April 15, 2026 by Born To Organize

A Pair of Scrappy Cards

I’m sharing two cards for this month’s challenge to create with scraps, hosted by Kate at Tall Tales of Chiconia. The idea is to use up your stash, be it paper, fabric, or any other crafty medium, by creating something new.

The first card uses a pair of patterned paper scraps. The green print is subtle once it’s die-cut into the leafy background, but it still adds variation in tone. The blue mixed-media styled paper is the last bit of one of my favorite paper packs from 49 and Market. I used it to cut three circles. For dimension, I brushed the outline of each circle with a dark blue distress oxide ink, then added a greeting using vellum. I brushed a light amount of ink on the white card background to soften it, and that’s one scrappy card done.

A decorative card featuring intricate die-cut floral and leaf patterns, layered with circles in shades of blue and a translucent overlay with the text 'for a great friend'. A small blue bird is depicted on one of the circles.

I had a lot of fun with this second card, using a variety of my seemingly endless green scraps to cut multiple pieces of foliage to create a birthday card.

Various pieces of textured green craft paper and metal leaf die cuts arranged on a grid cutting mat. — Green scraps and dies

My friend has recently started collecting and nurturing house plants. She told me about a shop called Leaf & Vine that sells houseplants and indoor plant accessories created by local artisans.

Business card for Leaf & Vine Urban Plant Shop featuring a wooden design.

I bought her a gift card to the store and incorporated it into her birthday card as a faux planter for my scrappy foliage. The gift card is adhered with foam squares, but it can be removed easily when she decides to redeem it.

An open greeting card featuring botanical illustrations, with a cut-out design on the left and a layered green foliage composition on the right, along with a wooden label for 'Leaf & Vine Urban Plant Shop'.

A decorative card displaying greenery patterns and the text 'Leaf & Vine Urban Plant Shop' on a wooden background.

Thank you, as always, Kate, for inspiring this monthly challenge.

You can see what other bloggers are up to at the following links.

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin, Alissa, Tierney,
Hannah and Maggie

March 15, 2026 by Born To Organize

Creating with Paper Scraps

Crafting cards has been a welcome distraction from the world’s chaos. I sit down at my desk to create as often as I can.

I’m joining Kate and others for the monthly “ScrapHappy” challenge. where makers create with scraps. I also enjoy upcycling with calendar pages and advertising mailers, so I’ve made some cards using them as well.

My friend Therese inspired this first set of cards. She passed on a drugstore calendar from Hawaii, full of tropical photographs in rich hues, and challenged me to have fun. I did!

I used the heavier paper from the calendar’s cover to make a few bookmarks.

The following two cards are created with a Tommy Bahama mailer, in tropical oranges and greens.

I managed to cut two butterflies and the floral image from the mailer.

I used a piece of blue-and-silver paper left over from a set for the birthday card. The body of the butterfly is darkened using a black Sharpie marker, with a scrap of vellum behind the wings.

The second card uses a piece of gold card behind the butterfly, centered among a few flowers, and as a thin mat to frame the card. When the recipient opens the card, the butterfly wings lift up for the illusion of movement.

These three small gift tags will accompany some Easter chocolate for my family. I colored the bunny’s bow in Mike and our son’s favorite colors. I’m not sure where that scrap of yellow ribbon came from, but I had just enough for the three tags.

This “thinking of you” card is for a friend whose partner died in an auto accident earlier this year. They owned horses together. I fashioned this card after one of her horses, using a downloaded silhouette of a horse cut from patterned brown paper, which my sister passed on to me years ago.

I cut the horse’s spots, the fence posts, and the background from scraps, and used leftover floss from a kit for the horse’s mane and hooves. She loved the card.

Using the last bits of my spring paper and some extra envelopes, I made fifteen crafting kits to put next to our children’s Little Free Library. They’re always a hit.

If you’re interested in what other bloggers are making and sharing, you can click on any of the links below.

Thanks as always for hosting, Kate.

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Chris,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin, Alissa, Tierney,
Hannah and Maggie

December 24, 2025 by Born To Organize

Crafting Christmas Gift Tags

Cardmaking has been a welcome stress reliever during my recovery from hip replacement surgery. I’m ending the year with two new hips.

A decorative gift tag featuring a clock motif surrounded by rose illustrations, with a purple ribbon and gold accents, set against lush green leaves.

