Despite how diligent I try to be about not making too many scraps or how I try to use it all in one sitting, I still have FIVE large 12×12 ziploc bags filled to the brim right now with SCRAPS. Part of it is because I teach classes so I make a lot of scraps but the other part is that I keep cutting into new pieces of paper (especially cardstock) when I have some already in my scraps bag. The reality is they are too difficult to use and store and sort…but I can't just throw them in the TRASH!!!
Here are five things to do with scraps:
Donate them. Local Children’s hospitals, Girl Scout Troops, Retirement Homes…call them up and see if they’d like your scraps to use. Many of them would love to have some fun paper to work with. Just make sure you call in advance to make sure they want it.
Rainbow Strips. Create a rainbow effect along the side of a page or card. I like to blur up my eyes a bit and look just for the main color in the paper and then go in order from there…red, orange, yellow, green…you know!! You can even throw in bits of trim and ribbon, a row of leftover buttons..whatever!
On this page I used strips of diecut papers (stars), suede paper (navy), and even some stickers I had in my scrap bag!
Make Items for Charity. I don’t want to sound like a broken record but seriously, take an hour and make some greeting cards for troops, bookmarks for Santa Claus Inc, cards for the local Children’s Hospital, or some kind of handmade creation you can sell and donate the money to charity…put those scraps to work.
Scrapbook Royalty is doing a Cards for Troops Campaign right now!! Check it out HERE. Below are the over 1500 cards made by papercrafters last year for Scrapbook Royalty's Cards for Troops Campaign 2007:
Punch Them. Sit in front of the TV watching your fave show and punch out circles, butterflies, flowers, you name it, from your scraps and create a background for your layout with them. They don’t even have to match! Make it fun. I have paper that I just adore and this is a way to really get every little useful bit out of it and to use it on more than one project.
These are some butterflies I punched from the scraps from my FIRA alphabet boxes I altered. I am now selling them in my Etsy store ;)
Sell or Give Them Away. When I get overwhelmed with my pile I get a big $8.95 Priority Mail Flat Rate BOX and fill it to the brim with everything. Half used sheets of rubons, paper, cardstock, ribbon bits, brads and eyelets I am too lazy to put away…whatever. Then I either list it on eBay for like $1 (plus $8.95 shipping) or I offer it up on a scrapbooking forum (I usually on scrapbook.com) for someone to Paypal me $10 for shipping and to cover Paypal fees and they can have it. In a lot of areas they don’t have access to scrap stores and all the products I do here in So Cal so they really do appreciate all the pieces, even if it is only half a sheet. Just make sure you don’t send junk and don’t send trash—it has to be usable stuff. If you want a box of scraps. I have one filled right now that is up for grabs….
Hopefully that inspires you to get our scraps out and do something with them!
What a great idea! I was scrapping last night…making exploding boxes..and realized I have a LOT of scraps! I think I’ll sort them by color today and see what I can do with them. Thanks for the ideas and inspiration!
Great Ideas.
Something I like to do with a lot of my stuff is put in the teachers lounge at school with a note for the teachers to take what they want. Lots of them scrapbook and get really excited.
Love all the super cute butterflies you made with your scraps! I love my scraps, I try and make everything with them. I just got a couple of paper punches from Martha Stewart’s line including a butterfly, I can’t wait to use them.
I missed you last Sunday stopping by and dropping off jackets. I hope everything is o.k.