Base layer cardstock? What do you use?

I have been using a postbound scrapbook and want to switch to a 3 ring style. I don't know what kind of cardstock to scrap onto. I am assuming that the decorative papers aren't strong enough to support a layout.

Do you use plain, smooth white and black bazzil cardstock or textured? I usually like to use a base of a decorative paper in my LOs.

What is your staple cardstock for scrapping?

I use both patterned paper and cardstock no matter what kind of album I'm using. If you're worried about the stability of the page once you have it in the protector you can buy the inserts (if the protectors don't already come with them) and slide them between your pages-it gives you a little more duribility than just the two sheets of pp.

The inserts usually come in white or black, I've found I perfer white since when using pp that's a bit lighter in color the black can sometimes show through and alter the look of the pp. But that might be something you like.

A lot of the pp that I use tends to be the thicker kind,,I like it better However, when I do NOT use that kind, I find that the page protector and inserts work just fine,,,,,I've used both white and black, depending on my LO

I am a Bazzill kind of girl. The store that I work for has every color/texture they make, which is awesome since I think it is the very best

Once in a while I'll use printed paper as my background, as long as it's sturdy (the the My Mind's Eye So Sophie line ::). I like my pages to have some thickness to them.

As long as you're putting your pages in the page protectors before placing them into your album, you shouldn't have to worry about how they'll hold up.

Thanks for the replies!!

So, just to clarify...you ladies are saying that you scrap/mount your photos and embellishments directly onto the patterned paper?

You don't "need" to use a base, cardstock layer and then glue the decorative, patterned paper onto that?

Correct, you don't need a cardstock base.

It IS correct that you don't HAVE TO adhere your thin patterned paper base to a sturdier cardstock base when placing them into albums with page protectors...however, I still like to do it myself for stabilty issues while assembling my layout as well as for future handling outside of album, which at some point could happen.

I tend to create bulky layouts, so this works best for me, but if you don't add havey or thick embellies and flowers and your more of a flat scrapper, doing without may work for you. So what I do in my case, is purchase value packs of cardstock packs from M's (usually they're a little thinner than the premium cardstock, so it won't add significant bulk & weight and I always wait till they're on sale or use a 40% off coupon) and they are often sold in black and white together, and then I choose which one would look the best adhered to the back of my layout just in case I didn't hide it completely behind my patterned paper. One thing you may do to avoid that though is to use your paper trimmer and take 1/8 inch off of one side and the top and then center your patterned paper on top of that....good luck!!!

For me, I use patterned paper or cardstock in smooth OR textured! lol. So really it doesn't matter what you use, it is just personal preference. My pages are normally too bulky to fit into the page protector with the middle sheet, so I normally take it out; the thick cardstocks and papers I use make up for the sheet that is missing. Plus, I then have an extra sheet of white cardstock if I want a blank background. I use all colors of cardstock as bases... not just black, white, and kraft!