I returned to my twice-weekly Pliates class today. It will take time to rebuild all the surrounding muscles, but I’m off to a decent start. It feels good to be moving again.

While recovering, I’ve been watching crafting videos. I often dozed between videos, feet elevated in my comfy chair. Once awake, I watched a few more. As the weeks passed, I felt comfortable sitting at my desk again and could practice new techniques with less fatigue.

I used my time to create 25 gift tags to accompany my sister Sharon’s gifts. At the height of the pandemic, with my sister living alone, working from home, and isolated from the world, I got the idea of delivering 25 small Christmas gifts, one for her to open each day throughout December. It’s been fun continuing that tradition.

I created tags from simple to complex, applying new techniques and using the tried-and-true. I’ve been watching Natalie Brown videos for inspiration. She’s a talented artist and crafter based in the UK who shares tips on using what you have in creative ways, so her suggestions are a good fit for my aesthetic.

Here’s what I created:

These tags incorporate vintage postage. We’re originally from Canada, so I had fun using Canadian postage on the center of the trees. I used a block of purple postage on embossed purple metallic paper to suggest a wrapped gift. I tried my hand at a mixed-media card, using vintage French postage.

Natalie created videos using gilding flakes and pigment powder. Both create beautiful results, but they’re a bit of a mess to work with. It was fun getting out the supplies and using them to create these cards.

I’m all about upcycling, so it was fun making one of these cards from the page of an old wall calendar. I removed the envelope lining from the card Mike gave me for my birthday and used it as a background. The paper is gorgeous. The third tag is cut from a piece of packaging. I like the thin, blue lines.

Using leftover rub-on transfers from last year’s 49 & Market release, I created several tags. I incorporated Distress Oxide ink, vellum, and embossing powder, all part of my crafting stash. It’s nice to take out the supplies and use them in different ways.

The following gallery fits into the ragtag category to round out the 25 I created this year. Sharon has the tags displayed on her wall and plans to save them for decorations next year. It’s fun seeing them together.

Earlier this season, I gathered a few leaves from our back garden Acer ‘Japanese Maple’. I used my die machine to create leaf impressions on water-colored paper. The combination made a nice and unexpected gift card.

A gift tag with the text 'Season's Greetings' surrounded by green leaf impressions, resting among lush green foliage.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and my warmest wishes for a more peaceful, centered, and compassionate new year.

October 28, 2025 by Born To Organize

Creating Cards with Vintage Postage

A friend passed on a fantastic collection of vintage postage stamps last year, and I’ve been slowly working my way through them. Some of the postage came loose in bags, while others remained attached to envelopes. I also received an album filled to the brim with postage from around the globe.

It’s time-consuming soaking the stamps in cool water and letting them dry to remove the paper and adhesive, so I’ve been soaking them in batches. Eventually, I made it through the entire collection. Now it’s all about the fun of making cards.

I have the equivalent of a shoe-box full of postage. It’s been fun hauling out the stamps when the mood strikes to make greeting cards and the occasional bookmark. I’ve sorted most of the stamps by color, though a few fell into themes like flowers, birds, airplanes, and even various Olympics.

Here are my atest cards:

Mike is a private pilot, a hobby he picked up during COVID. I enjoyed making him this card for his birthday.

My sister, Sharon, loves purple, so this card featured royal purple on the cover and a softer shade of purple on the interior. There had to be a cat, of course.

I made this ‘thinking of you’ card for a fellow gardener, using floral postage. These are some of my favorite stamps.

One of my favorite challenges this year is this teal card designed to emulate a bookshelf. I put a small frame around the owl to make it look like a picture on the wall near the “books.” The two shelves are cut from triangle-shaped postage.

For a bit of background, Kate, who blogs at Tall Tales of Chiconia, invites quilters from around the world to contribute a square or two for a fundraising quilt for the Trudy Crowley Foundation in Australia. Kate provides a clever theme and quilt title each year. She assembles the squares, adds a backing, and quilts the masterpiece. The teal quilt is donated and auctioned to benefit ovarian cancer.

I made this card for Kate using the same guidelines as this year’s “Tealing All Our Stories” theme. Please have a look. The quilt is gorgeous —treat yourself to a peek at the link above.

And finally, this autumn-themed card for my friend who gifted me all the stamps.

