Book Review: Designing with Paper

Designing with Paper - Reimagining Scrapbooking's Most Basic Element
Publisher: Autumn Leaves
Contributors: Jennifer McGuire, Renee Camacho, Leslie Lightfoot, Lisa Russo, Carol Wingert, Tena Springer, Kristina Nicolai-White, Tracy Kyle, Cathy Blackstone, Nia Reddy, Tina Barriscale and Marilyn Healey
96 pages
£16.99

Designing with Paper starts with a reminder that, for many of us, it was the paper that drew us into this wonderful hobby. The book seeks to re-ignite that passion and show us the endless possibilities for using paper in our layouts and projects. There are three chapters: Techniques, Creations and Inspirations.

So what techniques does the book demonstrate? Well, some basic techniques are included: tearing and stitching for example. But many others are either new takes on a familiar technique or innovative new ways to use scrapbooking's most basic element. Stamping into paint, creating paper string and plaiting are all covered here

The book then moves on to show ways to create your own paper: digitally as well as using methods such as quilting, leafing and painting to name just a few. Ideas for accents and gift projects are also shown using the techniques demonstrated in the first section.

The final section of the book seeks to inspire the use of unusual colour choices or bolder combinations of paper. There is also a gallery showing further examples of the techniques previously demonstrated.

The closing section of the book gives additional information about archival precautions and mixing papers along with detailed instructions for using some of the techniques.

Each new book in the 'Designing with...' series has me nipping up to Papermaze for a look and I now own several. They are well produced books and I like the work of the designers featured. Designing with Paper does not disappoint. The designers truly have dug deep to find new ways to use our favourite scrapbook ingredient. There is plenty here to inspire both the novice and more experienced scrapbooker.

We put all this inspiration to good use and created these scraplifts:


Scraplift of Float by Marylin Healey on page 29 of the book

This the original! Sorry for the bad photos, but do you know how hard it is to take picture from a book!!! lol!!!
And here is the scraplift

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Cardstock: Bazzill Haley and Light Sky; Patterned paper: Daisy Bucket Garden Gate; Chipboard letters: Heidi Swapp She; Acrylic accents: Heidi Swapp; Chipboard accent: Fancy Pants Biggest Board; Other: 7gypsies jump rings, MM paint and crystal brad.

This one is a scraplift by Angie of the layout on page 60.
Here is the original
And here is the scraplift ...

It show how , while you can scraplift a whole page you can still make it your own.
The last page is by Deb
Here is the original


What she did was take the circle elements on the page and use them on her own layout.
So next time you are needing some inspiration pick up one of your books and have alook through. As the girls here have shown you don't have to copy the whole page you can use a few elements and go with where they take you!!!