I have several scrappy projects to share this month. I’ve been in the groove, so to speak. At the end of this post you’ll find links for other participants of Kate’s monthly ScrapHappy challenge.
First up, crafting kits for our Little Free Library. These kits are part scraps and part up-cycling.
It’s summer holidays here, so children are looking for things to do. I started with a stack of envelopes that I’ve had for years. I had ordered Christmas cards with our return address printed on the envelope. Instead, they mailed plain envelopes. Without any prompting from me, the return-address ones arrived the following week. All these years later, I still have a stack of unused envelopes, which led to the creation of these crafty card kits.




I cut half of the envelope flap and sealed it shut, then trimmed the other half and closed it with washi tape for a “secret compartment”. I folded the envelope in half, then cut scraps of yellow paper to use as the cover. I used one of my tag dies to cut the white paper, stamped it with black ink, and colored the image with markers as a sample, but left it for the crafter to color it themselves.
The second card uses the same envelope but with the flap at the bottom to make pockets. I cut three shapes for the cover and added an iridescent butterfly to the kit. I hope the children enjoy them.






Next up, a thank you card for my friend and neighbor. Val brought me a box of chocolates from the Big Island of Hawaii. I made her card using leftover glitter paper and the front of an envelope I would have otherwise tossed, with an island-themed vibe.





I embossed the paper to suggest water drops, with a special thank you to World Wildlife Fund for the complimentary gift wrap and a cool envelope for card-making.
Over the weekend, I created the following card using a prompt from a Facebook card-making group. Natalie is all about clean and simple cards with a lot of white background. She presents sketches to the group as a starting point, and we build upon them from there.





I used a textured white paper as a background, then cut circles from the patterned mailer. After applying green and orange oxide ink to a scrap of white paper, I cut the shapes with one of my dies. I had just enough of the remaining scrap to create a sliver-thin border.
Please join us with your scrappy, crafty creations by contacting Kate for more details.
Kate has provided these links for everyone who joins ScrapHappy from time to time (they may not post every time, but their blogs are still worth looking at).
Beautiful and eye-catching cards, Alys! 🤩
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Thank you so much, Eliza.
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I like that Hello Friend card. The white space is effective. Sounds like you’re having a fun summer, Alys.
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Thank you so much. Our weather has been mild so far, with just a few short heatwaves and nothing about 95 degrees. It’s nice having my son home, and though the cats don’t agree with me, his pooch is good company, too.
How is your season so far?
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My favourite is the middle one, with terrapins, or are they sea-turtles? Lovely colours and patterns working together.
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WWF broadly supports sea turtles that include five species. I’m happy to learn of another sea turtle (terrapins), something new to me.
Thank you, Kate.
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Here we go: The term “terrapin” generally refers to a specific type of turtle that lives in brackish water, which is a mix of fresh and saltwater. While “turtle” is a broader term encompassing all members of the Testudines order (which includes tortoises and terrapins), terrapins are considered a subset of turtles. In practice, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, especially in the US where “turtle” is often used for both freshwater and saltwater species.
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These are all wonderful Alys! Especially love the idea of crafty card kits for the kids. I can remember being bored as a kid during the summer holidays, and I would’ve appreciated having something like this to craft with!
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Thank you for your good cheer, Sara. I remember the boredom as well. Mum always had paper and she would make homemade paste. I haven’t thought about that for sometime now.
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You are the best scrap card maker I have ever met. I love them all. Nuff said!
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XO
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Your eye for details – like that thin border on the last card – is something I can only envy Alys. I really like the butterfly one. 😃
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Cathy, you are a treasure. Thank you for your kind words.
You are wonderfully creative with words, yarn and of couse your fabulous garden, not to mention weekly floral arrangements. xo
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😊
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Those are lovely cards Alys and it is very generous of you to make up the kits.
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Thank you! I enjoy assembling the kits, and once or twice I’ve recieved delightful cards from young ones who’ve used the materials. It makes my heart glad.
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You have been in a groove! The cards are awesome and I love that you use your recycled scraps to make craft kits for the little free library! That thank you card you made for your neighbor is so creative!
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Thank you! I enjoy making
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