Guilt about Unused Materials/PP
 

Does anyone else feel guilty for tossing parts of patterned paper packs or not using other materials? I find especially with patterned paper packs that there are almost always some that I just do not like. I guess I could use them and hope the recipient likes them, but honestly I generally put them in a common area for someone else to use or just recycle them. I feel like I am not using my money well, but it is hard to create with something I don't like.
Any thoughts on this would be helpful. What is your perspective on waste?
Thanks in advance.

I hear what you are saying and can relate. I like to buy the big stacks of patterned paper, and have quite a few that I've accumulated.

Sometimes, I make envelopes from many of the patterns that were not suitable for cards, i.e. usually because the patterns were too large, or I just didn't like them. I have the WR Memory Keepers envelope punch, and it is really easy to make envelopes pretty quickly. I put the pattern on the inside, and the white outside.

I also like to make covered composition books for gifts and find that some of the patterns that don't work for cards, make very nice covers on the books.

Then, if all else fails, I rationalize. I read some of the posts on SCS and see that other people sometimes order what I consider to be expensive cardstock from places like SU or Paper Trey and others on a regular basis. I'm not being critical of them for this, but it's something I don't do for my cardmaking.

I just tell myself that I didn't pay much for all those sheets of paper, since I typically buy the packs when they are on sale, or use a coupon. $10 for 150 - 180 sheets really is a bargain, even if you don't use it all.

I buy my white 110 lb. cardstock from Sams for my card bases, and I get 250 sheets for about $7.

So, no I try not to feel guilty or wasteful about my unused paper in those stacks.:) And who knows, paper doesn't spoil or go bad, so maybe one day I will use it.

PS I am the Queen of Rationalization and have gotten quite good at it over the years. I color my own hair and do my own manicures, so I can always think about all my friends who spend money on that when I don't, to justify my cardmaking budget.:mrgreen:

It's so easy to be overly optimistic if there are even a few sheets you like in a paper pack.

In general, I think it's fine to admit a "bad" purchase and let it go, guilt-free. Just try not to make the same error again.

As for paper specifically, maybe buy by the sheet in the future?

I never had a huge quantity of supplies but did purge in a big way, but I don't feel like it was a waste. Some items I had gotten use out of, so that's the value I got for my money, and some I sold. A few things were "what was I thinking," and I haven't made those mistakes again. Live and learn :-).

I like to use those "not so wild about sheets" for: testing a cut on my Cricut, if I'm not sure how something will work, trying a technique with a stencil, testing a background technique with some pastes, etc, you get the idea. Then, you haven't wasted good design paper and had to toss it! Just a thought........... :)

Thanks for the good ideas. I have to buy all my patterned papers online so sometimes cannot get the best deal or even see all that clearly what is in the pack. I try, though. I think PP is fairly expensive. Have never gotten even close to 100 sheets for $10. Sigh.

I know you started this thread about NOT wasting paper, but here is a really good deal. I have this same stack by K & Company and it has many very lovely patterns. It's on sale at Amazon - 360 sheets for only $30.18, with free shipping. That is a lot of great patterns for not much money!

Amazon.com: K&Company 12-Inch by 12-Inch Best of K Paper Pad, 360 Sheet

WOW. That really IS a great deal, especially given the pages are 12 by 12. I use Amazon quite a bit. Now I am remember that sale feature to the left. Thanks!

I have an 'ugly paper pile' on my desk. I use the paper to make envelopes (the post office ladies just love my colourful envys!) and envelope liners also to wrap small gifts and to make gift bags with my bag maker. I never buy wrapping paper anymore...just use the 'ugly' paper! You will find you get so many comments from your friends.

I agree with everyone here, especially repurposing it or using it for practice die cuts or card folds— and then throwing the rest in the recycle bin. Life is too short to work with colors or patterns that you don't like!

If it's just single-sided paper, you can use the white side for layering.

Using the reverse plain side if it has one is what I do too.

Like previous posters, I use them for testing, gift wrapping, envelopes, cut them down to use the backsides for note paper - I figure if they are being used for something, they're not going to waste and I don't have to feel guilty.

Another thing I've used them for is making bows (there's a tutorial somewhere for making a package bow with patterned paper, and I had some truly hideous papers that actually looked really gorgeous when I turned them into bows.

I think the idea of using them for 'testers' is ace, will be remembering that. Other than that, all I can add is how I rationalised dumping stuff I wouldn't use. In the end, it's already been paid for. No matter how long you store it for, you'll never get the money back, so just breathe deeply and let it go.

I buy all SU dsp. I understand how hard it is to use paper you are not in love with.

Thinking about it I guess I generally like most of the sheets in the pkgs. I buy. I would have a hard time only using a few sheets.

Some good suggestions here! Good luck!

They are also good for creating your own...... Take those sprays you bought that might be collecting dust???? and spritz or spray over an inked or watercolored wash. You can also use a stencil with a bit of Inka Gold color here and there or now that so many of us are getting into the powdered pigments, use those with a stencil and you've got your own design paper!! I've even stenciled over a design I didn't like to hide it a bit or used my sprays to disguise it! You can play, the worse that can happen is you still won't like it!!!!

This thread reminds me of a thread on the old two peas site and people were talking about how much paper they have. they were measuring in FEET! "I have 6 feet of Bazzil and four feet of PP" kind of thing. Was way over the top.

