If you’re a Cricut user—or simply someone who works with paper—you already know how many clean, usable paper pieces are left behind after a project is complete. For me, they’ve become not just an environmental concern, but a mental and financial burden. I can’t bring myself to throw them away, knowing how environmentally damaging the paper industry can be. And, unfortunately, a large percentage of paper isn’t recycled or even recyclable.
Yet I love paper. Every little piece feels precious. My sister and I run a small handmade greeting card business, which means we need a lot of materials—and inevitably, we produce a lot of paper scraps.
It’s a perfect vicious cycle, isn’t it?
So, one day I decided not only to put those scraps to use—but to turn them into a small side income. Here’s how I approached it.
Step 1: Understand Your Scraps
Some of the scraps are surprisingly large. Cricut machines are incredibly useful for some projects, but also produce a frustrating amount of waste—especially when you have to do cut tests. Some of the products I create are for PrintThenCut, and that requires a clean finish and accurate shape, both for testing and for writing tutorials.
So I gather all the paper leftovers after each session and dedicate one day a week to sorting. The tiniest pieces go into an envelope to be turned into stars and snowflakes for our Christmas cards.
Larger scraps are sorted into two groups. The more rounded shapes are saved for stamping, and the longer or irregular pieces are used to draw watercolor flowers and leaves. Our customers tend to prefer romantic cards, so most of these scraps—stamped or painted—end up as floral embellishments. But honestly, flowers are versatile and work beautifully in my junk journals and art pages, too.
Step 2: Drawing and Coloring
When I say “simple drawing,” I truly mean it. You could give this part to a child, and I’m sure the result would be charming. My own son is now taller than me and hard to convince to draw hearts and flowers even for five minutes—but I still enjoy the process myself. The best thing is – you can really use every weird shape to create something beautiful.
I usually use watercolors, which actually perform well on 200–300gsm copy paper, especially for small drawings. The paint dries quickly and blends nicely, so you’re less likely to end up with muddy colors.
Once the images are dry, I use white or gold pens to add stamens, dots, and lines. Gold isn’t necessary, but it can help fix small flaws or awkward shapes.
Step 3: A Kind of Meditation
I’ve never been able to meditate in the traditional way. “Empty your mind”? “Feel yourself floating”? That’s usually when my brain decides to go dark: war, grief, suffering… the worst of the world comes rushing in.
But I discovered something helpful. Hand-cutting paper shapes (or crocheting lace) has the opposite effect. It quiets the noise in my head and focuses me completely.
Since I’m not currently selling crochet, I turn to my paper flowers. And because watercolor dries fast on copy paper, I can usually complete a full set—draw, cut, and pack—within a day.
Step 4: Selling the Results
The photo below shows two sets of floral embellishments, around 30 pieces per set. I always include a few extras—it costs me little but often delights the buyer.
Once the sets are ready, I photograph them and share in the scrapbooking, junk journaling, and mixed media groups I belong to. Most of the time they’re sold by the next day. Sometimes I receive requests: “Can you make the same, but in blue?” I create those the following day.
On good weeks, orders come in so fast I have to pause blog writing or shop updates to keep up. Which, of course, is wonderful. I’m reusing scraps, earning income, and doing something I enjoy.
On Pricing
Pricing is hard to advise on—every country is different. In my case, handmade items aren’t highly valued where I live. I’ve heard it all: “Why pay for this? The Chinese versions are cheaper.” Or: “She must be rich if she has time to play with paper.”
But still—I sell.
And with current global changes, such as increasing tariffs and rising supply costs, the price of craft materials is likely to go up. Small creators like us will be the first to feel it. Which is one more reason to recycle, save, and maybe even create your own income stream from materials that would otherwise be wasted.
If I can do it here, with very little support for handmade, you absolutely can do it too.
One More Thing
Please, try to avoid plastic packaging. I use handmade paper envelopes or recycled paper bags (In one of the coming articles I will share with you my shapes and ideas). If you’re worried about water damage, there’s something I discovered recently that’s very exciting—compostable clear bags. Just look them up. They do exist.
That’s it. I hope this article gives you something to think about—and maybe a little push to start making beautiful, meaningful things from the materials you already have.
Enjoy your craft time!
If you are a flower lover, check this Purple poinsettia crepe paper flower tutorial in my blog shop. Make your own stunning crepe paper Poinsettia — this printable tutorial is packed with value and perfect for holiday or all-year floral decor and gifts.
