A Challenge for You

So today I have a challenge for all of you.  I don't know about you guys but I have quite the collection of scrapbooking items.  Some of which I bought a while ago and just haven't used.  So my challenge to you today is to go into your stash and find something that you haven't ever used or have been holding onto for awhile and use it on your layout. 

Here is my result. 

Before I get into what I used that was old let me share with you one of my favorite paper saving tips I used on this layout.  I only had three full sheets of the red cardstock base and I didn't want to cut into the third one to mat my photo so I used this simple trick.

First adhere your photo to a spot on your cardstock base that you know will be covered up later by patterned paper or another large element.  Then cut out your photo mat.  I always use my Perfect Layers tool (I got this from QVC and don't think it is available currently).  A paper trimmer would work also.  You could just cut out a section of the paper larger than the photo, adhere photo to the paper, and then cut your mat. 

After you have cut out your photo it looks like this.  You will be covering that hole with other paper later.  You now have a matted photo without cutting into another full size sheet of paper! 

Now on to the main part of the challenge. I made this title piece a year or so ago using my Gypsy and scraps. I never knew what I would use it for so I just put it away without a title on it. I saw it sitting there and decided that I would use it as the theme for this layout.  The yellow tile letters that are part of the title are also something I have had for awhile and just hadn't used.

I have a TON of buttons and never use them!  I decided that a button and twine would be a great addition to this photo.  I wanted the picture to be 4x6 but I didn't like the siding of our house showing so much . The button and twine fill in that otherwise distracting space.

This arrow is acrylic and I've had it for years!!  I used a border stamp and StayzOn ink to add the circles to give it some definition and then I backed it with some patterned paper.  I think it makes a cute embellishment.  

Here are the pages again a little more up close.  

I hope that you've been inspired to go through your stash of supplies and pull out something old and turn it into a beautiful page.  Thanks for stopping!

Supplies:

• title: Boys Will Be Boys Cricut Cartridge, Colorbok (Foil-Stamped Chipboard Metro Black Silver), Doodlebug Design, Inc. (Bumblebee Squares ABC's)
• patterned paper:The Paper Studio (Little Boys and their Toys)
• cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper (Flintstone), Close to My Heart (Holiday Red), misc scraps
• twine: Doodlebug Design, Inc. (Doodle Twine Boy Assortment)
• ink:StazOn (Azure)
• stamp: Close to My Heart (Circle Around)
• tools: Paper Layers, paper piercer
• other: brads, button, vellum, acrylic shape, pop dots, vellum tape, Ranger (Diamond Stickles) 
• journaling font: Calibri