Friday, June 28, 2013

Album filler cards


Stash busting doing double duty! As I have moved to some of my scrapbooking being done in divided page protectors and am also waiting (impatiently) for Becky Higgins Project Life kits to hit these south western shores I am in need of some cards to use in my page protectors to fill in some blanks. I sat down with a sheet of kraft, black, white and cream cardstock. I cut each into 3 6x4's and 6 3x4 cards- leaving me with 36 cards to decorate. I rounded the corners on around half of them. And then went to town with some of the embellishments and bits that I need to use up and a little of my newer stash as well. I'm about halfway through and this is what I have.....


Some of them work in only one direction and some have been made with the ability to use either landscape or portrait.Some of them also have room for journalling or even just to add a date.
 I love these because while I am in the mode of getting my photos into page protectors I am keen to get as much done as fast as possible- so having these pre-made cards ready to go. I'm also really happy with them because being in the zone of using up some older stuff means that I have used supplies that I wouldn't have used if I was making them as I needed them.



Using some of these clips that I have out on my desk.




Thursday, June 27, 2013

Where you can see it!

Another strategy I'm employing for stash busting is to get some stuff out and put it right in front of me on my table. I figure if it's there I'm more likely to use it. And if it stays there over a few pages/projects and doesn't get used then I probably need to admit I'm not going to use them and perhaps it's time to let go!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Friday, June 21, 2013

Use it or lose it....

In the process of clearing out all my scrapbook supplies I laid out stuff, by type, on my dining room table so that I could get a good view of everything.

Special Flower....


Basic Flowers by colour....


Buttons and bits from Purple Pumpkin....


Mixed colour older embellishments...


Semi-Recent and recent purchases....



I also took photos of the contents of each of my colour based embellishment boxes. And then I printed the photos. I had 19 in total and Harvey normal were having $1 8x10's so I got them nice and big and then put them on a book ring. And now I keep them on my table and have a quick flick through when I need something. I cross off the things in the photo as I use them. And I plan on making sure that the bulk of the super old items that are in the photos are used by the end of the year.

I think these could also be a handy resource to take shopping and they are going to help me see what it is that I like to use and what I really shouldn't buy again.... at the moment I can see that I prefer 'flat' stuff over 'fat' stuff.

The blue box.
 ♥

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Geek Chic

 Wohoo- the last of the grommets- repeating the shape of the silly glasses that Merenia got in a prize package.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Nana Loves to Swim

More Grommets! Nana and Merenia in the Base Pool circa 2009.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

3 Friends

 The second of the Grommet using Layouts- Merenia on her 9th Birthday with her very best friends in New Zealand.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Saskia 10



In an effort to bust some stuff out of my stash I have started selecting some items I just want to get on a page or get rid of. The first item(s) I chose was my Making Memories Grommets because it also means I can get rid of the associated (useless) Grommet Tool. I've had these in my stash for 6+ years! As you can see I used 7 grommets to make balloons for this pages about Saskia's 10th Birthday.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Friday, June 14, 2013

De-stashing!


A huge part of finding ways to use my stash has been just to reduce what I have. To that end I bit the bullet and got rid of a bag full of letter stickers. Some of them full sets that I have owned for years I am both ashamed and proud to say. It's hard getting rid of something I once paid money for but have never actually used! But at the same time I'm proud I was able to step up and admit that I'm just not going to use them at all because my style as changed or because I made a bad call in the first place- generally because something was cheap! Let's face it if I keep something and no one uses it it's more of a waste than if I pass it on and it gets used. I also weeded out my stickers and some other papers (above). And my embellishments and ephemera stash as well. (below). I still have some drawers to go through and need to make a decision on going through my patterned paper as well. But in the mean time Will's class have benefited greatly from my clean out and I am enjoying more space in some of my previously over-crowded embellishment and sticker boxes- and yes it's easier to find stuff now!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Monday, June 10, 2013

Friday, June 7, 2013

Changing the way I Scrap Pt 3

These are the divided page protectors that are specifically designed for 6x4 photos and also 3x4 photos or journalling cards. It's super easy and fast just to slip the photos in either as is or with a little decoration......



Or you can work with smaller photos on a 4x6 canvas, as I've done below. As you can see here I've also mixed up the overall size of my divided page protectors as well- I'm using not just 12x12 but also 8.5x11 and 8x8, 6x6 and 12x6 depending on what my needs are.




Another idea is to cut one side or end off a photo and add some paper and embellishments to it- even carry it across to pockets to add a more cohesive look.

These pages will go directly into Tama's All about me album and I'll add in any 12x12 LO's as I make them roughly in chronological order.

I am totally loving this system because:
  •  it's super easy and fast.
  • because I think it will be an overall space saver in my albums.
  • because it allows me to get photos that didn't need a whole LO devoted to them in the albums alongside the LO's.
  • I think it is a money saver.
  • it allows me to use my scraps and also sticker and other flat embellishments.
  • I can add as much or as little journalling as I like.
I'll share more of these pages as I do them just as I do my regular LO's.
♥