Use your scrapbooking papers for other things.

It seems like most scrapbookers I know have a paper problem.  And by “problem” I mean they need a 12-step program.  I have friends who buy it just because it’s pretty and they can’t resist or something.  I have lots of paper also, well at least I THOUGHT I did until I heard about some others’ stash of paper, now I realize I don’t have that much! 

Anyway, here’s a small way to use some of your scrapbooking patterned papers in other ways besides in your scrapbook.  I just realized not only did I use my paper, but I also used ribbon from my stash!  I took a sheet of 12×12 paper printed with yellow roses from Paper Pizzazz and wrapped one of my daughter’s Christmas presents in it.  Then I took some ribbon with yellow flowers (they don’t match but she didn’t care!) to tie around the gift. 

I used yellow roses paper instead of “Christmas” print paper because I wasn’t really sure if I’d ever USE the roses paper (and I know I will Christmas print).  Was it Christmas-y?  No.  Did my 7-year-old give a crap?  No.  I know y’all have a stack of paper in that huge stash of yours that you look at and think, “Why did I buy that?”  You can’t think of a page to use it on.  So use it for this instead.

This is also going to be something I do for Valentine’s Day (heart printed) or birthdays or Mother’s Day (floral printed).  I can’t tell you how much EASIER it is to whip out a piece of 12×12 paper to wrap a small gift instead of lugging out a huge roll of wrapping paper so you can cut a small piece out for wrapping a gift.  And if it makes life easier for me, I am SO doing it!