Got Scraps Challenge: January

So far we've used 1" strips, punched shapes, and squares... what's next? 

Flowers. 

No, wait, don't panic! Little ones, big ones, punched, die-cut, hand-cut, torn - there are lots of ways to make flowers, and they all use up scraps. Now is the time to try that fun folded flower you saw on YouTube or the tutorials from our DT that you bookmarked but didn't get around to yet. And don't give me sass about how flowers are just not anything you can use... I live with a boybarian horde. I just had to dig a little deeper for my photos. *wink* 

So, just like the Freaky Fast Formula and Page Starter, this challenge is designed to get you scrapping quickly and with a minimum of fuss. You can do as much or as little as you like, in whatever style suits you. And the best part... you just might be able to finally kill off some kits, or at least make a dent in that scrap pile! 

Step 1: Find an almost-dead kit. No kit? No worries - go dig through your scrap pile and find some coordinating patterned paper scraps.

The last bits of Fancy Pants Hopscotch

Step 2:  Make a pile of flowers.  Pull out those tutorials or seldom-used cut files/cartridges/punches. Have fun and play!

Here's what my Silhouette did for me.  Cuteness, eh?

Step 3: Find some pictures and cardstock to match your scraps. 

Ancient pics from 1975. Yes, I was alive then.  Be nice.  LOL

Step 4: Shop your stash for the extra bits, like alphas, journaling blocks, and coordinating embellies.

Lots of random bits; some from the Hopscotch kit, other parts from my stash.

Step 4.5:  Behind the scenes magic.  This is the part that happens after Step 4 and before Step 5 where I confess that I had Step 5 done and really hated it and had to do *something*.  The problem is that the paper flowers turned out to be much too bright and did not look good all stacked and layered like I had planned.  No, I did not take a picture.  Just imagine a hot, clash-y mess in your head.  So here's what I did:  I sprayed the gee-whiz out of the flowers to fix the color and then dumped them onto my desk - and I loved how it looked all randomly piled in line. 

Step 5: Finish. Make this layout your own. Do your thing! 

I got stubborn and used every single last flower I had cut.  You don't have to be that stubborn!

This took a while to make because of Step 4.5 (more confession time).  However:  I killed a kit. AND... I used some stuff out of my stash. All with flower power!  *grin*

Now it's your turn! I challenge you to turn scrappy flowers into layouts this month. You have until January 31st to leave a comment with a link to your layout here for a chance to win an awesome prize pack. An awesome prize pack like this American Crafts “Bling It On” Prize Package!

4 jars of Glitter, 4 jars of Glitter Shapes, 1 Roller Stamp, 1 roll of Glitter Ribbon

Oh, and if you do happen to kill a kit - or four - stop by the Message Board and record it in our Kit Killer thread. We've started a new thread to track our kits in 2013 - come help us out! 

- Theresa/Savi

Got Scraps? Then You Might Have a Gift, Too...

It's time to turn your scraps into layouts... and maybe a gift or two while you're at it!  In case there's a little bit of busy going on in your life right now, this particular Got Scraps Challenge is designed to be combined with other challenges (oh, like maybe the sketch challenge, with a little planning) or to be a kick-start to some gift giving.  And just like always, this challenge is designed to get you scrapping quickly and with a minimum of fuss.  You can do as much or as little as you like, in whatever style suits you.

Ready?  We're going to shake things up a bit and go a little out of order from the usual formula... which will actually make it easier to make a gift out of that special photo. 

Step 1:  Find that special photo... and maybe a frame while you're at it.

This 5x7 photo is from our last little mini trip to heaven.  I mean, the North Shore.  The 8x10 frame?  Pulled that out of the closet.

Step 2:  Find an almost-dead kit to match your photo.  No kit?  No worries - go dig through your scrap pile and find some coordinating patterned paper scraps.

Crate Paper Random was perfect for me... a touch of pink and orange to match our clothes with blue and grey to match the sky, water, and rocks.  The patterns didn't matter so much as I knew I would be using small pieces of it.

Step 3:  Cut some squares... any size, using any tool you prefer.

I used 1x1 squares.  I was going after colors more than patterns, so the smaller size worked for that.

Step 4:  Shop your stash for the extra bits, like alphas, journaling blocks, cardstock, and coordinating embellies. 

I got an awesome care package in the mail literally 15 minutes before I started this project.  The ribbon, brad, flowers, and phrase stickers are from that package.  I love you, my happy-mail friend!  THANKS!

Step 5:  Finish.  Make this layout your own.  Do your thing! 

And there it is!  My style is thick and lumpy, so I left the glass out of the frame.

I used glue dots and a squirt of Glossy Accents to hold the buttons and flower in place... just some extra insurance!

Check it out!  I made a gift for my husband for his desk at work.  I used some scraps.  AND... I used some stuff out of my stash AND the mailbox.  All with the power of squares. *love*

Now it's your turn!  I challenge you to turn squares into layouts... or gifts... this month.  You have until December 31st to link up your layout here for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the TSR Store.  Oh, and if you do happen to kill a kit - or four - stop by the Message Board and record it in our Kit Killer thread.  We're on our way to a goal of 225 dead kits by the end of the year - come help us out!

