Once a month, bloggers world-wide are encouraged to share a project our two made entirely out of scraps. To learn more about this ScrapHappy venture, be sure to check out Kate’s blog.
I put a lot of scraps to work this month.
First up, I made a birthday card for a friend’s Aunt Ramona. Kate’s aunt turns 102 in March, and she hopes to receive 102 cards to ring in her birthday. I used the tear-off cover of an appointment calendar to help her celebrate this milestone.
The paper is a lovely weight with pretty flowers, so it made up beautifully into a card. I used my embosser to add the quilted texture and a simple scrap of green to frame the happy birthday sentiment. Inside I added a small envelope trimmed with Washi tape to hold a pair of lottery scratchers.
After tidying my craft table, I sorted the pile of small scraps by color. Whenever I sort my paper, it lasts for about a year or two, and then I haul it out and sort it again.
All that sorting allowed me to create my second project, a purple Valentine for my sister. I cut four shades of purple paper into one-inch squares, then glued them to a scrap of paper in rows with half-inch offsets. I ran the purple squares through my Big Shot using a heart-shaped die; then I embossed the heart with a floral pattern.
Using the same die, I cut a heart from the front of a white card. I placed the purple heart into the negative space, then backed it with a scrap of vellum to hold it in place.
This month my final scrap-happy project pulled together paper scraps, leftover paper doilies, red rick-rack rescued from an unused box of fabric, and small coin envelopes once used by a church. They were part of the big clean-out when a developer purchased the church building that once housed Lifted Spirits. I added pink paper from last year’s projects and made a dozen crafting kits for our Little Free Library.
I gathered the assorted scraps into wax lunch bags. I folded the top with a tag and hole-punched the layers together, tying them with leftover twine.
Thanks as always, Kate. Be sure to checkout the creativity underway at the blogs listed below.
Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen,
Bekki, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Bear, Carol,
Preeti, Edith, Debbierose
Gardening Nirvana 
Dear crafty Alys, you’ve made Kate proud with not one but 3 pretty projects! Bravo 💗 That really was the perfect calendar to work with wasn’t it? I noticed your card base is Kraft paper. A friend of mine from Australia, Rachel Lowe, is actually on a design team for @kraftpluschallenges (Instagram address). You might like their inspirations. I’m sure your Craft bags went quickly. Very sweet of you to make them! 💗🥰
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Hello cutie! Thank you for cheering me on. I love these scraphappy challenges. They inspire my creativity. I think I’m following Rachel Low but I’ll double check. Thanks for the tip. The craft kits went quickly. All but one gone in a day. That made me so happy.
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Your sorting and house-cleaning has spread the scrappy joy far and wide. Good work! I especially love Aunt Ramona’s cheerful 102nd wishes!
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Thank you, Kate! As you know, crafting materials/sewing supplies/etc. can quickly get out to hand. I allow myself the work through the creativity until I can’t find things, and then order is restored. It’s a nice cycle.
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It’s perfect!
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I love how you put out those kits for the local youth to enjoy. I bet they are gone in moments.
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Thank you, Dawn. The kits are popular with the kids and a great way to spark creativity. It’s a lot of fun for me and for them.
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So pretty! All of the bright colors make me long for spring. Thanks for sharing, Alys!
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Thank you, Jill. I’m right there with you…spring is just around the corner. By the way, I’ve read your last two newsletters, but when I try to comment is says I’m not registered, and when I try logging in, it doesn’t save my password. I’ll keep trying to sort it out. Meanwhile, those puzzles look like fun. I’m a huge fan.
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Beautifully executed well thought out designs.
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Thank you, Derrick!
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Derrick has no wish to be anonymous
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Derrick made me smile. 🙂
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Thank you so much for sharing Alys. As always I am impressed with your imagination skills at what a scrap can become and envious of your organization skills. One day I’m going to drive out to see your Little Free Library. It’s such a beautiful place.
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Amy, wouldn’t it be fun to map out Little Free Libraries around the country, then visit one in every state? I want to do the same thing with botanical gardens. Thank you for your kind words. I hope you are doing well.
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I am always so inspired by your scrappy resourcefulness. Also, always makes me smile to know that the world has such beautiful creativity in it. A 102 birthday is indeed a milestone.
