There are many different types of paper.

First there is colored paper which comes in a variety of colors from pastels to bolds. It is often used for layering, borders and mounting your photos, titles or journaling. When mounting it is always good to use coordinating or opposing colors to bring the photos directly to your attention.

Secondly, patterned paper comes in two styles; specific and general. Specific patterns focus on a theme, for example Halloween. It often has a more general coordinating paper to go with it. However, you should be careful not to use too much as it will overshadow your creative style and most importantly, your photos. General patterns are generally dots, stripes and florals of differing sizes. These can be used to enhance the theme and atmosphere of the picture. The main uses of patterned paper is for mounting pictures, titles, journaling, and captions, whole punches, stenciling your letters on, and die cut layering.

Thirdly, there is stationery paper. This comes in varying sizes and is a bordered piece of paper with a blank middle. It comes in different themes. It can fit nicely in your printer and can be used for journaling.

Fourthly, there is vellum paper. This is a strong, translucent paper. It can be used alone or in conjunction with, usually, a colored or patterned paper. It is used for journaling, embellishments, and making envelops to store mementos in.

Finally, there is corrugated paper (to lift your picture, die cut, etc. of the page), shiny, glossy, metallic paper, pre-embossed papers, velveteen paper and vivelle paper (feels like terry cloth), just to name a few. If you look hard enough there are as many types of paper as your needs account for.

Many companies now put out paper books. These are generally based around a theme or color family. You can purchase them in coordinating papers either in a specific or general collection. Some of these also come with cut out borders, die cuts and stationery pages to help you get your project completed by having all of your paper needs at your fingertips.

Scrapbooking paper can be used for more than just scrapbooking. You can use it for creating invitations, cards, announcements and thank yous. There is nothing quite as special as receiving a card, etc. that is tailored to you personally. Imagine receiving a birthday card with a picture of you and your best friend camping on the front, with camping elements embossed on the card. It shows that someone cared about you enough to take the time to create something uniquely special for you.

Next:  Stamps, Stickers and Stencils

Rubber stamps, stickers, and stencils are three of the easiest ways to spice up your scrapbooking pages. Each, in its own way, adds dimension, color and texture to your project.