It’s time for spring-cleaning but instead of pulling out all those foul smelling detergents, rubber gloves and mops, how about a change of pace? Pull out those Iris carts, the toolboxes, the tilt bins and the sticker binders and infuse new life into some of those products that have been lying unnoticed at the bottom of drawers and cabinets.
Often, the supplies we just had to have months ago seem outdated as new and innovative products hit the market. I certainly have no intention of suggesting that anyone stop scouring the stores for the "latest and greatest". Heck that is one of the reasons scrapbooking has gained such popularity - shopping, shopping and more shopping! But, there are many other paper crafts that can incorporate scrapping supplies - and some can even save you money. The suggestions below do not constitute an exhaustive list but, hopefully, they will serve to jump-start your creativity.
The first project - a teeny tiny alphabet book - can be completed quickly and could be an excellent opportunity to include a young child in crafting.
All you need is knowledge of the alphabet, the ability to spell simple words and stickers (I KNOW you have them).
The ABC booklet is portable and small enough to easily slip into a pocket. A beginning reader can practice spelling and reading while on the way to the grocery store.
Another quick and easy project - and also a great learning tool for the youngster in your home - is a calendar. There are many on the market that are designed specifically with scrapbookers in mind. They include blank calendar pages, background paper, stickers, cut-outs and headers. I must admit that the one I used has been lying around for four years. As an alternative, you can download blank calendar pages from several children’s sites on the Internet. Use up scraps of paper, odds and ends of cut-outs or die cuts and, of course, stickers to decorate the pages.
In the example, a miniaturized layout was incorporated for the month of March and reference made to the school calendar and my own appointment calendar to include "kid-specific" dates. In addition to the usual dates to remember, record phases of the moon, season changes, weather and countdowns to eagerly anticipated events.
With the use of the square pewter frames from Making Memories and background paper from All My Memories, your pets take center stage. Frame the completed "layout" in a rectangular shadow box.
Following from the pet theme, a collection of fridge magnets is easily made with an assortment of glass marbles - remember them - and some of those "cute" animal stickers that you just couldn’t resist and now can’t bare to give away.
When rummaging through those drawers, you no doubt will come across scraps of vellum or pergamo. Rarely do I use a full sheet for any project. With a piece no bigger than 11" x 4", you can "fold" a gift enclosure.
With the addition of a stamped and embossed border edged with sheer ribbon, white vellum creates an elegant wedding favor enclosure that can be made in less than 10 minutes. The small cellophane bag inside contains chocolate covered almonds. Well, let’s say it used to contain chocolate covered almonds.
For the more experienced scrapper, put those odds and ends of scrapping supplies to work creating cards for all occasions. The examples below were made with the current seasonal themes in mind - "New Beginnings" - a birth announcement, again, with leftover vellum,
and a change of address announcement.
For "St. Patrick’s Day", include good wishes for the day
and a surprising flourish of 3-D shamrocks.
Paper dolls may be on hiatus from the scrapbooking scene but they lend themselves quite nicely to use as invitations to children’s parties or other fun celebrations. Ribbon charms, buttons and fibers add dimensional elements to the leprechaun invitation.
The little green man holds a removable shamrock which, when removed, gives the particulars of the party on the reverse side.
And what would a St. Patrick’s Day party be without an excuse to partake of a little Irish coffee? Another use for scrapping supplies - a collection of well-loved family recipes.
For those of you who rarely depart from scrapbook layouts, take a break. Try one of the suggested projects. Exercise the left side of your brain and promote your creativity by dabbling in other related mediums. This is particularly useful if you occasionally suffer from scrapper’s block. Instead of fretting about it, walk away, leave the photos in the box, pick up the scissors, grab your favorite color of cardstock and make a card. Do what comes easily and just enjoy the process. You may surprise yourself.
