Build Beautiful Projects—Starting With Your Stash

It’s time to build beautiful projects – starting with your stash!

If you love paper crafting, chances are you also love collecting paper crafting supplies. Pretty papers, stamps you couldn’t resist, ribbon in every shade, embellishments you forgot you owned… sound familiar?

The good news: your stash is a gold mine. Whether you’re making handmade cards, scrapbook layouts, mini albums or junk journals, you don’t need the latest release to create something beautiful and meaningful. In fact, starting with what you already have can spark more creativity than shopping ever will.

Here are practical, creative tips for building paper crafting projects using your existing stash—without overwhelm.

Shop Your Stash First

Before you plan a project, resist the urge to browse online or run to the craft store. Instead, “shop” your stash:

• Pull out patterned paper, card stock, and embellishments you haven’t used yet

• Look for items you love but haven’t figured out how to use

• Set aside supplies that fit your current mood or theme

Often, just seeing everything laid out will spark ideas you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Tip: If your stash is large, limit yourself to one paper pack, one embellishment, and a few basics. Creative constraints = magic.

Start With One Anchor Piece

Every project needs a starting point. Choose one item to anchor your design, such as:

• A patterned paper you love

• A photo (for scrapbook layouts)

• A stamp set or dies

• Your favourite colour combo

Let that one piece guide your decisions. Pull coordinating colours, textures, and embellishments that support it rather than compete with it.

Create a Mini Colour Palette

Too many colours can overwhelm a project—and your brain. Once you choose your anchor piece, narrow your palette to:

• 2–3 main colors

• 1 neutral (white, cream, brown, grey, navy or black)

This helps older supplies look cohesive and intentional, even if they’re from different collections or eras.

Mix Old and New (Even If “New” Is Just New-to-You)

Your stash probably spans years of crafting styles—and that’s okay. Mixing supplies can actually add interest:

• Pair older patterned paper with clean, modern sentiments

• Combine classic florals with simple geometric elements

• Use neutral card stock to bridge different styles

If something feels dated, use it in small doses—as a mat, a strip, or a background layer.

Tip: Have older single sided paper that you don’t love? Flip it over and use it as white photo mats or place holders on your scrapbook layouts.

Use Layouts and Sketches as Shortcuts

If you ever feel stuck staring at supplies, reach for a sketch or layout design:

• Use a card sketch to decide where layers go

• Adapt a scrapbook layout to fit your photo size

• Repeat a design you’ve used before with new supplies (like I did for this project)

Sketches remove the guesswork so you can focus on choosing papers and embellishments from your stash.

Build in Layers (Even Simple Ones)

Layering adds depth and interest—no fancy tools required. Try:

• Matting patterned paper with card stock

• Tucking tags, vellum, or scraps behind focal elements

• Using foam adhesive on just one or two pieces

Even a simple card can feel rich and finished with a few thoughtful layers.

Use What You Have… Differently

Sometimes the key is using supplies in unexpected ways:

• Cut patterned paper into strips or shapes instead of full panels

• Turn scrapbook paper into card fronts, envelopes, or die cuts

• Use stamps as background textures instead of focal images

Look at your stash with fresh eyes and ask, “What else could this be?”