My mixed media paper stash is enormous, but I use it almost every time I sit down to art journal. As you know, I’m a huge fan of making art journaling easy and quick. Collage is the quickest and easiest way I know to get color and pattern onto my pages.
I’m also a great believer that having the right supplies makes any artistic endeavor easier. That said, the right supplies don’t have to cost a lot of money. They are often things that you can make yourself or already have sitting around.
Here’s a look at the kinds of papers I like to keep around:
Painted Deli Paper
I don’t think I’ve been shy about my addiction to deli paper. (Have you seen my vlog about sorting deli paper?)
Deli paper collages beautifully and is very inexpensive. I have a huge stash of all kinds of hand painted deli paper!
Book Pages
Book pages are a staple for me. I like to collect lots of different books with differently colored papers, sizes of type, etc.
I also keep a wide variety of painted (and stamped) book pages around. Book paper collages easily and is another inexpensive surface to experiment on.
Painted Newspaper
Another surface that I often paint and have around is newspaper. It’s so big, and again, collages beautifully! I do always prime it with gesso. You can apply it with a paint roller if you’re doing a ton of paper all at once. It makes the process a bit faster and easier. Also, if you don’t like the white color, consider using clear gesso.
Scrapbook Paper
Scrapbook paper is always good to have around. I tend to prefer the thinner papers when collaging, but thick and thin both work! You get a lot of value from those big pads of scrapbook paper.
Leftovers and Mess Ups (aka Art Garbage)
My monoprints don’t always turn out the way I had hoped they would. But I don’t throw the bad ones away. I keep them to cut up and use in my art journal! I also use a lot of little art projects — or art bits — that aren’t quite large enough to be anything on their own, plus scraps.
Decorated Tags
I do a lot of demos on manila tags…
…and I love to collage them into my art journal.
Stenciled & Painted Drawing Paper
Sometimes when I’m not feeling the muse to make finished art, I stencil or stamp or paint some papers for later use. I tend to use drawing papers in a variety of weights for this. Sometimes even simple printer paper! I love having these decorated papers in my stash to pull out when I need them!
Why I Love My Paper Stash
I love my paper stash because it removes hesitation from my art journaling practice. When I have collage paper ready to go, I’m not stopping to make decisions about materials. Instead, I’m responding to what’s in front of me. Each piece of paper carries a history of marks, color, or text, which gives me something to work against instead of starting from nothing. In mixed media, that resistance matters. The paper creates structure, limitation, and momentum all at once, allowing me to work intuitively while still making deliberate choices. My paper stash isn’t about saving supplies for later; it’s about keeping my practice active, flexible, and sustainable.
How about you? Do you keep a hearty paper stash on hand to use in your art journal?
I have a large stash of papers too but keeping them from taking over my studio space is a big challenge 🙂
Peace,
Donna
Julie, I have a lot of the papers that you are talking about. I often wonder what to do with them and whether or not I’ll ever be able to have time to use them. I do sort through them periodically and discard some of them, though. I’m more into painting canvases these days, so who knows what will eventually happen with those papers … we’ll see!
Love your stash, ooh swoon. xox
I’m afraid I’ll be invited to be on Hoarders…before you. Hmmmmm. Now that I tried the Gelli Print Plate, well, it’s going to get worse! Not a bad vice, though, right?! Have a fun weekend, Julie!
Kathy
Ooh fab post Julie, what an amazing stash to pull from!! Ha ha ha ‘My name is Dawn and I’m a paper, stencil and stamp addict…………..’
Hugs x
Thank you, Julie, for the inspiration… I have an unopened box of deli papers…
I’m a hoarder of art bits. I just can’t get rid of them! Love your stash.
Julie – I was also “ooohhing & aahing” over your paper stash! A great way to rid out your stash would be to have a Give-Away! I KNOW someone (ME!) would love to have your bits of art work.
Just a thought,
Grandma Nancy
It you like the scrapbook paper thin but what you like is thick. I have found that the papers can be split into layers like a cloth napkin it takes just a little bit of work at the corners but it doesn’t take too long
I’d love to see your storage solutions for all these varieties of paper.
My husband complains that our house is full of paper, but he can never find a plain white piece to write on!
Children love to play and create with small pieces of colorful paper…sharing with a local child care can be a wonderful thing for all.
As a previous commentor (Nancy Sapp)suggested…I would be thrilled to “win” a box of your scraps! I’d even pay the postage. Anyhow, I know what you mean about having lots of paper on hand to work with, just makes the creating all the more fun!
Thanks for sharing. Thank goodness I am not alone with my collection papers. They take over my very small space. Then I find them too precious to tear them up and use them other places.
I got a chuckle when you mentioned hoarders. I can so relate – I feel like paper is overtaking my art room. Love the papers you shared – what a great variety.
Hi Julie.. love your bits. What if you put a few together and put them in an envelope and left it somewhere for someone to find.
I love deli paper since I took your class and have used pieces of the designs in my art journal. I have scrappy paper and printed pages and other pieces of paper that I collect (like maps when we go somewhere). I have recently purged tons of scrappy paper and scraps since I’ve collected quite a bit over the past decade. My son’s art teacher is thrilled to have the for her classes to use on “free art” day.
Yes thanks in part to your bad influence, Hoarders is calling me too.
It’s always sooooo good to learn new ways to use up those marvelous little bitty scraps! I have an entire file folder bulging with them. They’re also fun to make little gift tags and bookmarks with, everyone thinks you’re soooo clever to get one!!! I love your little tutorials!
Julie, I would LOVE to see how you store all your various papers! I am overrun with papers!!
Hi Julie, I would love to know if any body can tell me alternate names for your ‘deli paper’ [I am not in the US] We have something called ‘greaseproof paper’ which is used for food wrap and is also very handy for using as a quick release in intricate dies when putting them through the machine….. 🙂 It is shiny on one side, the outside of the wrap – Would that do the job? Thanks, Pauline
I have quite a stash of Colorbok scrapbook paper that I use for collage. I rarely use other papers for collage. Your painted papers are awesome. Colorbok is sold by Walmart and the paper is quite thin, so much so that I rarely use it for anything but collage. It’s not that expensive either.
Wendy
I think thats what we call waxed paper — its different.
I save all my papers! I even save the paper towels I use to wipe my brushes and clean up my artsy messes. I use the hardback book covers as a canvas to paint on (it works great, just gesso if it’s shiny) and then save the book pages too. I have it all organized with Dollar Store items. I got a big plastic basket with lid and handles for the larger papers, and as the papers get smaller, I use food container holders for every size…then I hide them in the closet until I need them. Oh and they are all see thru so I can see the colors of the papers inside.
I love that I am not the only one who keeps all of the tiny paper scraps I generate! I have a special plastic folder I keep them in, and I am constantly pulling it out and gluing down bits and pieces to my art journals and collage canvases. Mixed media hoarders unite!
I have finally put all the 12×12 paper in one place and the 8 1/2 x 11 paper in another place and have decided that I am not allowed to buy more paper for 5 years! I also took paper that I loved but was saving because I loved it so much and cut it up in medium and small pieces. Since it’s already cut up, using parts of pages shouldn’t be a problem…if I could find them. I moved and my sister packed my art stuff and now I can’t find anything!! I’ve spent a fortune on duplicates of things I use regularly but can’t find! Anyway, when I find that cut-up paper, there will be collages!
I like the idea of exchanging envelopes of paper scraps — little ones. Anyone else interested? Email me at peggy lynn art at g mail dot com if you are!
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