Patterned Paper question

[pppiglet]

I just seem to have this mental block with PP and never use it.
How do you go about picking out your PP? What do you look for when matching to your pictures? Help....my pages are getting boring!

 

[TinLizzy90]

Sometimes I shy away from using patterned paper, because it looks to busy. What I really like to do is find a paper that highlights something in the picture, like a subject's shirt, then cut it down to four inches by twelve and run it down one side or the other, under my photos and other stuff. Usually I will put ribbon or a rub on on the seam between the patterned paper and the solid. This is a neat way for me to use a single piece of paper (maybe a left over from a kit) to complete a double layout.

 

[phantom728]

For me it really varies. There are times when I find that PP paper is good and other times not.
I buy what I like the looks of, then play around with different photo's that might fit. Sometimes I use as a full background, other times as the mat for a photo or just as a page accent.

I also look around online to try and see if I can find different uses for PP paper.

 

[JandJ]

I use patterned paper if the theme really calls for it. For example, we went on a cruise for our honeymoon and spent a day on the beach, so I used beach scene paper (sand, surf, and a palm tree) for those pictures. I keep the pictures to a minimum on PP too because I don't want to cover up the pictures on the paper too much. But you don't want to go overboard - you can go from one extreme (boring) to the other (overdone) quickly! If I'm doing a 2-page spread and want to use PP on one page I'll use paper that accents those colors on the other.

Here's an example (I did this at SDV Orlando over the weekend) and I know you can't see it too well but I don't have a way to scan in actual pages. I used blue and green for all of our cruise pages and this PP says "Congratulations" in different fonts and sizes, since it was our honeymoon it fit the theme to me

 

[PigletFairy]

I love PP!! I have tons of it. I like using it as accents and my favorite is tearing. I have been trying to free style more and it seems to fit. I like looking at elsie flannigan's designs. i will have to post picts...

 

[pppiglet]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am going to try and get use to using it a little at a time. I would love to see some some of your pics PigletFairy! (I have a night light that looks just like your Avatar!)

 

[PigletFairy]

I only have a couple that i was able to scan. This pp is a little subtle but it reminded me of snow.

 

[PigletFairy]

This one is one of my favorites. I really like using retro style paper.

Where did you get that night light???

 

[millermouse]

Your pages are wonderful.....I love Captain Underpants! We call our son the same thing...I guess it's the stage!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I use PP if I'm either 1) only using like 1 pic on a page and really want to highlight a theme or 2) if I use matting behind each picture. It breaks it up so it isn't too busy.