Scraptastic Class Samples

Over the past few weeks I've read a number of articles on how to re-purpose leftover crafting supplies and voila!...the birth of a new class: Scraptastic Card Class. With the number of classes and workshops I've offered over the past two years, my supply of scraps has built up to quite a formidable stash, one which I'm more than willing to whittle down to a manageable pile and I'm sure you'd like to do the same with your hoard of scraps (if you're a crafter, you know you have one!). Here's a few tips that should help to inspire a few projects and get rid of your scraps all at the same time...it's a twofer!

Tip 1: Make Card Candy/Scrap Candy/Embellishments

Those bits of paper make great little embellishments, especially if you've got nifty designer paper leftover. Whip out your punches and dies to make assorted shapes, using them to make adorable little embellishments to keep on hand or give away. Add texture to the shapes by embossing, tipping with glitter, or stamping with a background stamp. In the above picture, I've mounted a few layered embellishments on a 6" x 6" piece of acetate and will give them in a gift with some simple 4" x 4" cards and envelopes. Perfect to tuck into an altered CD tin or acetate gift box. See the pleated accent at the top? It's just a strip of leftover cardstock scored and folded! Take it up a notch and stitch over it with your sewing machine. It's amazing what can be done with a smidgeon of imagination and scraps :)

Tip 2: Make collages or pattern strips from designer paper

Use your punches (squares, circles, etc.) to create pattern collages, as I did here with the four squares featured in the center of the card. This makes it easy to use scraps in the same color family, as well as coordinate other scrap pieces to use for layering. I had a large piece of leftover Kiwi Kiss cardstock that matched the designer paper. A scrap of white cardstock was embossed in a damask pattern to complement the designer paper, as well as a tiny piece of white used to make the coordinating tag.

Tip 3: Use scraps and punches to create unique borders
Inspired by a scrapbooking blog I follow, I punched 1 3/8" circles, scored the circles on each side, folded the scores down and then cut the circles in half to make this fabulous little border. Once the circles are cut, use Sticky Strip or Scor-Tape to adhere the half circles. I love the extra touch this border adds to my project.


Tip 4: Use small pieces to make tiny gift tags, buttons, and flowers
Don't limit your thinking to just paper...think buttons, ribbon, leftover pearls, and paper flowers. Using the Stampin' Up! Tiny Tags set and coordinating punch, I made ten coordinating gift tags to use with card fronts or on small gifts, like the card on the right. I tucked the tags into the little matchbox and used coordinating scraps to decorate the box. The butterfly accent on the box is a leftover piece of cardstock and a random button tied with leftover twine. Quick and cute!

The green flower accent is a 1 3/8" circle snipped all the way around. The button is a technique I learned at the European Stampin' Up! convention last November: punch 6 to 8 circles of designer paper or cardstock and layer together using Crystal Effects. Allow to dry, then punch holes using the Crop-A-Dile. Add thread, twine, or ribbon, and you've got a homemade paper button! Easy peasy! The "leaf" is a leftover piece of Certainly Celery twill tape folded over.

This card actually goes along with Tip 2, which is creating a patterned strip using designer paper.

Again, I used leftover cardstock to creat my own embellished flower. Once I cut out the flower, I colored the center of the flower with a coordinating ink, added Dazzling Diamonds glitter, and a few beads.

These projects are all very girlie, with lots of flowers and butterflies but you get the idea of ways you can use your scraps. I think I'll have to come back and do another one making masculine embellishments :) Here's some further helpful hints for using up your scraps:

*Remember: Thou shalt not make more scraps! If you're doing "Scraps Only" projects, try to only create card bases or boxes that will use the exact measurements of a regular sized piece of cardstock without making more scraps to do it. For example, you can cut 12" x 12" cardstock into 3" x 3", 4" x 4", 6" x 6", or 3" x 6" card bases so that you don't generate more scraps and you use the entire piece. Once you've created your card bases, then you can dig into your scraps to make embellishments.

*When creating projects, always look in your scraps first before cutting into another piece of paper.

*Organize your scraps: ribbons, diecuts, paper by color or color family, buttons, etc. Whatever method of organization works so that you can find what you need without having to dig for an hour looking for that button or ribbon scrap you know is in there somewhere.

*Keep your scraps out in the open or easily accessible: out of sight is out of mind so keep them where you can see them and be reminded of using them first. I have three glass jars on my craft desk with ribbon scraps, tags, and diecuts that I can see at a glance if there's anything I can use. It's amazing how often you'll find something you can use when you keep it in sight.

Thanks for hanging in to the very end! Now go reward yourself with some chocolate (or whatever you like) because you deserve it for reading all the way to the very bottom. I truly hope this has inspired you to look at your scraps in a whole new way. Happy crafting!