What is fussy Cutting Paper? -5 Tips

Often when we sit down to junk journal, or make a greeting card, or a collage, we are not able to find suitable things to paste on the paper. But there is an easy solution to that- fussy cutting.

But what is fussy cutting? The act of cutting and storing random images from a magazine/newspaper/book is called fussy cutting.You might be having some old magazines/books/newspapers at home. If not, you can always buy the old ones at a very less price. These magazines, have very interesting pictures and colors that you can cut and use in your journals or collages.

Now, it doesn't make sense if you start finding suitable images while you sit down to journal. Instead, you can take some time out scan through the magazines, cut out what you think you can use later, and store it. So, the next time you sit down to junk journal, all you have to do is scan through the images you already have, and use it in your collages.

Not only does fussy cutting makes junk journaling easy, interesting, and colorful; but it is also a therapy for the mind. You can spend hours doing it, and your mind will find peace because it will stay in the moment.

5 Tips for fussy cutting paper

1. Cut out colored strips

There are pages that have the main picture, but there is some color in the background. Cut these colored strips from wherever you can. Not only will it be useful in different collages, but it will also add a variety to the color palette of the pages that you already have.

You can see an example below. The squares marked red can be cut out, and below it is the journal where I used the strips I had from fussy cutting.

2. Watch-out for the details

There are some really interesting images that your eyes might skip at the first glance. So, scan the pages very carefully, because the beauty lies in the details.

The area marked red in the image below is one of the examples which I skipped the first time because they were small, and placed in a way that they were not being highlighted.

3. Look at the backside of the page

While you cut the image you liked, you might realise that there was a better one behind it. To save yourself from regrets, look at the backside of the page too, and then make a cut.

4. Texts are important

There are some words that are not only written in good fonts but also make sense as stand-alones. Don't forget to cut them out either.

In the example below, I can cut out "tales of ordinary", "women", and "extraordinary" all separately and use them wherever they make sense in my journal. And if I like it, I can use them together too in a powerful poem, or a write up may be.

5. When in doubt, cut it out

If ever you stop to think, whether a certain piece will be useful or not, cut it. You might not instantly figure out its use, but it will fit in somewhere and enhance the beauty of your spread.

How to store the fussy-cutting cutouts?

There is no one method or no one rule for how you should store the cutouts you get from fussy cutting paper. Here are a few ideas for how you can keep them in one place. You can use a:

1. Fabric pouch

2. Envelope

3. Recycled cardboard box, or

4. Wooden box

Once you have your cutouts, all you have to do is sit with your notebook, see if anything fits together, and start journaling, or vice versa too. Below are some spreads that I made out of the cutouts I took from a magazine.

Now that you know what is fussy cutting paper, its uses, tips, and tricks to fussy cut, and how to store it. Go ahead, grab a magazine, and get yourself a collection of cutouts that will make your journals look pretty.