Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog: Using your scraps with Vivian!

Good morning! I hope you played along with Vivian's challenge on Monday's post. Today...using scraps in a different way.

"I have a really hard time throwing away small scraps of patterned paper, especially if it’s paper I really love! Lately I’ve been using scraps to create backgrounds for cards. There are different ways to go with this look.

1. You can roughly tear patterned paper into small pieces and layer them haphazardly to create a background, as I did for this Christmas card:

Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, Wild Card: October Afternoon, Ribbon: American Crafts

2. Cut scraps at different angles! Piece straight edges together and zigzag stitch over the seams, as I did for this vintage fashion-inspired card:

Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, Wild Card: October Afternoon, Sticker: October Afternoon, Pins: Maya Road, Pop Dot: Plaid Enterprises, Thread: Coats & Clark

3. You can also use thin strips of scraps to create your own striped paper, as I did here:

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Chipboard Stickers: Cosmo Cricket, Punch: The Paper Studio, Scallop-edge Scissors: Provo Craft, Pop Dot: Plaid Enterprises, Thread: Coats & Clark

4. And one last option, another haphazard collage, but this time with a country feel:

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Chipboard Sticker: Cosmo Cricket, Baker's Twine: Martha Stewart

Here’s hoping this post helps you find a way to breathe new life into your stash of patterned paper scraps! Don’t worry, I won’t tell if you try this with brand-new paper instead of scraps!

Thank you for joining us this week Vivian! Great inspiration for using all those "left overs".