Tis the season to go through your scrapbooking stash.
The holidays are a great time to assess the type and amount of scrapbook materials you have in stock. The items that you want can be added to your Christmas wish list, while the leftovers can be used to craft end-of-the-year memory books.
Taking inventory of your scrapbooking paper, embellishments and albums may sound like a pain, but in the long run it can prove to be a very cost-effective exercise. In addition, finding ways to repurpose existing materials is a wonderful way to flex your creative muscle.
Here are some ideas:
Use up leftover pieces of cardstock by printing free scrapbook clip art onto them to embellish layouts.
Take mismatched stickers and create an eclectic page border or photo frame.
Use extra pieces of scrapbook border to make journaling blocks.
Add leftover letter stickers to journaling blocks or titles for a ransom note look.
Gather up extraneous rub-ons and use them as vehicles to include names, dates, and other information to your page designs.
Extra stickers can be given a distressed look by lightly sanding them before adhering them to layouts.
Tiny pieces of ribbon can be connected to create borders or to embellish mementos.
Arrange leftover die cut tags to make a frame or border.
Use up scrap pieces of fabric and ribbon by making little flowers, and securing the blossoms in place with extra buttons.
Attach a row of eyelets or mini brads to create eye-popping designs on your layouts.
Don’t throw out the index prints you get when you develop photos at discount retailers. Rather, cut-up them up and use the tiny images to make a fun border or spell out words with them to create a funky page title.
Collect the memorabilia you couldn’t fit on single page layouts, such as extra ticket stubs, maps or greeting cards. Next, use pinking shears or other decorative-edged scissors to cut them up. Then, make a mosaic using all of the colorful paper pieces and add to your page design.