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Mini Album Project: Using Your Scraps

I don’t know about you, but I have a ton of scraps in my scrapbook room! All leftover from various scrapbooking projects, just sitting around, taking up space. I keep saving all of mine- they’re too good to throw away and one day I’ll definitely use them in some really cool project! But um, seeing them just shoved in a pile in the corner of my desk isn’t very inspiring. :P

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

The idea for a cardboard mini album came to me this summer when I had about 27 cardboard boxes piled up in the corner of my scrapbook room from various online shopping therapy sessions. It was a holiday weekend, so the trash hadn’t run, and I still had another week of staring at those boxes before I could put them out. I had to do something with them- if only to save me from having to stare at those boxes for another second!

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

The first thing I did was pick my color scheme. I always consult this site– great ideas! Very inspiring.

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

Then I went through my scraps and pulled out all the salvageable pieces in that color scheme- they didn’t have to go together, or match exactly, or come from the same designer.

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

I inked all the edges of the scraps to help bring them together for a unified look in the album.

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

Lots of tags, trinkets, and pull-outs in between each page for journaling. Which I haven’t done yet. :blush:

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

The cardboard is so fun and the size is perfect for small, 2×3 photos.

Cardboard Mini Album | Scrapbooking Projects to Use Up Your Scraps!

Then all you have to do is tie everything together with some twine!

What’s your latest project? I’d love to see- link me up! :) You can also share with me on Flickr or Facebook.

Thanks for looking!! :)

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108 Responses
  1. Kerry Jones

    These are totally stunning and would make great new years presents, you could use up all the cardboard from the christmas presents xx thanks for sharing #boogiebabys xx

  2. Nikki P.

    Great project. I really like the color scheme and the use of cardboard. I am always raiding my recycling bin for stuff to use. I have enough scraps to make a 100 of these. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Kate

    Amanda,

    I love and adore your blog. I have been looking through your old posts and discovered this gem. I do not scrapbook nor, chances are, will I ever, but I’m studying to be an SLP and have a blog with ideas for pay with children to initiate therapy, instill a love of learning, an just do crafts with kids. I think my 6 year old son would love this and I would adore putting it on my blog. Do I need special permission to do that? Obviously, I’d have a link to your blog as well as a direct mention, {probably more than one because you’re such an inspiration to me right now!} Is this sufficient as a request?

    Kind Regards,
    Kate

  4. Julie Patton

    Hi Amanda- I LOVE your blog by the way.. I just wanted to tell you that I get excited to get up in the morning and look to see if you have posted anything new… Your ideas and recipes and goodies are so fun to look at.. So I am going to make the scrapbook made from cardboard.. Is there any tips you can give me.. I’m not very crafty so I am going to try to make this look cute but have no idea how I am going to do it?!?!? Thanks..

  5. Sue Wotton

    Hi Amanda, I read your story about having heaps of left over cardstock, we donate all our scraps to the local nursing home who make cards with the folks in the nrusing home and are always grateful for our ‘leftovers’.

  6. Tootsie

    LOVE this…one for the 5 yr. old grand daughter and I to do togather…Thank-you for the touch to share…Tootsie from Oregon

  7. Joan King

    I just learned about your website from a creative friend of mine, and I have been on here at least three times in two days…The words that come to mind, one~ AMAZING LADY (ok, that’s two) :o)

    I am hooked, and will be back to visit so you can inspire me…

    Would love to have you share where you bought all your scrapbook room furniture to make it so beautiful…

    It has been great to meet you, your site shall I say…Thank you for being here to be inspired…

    May the New Year bring you many success’ and your future be bright..

    Thanks, Joan

  8. Jen

    This is fantastic…. I love to make mini albums, and I also save every scrap piece of paper, cardboard etc. I can’t wait to make one like this! So glad I found your website, it is absolutely amazing!!!! Thanks for sharing!

  9. Vicki Patton

    I’m showing my ignorance here…but what did you mean when you said you inked the pages? I just discovered your site and love, love, love it!!! Life can be so darn wonderful sometimes!

  10. Kimberly

    Adorable mini. Also I love your entire site. I think you would be so much fun to have as a friend because you obviously have a zest for life – it shows in your site. You’re like me in that you have a ton of interests, but you’re way more organized than me because I can never find the time to do all the things I love to do! And managing a website to boot!

    P.S. I love your scrapbooked recipe cards. Very cute.

  11. Mayra

    This is exactly what I was looking for… This idea is adorable and unique, I love it! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity!

