 |
Scrapbooking on a Budget
Memories are priceless, but the cost of preserving them can be
high. Here are nine tips for making the most of your scrapbooking
budget.
1.Be on the lookout for scrapbooking supplies everywhere you
go. I once made the cutest shabby chic card with the corrugated
cardboard liner in a light bulb box. Another example: you can buy
100 brass brads for less than a dollar at the local discount
store and then customize them to match your layout with acrylic
paint and/or sandpaper. Or look in the clearance bin for ribbon,
fiber, and fabric remnants - or bouquets of silk flowers, which
you can take apart and attach to your cards and layouts with
brads, eyelets, bottlecaps, or button. You'll find all kinds of
treasures at office supply, hardware, and dollar stores, as well
as flea markets and garage sales.
2. Keep your supplies organized. When your papers and
embellishments are logically arranged and easy to find, you'll
always know what you have, which means you'll buy fewer
duplicates. And you don't need expensive racks for storing your
paper. The large 14" Ziploc bags are perfect for storing 12x12
paper. You can even hang the labeled Ziploc bags from skirt
hangers to maximize your space. A few inexpensive baskets or
plastic containers can hold your adhesives, pens and trimmers.
And a common tacklebox is great for small embellishments. Or use
resealable Ziploc bags to organize brads, eyelets and other small
embellishments by type or color and store in a shoebox.
3. Here's a little known secret. You can join a scrapbooking
direct sales company, simply to get the discount on your own
supplies. Of course, you'll need to make sure the monthly
minimums are low enough that you'll be able to meet them with
your purchases alone. Here is one such company with monthly
minimums of just $25 wholesale per month. Details are here:
http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking/wholesale-scrapbooking-supplies.htm
4. Use your scanner to create a unique patterned paper,
perfect for your layout. Scan items of clothing, for example,
that match the clothing in your photographs. Print the paper and
use as part of your background or as a tag or other
embellishment.
5. Do a google search for "free fonts" and "free
scrapbooking." You'll find thousands of free templates, fonts,
and other free resources for scrapbookers.
6. Check your local paper for 50% off coupons at large
discount crafting stores. Save these coupons for your larger
purchases. Subscribe to Joann.com's email newsletter at the
store's website: http//www.joann.com. This store frequently
offers special discount codes to newsletter subscribers. But keep
in mind, when you are shopping the sale aisle, a good deal is not
a good deal if you never use the product. Buy only those things
that you love - and know you'll use.
7. When shopping for tools, keep quality and versatility in
mind. Investing in quality tools will ultimately save you money,
because you won't need to replace them very often. You'll also
want to look for trimmers and cutters that allow you to replace
only the blade - and not the entire cutting system. The Coluzzle,
by Provocraft, is one of the most versatile cutting systems
available. It takes a little practice, but once you get the hang
of it, you can cut a huge variety of shapes and alphabets, as
well as envelopes and tags - all with very inexpensive
templates.
8. Save and organize your scraps. It's amazing when a small
scrap is perfectly suited for a card of scrapbook. And you can
always use the backside of white-core cardstock or patterned
paper when you need white. Or give your scraps to your children.
My kids are constantly making friendship cards out of my scraps.
They each have a basket on the family scraptable, and at the end
of a project, I divvy up all my scraps in the three little
baskets. They love the new art supplies, and I love to share my
love of scrapbooking - and my time spent scrapbooking - with
them.
9. Network with other scrapbookers for more low-cost ideas.
Arrange a supplies swap with your scrapbooking friends. And read
through the scrapbooking magazines for more money-saving ideas.
In the last few issues of Scrapbooks, Etc. and Memory Makers, for
example, I've read (and then used) the following ideas:
(1) Take photos of interesting signs and cut out the letters
for fun, eclectic alphabets.
And (2) make your own stamps from your favorite font or images
with a computer printout and some foam board.
You can subscribe to these magazines at significant discounts
online. I've compiled the best deals on the industry-leaders
here: http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking/scrapbooking-magazines
or see if you can check out current issues from your local
library. Scrapbooking magazines often feature sweepstakes,
drawings, and layout contests, in which you can win free
supplies, as well.
You can also save on scrapbooking idea books and techniques
books by shopping online. Overstock.com often has these books at
an even greater discount than amazon.com, and their shipping is
usually much less, too. http://www.overstock.com
Copyright 2005 by Susie Cortright
About the Author: Susie Cortright is the founder of
momscape.com - http://www.momscape.com and
Momscape's Scrapbooking Playground - http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking
- devoted to helping visitors record and preserve their cherished
memories. Susie also trains and supports new scrapbooking
instructors with a new and rapidly- growing direct sales
scrapbooking company. Find out how to join her team here:
http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking/business.htm
 MORE RESOURCES updated Wed. June / 07 / 2023
|
|
|
Related Hobbies - Crafts articles:
How to Make a Simple
Gemstone Necklace
With gemstone beads, every bead is precious. Every bead is
beautiful.
What Do I Need to Start
Scrapbooking?
The best thing about scrapbooking is that although there
are a plethora of scrapbooking supplies available on the
market, you really don't need a lot to make your very first
scrapbook. Basically, all you need to scrapbook is an
album, some glue, a pair of scissors, and some photographs
or newspaper clippings.
Spruce Up Your Pages
with Scrapbooking Embellishments
Having this nagging doubt that you may upstage your
precious photos or clutter your pages with scrapbooking
embellishments? One moment you're just so tempted to paste
the embellishment onto your page, and the next moment
you're questioning yourself, "Should I? Should I not?" You
even wonder if you're just trying to force that simply
irresistible page accent onto your page to satisfy your
craving for? more embellishments. Well, you're in good
company.
