scrapnnana
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 15, 2019 22:22:30 GMT
I've been reading through the past "saving/dealing with scraps" posts this afternoon. A lot of people save scraps and use them, but they seem to keep them as large scraps. I find them bulky and hard to store neatly, when left that way.
Prior to moving halfway across the country, I cut my scraps into squares and rectangles to make them easy to use for cards. They were also a lot easier to store. Most fit into a much smaller box after cutting, because they stacked neatly. I had misplaced them, but found them recently.
After 2+ years in my new home, I now have a bunch more large scraps to deal with.
I'm surprised they have added up so quickly, since I really didn't think I'd done that much crafting.
I make cards as well as scrapbook, and I have a small group of crafty friends. They come to my home for card making. I plan to put out the squares and rectangles, but I am wondering if it makes sense to also cut a bunch of my growing pile of scraps into specific shapes, such as tags, banners, flowers, words, etc., that could be used on either cards or a layout. I'm hoping my crafty buddies will use some of the cut shapes on their cards, because there is no way I'll ever use them up by myself. Most of them are new to card making, and they don't have a lot in the way of paper and card stock.
Have any of you die cut your scraps? Was it easier to use them? Or does that just make it harder to store, and the cut pieces still go unused?
Thoughts on this, please?
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Post by joblackford on Mar 15, 2019 23:46:37 GMT
I think it's a really good idea, if you can figure out a way to store them so they're easily accessed and used. I have some challenges with the storage, but then I also don't have such a perfect group of people to make use of them. And I have lots of challenges to do with storage and making use of what I have! >.< I have a little bin of white scraps that I use for sentiments a lot, which works with my style of cardmaking. And I have another little collection of sentiment die cuts which are really easy to add to a card to finish it off. I also have some little stars and hearts I've punched from scraps but I forget to use those, mostly because I forget to embellish much at all.
If you had a few simple sketches that showed how to use the pieces you'll be cutting it might be even easier for your novice friends to get hooked.
And maybe your friends will be interested in taking some of the scrappy pieces home with them.
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scrapnnana
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 16, 2019 7:07:21 GMT
Thanks. I'm glad to know it's not a completely crazy idea, anyway.
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Deleted
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May 1, 2024 21:58:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2019 7:13:40 GMT
Yes I do cut my scraps into new ephemera. This is really important to me in my art. I set down once a month and take all my monthly scraps I fussy cut, punch, die cut, stamp all my scraps. I get into flows when I am in my art. I really hate stopping to punch out a heart or stop to create a paper piecing. If I have my pile of ephemera I can just look through it and I always find the right piece. I also really love my ephemera. It makes me proud and excited to use it. I know it's dorky but it's the truth.  My little treasures that I made inspire me. The storing issue is a lot easier. I don't have to deal with all these paper scraps growing like Gremlins after midnight. I keep all my ephemera in jewelry/sandwich bags by category in a photo box. I can flip through my boxes quickly and pull out the bag of what I need. Then just put it back after I finish my project. A lot easier than putting away all the tools. This is such a horrible analogy since I already insulted a bunch of parents today on another thread I will go for it on this thread too, lol. I have noticed kids are better with punch out shapes than paper they have to cut. They start creating their own little pieces of art. Here goes my bad analogy. I noticed adults are like that too. I think the women in your group would love punch out shapes. I think they would find it less daunting. I think they would have a lot of fun with shapes instead of scraps. I would cut a few pieces in the sizes you work with so they can have a canvas to create their new masterpieces. |
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Post by CardBoxer on Mar 16, 2019 15:05:30 GMT
I think it’s a great idea. I wish I had cardmaking pals to do that for. (Actuallly once I die cut a bunch of palm trees from a SC set for someone overseas after she mailed me the die to keep! But that’s it.)
I keep large scraps with uncut CS in clear job ticket pockets that CS lives in, and do the same for patterned paper large scraps in12x12 (13x13?) pockets.
Little scraps are stored upright in two small bins, one patterned, one CS. They’re sorted by color (ROYGBIV/WBN) and then scraps from backgrounds (watercolors/oxides/etc.) Scraps aren’t allowed to outgrow the bins. The bins are near the die cutting machine so they’re checked before looking in the pockets for large scraps or uncut sheets. If that makes sense.
Go for it.
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scrapnnana
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 16, 2019 17:21:06 GMT
Thanks, amayalylac. I appreciate knowing that many people find it easier to create when given some cuts that are ready to use. As for the people you offended, I was not one of them. I think too many people are easily offended. I know that you would not intentionally hurt anyone's feelings.
CardBoxer, this is a great group of gals. I have been the recipient of a RAK, and I then found a way to RAK someone else who needed a favor. That's one of the things I love about these gals. I like your idea of small bins for sorting the cuts into for my friends. I'm pretty sure that Dollar Tree has some that would work.
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Post by Embri on Mar 16, 2019 17:48:26 GMT
I work almost exclusively with scraps. The only time I reach for a full sheet is when my current pieces aren't big enough for the job!
