Using Scraps: Introduction

Sooooo, I've been talking about doing this series on using scraps, and now here I am following through on that!  (Finally!)

Before I started thinking about using my scraps, I barely ever used them, and they were piling up around my desk everywhere.  Okay, I'll be honest, they still are, but not quite as much.  I still have two full bags of scraps, one of which is so full I can barely stick my hand in to get something out.   I hate to admit it, but I am a hoarder of scraps.  Ha, like you couldn't tell by now.

I was inspired to start using up my scraps when I started reading this awesome blog, more specifically these Use What You Have posts.  The name says it all, right?  They talk about how you don't have to buy anything from the store to be creative!  I love that, and it's helped me to think about how I can use all the supplies I have laying around.  Pretty helpful.  Below is a picture of my two overflowing bags of scraps.  I cherish my pride too much to show a picture of my desk though.

The one in front is not quite so full now, thankfully.  I'm not doing any tutorials on this post, but I am showing y'all some cards I've made using mostly or only scraps.  The cards themselves don't count.

In later posts in this series, I'll hopefully be sharing some simple tutorials on using scraps for cards!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

The Little Green Bow

I was originally going to make this a Thank You or Birthday card, but I couldn't figure out a way to do that and still make it look good and uncluttered, so I decided to make it miscellaneous instead.  Which brings up the point that you do not always need to have words on a card.  Every single card in  the card making magazine that I get has words, but it's really not always necessary.

A good friend of mine made this wonderful little crumply flower picture thing and gave it to me to use on a card.  It took me a while, but I finally got around to using it! 

This light pink card stock is 1 9/16 by 2 inches.  Again, you do not need to use the same measurements I do!  Glue on the flower picture.

Ain't she a beauty?

Ooh, look!  Another beauty!

Since I am currently my own photographer, it would be quite difficult to take pictures of the embossing process while doing it.  So basically, you stamp, sprinkle the powder over the ink while it's still wet (which is part of why I couldn't take pictures, because it has to be done in a timely manner), shake excess into scrap paper, and heat with a heating tool. 

Because of the size of the stamp, I had to stamp three times to cover the whole card.

This piece is 5 by 3 3/4 inches; the same paper I used for the small pink rectangle.  You may notice that it's textured.  With a pencil and ruler, draw a border 1/8 of an inch from the edges, and cut with your knife of choice.

Make sure to only put a thin line of glue when gluing.  You could also use a sticker maker.  I just got a new cartridge! 

With an eyelet punch, punch two holes at the two bottom corners of the small pink rectangle.

Don't worry if the eyelets break apart at the back.  It shouldn't show on the front, and if it does, it won't be much, so it's not a big deal.

I got to keep some of this pretty green ribbon from Christmas.

After some practice, I figured out how to make a perfect little bow.  Unfortunately though, I can't tie it tight enough to stay really well.

...Which is where SUUPER GLUUE (say it as you would "SUUPER MAAN!") comes to the rescue!  Just dab a little in the nicks and crannies  of the bow where it won't be seen.

I chose to put the center piece slightly to the top left so that it would look more balanced with the bow.