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Admit it….In true scrapbooker style you’ve looked at the pile of paper under your document shredder and thought, “There MUST be some way I can reuse this???”  Well, here are a few ways you can recycle your shredded junk mail into something MUCH more useful:

•Use the paper shred as a packaging material to protect items during shipping.

•Shred used, torn and wrinkled gift wrap or gift bags and use that colorful shred instead of tissue in gift bags

•If you own a fireplace or outdoor fire pit, use print covered shred as kindling and get the fire started!

•Compost it  – Shredded paper adds a source of carbon to help breakdown your compost.

•Donate it – Humane societies and pet shops can use the shredded paper as a crate covering or bedding material.

•Get crafty – shred makes an excellent papier-mâché medium!  Water down some white glue and cover a balloon to make your own pinata!

•Did you know paper absorbs odors?  Stuff paper shred into a sock or nylons and  tie off the end.  Stuff the sock into stinky shoes, smelly gym bags or pop one in the bottom of the hamper!  To refresh the stocking, simply pullout the paper shred, wash the stocking and re-stuff….now THAT’S recycling!

I’ve gotten a ton of mail and comments lately… and I really appreciate it!  I LOVE hearing from you With so many questions coming in, I figured I’d answer them all at once and maybe something one of these crafters asked, is exactly the question you were scratching your head over!   

Littlest Angel/3-D Punch Art Angel
Debbie D (SCS ArmyMom) says,  “Adorable!  What is the halo made from?”
     Thank you, Debbie!  Her halo is a 3/4” Circle punched out of Brushed Silver cardstock.  Then take a 1” Circle punch, center it over the whole left by the 3/4” punch and punch!  This gives you a washer-like shape…perfect for halos.

Judy says, “Oh, Samantha … this is another awesome project that I know I will try.  Do you know what size coluzzle circle you used for her dress?  Thanks for sharing your creativity!!  Judy”

     Well, thanks Judy. The circle I used is just shy of 3”  across and is the 5th row on the Coluzzle Circle template.  *Hot Tip: Make your Coluzzle easier to use for you and your students…mark each ‘bridge’ using a different color of Sharpie Marker.  This will help when giving directions during a class (ie: “Cut your circle out using the Red channel on the Coluzzle”) and will help everyone avoid “changing channels” while cutting! (This is when you start on the 3rd row but switch to the 4th accidently.)

Julie says, “I LOVE this!! how did you stick the body to the base scallop circle?”

     Hi, Julie!  I ran a bead of 3-M Tacky Glue along the back side, edge of her dress.  This way if any glue squeezed out, it only showed on the back (even though this product does dry clear.)
   

O Christmas Tree
Judy says, “Oh, Samantha … I LOVE THIS BOX!!  (I loved all the boxes you have come up with.)  Can you explain a little more about "double punching" the scalloped circle to make the tree layers?  I would love to give this a try.  Thanks for the inspiration!!    Judy”

    Thanks, Julie!  ‘Double Punching’ is the technique I use to create little slivers of “punchie”.  You start by punching once (in this case with the scallop circle) *Note: In most cases you will not need to punch the entire image…in other words you can punch half off the page.  Then you align your punch near the first so when you press again, you won’t get a full punch, but a sliver.  This technique gave the Christmas Tree it’s branches, the Mermaid her scales, and the Volleyball it’s design.  I also used it to give Rudolph his antlers….only there I used the 1-3/8” Circle Punch and the slivers I punched out looked like crescent moons.

Baa-baa Bad Sheep
Alex says, “I loved your post – thanks for your honesty and making me feel better with all the ugly things I have made and doubted if I would ever learn stamping!
Alex”

    Thanks Alex!  I know I really love the articles in the crafting/scrapbook mags that show a before & after picture of a project and then go on to explain what makes the “after” so much better.  Explaining certain concepts of art can be very difficult and it helps to take it out of the abstract and put it into practice.  Many of you have written, defending the little sheep and I will admit that he is starting to grow on me…but he still is not at ALL what I had envisioned (and I don’t know how to fix him) Oh, well…back to the craft table!