I sort all my cardstock scraps into job folders; these are just heavy plastic folders with two open sides. I have one for coloured cardstock, 'specialty' (metallic, pearlized, etc.), heavier cardboard, and one for white. Another organizer holds patterned paper scraps. If I have really little pieces I'll pre-cut extra shapes I use often or a project 'kit' for colouring later.
Pre-cut shapes make great jumping off points! There's less investment than when you specifically cut a certain size/shape/colour, which makes it easier to try lots iterations rather than to continue forging down the sunk cost path.
(If anyone's to blame for the 'free range' thing, it'd be me because I started it. But everyone sort of missed the point that it was the fact that some parents use it as an excuse to absolve themselves of parental responsibility i.e. enforcing limits so little Suzie doesn't destroy the patio furniture or steal other people's food, not any inherent merit being ascribed or denied that I was trying to get at. Y'know, like the folks who claim to be oh so moral/faithful but then don't practice what they preach. Guess I need to pick better examples... I'm sorry if you ended up feeling attacked, @amayalylac . :c )
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kate
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Post by kate on Mar 16, 2019 19:47:55 GMT
I do pre-cut things. When I'm die cutting, I often throw a couple of extra dies on the plate, especially if I'm cutting a cardstock in a highly usable color. So if I'm die-cutting a frame, I'll also toss a small flourish die and/or some "Thanks" or "Hello" dies on the plate before sending it through. Then I put the extra die cuts in a small drawer, and when I need a quick card, I have a bunch of building blocks ready to go. Scraps that are smaller than 4x4(ish) get thrown away unless they are black, white, or ivory (i.e. useful for a small sentiment strip). I loved the loveitchopittopieces video that joblackford posted earlier - I thought it was brilliant! I'm not sure I'm ready to chop up EVERYthing, though. LOL |
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Post by anniefb on Mar 17, 2019 3:42:32 GMT
I use a lot but not all of my scraps. I do use some for card making and I also keep scraps of my 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock in the front of each pack so that I try and use that first, before cutting into a fresh sheet.
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Post by Embri on Mar 17, 2019 8:26:55 GMT
Scraps that are smaller than 4x4(ish) get thrown away unless they are black, white, or ivory You're making me cry over here.  *says the person who tries to get ONE MORE THING out out even the tiniest patch of cardstock before tossing it* |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2019 8:29:33 GMT
scrapnnana Thank you! Dollar Tree is starting to get in the cutest bins. If I didn't just finish my art studio Spring Cleaning I would be tempted to redo for the cute bins coming out, lol. I was thinking that Friday when I was shopping. Embri Don't worry about the free range thing. You didn't start anything. I wasn't feeling attacked. I got what you were saying. I think those parents who won't discipline Suzie need a time out, lol. I just finished Spring cleaning my art studio Friday. Yeah! I don't want to ever do that again, ROFL! I was organizing my paper and realize I hardly use full size pieces unless I am printing. Even then I have some I cut down by 4x6 so I can print on them. Scraps are the best. I love all the organization tips shared. Mine are usually in a pile like a two year old created it. I love piles of mismatched and making "soups". That is so funny because I am really, really, really organized.
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Post by Embri on Mar 17, 2019 9:22:35 GMT
I think those parents who won't discipline Suzie need a time out, lol. That they do - it's the kids I feel sorry for though, because they end up getting shortchanged on social skills and unless they're from an affluent family, that can mean a lot of trouble. Mm, cardstock soup. Bet that's got lots of fibre! |
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Post by riley on Mar 17, 2019 17:39:50 GMT
I keep a file folder with all white 110 cardstock, one with the colored scraps sort of arranged in color families and a folder of neutrals. I don’t keep small pieces. A file folder doesn’t hold a ton so I don’t let it build up. I do keep card sized pieces where I messed up on the stamping and use the other side. I have a friend who keeps her scraps in the job ticket holder with the colored cardstock but only bigger pieces. I don’t use colored cardstock except for neutrals much anymore.
I would have loved to have been a free range parent but it wasn’t safe where my kid grew up. Although I worked my son was never latch key. I had to hire people and he was in a lot of supervised activities. I grew up in a time when we would run the neighborhood all summer and only come home for meals and after the streetlights went on. My son now lives in Japan where kindergarteners ride the trains all alone all over Tokyo. It’s completely safe. Different world.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,126
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Post by scrapnnana on Mar 18, 2019 4:47:29 GMT
Scraps that are smaller than 4x4(ish) get thrown away unless they are black, white, or ivory You're making me cry over here. *says the person who tries to get ONE MORE THING out out even the tiniest patch of cardstock before tossing it* I'm one of those who also tries to get every little bit used before tossing the "skeleton" scraps into the trash. I've been cutting up my scraps. It's amazing how many die cuts I am able to get out of them. I am putting the cuts into the little bins, trying to keep the colors and patterns together that coordinate. I think they will work well for my card making group. At least I hope so. We'll see. |
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My little treasures that I made inspire me.
*says the person who tries to get ONE MORE THING out out even the tiniest patch of cardstock before tossing it*