Soft Vintage vs Clean & Crisp: Layered Scrap Cards Two Ways

If you've been following along with my previous scrap projects, you'll know I love taking one basic idea and exploring different ways to use it. In my earlier layered scrap feature cards two ways project, I created a torn version and a cleaner banner-style version.

This time, I wanted to keep the basic idea the same — layered strips of patterned paper — but explore how colour choices, cardstock, layout, and embellishments can completely change the feel of the finished card.

The same scraps, two different styles

I started by gathering together a mixture of subtle patterned paper scraps in soft blues, gentle browns and neutral patterns. To create two different looks, I separated them into two colour directions.

For my clean and crisp version, I chose softer blue patterns with more white running through the designs. Paired with a Basic White background, these papers created a lighter, fresher feel.

For my soft vintage version, I chose blue patterns with warmer vanilla tones. These worked beautifully with Very Vanilla cardstock and created a softer, more layered appearance.

It was interesting to see how changing just the background colour altered the overall mood of the papers.

Creating the layered scrap panels

For the vintage-inspired card, I took a more relaxed approach with my strips.

I layered the pieces down the centre of the card without worrying about everything being perfectly aligned. Some strips were longer, some shorter, and some overlapped slightly to create a more organic, patchwork feel.

For the clean and crisp version, I wanted a more structured look. I cut my strips to the same width and created a simple rectangle down the centre of the card. The varied heights still added interest, but the consistent width gave the panel a much more ordered appearance.

It’s amazing how the same basic idea can feel completely different just by changing the arrangement and a few design choices.

A little crafting problem solving

As always happens in handmade projects, not everything went perfectly!

The textured ribbon I chose for the clean version created a little more bulk than I wanted underneath the flower. I also found myself juggling all those tiny die-cut pieces while trying to keep the blue flower together.

In the video, I share the little adjustments I made along the way, including a ribbon trick that helped the flower sit flatter, and two different methods for creating the floral die cut.

Which style would you choose?

I love how these cards started with the same idea and the same types of supplies, but ended up with completely different personalities.

One feels fresh, clean, and structured. The other feels soft, layered, and vintage.

I'd love to know — which style speaks to you more?

Are you drawn towards clean and crisp card designs, or do you prefer softer layers and warmer tones?

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

Soft Vintage vs Clean & Crisp: Layered Scrap Cards Two Ways

July 29, 2026

Playing with Purple: Autumn Cards Featuring Hand-Stamped Patterned Paper

Last week our family was a little under the weather, so creativity felt a bit harder to come by. At times like that, I find it helps to simply play without expectations, and that's exactly how these backgrounds began.  

Would you believe that this background started as nothing more than a blank piece of Very Vanilla cardstock?

I really enjoy creating my own patterned paper. For this project, I was inspired by autumn tones, but wanted to give them a fresh twist by letting warm purples take centre stage, with rust and soft mint greens as the accents.

I enjoyed the first background so much that I couldn't resist creating a bonus variation, this time building it over a patterned paper scrap base. This retired Petals and Paisley's paper inspired my colour palette. It's always fun to see how a small change can create a completely different look.

These friendship cards were inspired by several current cardmaking challenges. The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge encouraged me to incorporate text into my background, which is one of my favourite ways to add subtle layers of interest. The All About Craft Challenge is celebrating friendship, so I chose sentiments featuring the word "friend," while the Festive Friday National Friendship Day challenge inspired the finishing touches—a knotted gold bow, tone-on-tone stamped leaves, and delicate little floral details added to the background to bring everything together.

I'd love to know—which of the two cards is your favourite?

Craft Along With Me

If you'd like to make these cards along with me, I've filmed a bonus craft-along tutorial that will be shared as my August subscriber freebie.

If you'd like to join my crafty community and receive the tutorial, simply add your email address in the sign-up box in the sidebar. I'll send the August freebie directly to your inbox when it's released.

It's my little way of saying thank you for being part of my crafty community, and I hope it inspires you to create your own custom backgrounds in colours you love.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Jenn x

Playing with Purple: Autumn Cards Featuring Hand-Stamped Patterned Paper

July 27, 2026

Floating Strips Technique 3 Ways

This week's Use Your Scraps project was inspired by the latest TGIF Challenges theme, "Popping It Up." 