July 15, 2025 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy for Paper: Cards and Craft Kits

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).

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan,

Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,

Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,

Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Viv, Karrin, Alissa,

Hannah and Maggie

March 15, 2025 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy: A Balm for the Soul

My recovery from hip replacement surgery is going well. Without needing ice packs and elevated limbs, I could comfortably sit at my crafting desk to make a few ScrapHappy cards. Thank you, Kate, for bringing us together for these monthly challenges.

I have an inordinate amount of green paper scraps spanning many shades, solid and print. I managed to work four green scraps into three cards. I will continue to challenge myself to use more. I have an unappealing shade of leftover green paper from a paper pack that I will never use, so it went into the “scraps for testing ideas pile,” allowing me to cull the useable greens.

The first card incorporates two shades of green and a blueish background from a Halloween pack, believe it or not. As I’ve challenged myself over the years, I’m more confident about mixing the unexpected. It’s fun.

card made using green and blue paper scraps

Once or twice a year, I receive a coupon mailer from a clothing company called Tommy Bahama featuring beautiful tropical art, something I can’t bear to toss. I set the envelope aside and waited for inspiration. This month, I incorporated the front and back of the envelope into two cards.

Tommy Bahama Envelope with tropical flowers

This first card uses a cutout from the front of the envelope, set behind a trellis die-cut using a green scrap. I inked a piece of white paper to get the shade of blue I wanted, then sandwiched the trellis, orchid, and blue paper, matting a sliver of purple to tie the colors together.

The final card uses the back of the tropical art, one more green scrap (yay), purple scraps from my sister, and a butterfly transfer to tie it together. I enjoy using up what I have, repurposing when I can, and, most of all, creating cards to send to friends.

three dimensional card using green and purple scraps, butterfly transfer

These are difficult times. If you’ve been looking for a way to reduce stress, creative outlets like card-making, sewing, knitting, gardening, painting, or writing are a balm for the soul.

Here’s a list of contributing scrap-happy bloggers:

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Nóilin, Viv, Karrin, Alissa,
Tierney, Hannah and Maggie

July 12, 2024 by Born To Organize

Crafting in Circles

As hobbies go, crafting greeting cards is an easy and creative outlet. Cards can be simple or complex, depending on the mood and available supplies. I’ve been a letter-writer my whole life, so there is a practical side to making cards. I’m increasing my output by trying different styles or techniques to avoid bogging down with the same thing. I’ve watched hours of videos over time, and through them, I’ve learned techniques, but my aesthetic doesn’t quite fit the mold.

In truth, I don’t fit the mold either, and I never have. I embrace my uniqueness and carry on.

To inspire myself, I’ve been creating cards featuring a circle. Focusing on the shape allowed me to limit my choices, which I found freeing.

Here’s an interesting data point:

“The circle has been known since before the beginning of recorded history. Natural circles are common, such as the full moon or a slice of round fruit. The circle is the basis for the wheel, which, with related inventions such as gears, makes much of modern machinery possible. In mathematics, the study of the circle has helped inspire the development of geometry, astronomy, and calculus.” – source Wikipedia

Today, the circle is the basis for the following cards:

Card features two layers of vellum circles, a rub-on transfer, a repurposed folder and paper.

I cut the center circle from extra-wide Washi tape, adding a sentiment and a simple background.

This card features one-and-a-half circles. I love this pack of paper. I embossed the background. Technique: use a sanding block on the embossing to reveal the white paper backing.

Three circles using scraps. I lined up strips on a sticky label, then cut it to shape. The larger ring is cut from the same scraps. A hummingbird rub-on transfer flies over the top.

This card features three circles cut from a paper pack of botantical prints. The pale green paper is cut with a die, and the botanical print repeats behind that. Technique: inking edges for depth.

Another nice thing about this hobby: you can pass the time when it’s 105F outside. Our current heatwave has continued for twelve days with average temps 90F or above. Some of the plants are wilting and a few are showing signs of stress with burnt leaves. On the plus side, the tomatoes seem to be thriving and most of the succulents are getting by. It’s going to be a long summer.

February 6, 2024 by Born To Organize

Flowers and Cats, Wild and Domestic: Creating Cards with Postage

Today I’m sharing three of the cards I created using my postage stamp stash. The cards run the gamut from pedestrian to quirky. You can read more about the start of this process here.

