Choosing paper for papercrafts
By Catalogs Editorial Staff
Tips on choosing paper for papercrafts for the best creative results
Any scrapbooker, stamper or cardmaker knows you can never have enough paper. All of that color-matching and finding the right pattern for your photo or piece of memorabilia requires enough cardstock and papers to get it just right.
Do you know how to find the right paper for papercrafts you may be working on? Here are a few key ways to come up with the best fit for your cards, scrapbook pages or other paper projects.
Start with the color
Choosing the right color can be a daunting task, but it doesn?t have to be. As long as the color you choose looks good alongside your photo (in the case of scrapbooking) or you like it (in the case of cardmaking or stamping), then you are good.
For example, you do not want to make pink card if you hate the color pink unless it?s a project for your friend and she loves pink. If you are working with photos, try to find colors that set off the main image you want to highlight. If a shirt is a turquoise blue, maybe a similar color will highlight that shirt in the picture.
Any old pattern will do
Many crafters spend way too much time trying to find the paper with the soccer ball for that soccer layout or the one with the blue baby buggy for a boy?s card. My advice is not to stress out about the pattern when choosing paper for a scrapbook page or other paper craft. Sure it’s great if you find the right paper — but it’s even better when the project gets done instead of put ioff until the ideal pattern is found.
As long as the pattern has the right colors, odds are it will work just fine. The rest of the layout or card will capture the subject using embellishments, paints, inks or stamps. Choose the pattern that matches the other papers in your project and the rest will follow.
Weight matters
When choosing papers for papercrafts, it?s best to consider the weight of the entire project. A base paper for a scrapbook page, for example, should not be too flimsy to hold the rest of the elements and papers you plan to put on that page. If it is, back it with a stronger cardstock.
Use thinner paper to mount a photo or an element for your card. A thicker paper such as a Bazzill cardstock works well as the base and holds elements firmly whether it is a scrapbook layout or a card.
Use your scraps
Papercrafters are notorious for saving their scraps ?just in case they may need that color or pattern.? If your scraps are taking over your crafting area, try tearing or cutting them and creating a collage.
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Take a heavy piece of cardstock and paste on smaller pieces of patterned or solid papers. You will end up with a new pattern no one else has. You can scrunch up each piece of paper to add texture to your piece or lightly ink the raised portions of some of the pieces to add even more interest to your layout or card. Another idea is to cut squares or other geometric shapes out of the newly-created paper and use them on your projects. These are known as ?serendipity squares.? Go Make Something has a great tutorial on collaging these cute little elements.
Choosing the right paper does not have to be as stressful as some crafters make it out to be. With a little common sense and creativity, you can put together a great layout or create a card that will look more beautiful than a store-bought card. Try mixing patterns, using your scraps and you will get wonderful results.
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