New Year New Outlook

 Trashing my Stash

So a new year of crafting has begun and the craft group Iattend weekly have done the usual recycling of Christmas cards for the first meet of the year.

I do not receive loads of Christmas cards, but enough to join in. This year though I decided not to make tags or reuse the front of the cards for new cards, instead I made a couple of folders and some notepads. 

Next week the group will be making some of the notebooks as they liked the idea of having them to give as little presents. These will probably not be made with christmas cards but with papers from our stashes.

Mini books made from one sheet of 12 x 12 and decorated on the front with a recycled card

The insides have been given pages to record Christmas Cards and presents recieved this year and on the back items for Christmas 2025. 

I also made Some folders to put tags and notebooks in:

The notepad was made using a small card with folded paper from my craft stash. I always keep any copy paper that is approximately A5 or larger and make notepads with them. These can be the leftover from scrapbooks, or the other half the page when I print postage labels. As I sell on ebay (5170 Denise) I gather up quite a few sheets, and they are just right for this project. The folder is made from a 12 x 12 paper, this is actually “The 12 days of Christmas by Crafters Companion” which I had completely over purchased when it was on offer. I am selling a couple of pads and decided to blitz the remaining sheets. 

Scored at 5 7/8” and 6 1/8” one side turn and score at 6” This makes the binder centre. Then fold the bottom 2 squares into the centre folds. Fold up the bottom half to meet the top . Once you have burnished the fold, place a narrow strip of glue of tape along centre seam and fold up to make the storage areas. The bottom picture show the small notepad inside the folder and I will probably add some tags to the other side.

As well as these folder I made myself a mini brag book. This is a 12 x 12 sheet scored at 3,6,and 9” on both sides and then cut to enable the sections to be folded to make a book. 

I thought I would make a Christmas version and a general version, and then all the items I make this year will have a picture taken and placed on a page in the book, making them into a portfolio of makes during 2025. 

  There are 14 pages for projects . I may need 2 of the general version but this one will do for Christmas cards, and projects.

Whilst doing these projects I realised I had far too much in the cupboards for easy use,  and am in danger of buying more because I cannot find something. So I am making this years resolutions to TRASH MY STASH and empty some of the cupboards. I want to be ruthless, and my  first project worked well for this.So check back soon to see what I made and how I cleared out some old stock.

Happy Crafting

Dee.