I am a pile maker, and when my pile gets too big I just move it or make a new one somewhere else. The problem with this is that I end up losing things -like a tin of cute Stampin Up felt flowers- then I replace the item only to “find” it later on. My dear, sweet hubby made room for me in the office so I could have my computer and printer downstairs and have a place to do crafty things. It’s been sweet to have a workspace again, more on that later. Meanwhile as I move and sort things I find all kinds of treasures. One treasures was this piece of junk mail that I attached a few sticky notes on with the idea that someday I would do a scrapbook page with it. We get all kinds of interesting things in the mail, and I save lots of them thinking how I could do something cool with them. Eventually. What actually happens is I have odd little bits and pieces that I find much later and wonder why the heck I saved this piece of paper.
But this calender page was a cool piece of mail and it was a perfect jumping off point for a “day in the life” type page. This page was from Oct 07, and it’s now July 08, better late than ever? I found a photo from about the same time frame last October.
Here’s my process: (All supplies from Stampin Up! unless otherwise noted.)
1. cut a piece of white card stock to fit over the existing lines
2. used Dashed Lines ink wheel (one of my favorite things.) in Bashful Blue
3. made the flower to cover up part of the text not covered by my card stock, using a scallop and circle punch.
4. stamped the genuine article stamp with a white craft ink pad. attached all.
5. (another current favorite is kraft card stock, I really like it with bold colors)
stamped it with Polka Dot background stamp using Versamark ink.
6. trimmed and rounded corners of photo, matted it on a strip pattern paper, stapled a bit of ribbon on the side. Added rub-ons to the ribbon.
7. remembered more about this time in my life and decided to make the photo mat a pocket and add a journal tag, spiral punched.
final page size 8.5 x 11
I am pretty happy with how the final page turned out, it’s been a while since I’ve actually “scrapbooked” lately I’ve been into card making.
My challenge to you would be to try and save a piece of your junk mail and re-use it on a scrap page, card, or tag.
What about Acid Free? I don’t think the mail piece is acid free, but it’s not touching my photo so I think it’s okay. Here are my thoughts about archival stuff. Many of my photos are digital so I have the original electronic copy if needed. I have old scrapbooks from my grandmother, with magazine and newspaper clippings glued in with rubber cement or something similar. These have held up pretty well, so my scrap pages should hold up as well if not better. Finally if it really worries you there is archival spray that you can use to make things acid free. It’s spendy but if you have memorabilia you are worried about saving, it might be a good idea.
Happy Scrapping!
scrapped out and busted 