Scrapping with scraps

[Kim1964]

In the pre-dawn hours yesterday when sleep eluded me, I was thinking about my ever growing pile of scraps of paper. I save every piece that I think is big enough to put through the Cricut, even if only one item will fit. I've gotten better about checking this pile before I use a brand new piece of paper, but there is room for improvement.

I've decided to challenge myself to use something from the scrap pile on every layout. Yesterday I used two pieces from the scraps....one to cut out some title letters and one to make a photo mat.

My hope is that I will make more room in my scrapping area by using this stuff up, AND I will save money and be better able to stay on the Ban Wagon by not using a fresh piece of paper when there are scraps that will do the job.

Anybody want to join me?

 

[Nikkole]

I'll join! I have a huge load of scraps, some not even big enough to probably use in a punch but hey, YOU NEVER know when you'll need to use that color, and that small of a piece!

On the occasion of joining, seeing that its 7am, coffee is running through and I'm about to leave for work, I made this: Anyone who wants to use it is free to.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

That little attacker is really cute.

I have the same hoarding problem. And it is a problem. I never go back to look through ALL the baggies I have full of scrap paper. There is no organization to them, so it is impossible to find anything. I need to just toss the stuff. But I paper too much to do it.

I wish I could join you. But I know me way too well. I won't really do it.
So I'll compromise. When I really actually make pages instead of swap items, I will try to use the scraps for letters/shapes/journaling. See, I only make swap items. I have yet to really start on any page projects that aren't other things, like paperbag albums or gifts for other people. My eldest has more pages done than me.

 

[pjlla]

I'll be happy to join in as soon as my "scrap-free January" is over. I decided that I needed to put my scrapping aside for a while in an effort to spend some time decluttering my home, so I'll get back to scrapping in Feb. But I love the idea of the challenge.

If you are looking for a neat idea for a lot of scraps, google "serendipity squares". I have made them in the past and they are really cute and there are lots of uses. I have made letters and other shaps using the "serendipity" pages that I made and I love the way they look.

I only recently started sorting my scraps. I only sort them by patterned, solid, and then black and white get their own drawer. If I have a lot of large scraps of one color, I try to file it back in with the full size sheets of the paper. Otherwise they all go in the drawer together. But the nice thing is that the kids know that anything in the scrap drawers are free to use.

Thanks for suggesting the challenge... I am so up for it! Maybe we could post pictures if we were REALLY happy with the way a scrap-inspired page turned out. It might be helpful to others........................P

 

[MazdaUK]

Once I've cut into a piece of paper I put coloured pieces in my CM accordion paper folder and printed pieces in the front pocket of 12x12 Cm paper holders (by type of print - flower, stripe etc.) Teeny pieces I put in a large ziplock ready to do serendipity squares - sometimes I even make SS's I can see with the BAN I'll need to be making more and more of these

ETA I also keep 4x4 squares of paper in my mini-sort box ready to use in my Xyron PCS

 

[mantaz]

I have my scrap paper in a file folder sorted by color. Anytime I need to cut letters or punch something, I go there first. I am trying to work my scraps down too!

 

[happycampers]

At an auction, I spent $7 for a "lot" of items, mostly toys. The main reason I bought the "lot" was because of the five sets of plastic storage drawers that held the toys.

(Now, the toys alone were worth it. My kids kept and play with some, some got sold at our garage sale, and a neighbor sold a group of Harry Potter things on ebay for us. We split that $260 with him. So my plastic drawer purchase was a very profitable deal.)

Anyhoo, I LOVE using one of my plastic drawer sets for my scraps. I keep it on my scrap counter. I put "neutrals" (black, white, brown, tan) in one drawer, purples and blues in another, yellows with greens, reds with oranges, and then pinks in the last drawer. I can see what I have so well, and I really use it up. I've used the tiniest of scraps. Small bits of black from in between Cricut cuts even get used for punching out holes with my eyelet punch to use for eyes on my tear bears and such.

 

[jennyL]

I have all my SU paper in a file cabinet and each with its own folder so I place the scraps of each color in the front of its folder so I can always grab that first. For my pattern paper I keep another folder for the scraps but they are not seperated by type I just look through it when I'm needing a small piece of something. I make alot of cards so I can usually come up with a good use for most of my scraps.

My DH does laugh since I will through pieces away that I think are just too small but my craft room trash doesn't go out until its full so I have been known to dig back through and take something out when I knew it was in there. LOL

 

[Lisa]

Any scrap pieces of paper the size of 4 x 6 down gets put in a box to be used for some cricut die cuts. I'm pretty good about looking there before going to larger pieces.

Now if anyone wants a lesson on utilizing minut pieces of scrap, MomK is the goddess. You would know her as Buffy's Mom. It doesn't surprise you now, uh? I have seen this woman use the corner scraps from inside a CM corner maker as seagulls. She runs a before and after school program - it's AMAZING what craft projects she comes up with on a shoestring budget. A Goddess I tell you, she is a craft goddess!

 

[rlcook]

One of the things that I do with my scraps is use the CM square punch and punch "tiles" of many colors, and store them in the keepers that come with the punches. That way, I can use a white peice of 12x12 that comes with the refills, and I just space them around the paper and attach with my click n stick. That way, I can use up the white 12x12's also.

 

[mommy2mrb]

I have all of my scraps in a basket on top of my rolling drawer unit and always look there before I use a full piece. I also keep the white 12x12 pages from refills for matting. DD also gets to use my scraps for her little projects.

 

[Faerie]

I have an old CM accordian I use