Thursday, July 26, 2012

Matchbook Notepads from Scraps

As many of you know, I am sort of obsessed with using up scraps, especially paper.  I just cleaned out my bins and boy, do I have lots of beautiful, too-good-to-throw-away paper scraps.  I had to think of a way to use them up.  In a post a long time ago I made matchbook notepads by folding and scoring rectangle pieces of card stock, but when I saw the Tim Holtz matchbook die, I knew that it would make the cutting go faster. The following photos are the results of a little playtime with my scraps.  (Note: The TH die cuts two different  sized matchbooks at the same time.) For the front decorations I used a Sizzix die set (Fancy Square....love, love, love it), stamps from a Hero Arts clear set (happiness messages), small Dandelion Design stamps, and assorted embellishments. The inside pages were cut from used computer paper...great way to recycle all those printed-on-one-side sheets.  One of the matchbooks has a cut out butterfly that was made with a Tim Holtz magnetic die that can be inserted in the opening of one of the matchbook dies. The back of the front cover was then covered with a solid colored card stock and the butterfly glued back into the opening.  Sometimes I didn't staple nicely so I covered up the boo-boo with ribbon. (See the matchbook with the DD image holding a cupcake.) With all the ribbon I have, I couldn't find a lavender one of the right width, so I printed the Hero Arts saying on Heiko ribbon using black pigment ink. 

 I feel good when I don't waste my supplies and recycle. I plan to pass these little scratch pads out to friends and as a type of bonus 'tip' to those who give good service (hair dressers, waitresses, etc.)  (I read about another blogger who passes out handmade magnets.)  Craft a little happiness today!

5 comments:

Joy said...

Wow! You really got creative, they all are so different! Really cute ideas, thanks for sharing!

Annette Allen said...

aww these are super duper cute...I love these little notepads...great fun idea...

Creations by Shirl said...

Oh yes they will make cute little gifts... You can even add those yummy flat candies and put in there too....

Cheryl said...

Great idea to use up scraps! I just dumped a bunch of scraps because my drawers were overflowing. I have that die and will make some with the new scraps that I have.

Have A Scrap Happy Day said...

WOW Lynn, what a great way to use your scraps. And I love the idea of giving a bonus tip. Thanks for sharing. I have a huge pile of scraps staring at me. LOL