Where to buy supplies
I had an email from one of my readers who lives in a place with no scrapbook stores..... I know a few of your are hyperventalating right now at the scary thought of it.. LOL But I thought I'd share my answer for others who maybe live somewhere devoid of scrapbooking havens.
I work at a local scrapbook store called Arnolds Scrapbooking but unfortunately they don't have an online shop for you. So as to the question of where to get supplies....... I'd have a look at who sells to you online. EBAY is a great resource for this as you can search based on selling to your area. As you'll then be incuring postage it would be in your best interest to buy in bulk so you only have the one lot of postage. I have bought some beautiful embellishments from china (cameo's and cabouchons? these are little resin flowers).
I'd also suggest you check out some of my online videos. There's one there on how to make flowers out of tissue paper and an older one on how to make paper clay. Also check out YouTube for some great videos on how to create your own embellishments. I'm loving the crepe paper roses at the moment (they're a little bit of work but so worth it!)
I'd try and make as many embellishments as I can out of paper if I were you as this will save you lots and paper is available just about anywhere. Check out fabric stores as you can use fabric instead of paper to embellish your page. You can make flowers out of fabric or ribbon and buttons are also a popular embellishment for your pages. I love to use embroidery thread on my pages. If you can embroider then you might like to use one piece of cardstock and then embellish the rest of your page with embroidery. I like to sew my titles as this is a really cheap way to do a title.
Titles will be your hardest part as you don't have scrapbook stores to access all the chipboard letters, thickers and stickers......... For this reason I started out with stencils (I got a stencil book from a bookstore with all these alphabets in it... it's a kids book) and I painted, cut the letters out of paper and used felt pens, pencils or chalks to create my titles. You can also use the stencils as a guide for embroidering a title.
Stationary stores are also a great place to find pens, coloured paperclips and split pins. Art supply stores also have a great range of paint and brushes and other artist supplies. I love using watercolour pencils as this is one of the art mediums I specialized in when doing artworks (BS... Before Scrapbooking) now I don't have time to paint pictures but use the watercolours to create unique backgrounds and to colour in stamps. Chalking is a popular scrapbooking supply for colouring in stamps and colouring the edges of layers of paper. Art stores will have a product called "pastels" the oil variety work like crayons but there is a chalkier variety that I used to love painting with... again before scrapbooking... that is perfect for chalking with.
As far as your scrapbooks go scrapbook paper is Acid and Lignin Free (this protects your photos from deteriorating as quickly). So it is worthwhile if you don't have any stores to buy scrapbook paper from (for your backgrounds and under your photos) then try to buy bulk paper packs from online stores. Several of our department stores here stock scrapbooking supplies so we are spoilt for choices on places to shop. But perhaps if you have any department stores that have chains in other countries and they sell scrapbooking supplies in other countries (check out catalogues online) then you might be able to get them to order it in for you?)
I have also found some great supplies in the kids craft sections. If you follow my video on making your own clay then any chocolate moulds or other small moulds will be useful. I have also found wetting tissue and pushing it into the moulds firmly until the mould is packed tightly with wet tissue then allowing to dry..... this gives you a really light and unbreakable embellishment. (The paper clay I make in the video does break, when dry if dropped).
So I hope this gives you some ideas on alternative places to shop if you don't have the plethora of scrapbooking suppliers that I do....
I work at a local scrapbook store called Arnolds Scrapbooking but unfortunately they don't have an online shop for you. So as to the question of where to get supplies....... I'd have a look at who sells to you online. EBAY is a great resource for this as you can search based on selling to your area. As you'll then be incuring postage it would be in your best interest to buy in bulk so you only have the one lot of postage. I have bought some beautiful embellishments from china (cameo's and cabouchons? these are little resin flowers).
I'd also suggest you check out some of my online videos. There's one there on how to make flowers out of tissue paper and an older one on how to make paper clay. Also check out YouTube for some great videos on how to create your own embellishments. I'm loving the crepe paper roses at the moment (they're a little bit of work but so worth it!)
I'd try and make as many embellishments as I can out of paper if I were you as this will save you lots and paper is available just about anywhere. Check out fabric stores as you can use fabric instead of paper to embellish your page. You can make flowers out of fabric or ribbon and buttons are also a popular embellishment for your pages. I love to use embroidery thread on my pages. If you can embroider then you might like to use one piece of cardstock and then embellish the rest of your page with embroidery. I like to sew my titles as this is a really cheap way to do a title.
Titles will be your hardest part as you don't have scrapbook stores to access all the chipboard letters, thickers and stickers......... For this reason I started out with stencils (I got a stencil book from a bookstore with all these alphabets in it... it's a kids book) and I painted, cut the letters out of paper and used felt pens, pencils or chalks to create my titles. You can also use the stencils as a guide for embroidering a title.
Stationary stores are also a great place to find pens, coloured paperclips and split pins. Art supply stores also have a great range of paint and brushes and other artist supplies. I love using watercolour pencils as this is one of the art mediums I specialized in when doing artworks (BS... Before Scrapbooking) now I don't have time to paint pictures but use the watercolours to create unique backgrounds and to colour in stamps. Chalking is a popular scrapbooking supply for colouring in stamps and colouring the edges of layers of paper. Art stores will have a product called "pastels" the oil variety work like crayons but there is a chalkier variety that I used to love painting with... again before scrapbooking... that is perfect for chalking with.
As far as your scrapbooks go scrapbook paper is Acid and Lignin Free (this protects your photos from deteriorating as quickly). So it is worthwhile if you don't have any stores to buy scrapbook paper from (for your backgrounds and under your photos) then try to buy bulk paper packs from online stores. Several of our department stores here stock scrapbooking supplies so we are spoilt for choices on places to shop. But perhaps if you have any department stores that have chains in other countries and they sell scrapbooking supplies in other countries (check out catalogues online) then you might be able to get them to order it in for you?)
I have also found some great supplies in the kids craft sections. If you follow my video on making your own clay then any chocolate moulds or other small moulds will be useful. I have also found wetting tissue and pushing it into the moulds firmly until the mould is packed tightly with wet tissue then allowing to dry..... this gives you a really light and unbreakable embellishment. (The paper clay I make in the video does break, when dry if dropped).
So I hope this gives you some ideas on alternative places to shop if you don't have the plethora of scrapbooking suppliers that I do....
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