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Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni VSN Go to Girl Pretty, Pretty Princess
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Scraps? Do you use them?
I have the worst time using scap pieces of paper. Once I cut a piece of cardstock to use I put the leftover piece/pieces in these nice big clear envelopes that I bought.
I have two for each color family, one for BIG scrap pieces and one for small scrap pieces.
I have such good intentions of using them but when I need a piece of cardstock I go straight to my nice full sheets instead of the already cut pieces that I saved! I just look at them but I can't bring myself to use them, I have to have a nice brand new sheet!
I am crazy! I mean these pieces are half-sheets and long strips and basically every size and I will get a new piece and cut it instead of using the scraps! See, I am crazy!:rolleyes: (Yes, I do the same thing w/clothes, have to have new ones!! Maybe I am just trying to use all my paper up so I can buy more since I just love to buy pretty much anything?!?)
Wondering if anyone else has this aversion to scrap pieces or if anyone had it but cured themselves, how did you do it?? I need help!
I'm pretty good about using them - if I have one that's kind of a funny shape or rather small, I'll still keep it in case I can use it for a punched shape.
I'll admit, I used to not be so great about it - then I was working on a project late one night and I needed a certain piece of patterned paper. Because I had started a new sheet earlier instead of using a scrap that would have worked, I no longer had a big enough piece for what I was doing - and I couldn't go to the store to buy more. Frustrating! Now I check my scrap stash before I cut into a new piece.
I try to, but I have way too many at this point. I keep them in a basket on the corner of my table. They can come in handy, but I'm afraid they're gonna take over!
I used to be terrible about using scraps, but now find that I reach for them first! When I kept my scraps separate from my whole sheets, I always went for the whole piece first. Now I keep my paper in hanging file folders and slide the scraps right in the front of the folder - not even in a separate envelope. It's SO easy to look at the scraps first. I pull them out for mats, to punch, even to stamp & cut out smaller images. I find it makes my paper last much longer. And I am able to justifying buying new stamping stuff instead of just "refills" of supplies.
I used to be terrible about using scraps, but now find that I reach for them first! When I kept my scraps separate from my whole sheets, I always went for the whole piece first. Now I keep my paper in hanging file folders and slide the scraps right in the front of the folder - not even in a separate envelope. It's SO easy to look at the scraps first. I pull them out for mats, to punch, even to stamp & cut out smaller images. I find it makes my paper last much longer. And I am able to justifying buying new stamping stuff instead of just "refills" of supplies.
I do the exact same thing and it works awesome that way I am using my scraps and my paper last so much longer.
I have the scraps saved and really try to use them first but many times I just forget! And then after I've cut into my nice full sheet of cardstock, I think of it.
I used to have the same problem until I copied my friend's method.
I bought 2 sets of Sterilite drawers (the 9 x 11 size drawers that come in a 3 stack). I stacked them right under my stamping table to the left of my feet. I put a color coded label on each drawer. From top down: white/natural, yellow/orange, green, blue/purple, red/pink, and black/gray brown. It is so easy to drop the scraps in and to pull a drawer when you need something. I save everything bigger than 2 inches. Since I have done this I am saving big bucks in paper. Also for layering, take out the center of the layer that goes under something. I keep my very big square punch on the table and punch out the center. Makes the card lighter, no one can see it, and it really does save lots of paper.
I also put the scraps back in the front of my hanging folders, in the color it belongs with. If I look at it and think it could be re-used, then I keep it...otherwise, I trash it. I'm a bit indiscriminate in what I toss and what I keep...otherwise, if I think it's a big enough scrap, but I don't think I'll have another use for it, I give it to my DD to cut up!
I reach for the scraps first, to see if any of the sizes I have will work for what I need, before I cut into a beautiful piece of my cardstock! lol
I took a suggestion that someone said here on SCS and since I have each of my SU papers in a seperate folder, I put a plastic sleeve protector in front of my full sheets of paper, now when I pull out a color I pull out that sleeve first, and as see what I have in scraps. I have to keep them together by color as I found when I put them in a drawer I NEVER used them. In fact I had to spend a WHOLE day just sorting my scraps to put them into the sleeves, this helps me so much to use up my scraps. I also find that I now throw anything that is not bigger then about 1 x 1, as I just did not use the small strips or small pieces to do anything with. When I have to cut into a new sheet of paper I tend to cut it in half, then into quarters, unless I am using the 1/2 for a card. Then I cut the other half into quarters. This helps me use them more efficiently. I find this made all the difference for me to have them in a sleeve, to just pull the sleeve out first. I have one for every color, including the neutrals. This also helps me keep track of when I need to order paper.
