I had a *lightbulb* moment :)

[Inkin One]

Ok..so I know this will not be shocking or life altering news to many of you, but it was an "ah ha" moment for me ;-)

I turned over some HIDEOUS dp..and used the white side to make my own back ground papers for a project for my bed room. I didn't have what I wanted..and I thought "why don't you just use your ..yk..many stamps to make it"? So that's what I did. Then it dawned on me that maybe just maybe all of that UGLY paper ..the ones that make you go "WHAT was I thinking"? ..can be transformed into something useful..instead of getting rid of it ..thus wasting money ( which I HATE to do). And believe you me, I have a TON of that ugly paper..LOL

Anyway..maybe this little light bulb moment I had can help someone else struggling with buyers remorse from all that paper we seem to buy in the begining

[kmatuschka]

I would love to see the project you made for your bedroom! Please post a picture.

[Inkin One]

I will! I had to order something for it ( ofcourse LOL) so I am playing the waiting game..but I will post it when I get it finished.

[stampin stacy]

My step mom and I bought packs of really ugly paper at a convention one time with the same idea in mind. The paper had only a few pretty print and the rest was horride but the price was dirt cheap and every page on the reverse side was either plain white or a brownish color.

Lol, another lady saw us scarfing up packs came over to look and gave us the huges "are you crazy this stuff is ugly" looks. We just smiled and then had a huge laugh after she had walked away.

Love being frugal!!

[cbet]

Oh, man, that is a GREAT idea!

I've come up with a few ways to use those not-so-eye-pleasing patterns where the ugly doesn't seem so overwhelming, but it never crossed my mind to just flip it over and use the white side for stamping. And it should have - I've cut them up to use the back side as scrap paper for lists.

[buggainok]

I have quite a few of those stack packs myself. I've used the most appealing patterns on cards already. I've found if I like the colors okay, and it's just that the pattern is not appropriate for a card, I can use the paper to make envelopes.

I usually put the white outside, and the pattern inside. Even a not so pretty pattern makes a pretty cute envelope!

[Rachelrose]

Can anyone tell me what DP paper is like? I don't own any, I make my own. I use card stock, but I wonder if DP is actually thinner than regular card stock. It can't be as thin a copy paper.

I love making my own patterns, I just wish I could settle on the right paper weight to use.

[buggainok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachelrose

Can anyone tell me what DP paper is like? I don't own any, I make my own. I use card stock, but I wonder if DP is actually thinner than regular card stock. It can't be as thin a copy paper.

I love making my own patterns, I just wish I could settle on the right paper weight to use.

I don't know what the weight is, but you are right. Usually patterned paper is thinner than regular cardstock, but it is thicker than copy paper. You could not really use it for a card base, but I do use it for layering on cardstock.

You could pick up a sheet or two at Michaels, Hobby Lobby or Joanns, and see what you think.

[Rachelrose]

The nearest Hobby Lobby, Michaels or Joanns is five hours away from me! Unbelievable, I know. But I really have to do everything online. There's a Ben Franklin 45 minutes away, though. I might check next time I'm in town. They have a really awful craft section, mostly just junk. They mainly focus on sewing and fine art supplies.

There's got to be a kind of paper that mimics DP in weight. I'd love to find it. Making my own DP is one of my favorite "play-time" things to do.

[cbet]

Rachelrose -

I have some Hammermill 28 lb color copy paper (LINK) that is pretty darn close.

I also had some 32 lb that I would say is dead on, but I got it at a liquidator store and can't find it online anywhere. It was Southworth brand for inkjet printers.

[uncbballfan]

Rachelrose, have you tried the packaged brochure paper put out by HP or Epson to use in their printers? It's a very nice weight and would work well for designing your own DP.

[lylacfey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachelrose

Can anyone tell me what DP paper is like? I don't own any, I make my own. I use card stock, but I wonder if DP is actually thinner than regular card stock. It can't be as thin a copy paper.

I love making my own patterns, I just wish I could settle on the right paper weight to use.

Don't exactly quote me on this. I am pretty close. Copy paper I think is 22 weight and DSP is 24 for single sided. I know it's only two numbers off but I am not 100% sure on the numbers. Double sided tends to be a bit thicker. I am thinking it's around 26 or 28.

[Rachelrose]

Oh, yay! Thanks for these suggestions!

[Rachelrose]

Here's a 32 lb. Also at staples.

Staples� Color Laser and Copier Paper, 8 1/2" x 11", Ream | Staples�

[Cook22]

You'd also need to take the surface of the paper into account. I have some light card that is about the same weight as Basic Grey papers - but I can't sponge properly on it at all. Laser paper usually has a lovely smooth finish, though - I had a couple of sample sheets of heavy weight laser paper and I could sponge beautifully on that. And if your're heat embossing, the thinner the paper the more likely the powder is to melt into the paper - something else to consider.

[Rachelrose]

Very true. I hadn't thought of that. Doing an emboss resist, especially if you're going to iron off the EP, you need a sturdy paper.

But something thinner would be nice for when you're just using stamps to create a pattern.