Cath Edvalson
I am, by all definitions, an earthy girl.
I live to be outside, I love to garden, I hike as much as I can and I’m always trying to find more ways to live a sustainable life in which I reduce, reuse and recycle.
For example, I gave up Lean Cuisines and body wash so I could reduce the amount of packaging I consume. I also participate in my community’s recycling program, eat locally via a community-supported agriculture program, use reusable bags at the grocery store and even wear shoes that are completely organic and made from recycled materials:
My Eco-Sneaks from Simple are made from organic cotton, the outsoles are made from used car tires and the laces are made from recycled plastic bottles.
Like many of you, I’m just trying to do my part—especially considering I work for a magazine whose very nature depends on the destruction of bunches and bunches of trees. And let’s face it, lots of resources are required to create the papers, embellishments, fibers and do-dads that we like to put on our cards.
The good news is that there’s been a movement to make more environmentally-friendly paper crafting products, and there are many, many ways to make paper crafting more sustainable. The even better news is that you don’t have to look very far to find them.
Take the May/June issue of Paper Crafts magazine, for example. After a brief thumb-through I came up with five great ways to create amazing products without buying something new. Check it:
In the PC 101 column, “Get Funky with Fabric,” Go-to Gal Kim Kesti shows us cool ways to incorporate fabric in your projects. If you’re like me, you’ve got scads and scads of this stuff lying around from various costumes and home décor projects you’ve worked on over the years. Putting fabric on your projects is not only fun, but it’s trendy as well—adding texture and dimension in all kinds of amazing ways.
Kim die-cut an embellishment from fabric and added it to a project.
I love this tip from Stephanie Halinski in her Love You, Mom Card in our Thanks Mom & Dad feature on p. 40. She suggests using your Christmas product throughout the year by adapting it to projects for other occasions. That’s a great way to stretch your supplies—which is always friendly to Mother Earth.
The patterned paper on the bottom of the card is from BasicGrey's Eskimo Kisses collection.
Another earth-friendly tip? Use images as focal points that you already have on hand. Here, Deb Rymer has used a photo in this simple but heartfelt card:
Other supplies with which you could design that you might have lying around include old greeting cards, vintage trinkets, old book pages, sheet music, household objects—the possibilities are truly endless!
And how about one of the hottest trends around—making your own embellishments? We’ve devoted an entire feature to this trendy addition to the paper crafting scene. If you take a close look at the DIY embellishments highlighted in the feature, you can see that most are made from scraps our designers had on hand. The added benefit to this particular way of reducing, reusing and recycling is that you save lots of money as well! Take this project by Go-to Gal Betsy Veldman:
In this gift box on p. 51, Betsy created the apple by die-cutting and layering it from scraps.
And last but not least, never estimate the power of inspiration. One way to be earth-friendly is to think outside the box and use resources you might not have considered before. We did just that when we asked our designers to create projects by getting their inspiration from the garage. Look at this amazing project by Heidi Van Laar. She came up with a punny sentiment by using a nail as her focal point in this rockin’ awesome card:
Inspiration is everywhere and sometimes where you least expect it.
I’ll be the first to admit that when I see a new product line I like, I want to snatch it right up and gobble it whole. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it is always good to save the scraps, repurpose what we can and use what we buy to its fullest potential. It’s good for our Mother, it’s good for our pocketbooks, and I’m happy to report that it’s really trendy as well!
Earth Day is officially on Thursday, but I’m starting the party a little early! Leave a comment telling me ways you make the most of your paper crafting product. Do you use something up before you replace it, save scraps or make your own embellishments? I loved to hear your ideas! As a special treat, three random people will win Cosmo Cricket’s Earth Love Crafting Kit. All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Wednesday, April 21.
Three lucky people will take home Cosmo's Earth Love Crafting Kit!
Happy Earth Day,
Cath
P.S. One of our readers, Jessica Barr-Gabriel, is committed to living an entire year without buying anything new aside from food and toiletries, as well as anything that needs to be replaced to keep her family safe. She is an enthusiastic paper crafter, and boy is she going through her stash! She’s also having to look at paper crafting from a completely new angle—it’s more about repurposing found items to keep her creativity thriving. Her blog is called Nothing New, Nothing Wasted and you can find it by clicking HERE.
My favourite paper crafting challenge is to use up old brochures and packaging. I’m to the point now if I see a nice image on a box or catalogue it goes straight to the craft room!
I have been saving all my scraps. I also make a lot of my own embellishments and even my own patterned paper, which really helps the budget! I use dictionaries and books from the annual Library book sale for the “patterned paper” that I do buy – recycling! I am also congenitally unable to throw anything away – I save all my cereal boxes and packaging, using it for chipboard and also for acetate window material, or as the base for decorated boxes and containers.
I reuse everything! Any paper that is blank on one side is perfect for stamping and cutting out embellishments and I always recycle cereal boxes and use my punches to make my own chipboard do dads. Oh, flea markets are the perfect place to find buttons rather than purchasing new ones!
