[Sara Arell]

Since I do all my layouts as 8.5 x 11.5 - and mainly because that is the size my printer prints - I am curious to know what those of you - and I think it is most of you, use to print a 12 x 12 layout. Thinking I might want to do some bigger layouts sometime soon. And, also, do they print to the edge of the paper or leave a white border around the edge - AND where do you buy 12 x 12 paper? I have only seen it in the paper scrapbooking stores here - not in the office supply stores.
Thanks.
Sara Ellen

[MaryJo]

Hi Sara, I have Staple brand paper and its called Photo Supreme Gloss paper the size is 13 x 19 ins. I wasn't able to find 12x12 at Staples. Its does a good job and obviously you have to cut it down.

[Sara Arell]

Thanks, Mary Jo - I will have to look for that - but surely somewhere they sell the 12 x 12 besides in a scrapbooking store where the prices are so marked up! Need to get the printer first though! LOL

[caprimom]

You're right Sara, you'd think there'd be more 12x12 photo/printer paper options out there. I scrap mostly in 12x12 but when I get my LOs printed, I resize to 8x8 and have it printed on 8x10 paper. I trim off the excess.

[Sara Arell]

Well, that makes me feel better, Ashleigh - have done my layouts 8.5 by 11.5 for years now and really don't think I need to change but was just kind of thinking about it - like I need to spend money on a printer right now! Actually, I like doing them the size I do because I buy binders that are 3 ring binders and put my pages in document protectors and then just insert in scrapbook - and I design a cover, a spine and back cover for them that slips right into the plastic on the notebook - they look great. Years ago I found the most awesome scrapbook for my little granddaughter - it had pink flowers on it and was a notebook with three rings and it tied together with this beautiful wide pink bow - haven't been able to find anything like it since.

Another good question - anyone know a good source for pretty binders?

[michgirl]

Sara Arell, on 03 November 2009 - 07:37 AM, said:

Thanks, Mary Jo - I will have to look for that - but surely somewhere they sell the 12 x 12 besides in a scrapbooking store where the prices are so marked up! Need to get the printer first though! LOL

Sara

I purchase my 12 x 12 papers from Red River Papers online. They have both a matte that you can print on both sides or a satin that is like a luster, both are gorgeous. As for a printer, there are many choices out there and very good prices, if you watch for them. HP recently ran their wide format printer for 1/2 price @ $149. I do see the Epson 1400 on sale for $199 - I use to have that printer, it does outstanding output. I recently upgraded to the Epson r1900, due to a great deal - I got it at newegg.com for $400 with a $150 rebate, making it $300 off list price - couldn't pass that deal up. It prints wonderfully, but the Epson 1400 prints beautifully too - you can't go wrong with either printer!

As for printing, all three printers do print to the edge; but I do not use that feature. I select "shrink to fit" in the CS4 printer box, and get that little white border all around. I do this becuase I once read that it saves ink and keeps the inside of your printer cleaner. Not sure how true it is...

Before getting a wide-format printer, I did the 8 1/2 x 11 layouts, but doing the 12 x 12s seem to give you so much more room for creativity! LOL! I have found that I enjoy it so much, I would never be without the wide-format.

Good luck with your decision!

[Sara Arell]

Thank you so much Robin for all of your experiences and advice on my questions - I think ordering the paper is a great idea and that helps me with my decision a lot - I like printing to the edge of my layouts because then I can do some really neat things with my pictures and embellishments like having them flow off the page which just makes the whole layout so nice. And I do not find with my printer that prints 8.5 x 11. 5 that it makes any difference with the ink or anything else - just makes a nicer layout but that is just my personal preference.

Thanks for the suggestions about various printers too - I am going to check this out before I decide if it is really worth my while to suddenly change the size of the scrap books I have done over the years - right now they are all the same size and the binders I buy and design are cheap and come in all sizes, so can't make up my mind - what I like about the 12 x 12 is that I would be working with a square instead of a rectangle and think the layout would surely be even more awesome.

Thanks again for all of the help! Will let you know what I decide to do.

[April Showers]

I use a wide format printer, an Epson R1800 which I have had more than 4 years. You can get 12x12 paper for it, but that isn't what I use. I use 13x19 and trim it. I prefer it though since I don't have to worry about losing anything close to the edges with a bleed. Mine prints to the edge of a 12x12 page, but you do have to check that option, and you can lose clarity near the edges.

I did figure out how to cut down the amount of edge lost on a full-bleed print. With the Epson after you check borderless, click on the page layout tab. There is an expansion slider there that controls the amount of enlargement for borderless printing. The default on mine is "max", which clips more than I'd like off the edges. When I moved the slider to "min" on the far left, I liked the results.