:ARTICLE: Top 5 Ways to be a More Eco-Friendly Scrapper

As you most likely already know, today is Earth Day. This may or may not have you thinking about how to be a 'greener' scrapbooker. If so, here's a few ideas.

Reduce.
Less is more. You’ve heard it before, right. It’s often true for scrapbooking, too. Do you really need layer upon layer of papers and embellishments on a single layout to tell your story? Probably not. In fact, the story you are working so hard to record might just be getting lost in all the excess. Try simplifying your crafting to photos, words and just a few decorative extras.

Reuse.
Don’t brush those scraps into the garbage. Use them! That skinny strip of patterned paper might be just the ticket for a cute decorative border to add a little flair to your next layout. Scraps are often the perfect size for creating adorable cards for friends and loved ones. Also, look a little more creatively at the packaging that your scrap supplies come in. Can the negative of a chipboard element be used as a mask? Can some clear plastic packaging be used for some chic punched accents? Also, are there household items that could find new life in your next creative project? Consider using items such as old clothing, cereal boxes, corrugated cardboard and even junk mail in inspired new ways.

Recycle.
So you’re not a fan of using your scraps? It’s okay…it’s likely that a local school, daycare, or church would love to take them off your hands. You might also consider listing unwanted supplies or tools you no longer use on Freecycle for a fellow craft enthusiast who may not have the budget to buy new.

Buy Local.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local scrapbooking store, support it. Not only are you helping to support business in your community, but you’re also reducing the many hidden costs of having products delivered to your door.

Buy Green.
Encourage more companies to ‘go green’ or at least offer greener options by supporting those that already do. Die Cuts With View offers an earth-friendly collection called The Eco Stack that comes with 24 designs, all printed on 70 percent post-consumer recycled paper that is also acid and lignin free. Or check out a company like Creatively Green that offers 100% recycled textured cardstock and more.

READER RESPONSE:
What tips or techniques do you have for being a more earth-friendly crafter?

:ALTERED PROJECT: Gift Bags

At work, I am the advisor for about 35 student workers as part of my position in admissions. We have a group called ADMIT that helps us with events, giving tours to prospective students and more as well as student callers and workstudy students.

One minor part of this duty is planning a Christmas and end-of-year event. It's always such a busy time of year for us in Admissions and for the students as well with finals, so we decided to do an all-afternoon open house last week with goodies, hot apple cider, and Christmas music so they could stop in whenever they had time for a little study break and some socialization.

I wanted to give them something, but when there are 35+ of them, it has to be simple AND inexpensive. So, this is what I came up with...

They are goody bags that I personalized with a name tag and decorated with some of my holiday patterned paper scraps. (There I go again...using up my scraps! I am so proud of myself this holiday season!)

To give this plain brown little bag something 'extra', I used the scalloped blade on my trimmer to put a nice decorative edge on the top of the bag.

I used some inexpensive raffia to attach the tag and seal the bag.

If you can't read the 'poem', it says:

Finals Survival Kit

*A TOOTSIE ROLL to remind you not to bite off more than you can chew.

*SMARTIES to remind you that you're no dummy.

*A STARBURST to give you a burst of energy.

*A LIFESAVER in case you feel like you're drowning in information.

*A STICK OF GUM to encourage you to stick with it and don't give up.

*A MINT to tell you that you're worth a fortune to the Admissions Office the whole year through.

*A HUG to remind you that we're here for you, too.

And when finals are through, you can let out a big YOOHOO!

There is one of each of the bolded items inside the bag.

Here's a closer look...

:ALTERED PROJECT: Advent Calendar

I've wanted to make an Advent calendar for a couple of years now and finally got around to it over Thanksgiving break this year.

I had mentioned in my review post for Scrapbook Trends Holidays idea book, there was an Advent calendar included in that issue the really encouraged me to get it done in time for this year's holiday season.

Here's the spread that included my inspiration.

The canvas in my inspiration piece was unaltered, but I wanted to add something a little extra, so I decided to give it a crackle texture.

First, I painted it with a deep red that would coordinate well with the patterned papers that I would be using.

While that layer was drying, I started to work on the layered squares that would hold the 24 tins.

I cut a 2 3/4 inch square in a deep brown as the foundation for each tin.

Then, I cut a 2 5/8 inch square to layer over the top and punched a 2 inch circle from the same design of patterned paper. The circles would later be used to embellish the lid of my tins.

Each square has a different patterned paper - 24 patterns in total.

I also punched 24 2 1/2 inch scalloped circles. These were all a solid cardstock and I used three different colors - deep red, deep green and a lighter green.

Then, I loosely matched up all my sets.

Next, I rounded the corners on my 2 5/8 inch squares and inked the edges of all my layers - circles and squares alike.