__________________ Lisa C., Mom to 3 great kids, 3 super dogs and an cat that thinks she is a dog! My Gallery
i bought one of those billing folders where you keep your paid bills in.I have all my scraps in there sorted by colors.Then Whenever myslef or my kids want some paper I let them use the scraps I never give them a full sheet.I always take out my scraps now WHEN i AM MAKING A CARD or scrappin.I have so many scraps from doing the same thing you do.Now my folders are bulging so it's to the scrap pack.you can believe how much money you can save on your scraps alone when you really use them.
__________________ WHAT IS A STAMPPIN ADDICT!
It's someone who buys stamps they didn't normally like at first,only to see it in Split Coast Stampers gallery in a different perspective.
I used to save all my scraps but then sold them in two huge lots on ebay. I used to keep them in ziplock bags all color-coordinated. Cardstock and printed papers.
Having all those scraps hanging around was just too much pressure. Now they're someone else's problem!!!
I have started saving my scraps again, but right now they're either cut down to card-size and kept by color within easy reach of my card table (I keep them, standing up, in a 6x6 cropper hopper paper holder) or I toss them (the smaller pieces) into a 4x12 plastic storage box. I always pull this box out while I'm working so that it's easy to get to than a new piece of cardstock.
Occasionally I challenge myself to use as many of my scraps as possible. It's fun to see how many cards I can come up with from all scraps.
I also use my scrap stash for my daughter. She's turning 5 in August and a rampant cardmaker. I don't mind giving her any of the scraps but I wouldn't be so free with new cardstock!
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Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni VSN Go to Girl Pretty, Pretty Princess
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WeimFamily
I used to be terrible about using scraps, but now find that I reach for them first! When I kept my scraps separate from my whole sheets, I always went for the whole piece first. Now I keep my paper in hanging file folders and slide the scraps right in the front of the folder - not even in a separate envelope. It's SO easy to look at the scraps first. I pull them out for mats, to punch, even to stamp & cut out smaller images. I find it makes my paper last much longer. And I am able to justifying buying new stamping stuff instead of just "refills" of supplies.
You all are full of such awesome ideas!!
I have my cardstock sorted the same way, in hanging file folders. Tonight I will get to work on putting the scraps in the folder with their color. I think this will help me out a lot! Having them all jumbled up in their envelopes isnt working for me so it can't hurt to try a different technique!
My sister sometimes will make a card out of all scraps without letting herself cut any paper and she comes up with cute cards that are all different sizes, trouble is there arent odd sized envelopes for them but I enjoy getting them.
Thanks for all the great ideas! Now if I can tackle the tiny drawer smashed full of ribbon! I just pull the big ball of ribbon out and find the color I need and then smash it all back in there...not really working either!
I used to have the same problem until I copied my friend's method.
Also for layering, take out the center of the layer that goes under something. I keep my very big square punch on the table and punch out the center. Makes the card lighter, no one can see it, and it really does save lots of paper.
What a great idea for saving paper! I'm gonna use this for sure because I'm really good at using my scraps. Thanks for sharing.
YES! I have an accoridian folder ON MY DESK for my scraps. They are right there in my face yelling at me "USE ME" LOL. I keep my full sheets in hanging folders next to me, but I have to reach down to get to them. I refuse to pull out a full sheet until I've looked thru my scraps and have determined I don't have the piece I need.
I would suggest moving your full sheets out of the way, so you MUST get up to get one. Meanwhile having your scraps right in front of you. If you have to move to get to your full sheets, you'll prolly use your scraps more often. Just my .02
Here's how mine are organized. I have 2 spaces in the folder for each color family. The front space hold pieces smaller than a 1/4 sheet and the back space holds ONLY 1/2 & 1/4 sheet pieces. Whenever I cut into a new piece of CS I cut it in half to make 2 card bases and then I cut one of those in half again to have 2 - 1/4 sheets too. I file the parts I don't need right away in the folder. HTH
I have a basket on my table that I throw in smaller scraps (1/4 sheet size or less). I reach for it alot, because its handy. I throw the larger scraps into my desk drawer. Its not organized by colour, but it always feels handier than reaching for my paper tote (with the fresh sheets). Putting the scraps in the handiest place means I use them more. When I break into a new sheet, I nearly always cut it into handy card-sized quarters, so its already in a "good-to-go" size. My lazy nature encourages me to reach for the ready-cut pieces instead of the fresh full sheets.
__________________ Darci "Awww, you guys made me Ink!"
"Creativity is a continual surprise" (Ray Bradbury)
I also have my sraps stored in hanging folders. For each color I have a folder for solid (cardstock) and one for (pattern) papers. I have trained myself to go there first before grabbing a new sheet. It feels really good to be able to create cards from scraps and not even have to touch a new sheet.
