Thank you, Kate, of Tall Tales from Chiconia, for inspiring us to put our scraps to good use. I enjoy the challenge but don’t often make, photograph, and post on the same day. Phew!
It’s not the first time I pulled out this green scrap of outdoor material. I considered making a tablecloth this time last year but then realized it had white paint near the center. I vaguely remember using the material as a drop cloth (silly me) or simply getting it too close to an outdoor painting project. So I folded the scrap and put it away.
I found this lovely silky square in my “treasure” drawer a few days ago. The drawer is a place to keep small gifts and tokens of remembrance that don’t otherwise have a home. This lovely Tana Lawn pocket square is a gift from my friend Kelly. She brought it back from her trip to England a few years back. Something clicked in my brain, and I thought: I bet that matches the green fabric (it does), and I wonder if it will cover the paint (yes, it will). The tablecloth was a simple make, both pretty and practical, with a touch of friendship on the side.
Please visit these crafty makers below to see what they have to share this month. Welcome, Hannah!
If you want to join us for ScrapHappy each month, please get in touch with Kate at this link.
Happy scrappy, everyone.
Here’s a list of contributing scrap-happy bloggers:
Thank you, Kate, for bringing us together for these monthly scrap-happy challenges. We’re welcoming one new and one returning contributor this month: Tierney of Tierneycreates and Lynn of Tialys
My scrappy project pairs repurposed embroidery hoops and last year’s wall calendar to create something decorative for the garden bench. I used a disparate assortment of scraps from my craft room and some garden twine.
Humble embroidery hoops
I initially used the embroidery hoops to store my Washi tape collection; however, my reduced tape supply now fits in a small, clear box.
Pages from my beloved 2022 wall calendarCircles cut from two calendar pages
The hoops served as a template to trace two sections of the calendar and a vinyl backing. Since these will hang outdoors, I want them to last the season. I backed each page with vinyl and applied four layers of Mod Podge to the front to seal them.
Interestingly, the beautiful texture of the paper combined with the Mod Podge creates an oilcloth-like surface. The vinyl sheets came as part of a kit I’ve kept for years. The sticky backing adhered beautifully.
I applied Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain to the hoops using a small paintbrush. Crafters use the stain for mixed media applications, but it works for random projects like this. I’ve also used it for fairy garden projects.
Distress stain drying on the embroidery hoops
Before gluing the prints to the back of the hoops, I crocheted a couple of strands of garden twine, threading the loops through the screw used to tighten the hoop.
Completed garden art
After spending 45 minutes unsuccessfully trying to make twine bows, I returned to my craft room and found that I had just enough leftover vintage seam binding in the perfect shade of green to do the job. Kismet.
Vintage seam binding bows
There is something gratifying about using an obsolete calendar, vinyl, wood, twine, seam binding, glue, and stain to create a little bit of bling for the garden.
Ready to display, but we have a bit more rain in store first
Here’s a list of contributing scrap-happy bloggers:
Thanks, as always, Kate, for hosting this monthly challenge.
Every few months, I get the urge to use my Gel Press, usually when I find something interesting on the garden floor.
Last month I picked up a decaying leaf that maintained its skeleton-like structure. (Sorry, no pics) I wanted to capture the leaf pattern using a Gel Press, brayer, watercolor paper, and ink. I imagined the delicate veins of the decaying leaf in minute detail. Instead, I created several blobs. I call the first blob “cranky man-in-the-moon.”
Sigh.
This brings me to ScrapHappy, the oops edition. I set the images and my discouragement aside for a time. I decided to use them this month to make some cards.
While I had a general idea of using the blobs as backgrounds for my cards, I lacked direction. In the end, I have:
The Under-achiever: Pretty but ho-hum
The first card incorporates one of the blobs cut into a rectangle and mounted on a scrap of purple paper. The watering can is fussy-cut from an old wall calendar. I’ve saved old calendars in years passed when I couldn’t part with the beautiful images. It’s fun to incorporate them into cards.
