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Make a Card from Scraps!

Happy New Year, everyone - even though I'm a little late!  :)  I hope this month is going well for you, and that you are dealing with this severe weather we've been having without too much trouble.  Since one of my goals for 2014 is to use more of what I have, I thought I'd kick things off with an article about how to make a card using your scraps.  I hope you like it! And please check out my friend Margareta's new site,  Use Your Stash, where you'll find lots of ideas for using what you already have.

How to Make a Card from Scraps

by Jeanette Giancaspro

You know you have them.  I have them too.  We all have them.  They seem to mock us from our scrapbook drawers, bins, baskets, and paper holders.   I’m talking, of course, about paper scraps.  Yes, those leftovers from scrapbook pages, cards, and other paper projects that we just can’t bear to throw away.  We have to keep them because that sheet of paper cost money, or because we don’t like to waste things, or because of a dozen other reasons.  In any case, let’s just put those little bits of loveliness to use, shall we?

Here is what you will need to make a card from scraps:

·         Cardstock cut to desired size  (I used a piece that is 4 ¼ x 5 ½ inches when folded in half.)

·         Sheet of printer paper or other scrap paper cut to the same dimensions as your card base  (In my case, it was 4 ¼ x 5 ½ inches.)  We will trim this to a smaller size later.

·         Scraps of paper or cardstock that can be cut into strips

·         Adhesive (Dry works best.)

·         Paper trimmer

·         Sharp scissors

·         Stamped image or other focal image

·         Greeting (optional)

·         Assorted embellishments

1.      Trim your scraps into strips of varying lengths.  You will want some wider than others to    create interest.  You will want them a little bit longer than your scrap of printer paper. 

2.      Generously apply adhesive to your computer paper.

3.      Beginning at the top, place your strips of paper on top of the adhesive, butting them up against each other to make sure that they are straight.  The strips should overhang on each of the side edges of the paper.

4.      With scissors, trim the strips flush with the paper base.

5.      Using your paper trimmer, trim the background piece that you have created to ¼” smaller than your folded card base.

6.      Adhere the background piece to the card base.

7.      Add your focal image, greeting, and embellishments.

This is a great project to use up all those extra “things” that you have in your stash.  You can also mix in some of your new supplies to jazz things up a little.  I used up some strips of paper left over from the past few layouts I made, along with a card base that was in a color that I wasn’t crazy about.  But it worked!  Although I used a printed picture of a Minion from Despicable me, and I printed the greeting, I added Glossy Accents that I’ve had for years and glitter that I’ve had for almost 2 years.   It felt so good to use up my stash and make something I love for someone I love.  (I did flatten out the greeting after I took the photo, because it was really annoying me.)

I hope this has inspired you to grab some of those leftover scraps and supplies and make a card for someone who is special to you.