When I saw the challenge, I immediately thought of the Floating Strips Technique that I'd been wanting to try. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to use up all those narrow cardstock strips that seem to accumulate on my craft desk.

For my first card, I followed the traditional technique after watching a few tutorials online. I paired the floating strips with this month's Stampin' Up! colour challenge colours and added an inlaid die-cut spray of leaves through the centre of the floating circle. 

I absolutely love the finished result—the floating strips create such a striking effect—but I quickly discovered that the inlaid die-cutting made the project quite fiddly.

That got me thinking… could I simplify the design while still keeping the beautiful floating effect?

For my second card, I swapped the intricate inlaid design for a stamped lighthouse image layered over the floating strips. The finished card has a completely different feel, creating a simple masculine design that really shows how versatile this technique can be. 

Thank you Atlantic Hearts Sketch for inspiration in bringing this one together!

By this point I had plenty of leftover strips sitting on my desk, and another question popped into my mind. Most Floating Strips Technique tutorials use window sheet (acetate) to hold the strips together. 

But what if you don't have any? Could the technique still work?

So I decided to experiment.

Inspired by this week's Simon Says Stamps 'Stars and/or Stripes' challenge, I reached for a large star-shaped die, and arranged my leftover strips in rainbow order, securing them temporarily with washi tape before running them through my die-cutting machine. I also created a simple cardstock template using the same die so I could place each strip back into position after die-cutting. 

To my delight, it worked! While it isn't exactly the same as using window sheet, it creates a very similar effect using supplies most cardmakers already have.

I finished the design using the current Global Design Project Sketch challenge as inspiration. 

One of my favourite things about crafting is following an idea to see where it leads. What began as simply trying a new technique quickly turned into three different cards, each exploring a slightly different approach. Along the way, I not only discovered a beautiful design but also found a simpler version and a way to create the look without acetate. That's exactly why I love experimenting—it often leads to ideas I'd never have discovered if I'd stopped after the first card.

Watch the Video

If you'd like to see exactly how these cards came together, along with all the tips and tricks I discovered along the way, be sure to watch this week's video. I'd also love to know which of the three versions is your favourite!

If you've been wanting to try the Floating Strips Technique, I hope these three variations inspire you to give it a go—whether you follow the traditional method or experiment with your own twist.

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

Floating Strips Technique 3 Ways

July 1, 2026

Tone on Tone Sunburst Background with a Paper Pieced Mermaid

After creating a bright and colourful sunburst card, I found myself wondering how the same technique might look with a softer colour palette, which led to today's tone on tone card featuring a playful paper pieced mermaid.

Bright Cardmaking Colour Palette

The jungle colour palette at As You See It Challenge features Coastal Cabana, a rich aqua blue. I decided to pair this bright tone with scraps of pool party to create a tone on tone sunburst. The result creates plenty of texture and visual interest while maintaining a calm, cohesive feel.

I love how a simple change in colour palette can completely transform a technique. The same sunburst background that felt bold and energetic in my previous project suddenly became elegant and serene. It's a wonderful reminder that colour choices play a huge role in shaping the mood of a handmade card.

Magical Day Mermaid

The layout for this project was inspired by a sketch challenge from Sunday Stamps. Once the background was complete, I began thinking about a focal image. Although I didn’t set out with a strict beach theme at the beginning, the colours and soft layered textures naturally steered the design in that direction, evoking calm seaside waters and coastal vibes. I wanted something playful, so I chose a mermaid image from my collection, which fits beautifully with the current Simon Says Stamp “At the Beach” challenge.

To colour the mermaid, I used a paper piecing technique, one of my favourite ways to use even the smallest paper scraps.

Watch the Video

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

Tone on Tone Sunburst Background with a Paper Pieced Mermaid

June 24, 2026

A Sunburst Card from Scrap Paper | Summer Vacation Theme

This scrap paper card began with a challenge to "shop my stash" and quickly turned into a colourful handmade summer card inspired by sunshine, holidays and happy memories.

Summer Vacation Themed Card

The starting point for this project was the Shopping Our Stash "Summertime" challenge. I wanted to create something bright and cheerful while also making a dent in my ever-growing pile of leftovers. That's when the idea for a sunburst card background came to mind.

