Happy New Year everyone!
Today’s article is brought to you by Michelle Vekved, an artist and Design Team Member here in the SBCH Community. Michelle has some super easy and effective tips for avoiding waste while streeeetching that scrappy-dollar!
Read on for some great tips as we enter 2009. Thanks Michelle!
“Ok, I am a paper hoarder. And a ribbon hoarder. And a chipboard hoarder.”
Tips on saving that oh-so-great paper and getting the most right down the very last hairline strip.
by Michelle Vekved
PAPER
1. The Trap Door Technique. When using paper to matt a photo, cut a square out of the paper that’s just smaller than the photo you’re putting over it, as if you were making a photo frame. Then glue the photo to the edges or the cardstock behind the matt, and voila, another decent sized scrap to use on another worthy layout.
2. Don’t Throw Out the Scraps! Even small scraps can be made into priceless pieces. Flower petals, leaves, anything you might need to pop some color or pattern into your layout can be cut out from scraps. If your scraps are very small, glue them all collage style by color onto plain cardstock or cardboard. Now you have a unique piece of pattern paper that would be perfect for cutting out custom embellishments or making a photo frame.
3. Everytime you cut a thin strip of paper you don’t need off of another piece, put them all in an envelope to use as strips on layouts. No more hacking into a brand new piece of paper just to have a funky border or to cut a scallop out of. Similar to the scrap idea, you can adhere them all to one sheet (either by color or style or whatever) to use as a piece of unique paper. Or line them up and stagger them behind a photo as a funky matt. Or weave them into a cool piece of woven 12×12.
RIBBON
1. What They Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Them. If your ribbon strip goes behind a photo or other large item, cut it to fit around the item. Not only do you get to save some of that awesome stash, but your photo won’t be warped from the ribbon being behind it as well.
2. Flat Isn’t Always Faulty. Instead of tying a ribbon bow and using more than you need to, make a flat bow by making a loop that when pressed flat is as wide as you want the bow, then a small loop to go around the middle. It uses less ribbon than tying does and it sits flatter on your layout. Tails can be cut out and simply glued in place under the edges of the ribbon or simply place the ribbon on top of another strip to act like a buckle would.
3. Geese Flock in V’s, Ribbon Doesn’t Have To. Instead of V’ing the ends of your ribbons, cut them on an angle. The next piece you need to cut will already be angled and you don’t have to waste even a smidgen of it to cut it straight and V it again.
4. V is for Very Easy. Remember Valentine’s hearts folded and cut out of construction paper? To get a perfect V every time, and stop redoing it over and over (and wasting ribbon), fold the ribbon in half lengthwise where you’re going to cut and cut on an angle towards the fold. When you open it up, you now have a perfectly even V.
CHIPBOARD
1. Gimme Gimme Gimme My Chipboard! Getting more out of something than what is obviously there is always a great thing. When you buy chipboard that pops out of a larger piece (ie: 12×12 diecut sheets), save the 12×12 popped piece. Use it as a stencil for more chipboard or to cut out paper pieces.
2. Cut To The Chase. Use heavy duty scissors to cut out the hole from a used chipboard sheet again in an outline by cutting around the hole about 1/4″ from the hole. I’ve done this with letters when I ran out and it looks REALLY neat. I also used pinking shears to cut out some glittery hearts from Melissa Frances glitter sets.
3. When In Doubt, Use What’s Out. That 12×12 or 6×6 empty chipboard die cut sheet would make a neat 12×12 layout background! Either paint it or ink it and use it alone (think stamped transparency or lace cardstock) or attach a piece of cardstock or pattern paper to the back for a more solid look.
4. Instantly In Pictures. Shaped holes in chipboard diecut sheets make cool photo frames! Cut them out either close to the shape for a traditional square frame, or cut it square by cutting into the neighboring holes and you get a funky edged frame with a funky interior shape.
Have fun with your leftovers and the more you save, the less you need to buy! 🙂
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Remember to check out Michelle’s DT Gallery Folder for her recent work with the SBCH January 2009 “Prudence” Kit!
Scrapbooker's Club House Blog 
Written by alimom4
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