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I have a box of some ugly, some cheap, or some strange DSP (12x12 - cause all ugly stuff comes in XL) that I have had for years. I bought it when I first started card making. I want to say before I knew better, but card making supplies/tools were so primitive back then (when dinosaurs roamed the earth).
I pulled it out, and found it had coordinating solid sheets with it. That�s why it�s still in the box (you know what I�m talking about here). And there were only 2 DSP sheets, but the more cards I make out of it the more it seemed to grow (evil is like that).
I made some interesting cards. It was a challenge. I learned some new tricks and alternative uses for products I already own. And I learned that I own A LOT of products. I really learned to love my copics.
Ever forced yourself to work with DSP that you were not wild about to stretch your creative envelope? Was it a rewarding experience?
yes! two things -- color over ugly patterned paper with copics to change the look. sometimes it works. Also, almost any paper looks good if it just a bit of it peeks out.
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
Love this topic I have lots of less-nice DSP hanging around... I do try and use it up when I can but really my main problem is I bought (online) multiple 12 x 12 sheets of certain designs when I first started papercrafting, without realising how many cards you can make out of each (12 x 12 covers minimum 6 card fronts...)!
So I'm kind of fed up of some of the paper now. Sigh. I do try and use it for making gift packaging when I can
I bought packs of 6x6 and 8x8 DP, being a cardmaker rather than a scrapbooker. At first, it was a case of 'saving it for a special project',lol, now I rarely, if ever use patterned paper on my cards, so it just sits there taking up space.
I, unfortunately, has some ugly paper as well. I work in an elementary school, so I've taken the easy way out and donated the paper I know I won't use to our kindergarten class. I'll have to go through it some more on the next break (Easter) and get out what I'm not using again to replenish their stock.
I took a great class at www.onlinecardclass called Pattern Play that taught me so much about how to use DSP. I highly recommend it. I use DSP more after taking the class.
Before I donated ALL of the less-than-wonderful papers, I tried several different ways of altering - overstamping, coloring, distressing, etc. - and some results were more successful than others. The cards I made with these papers were also varying levels of "successful". The ones I ended up liking the best were where I DIDN'T alter the paper and just let a bit of it show (like Joan said above). I only have papers I love now
I, unfortunately, has some ugly paper as well. I work in an elementary school, so I've taken the easy way out and donated the paper I know I won't use to our kindergarten class. I'll have to go through it some more on the next break (Easter) and get out what I'm not using again to replenish their stock.
Yes! And it isn't necessarily the easy way out, it is a win-win they love it and I have more space! I have donated paper a couple of times and it's a great way to deal with it.
Another thing about 'ugly' paper. Four of us did a challenge a couple of years a go where we each made up a package for each person containing what we considered to be ugly supplies. In a couple of weeks we brought back what we had made for fun and it was surprising how nice the cards were. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as is 'ugly' it was a fn challenge.
I was surprised how much I liked the cards. And I was getting better at using the ugly DSP as I went along.
I started out with a OWS template cut pieces - but quite honestly that makes way to many cards out of this stuff. I learned to use OWS templates only for wonderful DSP that I'm trying to stretch across many cards. 6 cards with cordinating papers covering it to break up the pattern is much better.
And I will use the remainder to line the envelopes. This is a great idea on how to use this up quickly.
I didn't use my copics to paint over it. But I did make embellishments, colored baker's twine, colored the edges (cause this stuff is cheap/one sided paper), etc. I was able to match the purple and lime green colors perfectly with the copics.
And did I say this stuff was a pattern out of the 60's? Like Mod Squad (dating myself here) kinda print. The other DSPs shunned this stuff - and I've got a lot of ugly in that box.
Yes! And it isn't necessarily the easy way out, it is a win-win they love it and I have more space! I have donated paper a couple of times and it's a great way to deal with it.
Another thing about 'ugly' paper. Four of us did a challenge a couple of years a go where we each made up a package for each person containing what we considered to be ugly supplies. In a couple of weeks we brought back what we had made for fun and it was surprising how nice the cards were. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as is 'ugly' it was a fn challenge.
I thought of doing this as a challenge for a card making group. It really has stretched my skills, and the cards that come out of it are nice.
And did I say this stuff was a pattern out of the 60's? Like Mod Squad (dating myself here) kinda print.
