Just Cardstock? You Bet!

Here's one of the first Disney layouts I completed way back when. I thought I would share today how you can make a fun & interesting layout with NO patterned paper. What prompted this was the color scheme I wanted to use for these Daisy Duck pictures. I didn't have any patterned paper in this color combo, but I had plenty of cardstock along with stamps and ink. For most layouts, I probably wouldn't have used all of these techniques together, but for meeting a Disney character it was perfect!


For the striped paper, I just cut strips of my colored cardstock in various widths, ran it through my Xyron, and adhered it to a sheet of white CS. For the circle pattern, I did the same thing with random sized punched circles. For the tone on tone papers, I just chose a fun stamp for each pattern and ink that matched my CS. I cut the "autograph" and title using my Cricut and the Mickey and Friends cartridge. I added various paper flowers, buttons, brads, and adhesive rhinestone flowers for accents, and I was done.

This layout went together very quickly. It may take you a while the first time you use one of these techniques to make your own patterns, but you will quickly get the hang of it. It's a great way to use the colors you want when they just don't match anything already in your stash. Plus it's a great way to use your scraps. I had this done in WAY less than the time it would have taken to go to the nearest store, and I saved whatever money I would have spent while I was there!

Make your own paper - on the cheap!

How many of us have looked at those expensive handmade paper presses in the craft store? I for one, have always been intrigued by them, but with no desire to spend that kind of money and add all the "stuff" to my already packed craft room. This morning, while browsing at Wal-mart, of all places, I found a crafter's bargain!

Shown is the Bill Nye (the Science Guy) Paper Recycling Factory for kids from Elmer's. What do I love about it?

1. Everything is hand powered. No electricity, no batteries. Just people power.
2. No extra "stuff" to buy. This box has everything you need; just add your paper scraps and water, and a sponge. (You'll also want some plain gelatin if you want to be able to write or stamp on the paper you make.)
3. Recycling at home! My kids can get a hands-on demo of how recycling really works, and I plan to talk about the whole reduce, reuse, recycle thing. And I feel better for reusing my scraps at home than tossing them in the recycle bin.
   
4. The price: this fun new "toy" was on clearance for $11 near the kid craft section in this store. Cheaper than most toys I have brought home (both mine and the kids'), and looks like it might hold our attention longer!

By the way, in case you didn't know, the steps in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle should be followed in order for the most positive impact on our environment! Luckily for me (I think), I was brought up to reuse pretty much everything. But I don't copy everything my mother & grandmother taught me; I went to school every winter with bread bags over my socks inside my boots because Mom insisted it would keep my feet dry. She was right, but I'm sure we'd all get some pretty strange looks wearing Wonder bags on our feet these days!

Saving my scraps (and money)

I've been working on a gift for a (nameless) friend, and now that it's pretty much done I have a bunch of scraps leftover. (I'll share pics of the gift later, after I give it!) So, I'm using some of them to add to my card stash; here are the first three I finished.

I used sketches from Jeanette Lynton's book Originals, modifying some, for all three card designs. (The book is available only through Close To My Heart consultants; contact me for more info.)

Papers and chipboard shapes are all from Basic Grey's "Sugared" line. I was using the 6x6 paper pad mostly, so the prints on these are smaller, and great for cards!

To make my plain white card bases coordinate better, I used a chocolate distressing ink pad from CTMH. Stamped sentiments are also from various CTMH stamp sets. Brads are Basic Grey, pink rhinestone is Darice, and ribbon (flower stem) is CTMH.

Cards like this are a great way to use your scraps, because you can piece together smaller bits to make a design. The background on the lower left card is actually two pieces of paper, since the center strip covers the join. Also, the red on the top card was too small to cover the entire front, so I just cut it with room for a border and inked the card base. There are tons of ways to use up your little pieces like this!