Scrapbooking Made Simple

Still can't get to my desk to do some crafting...... back pain really sux!  So instead of crafting I thought I'd share a few ideas on ways to save money on your scrapbooking. For those of you who have either been with me since the beginning of this blog or those who have read the back issues this won't be news to you but I thought it would be a good idea to revisit some of those hints and tips for new readers. I like to save on my scrapbooking by firstly setting a firm budget. If that's $10 a week or $10 a month you stick to it.  If you are forced to only spend a fixed amount you will consider your scrapbooking purchases alot more carefully! I also like to have a "just in case of extra special sale" amount tucked away. I set $60 and have that put aside in case I come across a very special sale price I just can't walk past. Cost out your pages and projects. I have to cost out my pages and beyond the page projects for my classes and have found that when ...

I popped into my local scrapbook store today for some ideas. I love having a look at the latest layouts on the walls and checking out the products. You can often get some fabulous ideas for embellishments this way. For instance today I saw some great pieces of chipboard that were decorated using "Opals" and inked stamps. I loved this effect! It's a good idea if you're looking to create embellishments to think in layers. The layers are what make the best embellishments what they are...... and glittery bits! I thought I'd share a few ideas on how to save on supplies as I havent' done this for a while. 1. Corks from wine bottle can be carved to make stamps. 2. Recolour paper clips and eyelits with clear ink and embossing powder. 3. Use decorative scissors to cut thick cardboard then use this as an embossing template. 4. Take a swirl template and mark evenly along the edges of the cut out section to create a cheap template for use as a sewing template or eyelet s...