Some of my favorite projects or designs happen when I’m working with a certain restriction. They require me to think outside of the box and flex those problem-solving muscles that bring out the magic. Other times I’ll just have things sitting around from previous projects and they’ll look so right together that I can’t toss them out. I’m all for repurposing and reinventing when it makes sense. So this week’s Scrapbook Sunday is brought to you by your pretty little scrap pile of leftover papers and all the photo edges sitting by your paper cutter.
While I don’t condone hoarding, I do think it’s smart to hold on to the prime stuff. Maybe it’s a card you received from a friend with a great font that you might want to cut up and incorporate into a journaling spot or a well-designed flyer you found at your favorite coffee shop with an unusual color story—they are just interesting enough that you want to save them for the perfect page.
For the page above, I used a striped envelope from an earlier Happy Mail package, a piece I cut from a poster that has the prettiest shade of electric red on a soft pink background, and the top third of a photo from Smith’s first month. I also pulled pieces from the September Messy Box and a prior Messy Box.
I didn’t have another patterned paper that went with the cut up poster, so I used some floral stamps and the ink pads from the A Beautiful Mess shop to create a patterned journaling card. I then added some foam alpha stamps that I rubbed across my black ink pad to help them stand out against the floral pattern.
For my non-photo pocket page, I just created a grid-like collage from photo cut-offs and scraps of papers that I liked, and then cut up a journaling card to continue the patchwork feel. I left a space at the bottom for journaling and added a simple title with alpha stamps and a wooden embellishment that I inked in black.
I love the pops of red and black with minty blue here and there on both of these pages. I also love that I was able to incorporate strips of photos that would’ve otherwise ended up in the trash. Do you already have a box where you save your scraps? –Rachel
Credits//Author and Photography: Rachel Denbow. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
14 Comments
I love your idea on how to do scrapbooking! I always wanted to make one but running out of idea. You are so talented and creative. I love the things with everything mixed up.
Great idea!!
http://realizatumesmo.blogspot.pt/ (A DIY blog, from Portugal)
I love your version of scrapbooking. Your are the adult version of my little high school art journals except much more polished! I kind of want to get back into it as a creative outlet but necessarily as a documenting method. I love the Project Life app of documenting life but I miss playing around with all the bits and pieces and pretty things.
I like to save ribbons. I always find a purpose for them.
What an awesome idea! I love anything mix matched, it always looks the coolest! x
Courtney
www.waterlilyshop.com
I love how your site is like a scrapbook! Great article BTW! Will definitely follow! <3
that’s so cute!! I loove scrapbooking 😀
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
I love everything about the pages but most of all: The ‘rollin with the homies’ sticker! So good 🙂
so cool :))
mfashionfreak♥blog
I’ve always though that this exactly is the essence of scrapbooking. Putting spare pieces to use. Thanks for reminding us! Your layouts are lovely as always!
Absolutely love this layout. It almost hurts cutting up pretty paper so I love this idea of using it in your layouts! Where did you gut the sequins from? So pretty!!!
I just love how you can instinctively put everything together and it just looks perfect. Your scrapbooking always motivates me to do some of my own. Thank you for this inspiration!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
What a great idea! My scraps always just go straight to the recycle bin, gonna save them!!
The most beautiful blog