The Over-achiever: Not knowing when to quit
This second card got away from me. I inadvertently got mired in “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” mode. While I love the punched background made with a gorgeous crafting die from PinkFresh Studio, I wish I had spent time experimenting before adding details. I stamped the floral image with versa mark ink, embossed it in black, then colored the flowers with markers. Placing yellow circles behind the image helped them stand out. When I stamped the word “hugs” on the image, it looked small and out of scale. I fixed that oops with another die cut of a leaf. Time to quit.
The Surprise: A happy accident with paper and ink
The final card looks yellow in this pic, yet all three backgrounds are the same shade of green. I tried transferring ink to the Spellbinders embossing folder, but the results were mixed. Thinking I had wiped off all the ink, I was surprised to see small amounts of purple ink transfer to the green. You can just make out the leaf image in blob number three.
I’m dipping back into this blogging space with Kate’s monthly ScrapHappy prompt. Makers worldwide produce and blog about a project created with scraps. Many of my fellow bloggers work with fabric, while others create with metal and wood. I occasionally make something with fabric scraps; however, paper scraps are my frequent medium of choice.
I’m sharing a couple of projects this month. First, for the third year running, I’ve assembled Valentine’s Day-themed crafting kits that I place alongside our Little Free Library.
I had the pleasure of watching a four-year-old claim one, which delighted us both. This is probably the last year I’ll be assembling kits from scraps, as I’ve exhausted my entire stash of seasonal paper and embellishments. Next year’s kits won’t qualify as ScrapHappy, but they will still be fun to make.
My second project is a card. I used the cover of a 6 x 6 tablet of paper, which you might otherwise toss. I wanted to emulate a quilt and found the small square samples pictured on the front of the tablet were a perfect size.
I worked around the barcode and other printing and had just enough colored squares to make a small card. The grey scrap backing is smaller than the cover, but I made it work by piecing it together.
Part of the package title shows in the third row, so I covered it with a strategically placed greeting. After trimming the grey paper to a small border, I added texture using one of my embossing folders. Finally, a scrap of lavender paper forms the card.
Please follow the links below to see what other crafty folks are up to. Welcome, Karrin, who joined us for the first time this month.
ScrapHappy is open to all. Please reach out to Kate, linked below, if you would like to join in the fun.
It’s October 15th. Do you know where your scraps are?
Our ScrapHappy host, Kate, invites bloggers to join in the fun of making something entirely out of scraps. We create something useful or beautiful (or spooky!) each month and share details on our blog.
I love Halloween, and I love paper crafts. October is my birthday month, so in addition to the paper I buy, friends treat me to Halloween treasure. I may never run out of scraps, but not for lack of trying.
Once again, I assembled small craft kits that I offer next to our Little Free Library. Some of my Halloween paper goes back 15 years. If I haven’t used it by now, it’s time to send it out into the universe for someone else to enjoy. The scraps are leftover from paper kits or freebies from craft weekends past. I used black ink and a couple of my acrylic stamps so I could include a couple of small embellishments.
Last night, just before dozing off, I thought it would be fun to decorate a themed box for the craft kits. So I pulled out the box I used last summer for kits and covered it with scraps of Halloween paper, leftover Washi tape, and the remnants of my son’s haunted house phase. He’s a senior at university, so those scraps have also been around.
The box is too deep to display the kits, so I used a cardboard lid to divide it, covering it with gauzy Creepy Cloth.
The cloth drapes along the back and intersects with the paper. I raided my fairy garden stash for the “broken fence,” and it was finally ready to go. I recycled a cellophane bag on the bottom of the box in case it gets damp. We’re unlikely to see rain in the next two weeks (BOO!), but I’ll bring the box in at night anyway since it will get damp.
There are twenty kits in total, but if they go quickly, scraps remain.
That, dear readers, brings me to the other fun part of these posts. Here are links to several other ScrapHappy bloggers.
Once a month, Kate inspires a group of bloggers to dust off their scraps and embrace the ScrapHappy vibe. I’m always up for the challenge of creating from scraps. Kate is a talented quilter, a raiser of chickens, a gardener, and an all-around good soul. Check out her blog for more inspiration and fun.
