| |
| |
|
Crafts & Hobbies Information |
|
|
|
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:
Hobbies - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
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. Collectibles: Searching for those Hard-to-Find Diecast Models For collectors of any kind, there are always those items that are much sought after, but nearly impossible to find. If they're lucky enough to finally locate them, the price is often exorbitant or there are some other restrictions which inhibit their ability to secure them. Civil War Uniforms: 5 Tips on Making Your Trousers Last Forever! Are your pants wearing out too fast?Does it look like you are expecting a flood because your pants are too short?Make your Civil War Uniform trousers last forever by following these 5 tips!1. Cut your trousers long, so when you first start wearing them you will have to roll them up a few times. The Making of a Slipcover: A Lost Art Today in this world of fast everything, most of us just don't have the time (nor patience) to do an all consuming job of making a slipcover. We go buy them and not always are they what we want. A Few Tips About Comic Book Backing Boards Comic Book Backing Boards come in different thicknesses and acid-free properties. The basic purpose for using a backing board is to give the comic some stiffness, which helps keep the comic pages from bending, creasing or wrinkling. Learn Exactly How To Repair Your Sewing Machine At Home! My name is Tony Asef and I start my own sewing machine business 21 years ago with little knowledge of repairing sewing machine at that time. I remember very good when I was looking for someone to teach me all trick in sewing machine repair business. Create A Gift Basket For A Cat Lover! The choice of what gift to give your family and friends can often be a difficult one. One of the best gifts that you can give is a themed gift basket. How to Make Gel Candles - 11 Easy Steps Do you love burning beautiful, scented candles? And do you know that you can easily make them yourself? It is exciting and not at all difficult. Here are 12 easy steps to creating unique candles that you can burn at home, give as gifts, or even sell. Are You Making Money At Craft Shows? If you are involved in the crafts business, and are profitable, you are among the rare breed who have successfully combined art with business. If, however, you still have yet to show a profit (or enough profit) after a show, this article may get you going in the right direction. Embroidery Digitizing Software Embroidery Magic 2 software is very easy to use to make lettering, it is also easy to learn to use the digitizing part of the program but to digitize a good design takes learning, skill and practice. An example of what I am saying is that - for a artist to paint a picture, all it takes is some canvas, paint and brushes (these supplies and tools are easy for anyone to use but it takes learning, practice and artistic skill to paint a beautiful picture. Genealogy / Family History One huge advantage of knowing about family history is that sometimes it can help you to trace and pinpoint occurrences of illness.My father and two of my brothers had all died of heart attacks at a fairly young age. Copyright: Five Facts Every Scrapbooker Needs To Know! Here are five basic things that EVERY scrapbooker should know about copyright: #1--When you create an original scrapbook layout, card or other project (not from a sketch, scraplift or idea book) you AUTOMATICALLY own the copyright. No, you don't have to add a copyright notice. How To Create A Collage Journal Creating a collage journal is a unique and fun way to personalize and enrich your journal. Making a collage journal is something that everyone can enjoy. Idle Hands Beget The Devils Work As a southern girl, sewing was a rite of passage. You never questioned if you should learn, it was a matter of when. Collectible Action Figures - Is About Fun Memories And More Money Superhero action figures first stormed the doors of department stores and toy stores nearly 35 years ago. Constructed of various kinds of plastic and clothed in uniforms, costumes and capes G. How To Make a Pinata MATERIALSA Large Round or Oval BalloonNewspaper, torn into 1 inch by 6-8" inch stripsWhite computer paper or paper towels, torn into stripsFlour and water mixture for paper mache pasteSaltVegetable oilPaintTissue paperCrepe paperString or yarn for hangingINSTRUCTIONSPrepare:Prepare your work surface with a layer of newspaper you can discard, or an old plastic tablecloth you can wipe clean of goop and glops which are part of this messy project!Tear several pages of newspaper into strips, approximately 1 inch wide by 6-8 inches long. Don't try to be neat and cut them with scissors; the torn edges will adhere more closely and give a smoother overall surface to the finished pinata. Sell Hobby Items by Mail You can, if you are ambitious, start a Mail Order Business selling collectables to hobbiest by mail. To begin, you must first find a hobby that appeals to YOU. Stress-Free Scrapbook Journaling Ideas Do you find it intimidating when you come to journal your scrapbook pages?You are not alone! Many scrapbookers find it hard to get started when it comes to adding journaling to their scrapbooking layouts.If you are one of those people who go blank at the thought of having to journal, don't worry. Why Do You Need to Have Your Tools Blade Sharpen After Work If you like to do wood carving or making sculpture as your hobby, you surely need tools to make your creation. If you just starting this hobby, knowing your tools and how to treat your carving tools probably the best way to make everything easier for you, thus make efficient time when doing your work. Scrapbooking Yourself as an Individual, Homemaker, Worker, and More From age 25 onwards, our grand adventure has just unfolded as we embrace adulthood.Here's where you experienced first-hand the lessons of life and be prodded along to grow up in the face of challenges.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