- Theresa/Savi

Got Scraps Challenge!

In September, we focused on the power of 1" strips to kill some scraps.  I catch myself using that trick here and there and I hope you have, too.

So what's next?

Shapes.  Yep.  Punched or die-cut shapes.  The possibilities are endless!

Just like the Freaky Fast Formula and Page Starter, this challenge is designed to get you scrapping quickly and with a minimum of fuss.  You can do as much or as little as you like, in whatever style suits you.  And the best part... you just might be able to finally kill off some kits, or at least make a dent in that scrap pile!

Step 1:  Find an almost-dead kit.  No kit?  No worries - go dig through your scrap pile and find some coordinating patterned paper scraps.

The last bits of Crate Paper On Trend

Step 2:  Grab your favorite punch or diecut and just start making shapes.  Don't worry about what shape you grabbed - it's your favorite, and it won't let you down!

Love this tab-shaped punch.  I seem to sneak it in on a lot of layouts!

 Step 3:  Find some pictures and cardstock to match your scraps.  

Pretty pink flower (and bumblebee!) along with some black, white, and green cardstock.

Step 4:  Shop your stash for the extra bits, like alphas, journaling blocks, and coordinating embellies. 

I'm a sucker for washi tape.  Did you know that?  *giggle*

Step 5:  Finish.  Make this layout your own.  Do your thing! 

Lots of layers and stitching - yep, that's definitely my style!

This took 50 minutes.  I killed a kit.  AND... I used some stuff out of my stash.  All with the power of my favorite punch. *love*

What?  You want to see it again?  Well, alright!  I just happen to have some October scraps laying around, so I'll show you how to do this with a different punch - and making a card this time!

Step 1:  Find an almost-dead kit. 

Simple Stories Take a Hike... hmmm, not much left.

Step 2:  Grab your favorite punch or diecut and just start making shapes.

I think this zig-zag border punch is kind of manly, like these papers.  Plus, I like it!

Step 3:  Find some cardstock to match your scraps.

I had some grey cardstock left from the kit and added this pine green from my stash.

Step 4:  Shop your stash for the extra bits, like alphas, journaling blocks, and coordinating embellies. 

Hmmm... do you think I'm going to break out the sewing machine again?

Step 5:  Finish.  Make this card your own.  Do your thing! 

Still very much my style... layers and stitching.  Not your style?  That's okay!  Remember, this step requires you to do YOUR thing!

What?  One more?  Oh, for real?  Okay!  *smiles*

Here's the end result of what happens when patterned paper meets a leaf punch.  So many possibilities!

Yeah, yeah.  I still sewed on it.  But not so many layers this time!

Now it's your turn!  I challenge you to turn one shape into layouts this month.  You have until November 30th to link up your layout here for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the TSR Store.  Oh, and if you do happen to kill a kit - or four - stop by the Message Board and record it in our Kit Killer thread.  We're on our way to a goal of 225 dead kits by the end of the year - come help us out!

- Theresa/Savi

Got Scraps? New Challenge!

I think just about all of us have them.  Lurking.  And we avoid making eye contact - out of sight, out of mind, right?  You know what I'm talking about...  those pesky little scraps.  We *want* to kill our kits, we really do, but there's just a few too many pieces left to let us turn our backs and walk away.

Maybe I can help.

Just like the Freaky Fast Formula and Page Starter, this challenge is designed to get you scrapping quickly and with a minimum of fuss.  You can do as much or as little as you like, in whatever style suits you.  And the best part... you just might be able to finally kill off some kits, or at least make a dent in that scrap pile!

Step 1:  Find an almost-dead kit.  No kit?  No worries - go dig through your scrap pile and find some coordinating patterned paper scraps.

The remnants of WRMK Hall Pass.

Step 2:  Slice your patterned paper into 1" strips.  [This took me about 2 minutes to do.  Maybe I'm a little fussy.]

Step 3:  Find some pictures and cardstock to match.  [Now I'm about 10 minutes into this project.]

I decided to focus on the red shirt of my kid - loving the greens and yellows in the paper, too.

Step 4:  Stir.  And shop your stash for the extra bits, like alphas, journaling blocks, and coordinating embellies.  [Another 10 minutes.  Whoa... this is pretty fast for me!]

Pretty much what the end page will look like.  Ohmigosh, am I going to have white space???

Step 5:  Finish.  Make this layout your own.  Do your thing!  [This part took 40 minutes.  Yes.  I like to fuss.  But I think I already established that fact!  LOL]

I am trying to feel a wee bit embarrassed for pleating and distressing paper AGAIN.  But I don't.  'Cuz that's how I roll.

So check that out!  I got a double layout done in one hour.  I killed a kit.  AND... I used some stuff out of my stash.  All with the power of 1" strips. 

Now it's your turn!  I challenge you to turn 1" scrap strips into layouts this month.  You have until September 30th to link up your layout here for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the TSR Store.  Oh, and if you do happen to kill a kit - or four - stop by the Message Board and record it in our Kit Killer thread.  We're on our way to a goal of 225 dead kits by the end of the year - come help us out!

- Theresa (a.k.a. "Savi")