Using Scraps of Paper

So, do you guys keep your scraps of paper left over from other projects, or do you throw them away?  If you throw away your scraps - you are throwing away money...scraps can be used on a whole lot of things when you paper craft!  

• Use them for tags
• Bookmarks
• Backgrounds for cards
• Embellishments for scrapbook pages
• Smaller projects
• Use with paper piecing patterns
• Use as accents
• For more "one of a kind" looks
• To save larger sheets of paper
• For punch shapes

As you first start creating, find something you can throw your scraps in.  I have been organizing and reorganizing my scraps for years - and have recently found this bucket is the best thing I can use to put my scraps in!  When I am working on a project - like today...I started working on cards, and using the papers in the bucket helped me to find perfect papers and colors to create one of a kind cards with.  I always use scraps for my background papers, as it makes the project truly be one of a kind, and very inexpensive to make.  Since I have stamped for 23 plus years - I have learned for me personally, I don't always like to make elaborate stamped cards...simple and easy is better for me - though more intricate cards can be rewarding as well!  
As I start to create projects - I look at the papers I have in the scraps that fit with the colors I am using.  Or - if I have found the papers, I will look for smaller scraps to either stamp sayings or images on or use with my punches!  Some of the funnest cards and bookmarks I have made have been done by using scraps!  
When you use your scraps with paper piecing patterns, your papers can really make the project be one of a kind...and you aren't using a whole piece of paper and wasting most of it while you are at it!  This is where you can make your layouts, cards and paper crafts be more customized to you - by using colors that fit in to the photos and colors of background papers at the same time! I love to use a color wheel - to make sure the colors are going to match, or see what other colors I might need to add to the creation while I am at it! 

Thanks for stopping by,

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme