Clever Scraps

Paper is one thing that many of us share as a weakness. It’s hard to walk past the paper row without at least a glance. And then when I get home, I find myself “saving” that new sheet for the perfect layout. The great thing about scraps is that they allow me to use that favorite pattern or color again. It’s inspiring when I find those little pieces leftover and discover a way to use it on one more layout.

Most of us have probably used scrap paper to create an embellishment or maybe to jot down a caption for the pictures on our layout. This week’s challenge was to use scrap paper creatively.

We especially love what Katherine did with her card and the scraps she used to create a heart. (Click on her name to find a tutorial on her blog about how to do this.) Using many scraps to create one shape, adds dimension and interest to an element on your page that otherwise might be ho-hum.

One thing that I love, is when I grab a couple of random scraps that didn’t come together in a kit or a set, and find that they can work together to form a new look. It’s in these accidental collections that I find colors that I hadn’t thought to put together and patterns that are fun and refreshing. Here's a link to one such accident.

With a couple of punches or a die-cut machine, I can use larger, colorful scraps on a simple background and create a look like this one from Shannon Tidwell at Two Peas in a Bucket. This is the kind of idea that makes me want to run to my scrap table and try something new!

It’s a real test, if you’re up for it, because it’s easy to use our materials in the same ways over and over again. Maybe the real challenge is to use scraps differently than you usually do. Some of us may be pros at one technique, but rarely tackle another.

Not only do we want to encourage you to use what you have – the hundreds of scraps of paper you might have in a drawer or a box – but we want you to use them in new ways. Grab a handful, see what happens, and then share!