I thought it would be a great scrapbook idea to make a page layout of a day I spent with my family on a local farm. I had the wonderful picture of a cow and really wanted some cow print scrapbook paper as the background. Despite searching through my scrapbook supplies and visiting numerous scrapbook stores I simply could not find anything suitable that resembled cow print scrapbook paper.

I decided the easiest way was to design my own. I began by searching the internet for some images of cow print. Once I found the image I wanted I enlarged it and printed the image onto plain paper. This became my template. I continued by cutting out the image and drawing round it on a piece of thick card. The reason I did this was so I had a solid template that I could use to draw round as paper tends to get crumpled and is a lot harder to use.

I then found some thin black card in my craft supplies (black paper will work just as well). I placed the template onto the card and drew around it several times. Once I had drawn enough cow prints I then cut them out and randomly stuck them to a sheet of 12 x 12 white scrapbook paper. One of the great things about creating your own cow print scrapbook paper is that it gives you a chance to use up all your scraps.

When it comes to thinking of new scrapbook ideas you really can create something totally different. You can cut an image out using all sorts of papers, gingham, check, plain or even a different material altogether. The end result is you still have a sheet of cow print scrapbook paper but with a modern look.

You can also use your hand made cow print scrapbook paper for your card making ideas, although I would recommend that you find a smaller image for this so that when the paper is cut down to fit the card you are making you can still see the design.

Creating your own scrapbook paper is extremely rewarding, not only will you have something totally unique and individual, you will also be able adapt the paper to match the pictures you are going to use on your scrapbook page layouts. It is also a great way to use up all those scrap paper and card bits you have accumulated not to mention save you money.

If you get really stuck or simply do not have time to create you own cow print scrapbook paper you may find purchasing software where you can print your own papers exceptionally helpful. Such software is normally sold on a CD or DVD and will offer you plenty or papers that you can simply print out and use.