I'm trying to make old supplies "fresh" again....

I'm full of all kinds of helpful tips today....

I've been spending too much on new scrapbooking stuff and know I need to cut back but with so much cute stuff out there it's hard to control myself....


So I started thinking about new ways to use the old stuff I already have without it looking like I'm using stuff I've had forever....


So dug up more of my childhood photos. I've had so much fun doing them since I had boys it's my chance to finally get "girly".

Then looking at the photo I knew I wanted to use red, white & blue as the color scheme. Lately I haven't used much white cardstock as the background & so I thought I would do that for this layout.

Pulling out all my red stuff I found this felt diecut "ribbon" and thought it might be nice to dress it up a little and to add some contrast so MORE WHITE & boy do have have oodles of white eyelets going unused so this was my chance to plug those holes and add some zing....














Doesn't look like your run of the mill eyelets does it?









Now for a title:

The title would have been easy to do with Thickers but didn't have enough of the right letters - as usual so I'm using my Cricut to make chipboard now.

How to make diecut faux chipboard letters:

I cut 3 of each letter with craft cardstock (Hobby Lobby sells for $3.99 for 25 sheets and that's before 50% off so I always stay well stocked).

Then cut each letter one more time in the top layer color or another of craft if I want to paint or ink it.

Now to make the letter sandwich.... I use the Xyron Sticker Maker (another inexpensive time saver with coupon it's around $5) and run each letter thru making sure I don't waste too much of the precious Xyron tape.... then just sandwich them together and "tada" chipboard letters in any size and color font that my Cricut can print!

It's really no more labor intensive than covering chipboard letters.

To save more $$ I can use PVA to adhere each layer together. Actually the PVA is a nicer finish since you don't have the excess adhesive "web" to clean off.





I couldn't not put dry embossing on this page so I used the Cuttlebug embossing folder to make a strip of circles. I can't get enough of those inexpensive folders they add so much to a page or card & with a coupon there are less than $3! I tried highlighting the raised edges with ink and cut in a strip.

Of course I changed my mind at the last minute since the color just wasn't quite right for a whole strip so you'll see just one of the circles cut out and in the center of the flower.


Here's the border I ended up replacing the Cuttlebugged one with. It's using the Fiskars punch I got on clearance at Joann's for $3.97!

I used Close to my Heart stamps on the bottom of the page - I'm spilling the beans on all my mistakes but I didn't get the clean image I wanted on the multi layers of cardstock so my "happy accident" caused me to add some Stickles & cover up the problem with the flower (that's the only reason the cuttlebugged circle made it to the layout - otherwise it would have stayed in the scrap bin....

To finish up the page I added machine stitching, simple journaling, Stickles, acrylic stamps & I'm done

Let me know what you think....

Have a great day!