- Bread Bag Tags: You can use bread tags to make small tags or embellishments. (SASHAFRAS)
- Playing Cards: I've used a card from an incomplete deck . (SASHAFRAS)
- Puzzle Pieces: I've used puzzle pieces from a puzzle that was missing pieces. (SASHAFRAS)
- Cardboard: I recently used corrugated cardboard from a box on a layout under stickers. It's thicker than regular chipboard. (Sherri)
- Logo Tags: In my scrapbooks, I use tags from boots with wolverine pictured on them, motorcycle clothing tags (they usually have the Harley logo), and team clothing tags since all them have their logo on them and are great to use on layouts about those teams.
- Old Jewelry: Many scrapbookers mentioned that they use single earrings, old costume jewelry, and other found items such as hair ribbons on their layouts.
- Lace: I have also taken lace curtain ties and cut out individual designs in the lace to use on my pages. (ThinkOdd)
- Buttons: I take all buttons, like the replacement ones for clothing, and mix them into my scrapping stash. (Ann Marie)
- Plastic Sheets: I used the backing sheets that clear stamps come on to make a mat for my photo on a layout. (Ann Marie)
- Coffee Holders: I used a bunch of different Starbucks coffee cup holders that caught my eye to create a title. (Ann Marie)
- Plastic Bracelets: I cut one of those rubber “Livestrong” bracelets to make a border on a colorblocked layout. (Ann Marie)
- Printed Fabric: I cut a black and white fabric flower from a favorite shirt that was falling apart and was going to have to be thrown away. (Ann Marie)
- Gift Ribbon: When people give us gifts from some stores like Baby Gap, Victoria's Secret, etc they always have nice fabric ribbons on them and I keep those to use on layouts. (monirose)
- Chipboard: I keep the cardboard that comes in with packs of patterned paper and use it to make my own chipboard shapes and letters. (monirose)
- Hang Tags: I save hang tags from new clothing and even the teeny safety pins that attach the tags to the clothes! I decorate the hang tags, or use as-is if the design fits my needs. Another great find is the metal ball chains that also attach hang tags to clothing. (Karenladd)
- Plastic Packaging: The heavy plastic packaging can be used to stamp on and make windows for cards or slide mounts. (Karenladd)
- More Gift Finds: Ribbon off of old clothing, or gift packages are a favorite of mine. I really hit the jackpot sometimes when I see a package decorated with cool wrapping paper, ribbon AND a silk flower! I've re-used a lot of gorgeous wrapping papers on cards and to make my own embellishments. (Karenladd)
- Yarn: I once unraveled an old sweater and discovered that knitted yarn is wonderfully crinkled and used that on a photo mat! (Karenladd)
- Fabric: Fabric, cut into strips can be used to bind journals or mini albums by punching holes in the cover and pages and threading the strips through. Fabric can also be a great way to embellish a layout, using part of an old piece of clothing or keepsake that you are journaling about. (Karenladd)
- Plastic Mesh: Plastic mesh bags that fruit and vegetables come in are a good thing to save. I once cut a piece out of an orange bag and used it to add texture to a paper project. (Karenladd)
- Basket Filler: I once used old Easter grass to "fill" Easter basket shapes on a spring layout. (Karenladd)
- Calendars: Old calendars often have photos and designs that make great embellishments, especially if you add Crystal Effects to turn them into epoxy-like stickers. (Karenladd)
- Aluminum Foil: Used foil can be an interesting addition to a design. You can smooth it out, and etch designs into it. or stamp on it with StazOn ink. (Karenladd)
- Twist Ties: Twist ties can attach buttons, charms, tags, or anything else to a page.(Karenladd)
- Cub Scout Cards: In Cub Scouts, my boys are given their merits on a little card. The card has the Cub Scout emblem, some decorations, and more information. I've saved all of these to include on the pages along with pictures of him working on the projects and/or receiving the award.(Brandy)
- Greeting Cards: We have been using the fronts of old Christmas cards, and not just for Christmas pages. You can take some of the borders and use for frames or cut out small parts for use on a page.(Mary)
- Soda Cans: I use soda cans, cut, cleaned and flattened. Use them to make faux tags, charms, frames, letters ect. I use my sizzix. Then you can paint them, punch them, interlock them etc. I used some that I cut out of a reindeer and used it on some of my Christmas cards.(mfstdh)
- Maps: Maps and brochures from travel have wonderful information on them or may make a good page background.(oneProud Momma)
- Jeans Pockets: Pages can be decorated with pockets from a pair of jeans or any other part you wanted to use.(oneProud Momma)
- More with Plastic Mesh: I keep the net bags of onion and garlic to make shirred flowers with an old button as center. (Grandscraperonna)
- Metal Lids: I had saved a couple of the metal lids from frozen juice containers to make some faux paint can lids for a remodeling job we did.(Tammy) I use the round metal pieces from the ends of canned biscuits or frozen juice containers. They make cute metal circle frames for whatever.(connieroberson)
- Cereal Boxes: I use cereal boxes for chipboard. When the cereal is gone I cut it into strips and put it thru my die cut machine to make chipboard letters or shapes. When I want thicker chipboard, I use 2 pieces glued together. I can spray with the Make it Acid Free spray and do not have to worry about it. (connieroberson)
- Soda Can Tabs: Soda can pop tabs can be used as ribbon buckles or slides. You can use them as is or heat it with your heat gun and dunk it in embossing powder to smooth it all out. Another thing that I have done is color the tab with permanent markers and then do the Ultra Thick Embossing Powder on top so you can make it any color you need.(Ann Marie)
- Screening: Screen material can be used for embellishments. It cuts with scissors or a die cut machine and at all my local hardware stores they give me scrap pieces because they will just throw them away.(connieroberson)
Recycling and Money Saving Tips For Scrapbookers - Part II
Using Recycled Items to Embellish Your Scrapbook Pages
By Rebecca Ludens, About.com
Juice Can Lid Embellishment
Ludens
Scrapbookers from the About.com Scrapbooking Forum share ideas for using recycled items to embellish your layouts.
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