Using Designer Series Paper to choose Cardstock Colours

I actually got some cards made while I was away at Stamp Camp mostly because I'd put together some kits before I left home.  I used left over Designer Series Paper as the starting point for my colour combinations.

When I had my cards laid out I could see that I had used a pattern to choose the colours to put with each of the different paper designs.  Here's what I did:- 

I chose a piece of DSP that measured 47mm x 95mm. 

I then decided whether bright whisper white or a more muted very vanilla neutral cardstock would set off the paper best.  With the bright colours in this paper I chose whisper white.

For my base card I chose the dominant colour in the paper which is 'Bashful Blue'.  It's so handy that Stampin' Up!® has used it's cardstock colours in it's Designer Series Papers as well.  For the mat colour and the ornaments I decided to pick the least dominant colour in the paper and that is 'Pumpkin Pie'.

Put together using Pumpkin Pie as my ink colour and the 'Contempo Christmas' stamp set with the matching ornament punch, here is my card.

All the Designer Series Paper scraps used in the cards above are no longer available but there are fantastic new designs in the 2010/2011 Idea Book and Catalogue. 

One 12x12 sheet of designer series paper will make 12 cards.  So with 12 sheets of DSP in each pack you get enough patterned paper for 144 cards from one $20.50 pack of paper.  Obviously you will need to add cardstock, ink, stamps and any other tools and embellishments you might need.

Check out the designer series paper in the Idea Book Catalogue, choose your neutral and coloured cardstock, ink colour, stamp set and punches and then order what you need to get a head start on your Christmas cards.