My "Scrap Bin" is a little out of control!!!

Okay, okay, it is ALOT out of control...  so I had to do something about it, and will continue to be doing something about it for a LOOONNNGGGG time, it seems like!  I tried to organize my scraps by color or size, and it's completely not working...  absolutely not.  I couldn't handle it anymore, so I said to myself, "self...  make a bunch of cards using nothing but scraps."  So, the only thing I allowed myself to use new was the actual card base if I couldn't find big enough solid cardstock in my pile to make a card.  This isn't a huge dent in the grand scheme of things, but nonetheless, the pile has dwindled down a bit.  Keep going... keep going.  I did allow use of embellishments, stamps and things like that, but I didn't get out one new piece of paper to make a card.  Boy, that's hard!  So here they are, some look okay, some not so much, but either way, it was in an effort to use scraps and that goal was accomplished.  I did even venture out and use a new technique - powder embossing!  Take a look!

Very simple Happy Birthday cards... the golden and red colored paper were in my scrap bin and just used some ribbon and two little stickers I had in my stash

Used a scrap piece of red for the base and a strip of the diamond pattern blue paper.  Make a Wish and the party hat were rub-ons and I hand wrote "It's your day"

Blue cardstock I had in my stash - rounded the corners, added a yellow flower cut from Gysy Wanderings, that was in my spare cuts drawer, hand-wrote "for you" and drew a little heart on the flower.

 Purple cardstock was in my scrap stash, as was the golden yellos, and the green patterned paper.  I added the cirle of patterned paper that was in my spare cuts drawer along with the Thank you, I believe is from Wild Card.

My first attempt at powder embossing.  The only powder I have is clear, and this is what I came up with.  The black cardstock I actually cut to use for this card, b/c I wante dto see how the black would look embossed, and added the yellow striped paper.  The circles were cut with my Martha Stewart Circle cutter and then used them to make a little flower with a silver brad in the middle.  I inked the top layer of black with white chalk ink.  The cupcake stamp I had and foget where I got it... that's bad, I know.

My 2nd attempt at embossing with clear powder.  All the paper except for the red base were in my scrap bin, and added some red yellow and blue ribbon.  I don't like the way the embossing showed up on the red, ut love how it showed up on the blue...  note to self.   

Scrap pieces of pink and white cardstock, added a piece of brown trim with my edge punch and a tag from Plantin Schoolbook.  The brown was a scrap piece of ribbon and the pink brads I had on-hand.  "Celebrate" was a rub-on and the "You" is hand-written.

Scrap piece of teal cardstock and the patterned paper was also in my scrap bin.  I cut the little window out with a exacto knife and Stamped through the front, "Hello."  I like the way this turned out.  On the inside of the card "Hello" has "just wanted to say" above it.

A great way to use those pesky scrap pieces of ribbon.  I cut a 2.5" circle out of the front of it and glued my scrap pieces of ribbon behind the window.  I stamped "Hello" and wrote "dear friend."

A scrap piece of flower paper and a scrap piece of blue cardstock.  Just stamped "Happy Birthday."

Leftover patterned paper from above card, cut into strips, matted on some scrap blue cardstock and used a piece of yellow cardstock for the base.  A simple "Hello" Card.

I didn't realize I was on a "Hello" card kick till just now...  sorry about that!  "hello" was part of a stamp you will see in a bit with birds on it, but I just inked the hello, and hand'wrote "Friend."  The butterfly was in my stash of embellies and was pop-dotted, and the ribbon and patterned paper are all scraps as well. 

A scrap piece of red cardstock, as well as patterned paper, and some typewriter stickers I had in my stash, along with a sticker.  I used a maple leaf hole punch I have from my wedding favors (almost 5 years ago) and just punched some leaves out of fall-colored scarp paper. 



 Whew!!!!  That's it!  After all of that - I CHALLENGE YOU to a scrap bin dive....  Dive on in, see what you can create to use those little pieces of larger pieces of "I have to save this it might come in handy one day."  You know you have some things like this, too!!!!

Thank you for looking!  It means a lot to me!  Have a great day!

Hugs and Paper Love,

Mary