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Money Saving Tips for Christmas Scrapbooking
By June Campbell of Nightcats Multimedia Productions
Scrapbooking can be an expensive activity, as any dedicated scrapper knows. However, there are ways to cut down the cost. This Christmas, try some of these money saving tips for your scrapbooking, card making and other paper craft projects. Tip #1: Use Your Stash Any scrapbooker who has been engaged in this craft for any length of time has a stash. That's the pile of papers, card stock, ribbon, stickers and other items that were purchased "on spec" and never used, or were partially used. Make a commitment to use what you have rather than buy new. So what if the paper is last year's design? Do you think anyone but you will know or care? If you have papers that are not especially Christmassy or holiday-themed , what can you do to alter them? Can you stamp Santas or bells or poinsettias on your scrapbook paper or card stock? Can you add glitter or stickers to an item to give it that holiday look? With a little thought, your stash can be converted to original and economical Christmas decor, cards, gifts and scrapbook layouts. Tip #2: Shop the Dollar Stores The Dollar Stores often have craft supplies, ribbon, beads, rubber stamps and other items that are great buys for crafters. I recently purchased a clipboard for $1. I glued scrapbook paper to cover. Next,I made a mini accordion album that I attached and tied with a ribbon. It's an appealing and interesting gift, and very affordable. Total price $1 plus items from my stash.
Tip #3: Make Serendipity Squares for Embellishments Save your Christmas and holiday cards and left over gift wrap to incorporate in your scrapbook layouts. One way is to use your cards and gift wrap to make Serendipity Squares, then use the squares as embellishments. To make Serendipity Squares, you cut or tear several papers (or cards) into small uneven shapes. If you are using greeting cards, you will need to add a sold color of card stock to the design to ensure consistency throughout the design. Glue your cut up cards and the card stock pieces to a strip of card stock, arranging at random. Add glitter, stamped images or stickers if desired. Cut this block into squares and use the squares as embellishments. This can be truly gorgeous, depending on the papers you used. Price -- next to nothing. Tip #4: Make Paper Poinsettias for Embellishments Purchased embellishments can be costly. You can make lovely poinsettias or other flowers using a punch and a bit of scrap paper. This link gives a video demonstration of how to make paper poinsettias with a punch. You can also make very nice poinsettias by simply cutting out circles and cutting the petals by hand.
Tip #4: Design Strategic Scrapbook Layouts
Current scrapbook trends have us creating layouts with perhaps only one large picture to a layout. If you have many pictures that you want to save, this can become a costly activity. Why not revert back to the old fashioned way and put several pictures on a page? When I went on a major vacation to the Antarctica, I had literally hundreds of photographs that I wanted to scrapbook. I made albums with matching double page spreads, often using eight or nine pictures per page. It worked out just fine. If you are skilled at digital editing, you can also create layouts featuring one larger pictures and multiple smaller photographs, or you can create collages.
Tip #5: Make your own Mini Albums Scrapbook and craft stores sell adorable mini album kits in interesting and compelling shapes. Admittedly they are beautiful and make wonderful gifts. Unfortunately, they can run into money if you need several. Why not make your own mini albums? It's surprisingly easy to do and economical as well. For project ideas, consider this link: Sapphire Scrapbooking Video Tutorials
Tip #6: Make your Cards, Tags and Decorations No need to stop at scrapbook layouts. If you can scrapbook, you already have the skills (and possibly the supplies in your stash!) to make your own gift cards, holiday decorations, greeting cards and tree ornaments. You'll find that hand made items are memorable and treasured long after purchased items are forgotten. Happy Holidays and Happy Scrapping.
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Contributor's Note
June Campbell's passion is scrapbooking and other types of paper crafting. She provides video tutorials, pictures and detailed project descriptions at her web site.
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Hand Made Advent Calendar
PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
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