I too remember when that stuff was popular (the days of Twiggy, Mary Quant, etc.) Papers in those designs was popular a few yrs back w/younger girls who were scrapbooking. Obviously they hadn't lived thru it the first time. To me it was ugly in the 60's & it's still ugly. Kudos to you if you can find a way to use it.
I took a great class at www.onlinecardclass called Pattern Play that taught me so much about how to use DSP. I highly recommend it. I use DSP more after taking the class.
I have never seen this web site before - what a great idea. Thanks for sharing this.
yes! two things -- color over ugly patterned paper with copics to change the look. sometimes it works. Also, almost any paper looks good if it just a bit of it peeks out.
I've distressed and grunged up ugly paper until I get the so-ugly-it's-cute feeling. They make good underlayers, especially if you diecut them to make flower embellishments.
I know this isn't actually using the ugly patterned side, but I flip ugly paper to use the plain solid white side as card layering pieces. Then, you can do anything to the border that shows, just as if it's white cardstock---ink a matching or coordinating color on it, heat emboss a metallic-colored edging, do some pen-stitching or paper-piercing, border punch it, etc. I try to make sure all edges are really glued down too, so nothing messes up the finished design.
Yes, I actually did this all day Christmas eve!! I had some yucky brown paper with white flowers on it and teal/blue centers in the flowers. I had no inks or Copics of that horrid teal/blue colour. By the time I finished up that paper, I hated it. But, I really love the cards I came up with!!
I've distressed and grunged up ugly paper until I get the so-ugly-it's-cute feeling. They make good underlayers, especially if you diecut them to make flower embellishments.
Good idea. Distressing it till it looks 'steam punk' -ish? I wish I owned a grunge stamp now... but I've always thought that was a waste of craft $$ since I am perfectly able to grunge up something by accident:rolleyes:
I tried distressing it, inking the edges, Tim Holzing it - as another poster stated, none of it really worked.
Going to put the last of it on the Cameo and cut flowers and/or koi fish out of it. Hydrangeas are purple and lime green.... Koi fish are purple. Note to self: next ugly DSP adventure - find main color and look for animals/objects that color and die cut it.
Thanks for all the wonderful ideas you shared!
Last edited by Janet1000; 12-27-2014 at 11:40 AM..
I have been trying to do that for the last couple of weeks. If the paper is really ugly, I use bits of it, behind the image or at the bottom of the card with other papers. But I honestly have some that is so ugly, I use it to line the birds cage. And even he doesn't like it!!LOL
I have been trying to do that for the last couple of weeks. If the paper is really ugly, I use bits of it, behind the image or at the bottom of the card with other papers. But I honestly have some that is so ugly, I use it to line the birds cage. And even he doesn't like it!!LOL
I was gifted a bunch of dsp, definitely geared to scrapbooking, what cannot be used for envelopes, or even too ugly to be donated I use underneath as scrap paper when I stamp. I also use it when embossing to catch the extra powder, then pour back into the jar, much less guilt when it finally hits the recycling box under my table. I also confess to purchasing dsp, which might be maybe considered ugly in some circles:oops:
A great sale, and I stood there flipping through the pack thinking there was some good stuff in there amongst all that strange stuff so the price made it worthwhile... and never made anything out of it.
I guess the real question is how did we end up with ugly DSP?
You'd be amazed at how great stuff looks when it's 80% off. hahaha At least it used to for me. Now I try not to buy anything I wouldn't normally buy if it wasn't so incredibly cheap.
Besides the ideas mentioned so far, I've used ugly paper in paper quilting (sometimes in a herringbone pattern and sometimes on bookmarks.) The ugly paper gets lost in the overall quilted pattern effect when you mix it with a bunch of coordinating papers and/or you use it in a bookmark size rather than in the larger card size. I cut 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch strips for the paper quilting. This is also a great way to use up other scraps. I love going through my scraps and pulling a bunch of patterns and colors which go together.
Here is the location of some pictures of my ugly DSP that started this wonderful thread. You can see the deep purple and lime green colors in all their glory!
Besides the ideas mentioned so far, I've used ugly paper in paper quilting (sometimes in a herringbone pattern and sometimes on bookmarks.) The ugly paper gets lost in the overall quilted pattern effect when you mix it with a bunch of coordinating papers and/or you use it in a bookmark size rather than in the larger card size. I cut 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch strips for the paper quilting. This is also a great way to use up other scraps. I love going through my scraps and pulling a bunch of patterns and colors which go together.
