So many cool new products are arriving at 12x12 Cardstock Shop and I can't wait to create with all of them! Besides all the colors of solid cardstock, all the time, we've been getting some great new specialty papers in. One of the latest is balsa wood paper that is actually real wood with a paper backing. It's so cool, but you might be wondering how to use wood paper in your projects? Since I'm a cardmaker, I thought I'd show you four fun ways to use wood paper by making some cards.

1. Use wood paper to make a frame for your card. 

It didn't take me long to try and recreate one of those trendy wood frames I'm seeing in all the home decor stores. I put my craftsman skills to the test and even did mitered corners on my frame. Add some pretty patterned papers inside your frame for an extra special touch. In this case I used the Carta Bella Tartan No. 2 collection for a Christmasy Plaid.

2. Make faux wood accents. 

Things that are wood in nature, can now be wood on your crafts. I made a Halloween picket fence from the light brown balsa paper. This would be a fun technique for little wooden front doors and all kinds of things!

3. Cut titles and sentiments from wood paper.

You can give your page titles and card sentiments some major wow factor when you cut them from this balsa wood paper. Pop them off the page with dimensional foam adhesive or layer them on white paper to make them stand out. So easy!

4. Make dramatic backgrounds! 

Ever since I saw this scrap technique for rainbow backgrounds, I have been totally obsessed. I thought it would be cool to try the same technique with a the various shades of balsa wood paper, and the result is dramatic and unique. It looks like a fancy inlaid wood coffee table. The only problem is that it's almost too pretty to cover up. 

For an added twist, try doing the same technique on a square background, then slicing and turning the pieces at an angle to get a cool design.

To get this look, start by laying down your center strip of wood paper, making sure it is evenly spaced on the corners. In other words, you want it to cover corner to corner with the background piece corner right in the middle. 

Next start laying strips down, one at a time, keeping it symmetrical by using the same color and strip size on each side of that original section. 

Once all your strips are placed, trim around the edge of the background piece to get a nice and neat square piece.

Next cut diagonally corner to corner, on that original strip you laid, making sure your cut is dead center down the middle of that strip. You now have two triangles. Measure the exact center on the longest side of the rectangle. Cut from the corner to that center point to create four triangles. 

Take your pieces and rotate them a bit until you get the look you want. You can try several different designs until you get the look and feel you want!  It seems a bit complicated, but once you do the first one, you'll be a pro! 

-Michelle Price