I'm trying to expand on my layouts but I'm not sure how to go about it. If I have 3-4 co-ordinating papers what's the best way to show them. The background will be lighter. Could someone give tips on how to do this? Thanks!

I'm not sure how to explain it so here is a sample of a couple lo's I did with co-ordinating papers. If the papers are all patterned I will tone them down with a solid color. Also if you go through the Gallery, you will see so many Gorgeous lo's where different papers have been used on one lo...

Little Miss Ladybug By Debby_westbrook

Rock On By Debby_westbrook

You Make Me Happy By Debby_westbrook

I agree, a solid piece of cardstock helps to break up your patterns. But I consider small patterns/polka dots and sometimes stripes to be a solid when I am planning my pages. I have several new blog posts and gallery pictures that have LOTS of patterns on them!!!

LOve the layouts. I am always afraid of using too many patterned papers in one layout, but I love the outcome. I just need to learn my "eyes" more.

I like to use whatever papers make me feel right about that page, if it takes many, that's OK! I like to use punches with one of the coordinates, then use those as embellishments. For example, punch flowers, then add a brad as the center and maybe some glitter or embossing and then make a border under the title with them. Or make a card with some coordinates and add that to your LO and use as a place for hidden journeling or more pictures. Use as many or as few as YOU wish to! There are so many ways you can make colors work

There are lots of examples in the gallery of several papers from a collection layered on a page. Search for the Graphic 45 "Ladies Diary" collection...there are some beautiful pages that use 4 or 5 papers from the collection. There is a page in my gallery called "Hats" that has several layers of those papers...my inspiration was from some layouts here in the gallery.

There are so many ways you can incorporate patterns. One is to use strips of the papers you like like this;


Or you could layer pieces of patterned paper and also embellish like here with the flowers;


I use up a lot of my scrap paper doing this. Just play around and have fun with it!

LOve those layouts! Thanks for sharing!

one of the things that have helped me is that companies are coming out with solid with a subtle monochromatic pattern. You still get the solid cardstock effect with a subtle pattern. It makes it easier to match patterns.

a couple of examples....

collection packs are your friends ... the papers come from the same collection are designed to go together and make it a lot easier to mix and match

Sometimes double matting your pictures with two sloid coordinating papers will help to bring, the focus to your pictures, but also make your patterned papers flow tgether better.

Here are some ways I've done this before...

Quadrants:
I always want to be By SHeaRI

Strips:
Better than being a superhero By SHeaRI

Layered:
...beautiful By SHeaRI

• jaxxan Said:

YES, what previous poster said above! Also another thing I found very helpful is to use patterns from the same collection. For a contrasting effect, I will use a busy pattern next to a more subtle pattern. Or stripes against small dots. Here is one example:



Here is one using papers from different companies. I find that matting or using some solid cardstock helps separate the patterns. Also one of my favorite things to do is to use a solid with a subtle monochromatic pattern as the background.