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Scrapbooking on a Budget - Part Two

More Ways to Save On Your Scrapbooking Hobby

Cheap Scrapbooking
Capture Your Memories Inexpensively

If you love to scrapbook, I don’t have to convince you of the joy that this hobby can bring, not only while you’re doing it, but for years to come. The time you spend capturing your family’s memories today can provide history and sentiment that your great-grandchildren can treasure.

But, scrapbooking can be expensive, too, and many enthusiasts find their love for the hobby waning because of the amount of money they’ve spent on expensive silk papers, high-end albums and other tools. It is possible to scrapbook without breaking the bank; you just need to know a few tricks.

• Get organized. Nothing will cost you money faster than losing your supplies. Invest in some sort of organization system.

  There are a number of systems made especially for scrapbooking, and they are great if you can find one on sale. They have files for scrapbook paper, special holders for scissors and pens, and lots of room for stickers, stamps, and all your other supplies. They also have a special place for storing your scrapbooks.

  Many of them are on wheels, which is great if you attend scrapbooking parties, or even if you just store your scrapbooking materials in a different room than the one you work in. But, even if you don’t buy an organizer made especially for scrapbooking, you should have some type of organizer.

  Small plastic drawers are great for supplies, and accordion files work well for organizing your paper. The point here is just to keep all of your supplies together, so that your supplies stay in good shape, and so that you know what you have.

  You don’t want to spend money buying something you already had, or having to replace items that got ruined because you didn’t have a good place to put them away.

• Buy just the basics at first - Start slowly. Buy the album you want to work on, and some inexpensive solid colored acid free paper, a few picture cutters and a small number of stickers, stencils and die cuts.

  You can add to your collection of special scissors, cutters and stamps over time. By adding these items slowly, you’ll be able to find them on sale. And you can still make great looking pages in the meantime, with brightly colored papers and a few accessories.

• Avoid the Scrapbook Stores – There are many other places for buying your scrapbooking materials that will save you money over the traditional scrapbooking stores.

  Large hobby stores are the best place to start. They will have a scrapbooking section, and will carry a fairly wide variety of basic supplies, like paper, stickers, and other items.

  Discount stores are great, too. They will have many things you need, like paper cutters, scissors, stickers and glue sticks in their school or office supply section.

  And, I buy nearly all my stickers at the dollar store. They are usually about half the price of scrapbooking and hobby stores. Save your trips to the scrapbook store for really special embellishments that you can’t find elsewhere.

• Use the expensive items sparingly – Money spent on expensive die cuts and beautiful paper can add up quickly.

  Rather than using expensive printed paper for the whole page, consider arranging your page on less expensive solid colored paper and using the printed paper for picture frame. Once all your pictures are on the page, very little of the background paper shows, anyway.

  Use die cuts on only a few pages – and fill in with less expensive. Rubber stamps are a great inexpensive embellishment because you can use them over and over. Buy generic ones that will work with many themes, and buy stamp pads in lots of colors to change the look.

• Use what’s free – Your own drawings and those of your kids make great embellishments for your scrapbooking pages. Very often, children’s drawings have lots of white space.

  If you cut this away, you may have a great smaller piece to use on a page in your child’s scrapbook.

  Magazine clippings and cuttings from old story books (that your kids have already drawn in) also look great and cost nothing.

  Hair bows, ticket stubs, awards and even leaves also make gorgeous pages.

  Also, invest in good pens and stencils for lettering. It’s lots cheaper than using those stick on letters for your captions.

• Attend scrapbooking classes and parties – Scrapbook stores often offer classes and what are known as “cropping nights”, where you can learn tricks from instructors and other scrapbooking enthusiasts. In addition to learning valuable tips, you can often buy supplies at large discounts during these evenings.

  There are also direct distributors who specialize in-home parties for scrapbookers. You will often get very good deals on supplies at these parties, as well as getting free stickers and die cuts just for attending. You’ll also usually get to complete a page for your own scrapbook using the distributor’s supplies.

  If you’re interested, you can host a party in your own home, and probably get even more special deals.

• Shop online – There are an abundance of scrapbooking websites that offer weekly specials, regular sales, and just all around good prices. Often, their prices are so much lower that you will save a good deal, even after you pay shipping and handling on your purchase. Sign up for their weekly email specials, and wait for items you want to be part of these.

Scrapbooking is a fun hobby and a wonderful way to preserve history. You can tell stories and share memories in a unique and memorable way. Chronicling your children’s school years, as well as your family vacations and other special events will create special mementos that your family will treasure for a lifetime.

Take the time to learn the tricks and tips that make your scrapbooks beautiful, but also look for ways to make your hobby less expensive. There are numerous ways to limit your spending while still creating beautiful memories that will last a lifetime.

About The Author

Julie-Ann Amos is a successful writer and scrapbook hobbyist.

Her articles bring to the table a wealth of new ideas to help you create your best scrapbook yet.

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Recommended Reading

These books are excellent resources for scrapbookers. They contain lots of new and original designs and ideas.

Outstanding Scrapbook Pages: 250 Of the Best Pages and Techniques from the World's #1 Scrapbooking Magazine Kerry Arquette

Special-Effects Scrapbooking: Creative Techniques for Scrapbookers at All Levels (Crafts Highlights) By: Jill Miller

Creative Memories : The 10 Timeless Principles Behind the Company that Pioneered the Scrapbooking Industry By: Cheryl Lightle

Scrapbooking Your Family History
By: Maureen Taylor

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