From: Pam
I guess I keep a lot of stuff without realizing it. Of course there are the scraps of paper and if I see a nice pattern on a box of whatever, I cut that up and save it too. I have used these scraps to cut thin strips for "mosaic".
A lot of times I find images printed on envelopes or fliers in the mail that I will cut out and save to add to something later. I have used a lot of these to collage on envelopes that I am sending out.
I've saved a bunch of used postage stamps to use in collage but confess that I haven't used one yet!
From Maggie
I save everything. Scraps of cardstock, pieces of ribbon, buttons, charms, beads, anything and everything I can. I even asked a friend to cut the moose off of a carton of moose tracks ice cream for me. Everything is a design waiting to be used at some point and time. Maybe not this week, maybe not this month, but eventually something will come along and I will say, "Ah Ha!" I've just the project to put you on or in. I really get enthused about anything with even a hint of texture too. Things I may have passed by before, I find new possibilities for now. It always seems funny, if I'm working on Christmas, that's when I'll find lots of Easter things. Never can find the things I want at the time I need them!
From: Darla
I save lots of small pieces and can punch out of them. I of course try not to toss anything.
Darla
From: Bibi
My number one favorite stamp related leftover is Lumiere rinsing water. I use it to make interesting background papers. I have posted about this before, but in case someone missed it and want to try, here's what you do: Leave rinsing water in a plastic container. Crumple up a sheet of paper of any color into a ball, open up and repeat. Open the ball up a bit, then press it into the container so that the rinsing water covers all of it. You can press another piece of paper on top of the first to make sure at least one paper is totally covered with water. Make some more "rinsing water" if you don't have enough.... Leave paper for several hours, preferably over night. Pull the paper up from the water, and carefully open it up and leave to dry on a flat surface. Once dry, you can use it as it is, or put a sheet of scrap paper over it and iron it flat. Lumiere has tiny metallic particles that will fall into the cracks and folds of your paper for stunning results! If your rinsing water has been sitting there for a while, you might need to stir in it before you press your paper into the water, to make sure the metallic particles are not just laying on the bottom of the container.
My other favorite leftover is embossing powder. I put all leftovers in the same jar, and use the mix as layers when I emboss with clear UTEE. I never know what it will look like, which is part of the fun.
From: Tweety
Mine are my watercolor palette and my watercolor rinse water. Much like Judi's "debris of embossing powders the palette is usually a conglomeration of colors and some of the most interesting shades and hues of other pure color. I love to use them in areas of shading from the palette. I love to use the dirty rinse water to base coat some of my new designs. When I first started taking watercolor classes, I did not understand why the instructor had such a messy palette and I mentioned that fact to her and she told me it only looked that way but she had some delightful colors there.
She was right. I think my finished water colored pieces are looking better and better since I rarely work with "pure" color any more.
I have also started saving bits and pieces of commercial cards that have been sent to me. I am thinking that I will use them to make a collage for a background. But right now they just inspire me in ways to use my rubber stamps.
One put the rinse water in the storage cupboard when I am finished with it and secondly I am storing my works in process in a plastic box. Sunny is crying "foul" but I am not letting him at my "art". Seriously, I am thinking of putting down a large piece of paper. Puddle some different colors of water color on my palette and leaving the water bowl out and then let him have at it with me making sure he does not leave his "work" area before I clean his paws well. I think I might end up with some lovely background papers. I just fear he may decide to lay down and rub in the whole thing and I would end up with a "Joseph" cat. You know the coat of many colors. So I am still thinking if I want to let him stretch his artist's wings even more.
