Hi. Lindsey here with the second installment and this week I am thinking about paper. I love, love, love buying scrapbooking paper. However, because I've been scrapbooking for quite a few years now, I think I have become more selective about which papers in a range I would buy these days. I like good quality papers and I buy a lot so this is a major percentage of my scrapbooking spend annually. Also (and I would not admit this to just anyone) I often buy at least two of every sheet that I like. You see the problem is, if I really really like a paper, I don't want to use it. Or at least I feel I want to save it for a really special photograph. So I have to buy one to use and one to just "have" (to bring out now and again and stroke and admire). Now don't laugh, admit that you too have papers in your stash that you have been "saving for something special". I wouldn't have told you this but I know that you won't tell a soul and I also happen to know that a lot of my scrappy friends do the same thing so it isn't just me that's mad as a bucket of frogs.

So, let's leave aside the True Confessions for now. My personal preference is to keep most of my layouts simple and layering up beautiful paper is what I find easiest. I also like to have quite a lot of "white space" on my layouts. I don't really enjoy looking at pages which are too busy and I especially want the photograph to take centre stage and not the embellishments. That is, if the photograph is half decent, sometimes the event just needs to be recorded but the photos are quite appalling in which case I make the photos small and let the rest of the page dominate more.

Absolutely beautiful paper needs to be stretched as far as possible. To that end, I nearly always cut out the big bits behind the photo mats and other layers if I can. The view from the reverse of the page isn't too stunning sometimes but it's worth it. For instance, I often just leave a small margin, say, quarter of an inch all around the edge of my layout and then adhere another large piece of paper on top. I can, therefore, easily salvage an 11" x 11" square from the backing paper.

You can't see the bits I've carved out behind the various layers - but that's the idea isn't it.

When I am considering a paper collection, here's what goes through my mind. I know I will be using quite a few of the plainish sheets, I can easily use up sheets with small dots or other small-scale designs, a bolder stripe is always useful and then one paper with a larger design or some aspect that I can cut out and use for embellishment. I'm quite content not to have to go rummaging around in boxes looking for flowers, brads, button, ribbons etc and just do the whole page with stunning paper.

This big flower is an ideal embellishment and the layout needs nothing more.

When you are slicing off that strip at the bottom of a sheet (the bit with the manufacturers details and the name of the individual paper), I don't just throw that in the bin. No indeedy, that bit needs to be investigated. The name of the sheet often gives me inspiration for a layout and I'll cut them out and use for the title or subtitle. They are pretty small, of course, when placed on a 12" x 12" page but they are perfect for a card.

Ok - photo not that clear but can you see the little "Happy Days" sub-title at top left of the top photo? That's the bit cunningly saved from the bottom strip.

Another confession coming up. I keep all my scraps. This could be why I am running out of space in my scrapbooking room and have taken over the cupboard in the hallway and a "temporary" sewing table I erected in the hallway during the runup to Christmas is still in situ. I don't think my husband has really noticed it so just don't mention it if you see him. So anyway, these scraps, they are so useful! Punch out some tags, a few leaves or diecut some letters. Originally all the scraps just all went into a big box under my desk but it was far too time-consuming rummaging through it so now I store them by colour in large ziploc bags so, if I want to punch out some leaves, I just grab the bag of green scraps. Much quicker. Do you know which are the most interesting scraps? Why, the ones your friends throw out - they are especially tasty!

Flower is made from a bit of ribbon gathered up behind a beautiful brad and all the leaves are cut from scraps of green. Ink the edges. Crumple them up. Bend them down the middle. Voila!

I know. I know. I probably sound like one of those strange people on "Hoarders" who say "but it will come in useful some day" as they peer out over a pile of old junk that is so NOT going to be useful ever. I just can't bear waste and so, just as the roast pork we had for Sunday lunch reappeared as Pork Stroganoff on Monday and then appeared as Pork Curry on Tuesday, leftovers from old layouts are going to keep reappearing in different disguises until there's none left [incidentally - talking about leftovers - check out The Thrifty Cookbook by Kate Colquhoun in your local library - it's brilliant].

Hope this has got you thinking thrifty. Tune in next Thursday for another thrilling installment and maybe some more true confessions.