  12. Kindra

    I love the idea. What a great way of reusing leftovers :) Everything looks as if it had been planned all along. Thanks for sharing.

  13. rina salazar

    I thought this was a great idea! I am going to use this for my cricut mini album design team challenge! Thanks for the great idea!

  14. Megan {Shabby Blogs}

    That is cuter than a cupcake, Amanda! Adorable! What a fun little gift that would make! I just posted a video tutorial on my FAQ’s page and it made me think of you because I used a photo of my own Boston Terrier in my example. Wish we lived closer. I know our dogs would be friends. :)

  15. Megan

    Amanda,
    Thanks so much for posting this! You’re too cute! I’m a NEW Auburn grad (WAR DAMN EAGLE!!). My fiance’ is headed on a missions trip for a month and I thought this would be the perfect thing to tuck in his suitcase so he wouldn’t get homesick. Thanks for being so inspiring!

    Megan

  16. Monique

    This idea is absolutely amazing. I love it! So, much so that I did my own to scrap my son’s school and sports photos. I posted some pictures of the finished product on my blog. Thanks for the wonderful idea!

  17. Allison F

    I don’t know if this question was already asked but, You meantioned that you Inked the edges of the paper….I have no idea how to do that and would really like to know! A tutorial would be great!

    1. Vicki Patton

      I had to look it up too…google scrapbooking, how to ink pages.
      You take an ink pad and hold it at an angle and slide the edge of your paper through it. wha-la

  18. mia atkins

    Hi Amanda! i love your blog, and the recipes are great. (Butter+cream=happiness)! I wanted to know how to start a blog so cool and creative with all the cool fonts. (I have downloaded all of them)!I am only 11 durning 12 in july so it needs to be kind of easy to set up. I dont know if you follow Ugly Betty….but she set up a site and liked it…my mom sayed if she could i could probobly! (hahaha) Also like on Julie and Julia she started a cool blog. It would be helpful to send me a useful link and some informaton on how to type info and get started.
    Thanks!
    Mia Atkins

  19. Amber Bell

    I LOVE that home decor site!!! Just gorgeous photos. I posted it on my blog as well, too good not to share: http://bellsandkilts.blogspot.com/2010/01/creativity-strikes-again.html

    And your mini scrapbooks are so stinkin’ cute, I wish I had that kind of talent. I could try to make them but know they would just turn out looking like the original: discarded pieces of trash, lol. But you are inspiring me to hopefully finish our wedding scrapbook after more than 3 years!!

    -Amber

  20. Kelsey

    Dear Amanda,

    I would just like to say what an inspiration you are to me.
    I am an 18 year old girl (in 5 days anyways!) and I have been reading your blogs for oh man. This whole year, not very long, but once I found the pea fonts, I was addicted. I was hooked to your blogs, and seeing pictures of yours and kevins relationship.
    Which I would like to add, you two are the CUTEST couple i’ve ever seen. Although I like to think my boyfriend and I are cute as well :P

    Anyways, I just wanted you to know, that I look up to you.
    and you have deffinately made an impact on my life.
    You’ve inspired me to start scrapbooking again.

    I went to scrapbook generation yesterday, and bought over $100 worth of stuff. I am so excited to get started!

    Thank you so much for bringing my creativity back.

    Kelsey, <33

  21. Desire Fourie

    Oh wow, this is just gorgeous. Love the colours and beautiful design and of course the subjects are adorable. Wishing you a great Tuesday.
    Hugs
    Desire

  22. Jennifer Shields

    I’m a new follower and absolutely LOVE your blog! and your puppies!! My parents have 4 boston terriers and they are just stinkin’ cute dogs!

    I’m giving away a little sumthin’-sumthin’ on my blog, come see me!

  23. Hani

    I always have this feeling of putting-cute-leftovers together by coming up with such awesome-looking stuff. but I haven’t done it. haha. thanks amanda, for this idea. at least I now have the push to start doing it!! cute. love love love it!:D

  24. melinda

    wow, you guys are awesome. very inspiring. i am a stay at home mom that needs some motivation. i have been feeling burnt out & need a pick me up. i have a room full of scarpbooking stuff that i need to tackle. my kids are 4 & 2 & i havent even started.

    thanks
    m

  25. Holly

    I love it! Very precious. My latest project is making handmade cards and Valentine baskets – you can see them here:
    hollydaycards.blogspot.com.

    You’re so creative!