It’s fair to say that I took the directive to “dust off your scraps” literally. My friend Donna gave me a pair of National Geographic magazines several years ago. She knew I would appreciate the flower prints in the magazine’s fold.
I’ve pulled out both issues from my drawer many times, but I couldn’t decide what to do with them. It’s one thing to use a five-year-old-scrap but quite another when the scraps are pages of a magazine published over one hundred years ago. The fragile paper doesn’t leave any margin for error.
I decided to turn some of the smaller prints into cards. I trimmed them to size, leaving a small border and the identifying state and the flower’s name.
They needed a little oomph, so after testing on one of the magazine’s ads, I cautiously proceeded. I ran each print through my die machine using a floral embossing folder. It applies just enough pressure to emboss the card without tearing the paper.
Using my green scraps, I found the perfect paper to create four cards.
I had one tear when I tried removing the tape backing. As a result, the California poppy description is on the back of the card. Otherwise, I’m both pleased and relieved with the results.
I’m looking forward to mailing the cards to dear friends.
Are you crafty? Scrappy? Come join us on the 15th of each month and let us see your ScrapHappy creation.
I’m joining Kate and a cadre of crafty makers this month for what Kate and her friend call ScrapHappy. Fellow bloggers create something functional or beautiful, perhaps even whimsical, made entirely from scraps.
My project this month is a small cushion for the cats. It’s designed to cover what’s left of a tattered cat condo. I merged two unlikely scraps: the former padding from an ironing board and a remnant of upholstery fabric that once graced our garden swing.
The padding is soft and easy to work with. Tessa came along to investigate.
We have what remains of a kitty perch sitting on the steps in the back garden. Unfortunately, the cat perch did not live up to its potential! The top-level broke after one of the cats jumped from the perch. I removed the top, leaving two levels, but the hardware poked through, making for what must have been an uncomfortable surface. I eventually moved it outside and removed the second level, placing the base on some pavers. This cushion hides the ugly surface and provides comfort for the four-legged royalty of the house.
I used two layers of the padding for the cushion, then shredded the rest to offer as nesting material to the squirrels.
I made a simple envelope style cover for easy washing. The cushion is more pleasing to the eye.
So far, the kitties aren’t impressed, but I enjoyed dusting off my sewing machine and using up some scraps. I had to resort to bribery to coax Mouse onto the cushion. He hasn’t been up there since.
Oh well.
The second make, also for the cats, is a hit. I used the last bit of green fabric to repair a beloved cat toy. The upholstery fabric is rugged enough for cat claws and teeth, and the fine stitching keeps the loose Nepeta contained.
It’s good to know I can still sew a couple of rectangles. (Ha!) Wait till you see what the other creative makers have been up to at the links below.
Interestingly, Kate’s scrappy project this month is for her four legged Mouse. Our Mouse is a feline and Kate’s Mouse is a pooch. Is anyone out there sewing for a real mouse?
Thank you, Kate! I hope you are feeling better soon.
It’s December 15, or in Kate’s speak, time to gather lingering scraps and give them a new life.
I enjoy the challenge of Kate’s ScrapHappy days. Even in December, with the holiday hustle in full swing, it’s nice setting aside some time to craft. I had a sewing project in mind this month, but it will have to wait.
Tis’ the season, so a Christmas card seemed the obvious choice. I used leftover aqua-colored paper strips, gluing them at an angle on scrap paper. After trimming the raw edges, I ran the piece through my paper embosser using a snowflake pattern.
Assembling monochromatic hues of aqua, then embossing them with the snowflake pattern created an interesting texture for the card. I’ve made strip cards before, but I generally use complementary colors.
As luck would have it, I found a scrap of shiny silver paper to frame the card sentiment and the embossed background. This challenge has inspired me to make more monochromatic cards in the future.
It should also inspire me to keep the door closed, but where is the fun in that? One of my embellishments went missing, later recovered and removed from the underbelly of a particular cat. I’ll leave it to you to sort the outcome of the Sticky Kitty Caper.
Kate, thanks for keeping us organized and engaged.
My friend Alicia sent me the following note, along with this Cats in Art diary from 1988.