Along the way, I tried keeping track of the countries represented as I created the cards. I had so much fun.

This first card took a bit of planning. I used a beautiful new floral die by Hero Arts and 15 stamps from nine countries. I had to cut two stamps to get the colors in the right place, but for the most part, I enjoyed the challenge of placing the whole stamp for maximum color effect.

Here’s how it looked just before running it through my die-cutting machine. Countries represented in this card include China, Germany, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, New Zealand, The Philipines, ROC-Taiwan, Russia, and the US.

Here is the finished card. I placed the floral postage wreath on velum, then added a hand-stamped sentiment to a pink paper scrap.

The next card falls into the quirky category. When sorting my stamps, I set aside images of cats, hoping for inspiration.

I have a set of Sizzix dies featuring cats, something I hoped to use at Halloween. It occurred to me that I could try using the cat dies with the images of the postage cats facing forward. It worked for two of the three cats. Before I knew it, I had “constructed” a cat condo using textured woodgrain paper, various inks, and a sanding block to emulate a well-loved cat tree.

I still needed a face for the middle cat, but the remaining cat postage didn’t work. After pawing through several more stamps and some trial and error, cat number three got a pair of cool glasses courtesy of this stamp from China.

I used coordinating colors for the body of each cat. I finished the card by adding floral paper to the background, reminiscent of kitschy wallpaper. Now that’s quirky. Countries represented in this card include China, Korea, Lithuania or Lietuva, Malaysia, The Netherlands, and the US.

Today’s final card uses a single postage stamp from Russia. My sister loves wildcats, and her favorite color is purple. This over-sized stamp combines both. I used a stitching die to cut two rectangles, added the wild cat stamp to the smaller one, and stamped “thinking of you” in the upper corner. I know she’ll enjoy it.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more cards.

Here is a helpful link if you are new to card making. It’s called The Ultimate Card Making Techniques Glossary

February 5, 2024 by Born To Organize

Card-making With My Postcrossing Stash

One of my current stress-busters is creating cards from postage stamps. I’ve written about the fun of sending and receiving postcards worldwide via the Postcrossing project. I joined in 2016, and in those eight years, I’ve sent and received over 300 postcards. I have stamps from 41 countries.

What is Postcrossing?

The goal of this project is to allow anyone to send and receive postcards from all over the world!
The idea is simple: for each postcard you send, you will receive one back from a random postcrosser from somewhere in the world.

Over the years, I’ve thought about alternate ways to use my beautiful stash. With few exceptions, postage stamps are works of art.

A few weeks ago, I took the plunge and removed the postage from my Postcrossing cards by soaking them in warm water. I watched my dad do the same in his basement den in the early sixties. I’m amazed that those memories are so vivid.

It took a few days to complete, and not all stamps were salvageable due to the newer adhesive; however, I ended up with over 600 postage stamps. What a haul!

Sorting is relaxing, too. I initially sorted by color and theme, depending on the volume. There were more blue stamps than any other color, with orange and purple being the most scarce. I had a handful of cartoon stamps, four or five cat stamps, and many flowers.

Once I started making cards, I ended up with stamps everywhere: stuck to my sweater, on the floor, under the cat, and so on. I ended each crafting session by gathering my stash back together for the next time.

It’s interesting that creative pull once you’ve come up with an idea. I looked forward to those hours of crafting time.

Here is a sneak peek of a few of the cards I made.

I’ll share more tomorrow.

November 15, 2023 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy for Someone Else’s Scraps

My friend Mary Ann is a cardmaker, among other things. She sells her wares on Etsy and at several craft shows near the holidays. As such, people give her “stuff,” hoping she can use it.

Lucky me.

Someone gave her this stack of parchment-like paper with a rectangle of gold foil in the center. She, in turn, passed them on to me. There are over 70 lustrous sheets, and I could hardly wait to tuck into them! Today’s scraphappy post is brought to you by a friend’s, friend’s scraps.

I made three cards covering Halloween, Christmas, and Autumn.

I used one of the foiled sheets as a background, then used my die cutter to cut the leafy inset. The rest of the card is done with ink.

The Christmas tree incorporates the gold center and part of the parchment for the trunk. The green scrap below has been kicking around in my supply drawer for years. I’m glad the paper found its purpose.