Why I stopped buying expensive scrapbook paper pads

Now, I’m probably shooting myself in the foot by sharing this secret with you, but there is a method to my madness.  Bear with me for a minute and I will reveal my though process behind this bold decision not to buy expensive scrapbook paper pads any more.

Don’t despair though, Mixed Media Art Supplies will always stock the latest scrapbook paper pads for your convenience.  And I will indulge every now and again in those beauties myself, but for my general scrapbooking, junk journalling and several other art and craft needs, I stopped buying expensive scrapbook paper pads.

It all started when I discovered junk journalling, all of a sudden my point of view changed from layering scrapbook paper, photos and other medium to creating stories with layers of paint, stamps and a heap of delicious medium.  It was like a window flew open and a whole new world opened up!  I was so exited and the possibilities are endless!  Yes, you do need to acquire a few more skills in order to work with different paper, but isn’t that part of the creative process?

The same techniques used in junk journalling can just as easy be applied in scrap booking, card making and various other applications.  I am referring to junk journalling in this post because it is my passion at the moment.

The idea behind junk journalling started many years ago with doodling in a diary.  It evolved into art journalling and then took the creative world by storm when junk journal videos started flooding YouTube.  Bottom line for me with junk journalling is to get my thoughts out on paper, learn new techniques on my journey and safe money in the process.

Because I’m so addicted to art, I am constantly looking for ways to safe money and that’s where the idea started of creating on cheaper surfaces.  Yes, I know that the surface you work on is as important as the medium you use and it does affect both the end result as well as the durability of your art work.  But with a bit of planning and thinking outside the box, you can save yourself a heap of dollars on your creative hobbies.

And that to me is fantastic news!

How many times have you searched for the perfect matching colour paper?  Then ending up buying a scrapbook paper pad only to use a few pages and the remaining pages is added to your already overstocked pile?  No more wasting!  Make your own scrapbook paper, junk journalling backgrounds and many more with a few easy affordable steps.

Here is a few ideas for you to play around with.

• Make your junk journals with watercolour paper instead of normal paper.  It might cost you a few dollars more to start with, but it will save you in the long run.  This way you can use watercolour paint to flat wash any background colour you desire.  Dylusions Ink sprays loves watercolour paper and there is a huge variety of mediums that can be used on watercolour paper with amazing results;
• Use watercolour or acrylic student grade paint to flatwash office paper, newspaper or watercolour paper in gradients.  Once the paint is dry, use stencils, stamps or freehand to add your own effects;
• Experiment with different mediums on a variety of paper.  Cut or tear pieces from these experiments to use on tags, scrapbook layouts, frames and especially in junk journalling;
• Use an old drop sheet to create master pieces;
• Doodle your thoughts on a dry gradient flatwash background, then continue using the page as a background for a scrapbook layout by layering framed or blocked photo’s and embelishments;
• Use cereal boxes or toilet paper rolls to create embelishments, frames and tags to name a few;
• Sponge watered down student grade acryling paint onto a large piece of brown paper.  Once the paint is dry, cut to the size you need and continue to add effects to it;
• Use a completed colouring page as a background.
• Mix up a 50/50 solution of glue and water.  Carefully remove both the white layers from your favourite serviette and lay this single sheet flat on a sheet of any thin paper.  Office paper or news paper works fine for this purpose – I’ve even used the flip side of a bill before! Use an old flat brush and carefully apply a thin layer of the watered glue to the tissue paper.
• Allow to dry before using your creation.

Last word of advice – When using acrylic and other sticky mediums in your layouts or junk journals, don’t forget to seal the page or use baby power, talc or cornstarch to prevent the pages from sticking to each other and ruining your designs.  It’s always advisable to experiment with new mediums and papers before attempting a final layout.

Everyone has different preferences when it comes to creating – thank goodness! Find the way that works best for you.

All the products that I’ve used in the photo’s are available on www.mixedmediaartsupplies.com.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless.  These are just a few ideas that I’ve been playing around with, I’m sure there are many more.

It would be great if you can share your ideas with us.

And as always – experiment and have fun!