s big and momentous, and that adds another layer of fear.

Please, don’t fear the paper. When you get right down to it, paper is one of the most inexpensive supplies you have in your stash. If you mess up your layout, you haven’t wasted much money, and you frequently can salvage something from the page.

Don’t hoard it for a special occasion. When you hoard your paper and don’t use it, not only are you wasting money, but you’re also wasting space. Unused paper takes up storage space, which means you need to find more storage space when you get new things, or you have to pass on bringing new things into your stash because the old paper is still there. It also takes up space in your head, and becomes a new source of guilt. Who needs guilt? I certainly don’t. I also want to be able to bring in new and inspiring product, which means I have to use what I have, and get it out of my stash and into my albums.

Every memory you scrapbook qualifies as a special occasion. Every page you make deserves to be made with product you love.

What do I do with this?

So what do you do with that special paper? The paper that you adore, and you don’t want to waste? The paper with the fancy swirls and the gorgeous designs that you want to showcase and not hide behind photos?

What about this? What do I do with this?

There are a number of options. First, you can choose photos to go along with the theme of your paper, and plan your layout around the paper’s design. Another way you can incorporate those designs is by actually cutting out the design that you love, and using it as an embellishment on a new page. Third, remember that white space is your friend. If you’ve got paper you love, and you can’t bear the idea of covering most of it with photos and journaling, make a single photo page, with minimal journaling. That way you’ll be able to highlight one of your favorite photos AND your paper. Lastly, and this will be the hardest for you to wrap your head around, just cut your paper. Turn a 12×12 into a 8.5×11 so you can showcase both sides of a beloved double sided paper. Cut it into strips or squares and USE it.

What about two sided papers?

How do I choose which side to use? I love them both!

I’ve got a lot of examples to show you, as well as a link to a class by Shimelle Laine, that will help you learn to just cut the paper up and use it. Gather together some of your favorite papers, and I’ll show you how I’ve used my special papers on Friday.

You can do this. Don’t fear the paper.

(Anyone else humming “Don’t Fear the Reaper” now?)