Beware: Scrapbooking can lead to new friends!!

I have been painting for three weeks now, don't ask!! But, that also means I haven't been enjoying any scrapbooking time. Today was an exception! I went to a Stampin' Up party at one of my scrapping buddies homes and had a great time.

I was surrounded with paper and ink and stamps and crafts, and I was once again enjoying my hobby!! The best part though, was being surrounded by friends, most of whom I have made just since I began scrapping. What a great group of women!!! We have laughs, share news, exchange ideas and just enjoy each others company.

This is one of the benefits of becoming a scrapbooker that is seldom mentioned. It doesn't cost anything except some of your time and the willingness to let others into your life. Priceless!!!

Using Your Scraps: Greeting Cards

  

Today I wrote an article on Examiner.com about using scrap paper for card making and I wanted to include some instructions here on how to make these three cards. I hope this will inspire the making of many more cards in the future. Thanks for your inspiration, Melissa!

For this “Thinking of You” card use four 1”x 2.75” strips of patterned paper, one 4”x 2.75” solid color cardstock, one patterned paper heart punched/cut, coordinating ribbon and a phrase stamp. Leave a 1/8” border around the entire card as you work, adhere the four strips to the card 1/8” from the bottom and sides, overlapping slightly. Punch or cut a decorative border on one long edge of cardstock, stamp your greeting at approx. half way down and toward the right. Tie ribbon around this piece between greeting and border and adhere 1/8” from top and sides of card, overlapping strips. Place heart on top as shown. Viola, beautiful!!

 
Select three different pieces of scrap pattern paper and three scrap cardstock papers that coordinate to make this "Celebrate You" card. Stamp or write phrases on patterned paper scraps and punch 1 1/4” circles. Cut one of the cardstock scraps to 3 1/4”x 3 1/4” for the back and one to 3”x 3” for the front of top section. Punch out one butterfly approximately 1 1/2” in size and emboss or decorate or adhere a sticker to a cardstock scrap and trim.  First, adhere large square to top of blank card, 1/2” from top and sides. Add second square, centered on first. Glue circles and butterfly around the square, leaving equal distance between them. Stamp your main phrase approximately 1” from the bottom and to the right of the card. You are done!!

To create this “Cheers” card adhere one 5 1/4”x 4” scrap of patterned paper to a blank card leaving an equal distance on all sides. Stamp or write selected phrase on three different colored pieces of scrap cardstock, stamp a picture on a white piece of scrap cardstock and punch all four with a 1” circle punch. Punch two 1/2” colored circles and one 1 1/4” black circle. Decorate picture and mount on black circle. Adhere all circles in a random pattern on top of patterned paper. Easy!!

Scrappers - never throw away your scraps

Scraps from your scrapbook layouts have many uses. Not only do they serve many purposes for your projects and pages, but you can use them for card making and other crafts too. You don’t have to throw away your scraps. Let’s look at how you can use them for scrapbooking in Part One of this article. Here are some ideas: 

Use your scraps to cut out letters for titles on your page layouts. Many die cut machines let you use small pieces of paper for cutting individual letters. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns either. Some of the most unique titles use mixed font styles and papers. Don’t forget, plain chipboard letters are easy to cover with scrap pattern papers too. 

Another great use for scraps is punched or die cut shapes. Punched shapes are typically no larger than 2 inches, so you don’t need a lot of paper to create cute embellishments. Die cut shapes vary in size depending on the system you use. Personal die cut machines like Sizzix, Big Shot and Cuttlebug have dies in several different sizes, but again, most of these are the perfect size to use with scraps. Cricut and Silhouette machines can adjust shapes to the size paper you have left over. Many LSS’s in Metro Detroit, like Archiver’s, Scrappy Chic and The Scrapbook Zone, have die cut machines you can use, but you may have to make a purchase. Remember, most die cut machines will require using slightly larger paper than the size of the die cut you are creating.


Borders and backgrounds can be created from scrap papers very easily. Twelve inch long scraps that are at least 2 inches wide can be torn or cut with decorative scissors to make beautiful borders. Rectangular or square scraps can serve as backgrounds for photos or journaling blocks. Long strips of different papers can also be woven to create a unique raised border. 

When making albums smaller than 12 X 12, you can use your paper scraps to make pages for them. And don’t forget your cardstock scraps. These make good base pages for small albums and can be used in all the same ways as those mentioned above for patterned paper.

You have invested good money in your scrapbooking paper and supplies so why not get the most use out of them you can?

In Part Two we will discuss using scraps to make one of a kind greeting cards for your family and friends.