I have found that the over the top gaudy DP's are often very pretty once cut up or folded into something like a mini book. The smaller less "in your face" size works better than a whole 12 x 12 page.

I was also going to suggest using the sheets you don't like in altered books. By the time you are done stencling, spraying, sponging and collaging, you barely see the pattern...just the color.

Also take your 1 inch square punch and punch a bunch of squares from papers in similar color families. Then arrange them as a quilted background (or crazy quilt if no discernable pattern to how you are putting down your squares). Makes a great collage background or card background for cards with sweing themes, tea themes, etc.

WHOA!!!!!!!! Now it is $19.60!!!!!!!! Thank you!!

A couple of years I got that very same box of paper at Costco for $15.00 CDN! Haven't made a very huge dent in it but I am working on it! Also..ever consider donating your unwanted, ugly paper to your local kindergarten class or daycare centre? Might be better than donating it to the recycle bin!

Thanks so much, Sophie. Since I already have this pad, with part of it left, I wasn't going to buy it again. But this price was just too good to resist, so I ordered it. And I had some Discover card rewards, so it only cost me about $9.00 total with free shipping!

Now I need to go back and re-read all the good ideas about what to do with all this paper!:)

I didn't see anyone mention making homemade paper from scraps (or paper you just don't like so much). Tear it up, throw it in a blender with some water, then spread the mush on a screen to dry. There are many tutorials online and the paper is beautiful and so classy-looking.

Thanks for all the ideas.

After buying pp, I realized that I seldom use it on my cards. I like using different techniques to make backgrounds too much.

I have used my pp paper to make envelopes and to wrap small gifts as was mentioned above.

A couple of ideas that haven't been mentioned:

You can use it with a resist technique (Joseph's Coat?) so that only some of the pattern shows up.

I found that putting paper I wasn't crazy about through a corrugater (or embossing folder) changed the look dramatically.

Tone down pp that is too bright with ink; Antique Linen Distress Ink works well for this.

Die-cut it. Even some of the ugliest paper makes great die cuts to use as embellishments. When die cut with dies like flourishes, frames, lattices, etc. hardly any pattern at all shows up, just bits of variegated color.

Daria

Enablers!!!! Thank you, I love the paper and ordered it!

Another way to use the ugly paper is to lightly paint over it with acrylic paint. The paint will completely change the look of the paper and hide a lot of the ugliness and give a more antique look.

From there you can do one or more of the following:

use as is
remove some of the paint with a damp paper towel or baby wipe
stamp on it
stamp and color the images
cut it into strips or squares and mix it with other papers to use for quilted cards
use it as an accent layer underneath
die cut it
dry emboss it

I'm sure you can probably think of more ways...

maybe use a hexagon die to create a patchwork pattern. seeing them in smaller pieces might make them more 'palatable'

Thanks to all of you! For some reason I just got notice that someone more had responded. Your ideas are great and I will use this thread as reference. I also saw some blog post about FEET tall stacks of patterned paper. It scared me sensible, at least I hope so! I can understand it, though, as there are SO many.
Thanks again :).

You could also Gelli print or paint over them.

I love all these great idea! I have so many unloved sheets of patterned paper. I usually have a good stack of papers for my daughters to use in their Smash books and journals. Another thing I do with a paper that I might not like is to use it on a mixed media project......tear it up and cover it with gesso to mute the pattern and then have some fun! ;)

Hi ladies! Great ideas for using DSP we don't like. How do I locate the K and Company on EBay or other craft items that are on sale? I'm a little computer challenged!

Go to ebay.com, and type in K & Company in the search bar. Here is a link you can click on. There are about 9,000 items listed. Have fun!

k company in Acid Free Scrapbooking and Paper Crafts | eBay

As to other craft items, there are thousands and thousands. You should probably use a company's name to narrow the search, or type in what you are looking for, i.e. stamps, cardstock, etc.

There is also a drop down box on the page where you can sort, according to price, lowest or highest, etc.

Thank you so much, Bugga!

You're so welcome. I'm a grandma, too, but I worked with computers before I retired, so I can sort of find my way around on the internet.

Always ask if you have questions, someone here will probably have the answer.:)

I love my patterned paper... well.... most of it I'd say. If you take how much you spent on the paper pack and divide it by the sheets of paper, you will see that you probably haven't spent that much per page and tossing what you can't use, isn't that big of a deal.
Me, personally, I take the really ugly ones and use them as my stamp mat. I just distress over them and use it at a note pad. When I'm done my project, I just toss it in the trash with the scraps, Grab a clean one and start over. I do have a lot of packs, and I do just throw some out when my least favorites are left. I don't feel guilty, I'm purging that way.

Me too just now! :). Will arrive on Saturday!

I love to change the look of the paper by embellishing certain parts of it with glitter. Suddenly, that ugly paper becomes pretty!

If it's solid on one side, use it to make envelopes. The solid on the outside and the print inside. Easy lined envelope!

I thought about getting the K & Company papers, but then I went and played at Amber's (sprtchick's) house yesterday and came home with a stack about a foot and a half high, so I'm all set (for a few lifetimes, lol)! One more example of her generosity. :)

Those ugly papers can also be made into paper beads.

just got my pad of K and company paper today! its so pretty and such a bargain at $19.60 for 360 sheets of paper!
also bought the 12 x 12 pack of vinyl from amazon. the colors are ok . will try to cut with it today