I also put the scraps back in the front of my hanging folders, in the color it belongs with. If I look at it and think it could be re-used, then I keep it...otherwise, I trash it. I'm a bit indiscriminate in what I toss and what I keep...otherwise, if I think it's a big enough scrap, but I don't think I'll have another use for it, I give it to my DD to cut up!
I reach for the scraps first, to see if any of the sizes I have will work for what I need, before I cut into a beautiful piece of my cardstock! lol
I do the same thing - i very rarely however use my scraps when doing a swap as I may run out I'll use fresh cardstock for that.
__________________ Kate
�So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.�
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tanneb
Having all those scraps hanging around was just too much pressure. Now they're someone else's problem!!!
LOL my scraps are often my inspiration rather than problem.....I am a weirdo for sure If I'm not working on a sketch challenge, a scrap usually provides the idea for my layout.
I group mine differently (possibly because I do not have as much CS as you all). I use hanging files for reds, pinks, blues, greens, white, black etc with my full size pieces and also my card size half sheets in them. Then I have bags of large pastel pieces, small pastel pieces, pastel strip pieces and then the same for darks and neutrals.
I have felt worried by the secret sister rule about not using scraps---I don't want to offend anyone with my scraps, but sometimes staring at full sheets of blank paper overwhelms me.
This is so funny.....I'm just the opposite.........I don't want to use my new card stock for anything but a card........so I tend to go through my scraps....and then think......oh I can coordinate another color with this so I don't have to cut into a new sheet! LOL.........I make my dd nuts about it.........lol
But stamping and all the goodies are so nice and so much fun!
I keep the scraps near my cutter in tax year file folders, one per family plus one for all the whites and neutrals.
12 months=12 colors!
I punch itty bitties and keep a stamp box for each punch in the punch drawer.
I try to do light and neutrals in the smaller size circle and square so that it can layer on the larger, darker size.
I find that just giving away a package of assorted tags made from the punches is a well recieved gift.
I usually do up a whole bunch with a bold stamp and versa or white craft and pop some pastels!
It is a quick "sloppy but pretty " way to decorate lots at once.
for strips, I do a copy of susan30' s card every month at class.
I call it a "Stripper Card", just to get my classes attention!
tee hee!
sometimes monochromatic, sometimes a color family or sometimes strips from special cs and handstamped paper... even strips of vellum!
It's soooo simple and adaptable. and I've even done them 3x3 size!
also strips make great faux ribbon and little stapled flag or tab embellishments for projects.
I'd never get rid of my scraps!I use them too much!
__________________ if your path is boobytrapped you are probably on the right track to treasure BUT if everything is inordinately hard you probably are rushing to the final exam in the wrong place a day early.
I keep mine in a binder of sheet protectors--4 per color SU family, then others for non SU. I used my pretty new label maker to label each sheet protector so I can tell where things go. I, too, cut my cs into halves, then use what I need from there. I use a lot of my scraps this way, where I didn't before when I kept them in the file folders.
I look at my folder of scraps before I start making a card and see what I can use from it to make something with...If I see a nice large piece of green paper, I try to think of something that will go with it and use it up...especially pretty patterned paper... I still have lots of scraps,but by forcing myself to use them saves me from cutting a fresh piece (and I save a tree..)
justs my 2cents.....i keep my paper in hanging folders as has been mentioned...and keep the scraps in the FRONT...or i'd never look at them...that way i don't have to cut as much...cutting takes time and if i can save time when i'm making a card (i'm usually rushing around) it always helps. so maybe think of it as saving time.....something you can never ever have too much of when it comes to stamping!
__________________ "i'd like to be smart but i'd rather be lucky!"
Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni VSN Go to Girl Pretty, Pretty Princess
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Holy Makeral! I never imagined that there were so many "theories" on using and storing scraps! Charming - Wow, how did you think of all of those ideas?!
I had kind of settled on the file folder idea since I have them already labled for the full sheets that are in there but with all the other ideas, I don't know...
I have a friend coming over to stamp tonight so I think i'll have to pull this up at home and get her idea, too!
Thanks again, you all are awesome!
I used to have the same problem until I copied my friend's method.
I bought 2 sets of Sterilite drawers (the 9 x 11 size drawers that come in a 3 stack). I stacked them right under my stamping table to the left of my feet. I put a color coded label on each drawer. From top down: white/natural, yellow/orange, green, blue/purple, red/pink, and black/gray brown. It is so easy to drop the scraps in and to pull a drawer when you need something. I save everything bigger than 2 inches. Since I have done this I am saving big bucks in paper. Also for layering, take out the center of the layer that goes under something. I keep my very big square punch on the table and punch out the center. Makes the card lighter, no one can see it, and it really does save lots of paper.
