Scrapbooking Tips on What to Do with Leftover Scrap Paper

When scrapbook paper costs around fifty cents to a dollar, it is hard to throw away some of the larger scraps, but what can you do with them? Here are a few suggestions:

• Use larger pieces for cards.
• Small pieces can be used to make tags, die-cuts and punch outs.
• Cut matching scraps into squares and use them as a border for a picture or embellishment. They could also be used as a full page border.
• Use larger pieces for 6x6 albums.
• Use scraps to create altered art items such as altered puzzle pieces, bottle caps, coasters and paper bag albums.
• Use scraps as mats for smaller items such as wallet size pictures, embellishments and stamps.
• Use long skinny scraps for side or bottom borders on a page.
• Use scraps to try out new techniques.
• Keep scraps for paper piecing projects; you never know when you'll need a tiny bit of black and this will save you from having to cut into a brand new piece of paper.
• Cover plain chipboard using scraps.
• Use die cuts or punches on your large base paper and paste scraps to the back so that it shows through the negative space.
• Cut pieces into triangles and use them as photo corners.
• Use a circle punch to use as a mat for eyelets and brads.
• Learn a technique called colorblocking and you'll have plenty of reasons to use those scraps.

Knowing where to find your scraps is a huge step in the direction of actually using them, so here are a few ideas on how to organize and store them.

• Accordion folders work well for most people. You can sort the scraps by color. Unfortunately this method does not work too well if you have a lot of scraps because the folder just isn't big enough to hold them all. If you like to go to crops you can just take the entire folder with you.
• A hanging file folder system will work great for those people who have a lot of scraps. You can organize by color and have plenty of room to look through the scraps. This is also a good idea for those scrappers who like to go to crops. If you know you will be working on a baby girl layout, you can just grab the pink scraps folder and pack it with your stuff.
• If organization by color is not something you are up to doing, another option is to get a couple of clean pizza boxes and put cardstock scraps in one box and patterned paper scraps in the other. Then you will at least know where they are.