“I came across this unused diary, and though I have no use for it, was reluctant to discard it. I thought of you, wondering if you might find some purpose for it in your crafts.”
It’s nice when your friends get you, eh?
I’ve had so much fun taking apart the pages and turning them into cards, both big and small. My favorite images included cats in the garden or perched near windows and the art that beautifully conveys the natural world. While I appreciate all art, I’m not enamored with dark oils or dreary scenes.
I made two small blue note cards, a pair of craft paper cards, two oversized cards, and even a couple of postcards. I wanted to preserve as much of the original art image as possible.
The one exception is this z-fold card. I used part of the image on the front and another part of it on the inside. Both are viewable when the card is open.
I made ten cards in all, plus the thank you card using the beautiful art. I cut circles out of some of the calendar pages and made stickers to go with the cards.
It then occurred to me that I could re-purpose the calendar cover to make a folio for the set of cards. I carefully cut the remaining pages, made a flap over the rough center, and then covered it with Washi tape from my stash.
I adhered three craft envelopes in two different sizes to hold the cards and stickers in place. Everything fit beautifully. The final detail: adding a piece of vintage seam binding, also from my stash, to pull it all together.
Stress is the enemy, and crafting is the cure…or something like that. I’ve had a lot of stress in my life this past month, so I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my card-making distraction.
I cut several paper scraps into half-inch strips and tossed them in a box. Rhythm is great for reducing stress.
Time permitting, I then sorted the strips by color. Some of my scraps are printed on both sides, offering lots of variety. Still no actual cards at this point, but sorting by color is cheering.
From there, I looked up some simple quilt designs for inspiration. Who doesn’t like looking at beautiful art and quilts?
At the suggestion of my friend Dawn, I bought an embossing folder that imprints a quilt-like texture on paper. A little retail therapy for the win.
I love the embossing folder. It feels like a bit of magic each time the folder imprints on the card. Here’s a closeup:
After assembling a few cards, my colored strips were in disarray. So I cut a few wax seed envelopes in half and taped the open side. Now the strips are contained but still easy to see.
Wax seed bag, before cutting it in halfOne bag makes two
Here’s my collection of cards:
I’ve made cards using this simple pattern before. I enjoy the blending of color, pattern, and texture.
Here’s a similar card, but using the strips of paper at different angles.
Two solids and two patterned papers
I enjoyed using one solid and one pattern on this card. The sentiment is printed on the reverse side of the fan-shaped paper.
This card loosely follows the colors of the rainbow. The dark purple is too saturated in color for this combo, but it’s all about using scraps so there you go. It’s the only solid purple scrap I had.
This might have been the last card of the day before the Tessa interlude. I used 18 different paper scraps. It reminds me of some of the heritage quilts I’ve seen over the years assembled from old clothing pieces. I’ve always admired the history and beauty of those quilts.
18-Patterned piecesTessa loves paper, too.
This pattern primarily exists in my imagination. I call it the tea party. The light pink along the bottom represents the table; the gingham is the tablecloth and above that is the tea service. The fourth layer represents flowers outside the window. Along the sides are lace doilies draped on the back of the blue chairs. Still don’t see it? Try switching from tea to wine.
Tea Party Card
This last card is for a special friend who suffered an unimaginable loss. I made this card by laying down half-inch strips in a simple square pattern before cutting a heart from the center. Next I raised the heart with small pieces of foam tape, then replaced it in the heart-shaped opening. The raised heart adds some interest and texture, though it’s hard to see in this photo.
Heart-shaped Card
Process photos for Heart-shaped card
That look on Tessa’s face put an end to my crafting for the day, but that’s okay. Kitty’s are great stress-busters, too.
I learned something new in the Block Editor today. I saved the list of ScrapHappy bloggers as a reusable block. Now I drop it into my post without the need to cut and paste each month. Welcome, Jule, our newest ScrapHappy Day blogger.
Whether it's one simple yet somehow perfect day or a dreamed about journey finally realized, I never want to forget the joy of the moment or how fortunate I am!
Gardening Nirvana 