What a great idea. I always hated to waste so much paper or c/s under my top sheet. Those pieces are large enough for large punch out flowers, etc.
so when I reach for paper my full sheets and scraps are in one folder/by color. It makes it easier to use my paper. I used to seperate my scraps but I found I never reached for them. With all my paper stored together, I look through each folder every time I use a certain color.
You are not crazy. I have the same problem. I created a file folder system 1 for each of the main colors. I force myself to go to the file first. Am doing pretty good actually.
I keep mine in a binder of sheet protectors--4 per color SU family, then others for non SU. I used my pretty new label maker to label each sheet protector so I can tell where things go. I, too, cut my cs into halves, then use what I need from there. I use a lot of my scraps this way, where I didn't before when I kept them in the file folders.
This is what I do too - except I have four 2" binders (neutrals, patterns, red/yellow/orange, green/blue/purple). You could do by color family instead, but I find it easier to compare colors this way. I have one sheet protector for each color and it is labeled with the color name and the color family that color is in. These are what I have in my stamping area, so it is really easy to always pull them out first. All my scraps go in them as well as cardstock that has been cut into half sheets - all ready to make a card. I usually have at least one half sheet of each color in there so that I can see all the colors. If I need to refill a color in a binder, only then do I get out a new sheet of cardstock which is in file folders by color family.
I used to be terrible about using scraps, but now find that I reach for them first! When I kept my scraps separate from my whole sheets, I always went for the whole piece first. Now I keep my paper in hanging file folders and slide the scraps right in the front of the folder - not even in a separate envelope. It's SO easy to look at the scraps first. I pull them out for mats, to punch, even to stamp & cut out smaller images. I find it makes my paper last much longer. And I am able to justifying buying new stamping stuff instead of just "refills" of supplies.
This works for me too, I find the smallest piece of paper that will do the job. A couple of time I didn't even need to trim it because it was the right size. I couldn't do this when all my scraps were in a bag. It was too overwhelming. Call me a paper miser!
:p What a GREAT thread. I do keep all my scraps and love to check them out first when needing a smaller size piece for backing etc. I also learned to cut the inside out of a backing when I started scrapbooking, and it is a real paper saver. I start to get low in one color and worry I won't order before running completely out, so have started organizing my scraps better, and this thread has given me some wonderful suggestions. Guess my yard work will have to wait another day, going to play with paper again today!! Thanks for everyone's fantastic ideas.
I bought several of the plastic project boxes (one for each color family plus neutrals). I used to just put my scraps in their appropriate box, but I hated spending the time searching for the right color once the box was full, so I bought some plastic transluscent file folders, labeled them for each color, and sorted my scraps. They are still in their color family boxes, but each color has a folder. Now, when I'm working, I pull out the color folder to see if there is a scrap I can use before cutting into a full sheet. I'm using a LOT more scraps now than ever before.
I have the same system lots of others do... I have all my SU paper in hanging folders, alphabetically, by color name. In the front of each folder, I just have a plain business-sized envelope with the color name written on the outside. I leave the flap "up" so when I have a scrap, I can just slide it down into the front of the full sheets into the little envelope. Works great and I ALWAYS look there first when getting a color. Easy to do with the color all in the same place.
Sue
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When I'm attempting a new technique, often I'll give it a try on a scrap first to see how it will work out. If it bombs, I haven't wasted a larger piece of cardstock.
I also use scraps to try out different color combos.
If I'm not sure how a stamped color will look like I will stamp on a scrap piece of cardstock before I stamp on the piece i really want to use. If it doesn't look right I have only wasted a small scrap.
If I'm not sure how a stamped color will look like I will stamp on a scrap piece of cardstock before I stamp on the piece i really want to use. If it doesn't look right I have only wasted a small scrap.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PH in VA
When I'm attempting a new technique, often I'll give it a try on a scrap first to see how it will work out. If it bombs, I haven't wasted a larger piece of cardstock. I also use scraps to try out different color combos.
I agree. Test it on scraps first. But ALSO, I sometimes just look through my sraps and chop some of them up to make a crazy background like this...Giggle
I occasionally try to do a page using only scraps.
Otherwise, I just get out the punches and scissors and make a big pile of collage pieces for my 3 year old to glue.
- Krista
mother to Ryan (3 1/2), A.J. (2 1/4), both born at home, and babe #3 (due Aug. '06)!
I have a scrap drawer that I put mine in. If it's smaller than 1/4 sheet, it goes in a ziplock baggie for now. My ds knows he can use those. a 1/2 sheet goes in the front of the file for each color.
I used up a lot of my scraps to make a color ring with the tag punch. ;)
Scraps? Do you use them?
Yup!! That's me!