Scrap Patterned Paper Sunburst

The colour palette was inspired by the current challenge at All About papercraft challenges. I pulled together scraps in a range of oranges, yellow and blue tones and arranged them around the centre of the card. The combination immediately felt bright, playful and perfect for a summer card. 

As with many creative projects, the card evolved as I worked. Once the sunburst was assembled, I added a small rectangular panel over the centre point. This not only covered the joins where all the paper scraps met, but also created the perfect place to build my focal cluster.

The finishing details were inspired by the Time Out vacation theme challenge. As soon as I started thinking about vacations and summertime adventures, I knew I wanted elements that reflected travel and memory-making. So I added a film frame die cut, a small sun embellishment and a camera image. Together, these elements reminded me of summer holidays, sightseeing adventures, taking photographs and capturing special moments with family and friends. 

Watch The Video

If you have a collection of patterned paper scraps sitting in your craft room, I encourage you to give this scrap busting card project a try. Sunburst backgrounds are surprisingly easy to create, work beautifully on a DIY greeting card, and can be adapted to suit almost any colour palette or theme.

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

A Sunburst Card from Scrap Paper | Summer Vacation Theme

The Cutest Way to Use Up Paper Scraps 🍓 | A Paper Weaving Twist

This week's project started with June's challenge photo from the Inspiration Station blog, featuring a basket of strawberries. The texture in the basket immediately reminded me of the paper weaving technique I shared back in Season One of Cardmaking with Scraps. Instead of using the weaving as a background, though, I wondered if I could make my own little basket and turn it into the feature of the card.

Creating a Card Entirely from Scraps

Working entirely from scraps, I wove narrow strips of Crumb Cake cardstock to create a miniature basket. This kraft basket is the perfect fit for this fortnight's Shop Your Stash blog's KRAFT-astic challenge, which encourages the use of kraft papers.

From there, I needed to add some strawberries. I don't actually own a strawberry stamp or die, but luckily they're pretty simple to draw! I chose a selection of rich pink scraps inspired by the Sunday Stamps Garden Grandeur colour palette. 

The deep greens in the patterned paper and foliage were also inspired by this palette, while the spotted background tied in beautifully with an optional dots theme at this month's Paper Funday challenge. 

To pull all of the elements together, I followed the current sketch from the As You See It Challenge.

A Fresh Way to Use Paper Weaving in Cardmaking

What I love most about this project is that it shows how a technique can evolve. The same paper weaving method that once created a background became a dimensional embellishment instead, proving that sometimes a fresh look at the scraps already on your desk can lead to something completely new.

Watch the Video 

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

The Cutest Way to Use Up Paper Scraps 🍓 | A Paper Weaving Twist

June 11, 2026

A Landscape Built from Leftovers

One of the things I love about creating backgrounds from scraps is that every piece turns out differently. This abstract landscape-inspired background was so much fun to put together, using a mix of leftover cardstock scraps to create a colourful scene.

The challenge, of course, comes after the background is finished. Once you've created something this detailed, it can be surprisingly difficult to decide how to turn it into a finished card without covering up all that hard work!

Turning a DIY Background into a Finished Card

When I'm feeling a little stuck, I often turn to challenge blogs for inspiration, and this card ended up drawing ideas from several current challenges. The starting point was the Hot Air Balloon Day challenge at Festive Friday. As soon as I saw the theme, I knew hot air balloons would be the perfect addition to this landscape-style background. 

As per the challenge theme, I incorporated a hot air balloon, a birthday theme, bunting, primary colours and epoxy embellishments. The hot air balloon adds a playful focal point while still allowing the background to remain the star of the show.

To help with the card layout, I also drew inspiration from the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge. I added layers of vellum and a scrap of blue polka dot patterned paper behind the hot air balloon to create a central focal area while still letting the background shine through. 

The "Just Add Polka Dots" challenge at Just Add Ink, inspired me to reach for some spotty patterned papers both in the background and on the hot air balloon itself, adding another layer of interest and texture to the finished design.

Watch the Tutorial

Cardmaking with Scraps

If you enjoy this kind of scrap-based cardmaking, I’ve also put together a Cardmaking with Scraps printable guide.

It includes 8 scrap-friendly card projects with measurements, photos and step-by-step “recipes” you can keep beside your desk for inspiration when you’re working through your stash.

👉 Learn more HERE

Happy crafting,

Jenn

A Landscape Built from Leftovers

June 1, 2026