Crafts and Hobbies Articles and Information


provided by BeadLinks.com

Bead Links on The Net Find Bead Links for Bead Stores Around the World
Crafts & Hobbies Information BeadLinks.com Home | Directory of Craft & Hobby Articles | Browse Craft & Hobby Articles from the Top | The Down The Street Bead Show

Articles on Artistic Creativity

Scrapbooking on a Budget



Lift-N-Lok Craft & Hobby Storage Systems

Available in Blue, Orange, & Green
Click for more information







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-magazinesor 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
Do what you love - Dubuque Telegraph Herald

Do what you love
Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Lubinski and Italia join what the United States Department of Labor calls a "substantial" group of people who turn their hobbies into a business. ...

Meet James M. Williams - Hattiesburg American

Meet James M. Williams
Hattiesburg American
In my spare time, I have a plethora of hobbies. I enjoy traveling, so at least once a month I make a trip to Florida to visit my wonderful girlfriend. ...

and more »
Tips to get over your ex - Hindustan Times

Hindustan Times

Tips to get over your ex
Hindustan Times
Rediscover an old hobby. When involved in a relationship, we let go of certain hobbies or activities that we loved doing, for the sake of that 'special ...

Key players in the Salyer case - Sacramento Bee

Key players in the Salyer case
Sacramento Bee
Personal: Hobbies include flying jet aircraft, racing and hunting. Legal: Facing seven-count federal racketeering/bribery indictment that could result in ...

Modern-day gold rush - Ontario Argus Observer

Ontario Argus Observer

Modern-day gold rush
Ontario Argus Observer
Cruson owns Oregon Trail Hobbies & Gifts in downtown Ontario and said the business carries White's Metal Detectors, which are made in Sweet Home, Ore. ...

U-Kiss' Dongho reveals an unexpected hobby - allkpop

U-Kiss' Dongho reveals an unexpected hobby
allkpop
by rameninmybowl on March 12, 2010 @ 10:05 AM (EST) · 7 comments An average 16-year-old boy would normally enjoy video games and basketball as his hobbies. ...

GOOD KID ASHLEY WHITE OF SOUTH GRAND PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL - Dallas Morning News

GOOD KID ASHLEY WHITE OF SOUTH GRAND PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL
Dallas Morning News
... plan to attend Stephen F. Austin University and major in social work with a minor in psychology My hobbies are: volunteering, listening to music, ...

and more »
Baseball Players + Music Festival = WoodJock! - Jockism (satire) (blog)

Jockism (satire) (blog)

Baseball Players + Music Festival = WoodJock!
Jockism (satire) (blog)
Because baseball is a sport that requires minimal athleticism if any, many professional baseball players were forced to explore other hobbies, ...

and more »
UBS officer draws lesson from history - Financial Times

UBS officer draws lesson from history
Financial Times
Two of Christoph Schenk's hobbies ? flying and boating ? have little bearing on his job as chief investment officer of UBS's core wealth management division ...

and more »
Hello to all forum members. - Kayak & Canoe News

Hello to all forum members.
Kayak & Canoe News
As far as interest and hobbies goes, I am outdoors kinda guy and obviously I had to be a part of this community . Being that it is Sunday, I am sure most of ...

RSS integration by RSSinclude

www.beadAbead.com

postsearchaccountsubjectregion
Sell Your Beads & Crafts Online.
We are part of a 28,000+ high traffic classified website network.
Post Your Free Picture Classified Ads Today
postsearchaccountsubjectregion
BeadLinks.com Home | Directory of Crafts & Hobbies Listings | Browse Crafts & Hobbies From Top | The Down The Street Bead Show
© 2006