I did this with some really loud, mediocre DSP in a herringbone pattern I saw on a YouTube video. It was wonderful. The strips were � inch so only the color tones came through.
I quilted for years (yes, I still have tons of fabric) and used to always get a Quilt Block A Day Calendar for a present. These blocks work great in the Cameo, and most of the shape sizes were repeated so I could cut many triangles/squares/bars out and make different blocks with them. This is another way to let the ugly evaporate off the paper.
Those cards are CUTE! Never would have guessed they were "ugly DSP" cards. lol
I love this about you... Thank you for over looking the photography also, which didn't help the ugly DSP. Some of the cards look decent... if you squint....
The paper was so thin that I couldn't spritz it, emboss it (it caught fire!), paint it, or even use glue on it. I did use a number of sheets to wrap gifts. Idea: I think I will hunt down a bag template and bake some cookies.
I learned a lot by reading everyone's tips and tricks on this thread. I think I could blow through a lot of ugly next week...
Lets see some of your uglies! Upload some creative wonders squeezed out of Bird Cage Worthy DSP.
I'm going to introduce another train of thought here. After a lifetime of being "frugal" and lots of time spent "making do" and using what I have, I've decided life is too short (for me) to use things that I don't really like. I make cards to have fun and enjoy myself these days. It has to be appealing to start with, or I just can't make myself enjoy using it.
If I have some paper that I bought for whatever reason, and have now decided "what was I thinking", I've given myself permission to donate it or pitch it.
I can also rationalize that I did get some good out of it, which was the fun of buying it in the first place!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I'm going to introduce another train of thought here. After a lifetime of being "frugal" and lots of time spent "making do" and using what I have, I've decided life is too short (for me) to use things that I don't really like. I make cards to have fun and enjoy myself these days. It has to be appealing to start with, or I just can't make myself enjoy using it.
If I have some paper that I bought for whatever reason, and have now decided "what was I thinking", I've given myself permission to donate it or pitch it.
I can also rationalize that I did get some good out of it, which was the fun of buying it in the first place!
Absolutely! If you don't enjoy the challenge, by all means dump it.
I guess the real question is how did we end up with ugly DSP?
Well....FIRST someone had to create it...THEN someone thought it was good endough and decided to print it (and put it in a pad with some acceptable and some cute paper....LASTLY they put in on SALE! I think mine is headed for the garage sale.
Lol... I knew what you meant. I'm a new crafter and I must confess to having ugly DSP too. I picked up one book thinking it might have useful sheets. Upon closer inspection, it's some ugly CHEAP stuff. It's too small to be used for anything but scrap.
I see ugly DSP as a way to teach myself how to use and get comfortable with patterned paper. I used to not be able to cut up beautiful paper, 'cause I was afraid I would waste it or cover too much of it up. But I can easily cut up paper that's not as pretty... and over time, this has also helped me enjoy using (cutting up!) beautiful paper as well.
I have flipped ugly paper over and used the reverse, often plain white side instead.
I had some 12x12 paper that the print was way too large and gaudy Think over the top, ick! I decided nothing ventured, nothing gained and folded/cut it to make a mini book. Turned out really pretty and suddenly I was having a hard time who was special enough to receive the book as a gift. Here is a pic of the front and one of the inside page layouts (the stickers are by Susan Branch):
I'm going to introduce another train of thought here. After a lifetime of being "frugal" and lots of time spent "making do" and using what I have, I've decided life is too short (for me) to use things that I don't really like. I make cards to have fun and enjoy myself these days. It has to be appealing to start with, or I just can't make myself enjoy using it.
If I have some paper that I bought for whatever reason, and have now decided "what was I thinking", I've given myself permission to donate it or pitch it.
I can also rationalize that I did get some good out of it, which was the fun of buying it in the first place!
I so agree. I keep a stash of thin ugly paper for envelopes and another stash I use for making templates or trying new card folds. The rest I try to sell at my crafting garage sale and what ever is left goes to my DIL's school.
I really don't feel the need to waste precious crafting time to challenge myself with something I don't like when I have so much I really like. I'm also careful about buying paperstacks because there are always several pieces I don't like. :p
Stretch your skills by working with ugly DSP?
