| One of the main things a card maker or keen | | | | decoupage piece you want to use so that you can |
| scrapbook maker can never have enough of is paper. | | | | determine the colors you will need so that the picture |
| If you are anything like me you will have a huge pile | | | | and the paper correspond and work well together. |
| of papers but when it comes to making a card or | | | | Simply stamp your ink pad all over the paper or card |
| designing a scrapbook page you simply can not part | | | | front, do not worry about making it even it actually |
| with some of your wonderful and beautiful papers. | | | | looks better if it is not perfect. If you are lucky |
| There are so many stunning designs of paper | | | | enough to have a large supply of ink pads you could |
| available for card makers and scrap bookers some | | | | always use more than one color but make sure it |
| are so stunning it seems a shame to cut them up | | | | matches what ever you are going to place on top of |
| and create cards from them, although the cards will | | | | it. |
| be beautiful if you are like me you just do not want | | | | It is important to wait until the ink has dried so that |
| to part with any of your paper. | | | | you do not smudge it. One dry you can then add |
| I have often found that when I want to create a | | | | your embellishment to the paper or card. |
| card I will search through my pile of papers for | | | | Making your own backing paper will save you money |
| background paper and can not find any thing simple | | | | and you can choose the color to match your design |
| enough to use, most of the pretty papers are too | | | | perfectly. |
| mach for a small card especially if you are going to | | | | You can use this technique on both paper and card |
| add a large embellishment or maybe even a | | | | but try not to be too heavy handed with your ink |
| decoupage piece. | | | | pads as this can leave a thick layer of ink. I find |
| One of the solutions I came up with was to create | | | | when doing this, less is more. |
| my own backing paper. I tried out many ideas, some | | | | You can also lightly spay your paper or card with a |
| worked some did not the best way I found to | | | | small amount of water, this will make the ink go a lot |
| create simple background papers is to use my ink | | | | further, again do not over wet paper or card as this |
| pads. | | | | can cause it to crinkle and no longer be flat making it |
| Firstly I decided what topper, embellishment or | | | | a lot harder to work with. |