Organizing cardstock by color coding:

• Reds (includes pinks)
• Orange
• Yellow
• Green (includes turquoise)
• Blue
• Purple
• Brown (includes tans, creams and beiges)
• Black (includes greys)
• White
   

To save money on cardstock, Buy your most popular colors of cardstock (white, black, cream, etc.) by the ream. It's much less expensive and if you get a few friends to go in together, you can all get about 25 sheets for the price of less than 5!

To tear paper in a semi-straight line, try wetting a cotton swab and drawing a line on the paper. Tear the paper while still damp and allow to dry. Tear towards you to make a nice looking tear.

When running out of a certain color of cardstock and need just a little bit, cut the middle out from the back layer of a picture boarder or matt that has been put together and use that for whatever is needed, its mainly for small things, such as tags or journal boxes.

To score cardstock make the score on the inside of the fold. It's usually better to score the inside of the cardstock, this makes for an easier fold. A wooden ruler to press the crease, this ensure a crisp line when you fold the paper.

Save all your scrap pieces in a large zipper bag. So when you need a small piece you will have it.

To get that wrinkle/crinkled look to card-stock, just spray it with water. Mist, sprinkle, etc. some water onto your card-stock. It doesn't take much. Then start wrinkling it up many times in different positions. Take your opened piece of card-stock and rub it down the edge of a table to flatten it out and let dry. Other things you can try, Iron your paper to make flatter but it still leaves the crinkled look to it. put in between towels and stick heavy, flat objects on top of it. Just use the edge of the table end let air dry for a more uneven, wrinkled effect.

When buying cardstock, get 3 sheets instead of 2; one for each facing page and one for titles/mats. This has saved me many times from scrambling to find that matching color.

Instead of using a scoring blade, I use my 'nylon pan scraper' from The Pampered Chef. (The brown scraper comes with all the stoneware, or can be purchased in a set of 3.) I simply fold my cardstock in half, and then run the scraper over the fold line. I've found I get a much crisper fold and I'm not replacing my trimmer as often!