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Laurie, you always leave such nice comments. Thank you.
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oooh I bet those craft kits will all be nabbed and keep some young crafters very busy!
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Thank you, Claire. There was only one left at the end of the first day. They were indeed a hit!
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So inspirational to put out the craft kits…That’s a generous spirit at work! And Happy 102nd birthday to Aunt Ramona!
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Thank you! I love putting the kits together, then watching them disappear in ones and twos. It puts a smile on my face, and joy in my heart.
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the craft kits are a great idea and I bet it’s not just kids that take them. Happy Birthday Aunt Ramona, the card is lovely. Hope the lottery scratchers were lucky.
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Thank you! I hope one of the lottery scratchers is worth something too. They’ll be fun either way though. I love the idea of different crafters take home one of those kits. I received a Valentine from a neighborhood 5-year-old and it absolutely made my day.
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Thanks for sharing these delights, Alys. I always love looking at the cars you make. I hope Aunt Ramona had a wonderful birthday (102! Fancy!) and I wonder if she received 102 cards.
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Thank you, Anne. I appreciate that. Aunt Ramona’s birthday is a few months off, so there is lots of time for those cards to gather. I too hope she gets 102 cards.
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I have a friend who turns 100 in a couple of weeks. I hope Aunt Ramona’s life was as full as Nelva’s has been. Xxx
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By all acounts, its been a rich life. She’s quite amazing. Happy birthday to your friend Nelva.
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😘
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I’m crazy about your embosser. That dresses up plain paper so nicely. I love making my own cards but have never known which of those machines are good or not. I pass them by confused as ever knowing I already have too much to do.
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I love the embosser. It elevates everything and it is fun and easy to use. I know what you mean though about gadgets. It took me years to invest in one. I get a lot of use out of it, and in fact share it with my sister as well. Money well spent. I’m excited for you to get your sewing materials back in your space. I know you have many projects swirling around in your brain.
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And so many projects half done.
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I always like to check in with you on ScrapHappy Day because you do such a variety of projects! The cards and craft kits are cheerful and inspiring.
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Awwww. That is so nice to hear. Thank you. I really appreciate that.
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More beautiful cards!! If I was walking by your LFL, I’d be tempted to take a kit! I hope things are well with you.
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Hi Lisa, Maybe you’ll get that chance one day. Thank you!
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Lovely, lovely, lovely! The purple heart is my favorite!
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Thank you so much!
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I love the two cards you made. No-one would guess they were made from scraps. What a Good idea to make up craft kits for the free library. The Snail could make something similar for her shop.
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Thank you, Cathy. She certainly could put packets of scraps to good use in her shop. It’s such a clever idea.
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I have a love/hate relationship with scraps, especially when I’m done with scraps and there are still more that arrived usually via scissors or tear off bits…
Yesterday whilst looking for some thing for something else came across that extra large box of cupcake paper cases – ummmmmmmmm….
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Those scraps have made lovely cards. I often like to include a lottery ticket and the little pocket to hold them is such a good idea (I may have to copy that!). Everytime I make a batch of cards from scraps the pile of scraps does not seem to go down.
Maybe I will join in with your Scraphappy venture.
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Thank you! You should join us…its great fun. I’ve been limiting my paper purchases to a few seasonal things, but for the most part I’m trying to use what I have. It’s also fun using the unexpected like this calendar cover or the inside of a pretty envelope. Lots of scraps make great bookmarks as well. You can tuck those into a card as well or drop them off in a little free library in your community. Fun, fun, fun.
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Wow! I am so impressed and inspired by your crafting and great ideas. I keep looking at washi tape and stuff for my journals, and there you are creating wonderful gifts from things you have gleaned and repurposed with stunning effect. You have just made my day.
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Oh my goodness you just made *my* day. Thank you! I love repurposing and breathing new life into things. Kate’s monthly ScrapHappy blog hop motivates me. It’s also fun to see what others come up with. You should join us. You’re using leftover yarnd for pic-line covers. That would be a wonderful thing to share. Just ping Kate and ask her to add you to the list. Then we’ll put you in the list of bloggers who join in.
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