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Paper Tearing

A simple but versatile tool to help you get started scrapping and stamping on a budget. It's a simple technique to learn, and you can do it with the supplies you have on hand today!

All you need is paper. Hold the paper, printed side up (if applicable), and tear the edge as desired toward you. The paper you're holding will be the item used in your project. You want to tear towards yourself to ensure an even edge all the way around the piece. If you tear both toward and away from yourself, you may notice an uneven edge.

You can tear photo mats, serendipity squares, and embellishments--sun, birds, beach and sand, clouds, animals (sheep are great), letters, pumpkins as well as other fruits and vegetables, and more--though tear slowly or mark the pattern you want to make with a pencil lightly before you start. You can always tear more off the piece later, so go slow at first.

After tearing, finish the edges with chalk, ink, glitter, fibers and more for special effects. Try tearing textured paper, or mulberry or vellum, for more dimensional effects. Also, tearing paper printed only on one side will give you a gorgeous white matted effect.

Torn, glitter-edged page titles soften the page.

Serendipity squares.

Inside of scrapbook page torn out to reveal background stamp and photo.

Corners of paper torn to create background interest.

Uneven embellished tear creates asymmetric pattern.

Chalked and torn images create beach scene.

Vellum and paper hearts torn free-hand for page embellishments.

Bright colored glossy cardstock photo mats torn for a fun effect.

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