Then it was time to adhere the 2 5/8 inch patterned squares to the 2 3/4 inch brown squares. I then adhered the 2 1/2 inch scalloped circle to the 2 5/8 inch square, choosing the solid color that coordinated best with each pattern.

By this time, my layer of red paint was dry on my canvas and it was time to add the crackle medium.

Ohhh...shiny...

Now, while that layer was drying, I started working on the actual embellishment of the 24 tins.

Again, each tin is embellished uniquely. No two are the same. The only thing that ties them together are the number stickers that I used by Making Memories to countdown from 24 to 1.

Once the crackle medium was dry, I added a layer of cream colored paint.

In this case, it was actually FUN to watch the paint dry and see the crackle finish appear!!

Once the last layer of paint was dry, it was time to adhere all the squares and tins. I attached the tins using velcro tabs so that they can be removed from the canvas.

I printed the title, embellished with rub ons and added to the canvas as the finishing touch!

All that was left was to add a piece of candy to each tin. Kaitlin's been enjoying this little treat each day as we count our way down to Christmas!!

The great thing is that no full sheets of patterned paper were harmed in the making of this project! :-) It was a great way for me to use up bits and pieces of holiday-themed scrapbook papers that I had left over from previous years.

I also got the canvas (14" x 18") at Hobby Lobby when it was on sale for 50% off and I used a 40% off coupon for the tins which I actually found in the wedding aisle and came in a box of 24 - how perfect!

So, overall, this was a pretty cheap project to complete considering it's size.

Here's a few more pictures of the finished product.

I'd love to know what you think!! Please leave me a comment...

Supplies:

Canvas: Master's Touch

Favor Tins: Hobby Lobby

Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye, Making Memories, Basic Grey, SEI

Rub ons: Pink Paislee

Gems: My Mind's Eye, unknown

Buttons: Unknown

Metal Signs: Making Memories

Epoxy Stickers: Making Memories

Number Stickers: Making Memories

Brads: Prima, Making Memories

Flowers: Prima

Metal/Gem Snowflakes: Favorite Findings (Wal-Mart)

Circle Punches: Marvy

Corner Rounder: Marvy

Scallop Border Punch: Fiskars

Paint: Americana

Crackle Medium: Folk Art

Velcro: Velcro

:CRAFTING: Love Pills...

With Valentine's Day only a couple days away, I thought I would share a little altered project that I made this year for Kaitlin to give to her grandparents (so, Grandmas and Pappas...please ask surprised when she gives these to you because I know you're probably going to see them here first...)

Anyway, when we recently emptied a Parmesan shaker, I thought it might be a neat thing to alter and came up with this:

Supplies:

• Parmesan container
• 12 oz. bag of M&M's
• Patterned papers of choice (I used My Mind's Eye.)
• 10 in. of lace or ribbon (I used Rusty Pickle.)
• Punches - 2.5 in. scallop oval, 2 in. oval, 1 in. circle
• Trimmer - scallop blade
• Ink - Colorbox
• Brads - Doodlebug
• Corner Rounder - Marvy
• Font - Journaling Font
• Adhesive - tape runner, foam dots

Instructions:

1. Cut your large piece of patterned paper to fit your container. For my container (it is the Great Value Brand from Walmart), I cut my paper to 10 in. x 4.5 in. You may want to measure your container if you are using a different brand or size. I used my scalloped edge blade on my trimmer on the top and bottom edges to add extra detail.
2. Ink edges and adhere to your container.
3. Cut your narrow band to wrap around the center. I cut mine to 10 in. x 1.5 in. Again, I used my scalloped edge blade on the top and bottom.
4. Ink edges and adhere to your container.
5. Print desired title, poem and cap labels on cardstock. If you'd like to save time and download mine for printing, you can do so here.
6. Punch out title using 2 in. oval punch. Ink edges.
7. Punch out 2.5 in. scalloped oval from coordinating cardstock or patterned paper. Ink edges.
8. Adhere title oval to scalloped oval.
9. Add decorative brad to title ovals.
10. Adhere to container as desired using dimensional adhesive. I centered mine along the top edge of the narrow band.
11. Trim poem, round the corners and ink edges. Adhere to container.
12. Punch out cap labels using 1 in" circle punch. Due to the smaller surface are on the 'sprinkle' tab, I slightly trimmed one side of the circle so that it would fit properly.
13. Ink edges and adhere tabs to the appropriate sides of the cap.
14. Adhere ribbon around the outside edge of the cap.

This was a fun and easy project that I think turned out really cute. Although I used mini m&m's for my containers, there are probably candies that would also work well. The main issue is finding ones that are small enough to fit through the 'sprinkle' side. Regular m&m's are too large. Red Hots would work well, I think, and might even be better considering the holiday.

Again, if you'd like to use my title, poem and labels to make your own "Love Pills" container in time for Valentine's Day, you can download them here.

If you do make one, I'd love to see your version of the craft. Come back and leave a link!