Old Supplies, New Designs: Patterned Paper

Scrapbooking, like fashion, has styles and trends. One of the biggest changes over the past few years is the evolution from stickers to embellishments. Techniques change over time as well: stamping, inking, and sewing have become more popular and some techniques like doodling went away and came back. However, some aspects of scrapbooking remain consistently popular: photos, journaling, cardstock, and patterned paper. However, even these essentials change over time, particularly patterned paper.

Recently, I have been trying to use up my old scrapbook supplies in an attempt to create space for new purchases. As I look through my stash, I am struck by the changes in the styles of patterned paper. I find that many of the older papers are either more cutesy or realistic than papers one might purchase today. They are generally a consistently repeated print throughout the entire page, none of them are distressed, and none look like they were designed by an artist. Certainly, none of them could ever be mistaken for BasicGrey or Crate Paper.

Over the years since I have purchased these patterned papers, my scrapbooking style has evolved considerably. Although I would like to use up these papers, I do not want to regress to do it. Here are some recent layouts that I have created using a combination of older patterned papers and newer embellishments.

Realistic Papers

Remember the old papers that looked so good you could eat them? We live near Hershey Park and visit every year, so of course I bought the Hershey chocolate papers the moment I saw them, and I still have some left. I recently used some in this layout.

I have been using a lot of curves and waves lately and this layout is no exception. I cut the older patterned paper into waves which I combined with shades of Bazzill to create the background. I added a big Prima flower which gives the layout a newer look.

Cutesy Papers

Several years ago I purchased a large pack of childhood papers featuring busy prints with pictures of toys, band-aids, and other stereotypical childhood items. When I bought them, I would use the sheet of patterned paper for the entire background and cover it with double- and triple-matted photos for a look that I liked then, but I would no longer do today. By using these papers in small pieces or as embellishments, I find that I am still able to use these papers as I did in this school-themed layout:

This layout was also an attempt to use less-than-ideal photos to document an important event. By using small pieces of the crayon paper and some school-themed stickers, I was able to create a blocked area of photos. I used some stamped corners and textured cardstock to create a more modern look.

By using the older patterned papers in small pieces and combining them with newer techniques and embellishments, you will find that you can use up your stash and still create layouts with a fresh look.

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