When it comes to recycling, I am a champ! In fact, I have to resist my tendency to hoard things because I see treasures in so much trash! Old buttons and ribbons/twine etc, go into my stash. Pages from magazines and old books….in my stash. I use old cardboard or plastic packaging to make diecuts or templates and I even use junk mail to make flower shapes and as photo mats. If it can be glued to paper, I am there!
To help keep the earth clean, I wait for specials on ink recycling. I can hardly wait to take my cartridges to Walgreens and fill them up for $1 each. I also reuse all my scraps, and crochet my own flowers.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Carmen Lucero
I’m all about saving my scraps, I even keep all my tiny ribbon scraps to use on my cards as embellishments! Here is a card I made using some of my tiny ribbon scraps http://www.Sew-Ink.blogspot.com Thanks for the chance to win!
I save my scraps – I use some to punch out shapes or letters to be used in the future.
Sandra
I love finding things to recycle and use on cards- i often use ribbons from bouquets of flowers and presents received. I also use any scrap cardboard (e.g from inside of shirt packets etc) to use as chipboard and create my own embellishments
I like to use binders -thay way, I can always take it with me if I need to match color scraps I already have. I keep them in page protectors according to color, then the smaller pieces in baggies that I slip into the page protectors. Just have to make sure I do not turn the binder upside down! And, making my own embellishments is almost as fun as completing a scrapbook page!
I am a scrap hoarder. I have my box that I fill with extras. It’s amazing how they all come in handy with one project or another.
I make cards with my left over pieces
Not buying anything new for a year? What a challenge.
I make patchwork/quilt type cards with my scraps. They’re escpecially perfect for Mother’s Day.
I save all scraps and try to cut them in another shapes.
I save all of my scraps and use them often. I also make embellishments. Use the scraps with punches and SB dies. I love repurposing. God bless!
Peggy Allen
I finally bought a die cutting machine and now I have a lot of uses for my paper scraps.
Okay, I am taking a big risk here; I am NOT a saver….had been in the past as a K teacher, but found that my home was getting buried…I DO get tired of some papers and am not so good at organizing them in a way that makes me want to fish around. HOWEVER, I use my bitsys at school, have it available to other staff (many other collecters there!!!) and am going to pkg some up as grab bags at our next garage sale….I AM trying to recycle and reuse more (it is hard as our town has extremely limited recycling facilities), buy bar shampoo and conditioners from LUSH and return recyclables when I can. I am reusing paper at school on reverse side for copies in my class and have repurposed interesting containers for some of my crafts as interesting packaging. I also have tubs for my groceries and use reusable bags for produce. My kids have lined bags that I bought on ETSY for snacks and we use containers for lunches as well. I am far from being a “saver”, but am trying hard in other ways. :0)
I have long felt the world was divided into two kinds of people. Those who save things and those who throw things away. I admire the throwawayers – they have neat, tidy houses and know where everything is. I am, alas, a keeper, so this challenge seems to be second nature, almost a compulsion, for me. One thing I noticed one day when tossing envelopes into the recycling basket is that security envelopes (think bills and bank related mailings) have patterns on the inside. Stripes, hash marks, odd little designs. I started saving them and using them as a little accent pattern here and there on cards. I made my husband a Valentine almost entirely of “found” materials, including several layers of these patterned envelope papers. It was rather striking. A thrifty card for a thrifty man.
I save EVERYTHING. Seriously, I have always gone overboard with the saving of scraps & pieces of my papers. Occasionally, I take as many of the scraps as I can and create a collage, including other things besides paper. Maybe fabric, threads, fibers. It doesn’t make a noticeable dent in my stash, but it makes me feel better.
Right now in my craft room there is a gift bag with matching tissue paper that my dd received. It will soon be turned into a card with a matching flower! I get materials and ideas from all kinds of places: the ties from garment tags make great embellishments, the bags my stamp sets come in make great envelopes, leftover burlap from a sewing project adds texture, etc. etc.
I punch butterflies out of my small scraps. I can always use a butterfly on my layouts!
I make a lot of my own embellishments and love to recycle things like coffee cup sleeves in my cards.
Carol B
I LOVE going green and use any and everything when it comes to my supplies. One thing that I do is utilize the covers of my paper packs. I make cards, embellies, etc., and usually end up using the whole cover.
Thanks for listening!!!
I keep a stack of scraps on the corner of my scrap table and whenever I want to make a card, I just use what ever is leftover instead of cutting into something new. I save the new stuff for my bigger projects.
i have always made a lot of my own embellishments and used lots of papers from magazines, junk mail and old books. i even use the tubes and bottles from paints to make creatures or as props for paper mache projects.
I do a ton of things but my best is to keep all my scraps. I save them and always check for scraps before cutting a full sheet.
I save all of my scraps & even things like Starbuck’s cup wraps for using in crafts! Trying to make more of my embellies, etc!!
I have vowed to not buy any more scrapping stuff until I use my stash items. I’m only replacing what I use up. I also save EVERY little scrap (kinda compulsively) and use the packaging from stuff (plastic especially) for my crafting! Thanks for the chance to win
~Rachel in Sacramento
I use as much as I can and then sell or donate whatever is left.