Capturing the Craft Show
Market
Finding the right product to sell at a craft show is
extremely important in finding success on the craft show
circuit. You may already have an excellent craft product or
line of products you are creating or even selling, or you
may be looking for a craft to produce in order to enter the
business.
Tips for Attending
Gemstone Shows
If you've been to gem shows, you know how overwhelming and
daunting they can be. Although it's difficult to narrow
down all those tempting options, your jewelry business
profit margin will be greater if you plan ahead and focus
on shopping for a particular line and color scheme of
jewelry.
Organize That
Stash!
Do you control your stash or does it control you? I have
become the master of my stash. When my husband found out
that his sock drawer had become yet another place for cross
stitch supplies, it was either get it under control or end
up in divorce court.
The Top Five Morgan
Silver Dollars
Why waste everyone's time? Let's skip the appetizers and
get to the meaty stuff right now: The Morgan silver dollars
poised to increase the most in value in the years ahead are
the 1895, 1892-CC, 1894, 1878-CC, and the 1883-CC. Pretty
bold prediction, eh? At this point, the reader now has
three options: (1) Stop reading and act upon this
information, (2) Stop reading and get on with life, or (3)
Continue on, evaluate the analytical approach to identify
the "Top Five" Morgan dollars, and then implement a
variation of (1) or (2) above.
Bookmarks As Unique As
You
Racks and racks of bookmarks ranging from funny to
inspirational are available in most bookstores. But for a
truly unique bookmark, make your own from a treasured
digital photo.
Mixed Media Collage -
Make The Pieces of Your Life Sing!
According to the dictionary, collage art is an artistic
composition made of various materials (as paper, cloth or
wood) glued on a surface. The word comes from the French
word "coller," meaning to glue or to paste.
Be Your Own Way, but
Still Use the Safe Tools
It is so often that people are not aware with the tools
they use when doing their home improvement. Sometimes they
use wrong tools just because they want something quick to
be done.
Getting Rid of Messes
and Mistakes in Your Scrapbooks
No matter how careful you are, you will undoubtedly find a
mistake, mark, or mess on your finished scrapbook page.
This is just part of the process of making a scrapbook.
Identifying US Coins
with Bullish Futures
Okay, let's get something straight? I do not advocate the
purchase of United States coins strictly for investment
purposes. Like most traditional collectors, I believe coins
are to be primarily appreciated for their artistic beauty,
historical connections, and the joy of pursuing them.
How to Value Your
Jewelry at Home or Work
Many thanks for taking the time to read this compact
jewelry article entitled 'How to Value your Jewelry at Home
or Work'. You are about to discover the intricacies and
formulas that highly qualified Gemologists and Valuers are
using, right now, to evaluate and appraise gold, silver and
platinum jewelry.
Production and Pricing
of Craft Show Items
This is where you can really make or break your craft show
career. Being able to produce quality crafts as efficiently
and affordably as possible is the key to making a tidy
profit from craft shows.
Turn An Arts And Crafts
Hobby Into A Business
Are you searching for a quick way to make an extra
income? Why not turn that Cooking Interest, Comic Book
Collecting, or Your Retro Clothing Collection Into A Home
Based Business Venture! Most people enjoy hobbies they have
pursued with great enthusiasm for years. Even though they
may find their leisure activities fulfilling and enjoyable
they never imagined making money with a fun hobby! The world
is packed with amazingly talented people.
Hollywood Gets Crafty -
Knitting And Crocheting Not Just For Grandma
Anymore
Sometimes it's hard to imagine that the stars who shine so
brightly on cinematic screens are people just like the rest
of us. We often think that their lives are so much more
interesting and exciting than our own and that we have
little or nothing in common with the Hollywood crowd.
Scrapbooking Tips And
Tricks For Photos And Images
When you're incorporating pictures of any kind into your
scrap book, why not set them off with an unusual finish?
This could be an original idea for a border or frame -- or
an arrangement of several items on the page to add a little
drama. Here are a couple of tips that might do well for a
children's album -- perhaps a keepsake baby scrapbook, or
just a page for a boy or girl.
Tips for Flower
Arranging at Home
Floral design is an art and for some it comes easy. If you
have tried and failed or never tried at all, take heart,
all is not lost.
Rare Depression Glass
Pieces
Depression Glass - The Rare Pieces. Did you know that if you
happen to have a crystal (clear) and pink Depression Glass
refrigerator bowl in the Crisscross pattern in good
condition and with its original cover, that it's valued at
between $300 and $335? Or that Shirley Temple cream pitcher
your grandmother keeps in the back of her upper cabinet
could bring up to $1,250 at auction? If you didn't, then
you've been in the dark about rare Depression Glass pieces
and their values! Here are a few pieces for which
knowledgeable Depression Glass collectors stay on constant
lookout: The Ruby Red Aladdin Beehive Lamp, made for only six
months during 1937, this lamp currently brings anywhere
from $700 to $950 - if it can be found! Most collectors
owning this piece understandably do not have any interest
in letting go of it, which makes it even rarer. The color
of the glass in the Aladdin series of ruby lamps varies
from a light red with an amber tint to dark, rich red, with
the deeper reds fetching more interest with today's
collectors.
The Easy Way to Make a
Special Present
We all know someone who is difficult to buy a present for.
Someone who has everything they need and would not
appreciate 'normal' gifts.
|
|