  26. Jo-Anne Jackson

    That is absolutely toooooo cute! I think I will have to raid my school cafeteria for some boxes! Thanks — as always — for sharing! I love the color scheme site too!

  27. Peggy Whisenhunt

    What a clever idea using cardboard boxes and all those scraps. I sent all my scraps to my great nephew who is 8 and loves to scrapbook. He was thrilled to get all the different scrap paper and loose stickers and such. If you don’t want to scrap the scraps, then donate them at your next crop or give to someone who cannot afford to buy a lot of scrapbook paper. thanks Amanda, great gift idea too.

  28. Mandi

    Oh. My. Goodness! That album looks delicious and so adorable!! You did a great job on it, I wish I had an ounce of your creative talent!

  29. Brooke

    How cute! You are just so creative…and so organized. I love your scrap room! Maybe one of these days I’ll have some extra space to put my little projects. Right now, it pretty much gets piled up in my bedroom. :(

  30. Julie

    What a great idea. Although I haven’t scrapped in a very long time, it’s good to see an idea using all those scraps! :) Love the colors you used as well. Thanks for sharing! :)

  31. Sarah

    Wow!! What a great idea!! We always have tons of cardboard left over and my husband just burns it (which really isn’t the greatest idea, but he says it’s faster than walking to the edge of our apartment complex where the recycling is).

    Thanks for the idea!!

  32. Leslie

    OMG!! This is such a cute idea. I am in love with it. I’m sitting here right now wondering if I have any cardboard boxes around the house that I can use.

    You are the most creative and inspiring person :) I’m making my own rag quilt b/c of you!!!

  33. Loreta Labarca

    Woowwwwwwwww what a great idea! Also love this color swatch. Can I use it for a digi kit?
    I love your blog and your fonts!
    Thank you very much. :)

  34. Emma

    Fab idea!!
    I haven’t had time for any scrapbooking lately due to moving house, but hope to get all my ideas down soon.
    I have linked my crafty blog above. :)

  35. Juliana

    LOVE your site sooooo much. This is my first time on it. I downloaded a font, but am not sure how to use it on blogspot? Do you know?

  36. Cathy

    What a great idea..You are so crafty it amazes me.. I always make journal books for the kids when we go on vaca.. ya know. What did you see? What was the funniest part of the trip? I have them color a pic, draw a pic, add tic tac toe boards in them.. Yours are great and compact great for a stuffed land yacht. Thanks

    Cathy

  37. Toni Legates

    What a cool Idea . I’m new to scrapbooking and I truly love it . Being on a tight budget …I decided to do most of the gift scrapbooks I do for other people on DVD. Its cost effective and I can add music and make them into slide shows. But , I really like the card board mini book Idea . Im filing this one away in my email keepers . Thanks so much for shareing and keep the great Idea’s coming.

    Sincerely,
    Toni L.

  38. 1LuvnMama

    Amanda!
    I luv what you did with those cardboard boxes! Way to recycle! I’m luvn everything about this especially because I luv to craft! :)

  39. HeatherB

    You are so creative – what a wonderful idea! This would be a good project for the kids with the left over cardboard and scraps and they could make their own albums! :)

  40. Stefany

    Love it! Great idea. When we moved I wanted to use the cardboard boxes for the “we’ve moved” announcements, but never did. [regrets]

    This is a fun thing, of course love the pups!

  41. Elaine DiPietrantonio

    I love mini albums made from cardboard! I love looking at your precious puppies I miss my Boston Scrappy so much she was with us for 14 years and left us last December :-(

  42. Kenzie

    Wow! Great idea! That’s really clever to do that with some scaps and trash! I also love to save my scraps, but I don’t use them! May be I should try this! Thanks Amanda…
    ~Kenzie

  43. Cheryl Newton

    You are the MacGyver of crafting! You can turn anything into a cute project. What a talent you are blessed with. I am about the least creative person on the planet (as far as coming up with original ideas goes), so I very much admire you.
    God bless,
    Cheryl

  44. Patty K

    What a cute idea! How long did it take you to complete the project? What usually discourages me from paper scrapbooking is how time consuming it can be. Sometimes it can take up to 30 minutes for me to finish one page!

  45. Tahnaykay

    Thanks for the great idea and the website that you get inspiration from is so cool also I don’t know why LOL! the last picture reminds me of baklava(hint)

  46. Ann

    Wow, 27 boxes!! lol! Your album is simply adorable!! You have inspired me to bring out my scraps and boxes and use them!!! How big is your album?

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Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

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