I scrapbook mostly and use my scraps to make cards or stamp images for coloring.
Recycling has become second nature to me. I , not only, save my paper crafting scraps, but anything that can become a part of my paper crafting. I love Making Memories packaging (as well as other manufacturers) because it can mostly be used for something else. It’s important to try not to be like our fore-fathers and toss everything into the landfills.
Here is a great idea for edgy boy pages… (I have 3 boys, so I am always looking for new ideas!)
pull the metal cutter off the siran or aluminum foil box. It almost fits a 12 X12 page, and has little holes evenly spaced that brads will fit into. You can even distress it by sanding or inking it.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a whole section on how to find/make/salvage items for boys pages?…. hint hint
Just checked out Jess’ blog… what an inspiring family! I consider myself earth-concious but my actions are nothing compared to theirs. I keep all my scraps and use them up before cutting into a new sheet wherever possible. I cut large pieces of scrap card into card blanks, and have them ready-folded in a box for use on another project. I also love to make my own embellishments.
I save as much scraps as I can & try to utilize them in future projects!
I save all my scraps and use them for cards or smaller projects.
I am trying use up the product I have on hand. I am a paper hoarder, always saving my beautiful paper for “just the right project”which never seems
to happen. I also am finding inspiration from junk mail, using bits as embellishments. Recently my husband, who is a pastor, attended a conference and came home with a bag full of handouts/flyers. For me it was a treasure trove of embellishments! It is so difficult to find faith-based products (hear that manufacturers), so these items will definitely be repurposed in my scrapbook pages and cards.
I try to recycle as much as possible, but a majority of junk ends up in my paper crafts or the kid’s art box. I have kept an art box for my kids for many years now that consists of everything from egg cartons to junk mail and everything in between. It’s a great way to keep the kids entertained while you craft and promotes creativity. I make the majority of my own embellishments and save all of my scraps of paper.
I keep sentiments and special bits of Christmas cards, chipboard tags on trendy clothing etc. I also have been using wool/cotton in my stash to make crocheted flowers and i also scour opportunity shops (Op shops we call them in Aust) for cotton and crochet needles, papercraft mags etc. Card making is great for recycling paper and card etc as unlike scrapbooking, it dosn’t matter as much if it is not acid free.
I save lots and lots of scraps…sometimes its just a little too crazy. I try to reuse packaging and items from around the house. Sometimes I feel like I’m more about storing for another time then I am about reusing.
I like to reuse as much as I can while staying clutter-free. I save all my scraps to reuse later. I use the little pieces to make 3×3 Thank You cards or punch out a die cut. Clear packaging is kept to re-package or as acetate windows. Cereal Boxes are used for Mini-Albums for family and friends. Extra buttons from clothing is added to my collection, as well as extra thread. I also keep those 13×13 cardboard boxes from online ordering to reship for Secret Sisters and donations. I also keep those ‘Important Notices’ sent from school to reuse the back side for test printing. I have a file folder full! I could keep going on – there are TONS of ways to be an Earth Friendly Scrapper.
After I’ve finished making a LO I always whip up a card or 2 using my scraps. I do it right them while I have all of the coordinating elements already out.
I save all but the tiniest scraps for reuse. When adding ribbon behind an item, I cut it in smaller pieces and adhere since only the parts of the ribbon sticking out shows.
After making as many cards as I can from a paper stack, I make gift tags from the scraps. Not a square inch is wasted!
I donate all my scraps to my daughter’s classroom. I often get school projects back with items that I donated.
Hugs
Tanya
I tend to be a packrat and save everything. I save all of my paper scraps and use them for cards, paper piecing, punches, etc.
I save all my scraps…little itty papers always come in handy for something. I use magazines for background paper (I donate the rest of my magazines)… I religiously save the extra buttons that stores give you when you buy a sweater or something. I’ve been saving them for years–way before buttons were a huge with scrapbookers…I have a ton in a jar. I also save boxes so I can alter them and use them again…
Reuse packaging paper – some of them have really nice designs!
I keep all my scraps and try to use them somehow, whether it be for flowers, creating frames, weaving, or making photo corners. I try to use every last scrap. I do the same thing with ribbon. I also reuse storebought cards I recieve along with cool wrapping paper
I hardly ever throw scraps away – they’re so useful for cards, and even little pieces of cardstock can become new embellishments by running them through my diecut machines or punches. Can’t tell you how often I’ve been “saved” by just reaching into my scraps and pulling out the perfect color of paper for a small title or flower!
Thanks for the chance to win – and Happy Earth Day!!
I volunteer at a recycling store. We take donations from crafters, companies, and others. Some items are actually craft related but some are factory cast offs that we sell at nominal prices to teachers, artists, etc. to use in their crafts. I find many items that I can use in my cards and books and sometimes take my leftovers into the store as a donation.
Every since i saw Jessica Witt’s Scrap Pile Challenge, I have been saving my scraps. They are organized by color and are easy to get to when I need just a little extra something on a page or card. If I have odd shaped scraps, I punch out scallopped circles (that can later be used to make flowers) or butterflies. You can never go wrong with flowers and butterflies