Using double sided 12 x 12 paper

I have some really nice double sided papers I love. I love both sides.

I am not sure if they are intended to be used to scrap on both sides or choose a side.

Does anyone do them both and put in the page protectors?

Any problems or issues with that?

Double sided paper gives you so much built in flexibility for a lo! I usually buy 3 sheets at least, and I just did a 2 pager this morning using some from Graphic 45. My only problem has been not buying enough, so I learned 3 is a minimum.

Do I understand then, you do one side then turn it over and scrap the other side before putting it in the page protectors?

Thanks

I don't know if others do it but I never scrap on both sides of the pp. I tried it once and it was so flimsy it just didn't work out. So if I love both sides and want to use both for background pps I buy two sheets. But a lot of times if I really love the pp I buy two regardless.

What I mean is you can use parts of both sides on your lo, since they tend to coordinate ... have you been through the gallery? Paper stacks also serve the same paper, giving you sheets that already work together.

I'll go pull something up to post here from my gallery to serve as an example ...

I tried that once when I first started scrapping. I went to add a page in the chrono album and realized I was limited when I had used the front of the paper for one page and the back of the same paper for another. If you do not move or add pages it could work for you in special albums but I mostly chrono scrap so I am adding pages (when DG gives me more pictures of DGS). I now buy 2 or 3 sheets of the same double sided paper especially if I like both sides.

This is actually the right side of a 2 page lo I did recently:

The L boys Journalling By Flightobl

It's a double sided paper I bought loose at M's by Cosmo Cricket. One side is the polka dotted side on the outer edges, and the center red down the middle is the other side, then I just added some coordinating strips for the border from my scraps. The journalling circles are matted on plain colored cardstock. Sorry no pics since this was the first example I saw, but you get the idea of how fun it is to work with these double sided papers with this.

I think card makers get more use out of a double sided sheet of paper than scrappers,,,,I love to chop them up and use both sides on a card.

I've definitely learned to buy at least 2 sheets of a double sided pp! It happens often that I buy it for one side and wind up actually using it for the other side.

Sometimes I think double sided pp is a total waste since you pay extra but only get to use one side. However, it's not very often that I use a piece of pp in it's full 12x12 size, so I often get to use both sides. One of me favorite things about double sided is that when you curl up or fold over edges of a piece, you've got a print showing instead of plain white.

You definitely can use both sides. I've done it before. However, I put together my albums chronologically, so I often don't have the need for both sides in order like that - so I usually don't do it.

I have made 'pocket tags' with double sided CS, so I can use both colors. It works great for cards too. Take a piece, cut to double the size you want the card or tag to be. Fold in half, like a greeting card, then fold up the bottom corner to meet the folded edge. This will make a pocket on the front of it. You can kind of see it before you crease it so you get it positioned right. Fasten with a brad or 2, glue of your choice, but only fasten at the folded edge to leave the pocket. Or if you do not want a pocket glue the whole thing down. I have done cards like this and put a tag in the pocket, or a mini candy bar, or a secret note for the person. it's fun to do and not difficult. I think I saw this in a card making book I had. I hope I explained it right...would be so much easier to show you, but I don't have that option.

While you could use both sides, I've done it before on mini-book pages and have found that the paper doesn't hold up well to adding embellishments on both sides. I often purchase the double sided papers but only one piece so I do find that I get more for my money since the patterns coordinate and I rarely use pp as my background. One of my favorite things to do with double sided is to just cut it where it's about 1/3 and 2/3 (one 4" piece and one 8" piece) then I mount them on a cardstock piece with one of each design showing. Sometimes I trim these down so you can see the cardstock and sometimes I cover the cardstock completely. I love doing this since it guarantees that your papers wiil coordinate. The below is an example of a layout I created in this manner.
service with a smile By MoniL
This other one is actually two different papers but could easily have been just one paper cut and then mounted to a solid cardstock to hold it together.
total sweetheart By MoniL

I started scrapping using both sides, but I quickly learned it's a huge mistake and took my two-sided layouts apart. It just doesn't give you any flexibility if you scrap chronologically. Even if you don't scrap chronologically, but you still want to insert a page in, say a Halloween story, you won't be able to with two sided layouts.

Oh yes, when I first started it sure seemed like a good idea ... someday I'll go back and redo if possible.

i refuse to purchase double-sided paper (i also do not make any cards).

When I purchase double-sided paper, it is exclusively for one side of it - I can't think of a double-sided paper I've owned where I actually wanted to use both sides.

I could have the most fabulous paper in the world, and I'd ruin it if I made a card. I've banned mySELF from cardmaking lol.

• Fargomutt Said:

that limits your paper selection ALOT. so many manufactures print double sided.

i have a moto that i only purchase a single sheet of any kind of paper, yeah it makes it hard to choose what side on some double sided paper, those are the ones i usually cut into pieces and use both sides then. but there are so many other papers out there.

i would think using one sheet as two lo's backgrounds would make the paper pretty flimsy, but if its a light lo with only a few things on it, it could work

Omg this was such a helpful thread. Thanks guys

I don't do a double-sided LO, I usually just buy around a half-dozen sheets if I really like it. Because I'll use one side for one LO, and the other for a different LO. Each side complements each other so I'll use that for photo accents, borders, wording, etc.

I usually scrap chronologically, so only use one side. I always buy double-sided paper in odd numbers...usually 3, but 5 if I love it...or 7 if it's a theme I know I'll use in different books. That gives me matching papers for a 2-page LO and one paper to cut up for embellishing. As someone mentioned, it also is nice to sometimes flip a corner or edge and have instant coordination. I also usually cut out behind some photos and use that paper for embellishments or mats for smaller photos. If you do that, you just want to make sure you don't cut out so much that the paper becomes floppy, but for a photo or three, it works fine.

• RockStar Said:

This is me too! I used to buy 4 of each since I had two kids and wanted the flexibility of making two page layouts for each book. If there is matching cardstock I buy that too.

I only buy 1 sheet of pp at a time, early on I found I accumulated too much paper so I try to discipline myself. I like 2 sided papers and like to layer them.