In part one, I shared a few of the benefits of using a designer art and font bundle like the one that the Hungry JPeg courteously shared with me. Using the pre-made elements from the bundle, I was able to create several layouts. The bundle can also serve as another useful tool. You know those times that you wish you had the perfect paper but you can’t seem to find it? With a font and art bundle, you can make your own. Let’s take a look at how easy this is.

Create Your Own Patterned Paper Using Graphics from the Font Bundle

I used Photoshop Elements 12 to create my own patterned paper. Start of by creating an 8.5 x 11 inch document. I chose this size because it’s the largest size I can print at home. Select an image and place it on your document. You may wish to study a piece of patterned paper to get a feel for the way a single image flows throughout the design. Notice how some of the images flow off the edges of the paper. Pay attention to how the image has been placed. Do you prefer single, neat rows of the image repeating? Or do you want it randomly placed throughout the paper.You can manipulate the image as you wish by rotating and re-sizing it. Copy and paste this image through the document.

It took a little practice and manipulation to get the watercolor leaves placed just the way I wanted them to be. I could have worked with multiple images on one document, but I felt that, for my first attempt, it was easiest to focus on just one. Start off using the number of images that you feel most comfortable working with.

Create Patterned Paper Using Fonts

I love text papers and I just knew some of the fonts in this bundle would be perfect to use for creating my own. Once again, start by opening a document that is 8.5 x 11 inches. Draw your text block, then select the font and the font size.Make sure to choose a central type alignment or “center text”. Notice how the text block I drew is larger than the paper? You want some of your text to run off the edges. It’s much easier to do this with a larger block of type than to try to fill empty spaces in a text block that is the same size as the document. Using the Central alignment will ensure that your text will start in the center of page and then fill itself out towards the sides.

I chose a few words to work with and then repeated them. Once I had a nice even block of text, I copied and pasted it to fill in the rest of the text block.

You can leave your text the way it is, or you can choose to tilt it slightly. Once your text block is full,select the move tool and use the small circle on the bottom to tilt your text. Remember when I suggested you create a text block larger than the document? If you did so, there will be no blank spaces when the entire block is tilted.

Now that you have created your own papers, you can print them and begin building your layout.

In the Backyard by Christy Strickler |Supplies Cardstock: Bazzill; Chipboard: Studio Calico: Wood Veneer: Prima: Stamp: Kelly Purkey: Ink: Staz-on; Other: Tape, Glossy Accents; The Hungry JPeg Floral Bundle: Maudy Script and Wendy Fonts; Wilderness Mega Pack, Water Color Pack Volume #2, Nature Water Colors, 195 Watercolor Elements, The Lovely Floral Collection

Being able to make a few papers was a huge bonus for me. I still have a learning curve when it comes to designing those papers. I want to make more complex designs while ensuring they are aesthetically pleasing. The only way I can do this is to practice and I invite you to do the same.

In addition to using the fonts and graphics from the font bundle to create your own paper, you can create your own embellishments and even pocket page cards. Many of the graphics from the designer art bundle were created to work together. Just experiment to see what you can create.

Did you miss part one of this article series? Click here to read it.