Repurposing Odds and Ends from a Scrapbook Hobby

Scrapbooking is a fun activity that generates a lot of scraps. These can be repurposed for other projects, by the scrapbooker or someone else. By repurposing these items, you are sending less waste to the landfill and saving money on future scrapbook projects or other craft projects.

There are many ways in which scraps from your projects can be used. The end result may be decorative items for your home, or gifts for others. Some creations may be useful, while others will be nice to look at. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Mini Albums

Use small scraps, such as portions of paper, to decorate mini scrap or tag books. Use color themes for these types of projects. Another option would be to use leftover character stickers from previous projects to create a cartoon themed album for a child. If you have an abundance of leftover flower, bee and butterfly embellishments, you may choose to make a mini garden themed scrapbook, and leftover tree items might be used for a camping themed tag book.

Scrapped Picture Frames

Scrapped frames are made using the cardboard insert, or cutting a piece of card stock to fit. A picture and scraps from your hobby are used to decorate the insert, and the finished project is framed and displayed for all to see. Color themes are common, with embellishments such as stickers and ribbon.

Cards

Use half sheets of scrapbook paper or card stock to make holiday and other cards. Fold these partial sheets in half and decorate them using smaller pieces of paper, punch-outs and stickers. Adhere items to the cards with glue or another available adhesive. Search quote books or web sites for sayings to write inside each card.

Gift Tags

Tags can also be made using small scraps from your scrapbook hobby. Cut squares, rectangles or other shapes from the paper and add a sticker to each, leaving room for the "To" and "From" fields. Many scrapbookers have tag templates for tracing shapes onto paper to cut out. Using these will provide you with tags of various shapes and sizes.

Decoupage

Scraps of paper, stickers and ribbon can be adhered to objects using a decoupage medium. Photograph sections might also be used for this purpose. Many items can be decorated this way, including hat boxes, mirror frames and jewelry boxes. Furniture can also be decorated using the decoupage method. Table tops of all shapes and sizes are common for this type of project, A glass cover is sometimes placed over the table top after it has dried thoroughly.

Kids Crafts

Scraps from your hobby might be kept in a plastic container with lid, and taken out on rainy days or whenever children might want to make gifts for people or decorations for your home. Children may want to make their own scrapbooks using paper bags that are folded in half and tied together with ribbon. Perhaps they will make paper ornaments for the holiday tree, or cards for their friends.