Patterned paper is by far, my favorite scrapbooking supply and when I open a kit the first thing I do is slowly go through each beautiful piece of paper imagining the possibilities. So you can imagine, that when I set out to make a layout, my initial instinct is to “use all the patterned paper.” LOL. Luckily, my inner-logical-voice tells me to narrow it down a bit and today I want to share some insight into how I do just that.

When I start a project, I will first pull out all the paper. This time, I not only pulled out the paper from the May Main Kit, but I also pulled out the 6×6 Chickaniddy paper from the Embellishment Kit (I like to have choices!).

My first paper pick is always a big, bolder pattern with lots of color. This piece of paper will be what I base the rest of my decisions. When deciding on my secondary picks, or my “supporting papers,” I look for a variety of patterns that do not compete with each other and colors that will compliment the first paper. I also will include at least one paper that is neutral in color. Here is what I ended up with:

By narrowing down my choices and following some basic rules when selecting papers, I was able to put together a combinations of papers that worked together as opposed to competing with one another for attention. Here are some details from my layout:

So how about you-what is your favorite scrapbooking supply and how do you keep from using it all at once? I would love to hear from you!