How to Scrapbook on a Budget
Cost Effective Scrapbooking Methods
For many, nothing is more satisfying than creating a unique and artistic album of photos, or sending handmade cards to friends and family, or giving a mini-album as a gift, styled in the recipient's favourite colours. Those who love scrapbooking know how much fun this hobby can be, and what wonderful creations can result.
But scrapbookers also know how easily the costs of their craft can mount. Fancy scissors, stamps, stickers and cut-outs, and above all, endless enticing printed papers suck up money fast. Here are a few tips for making that scrapbooking fund go farther, without sacrificing the quality of the final product.
Deciding What to Buy
It's easy to be overwhelmed by the endless scrapbooking products out there. Which are best? Which are most useful, most important in creating a great scrapbook?
Paper: Buy papers that go together. Match printed papers with cardstock, in order to avoid extra trips to the store (which mean extra temptation to spend more money), and to keep from having a bunch of unused paper sitting around.
Stencils and Die-cuts: Look for the shapes and styles most likely to be used over and over again. If flowers figure prominently in your general scrapbooking, then flower die-cuts and stencils are a good investment. Don't buy a shape that will only be used once. If you need a reindeer shape for just one specific project, look for a traceable pattern using a Google search, then print it out and use that as your stencil. Keep a file of these kinds of stencils in order to slowly build up a personal library of unique shapes and cut-outs.
Letters: Stickers and rub-on letters look great, but they get used up quickly. Consider buying a set or two of letter stamps in a font you like and will use often. Scrapbooking stores carry clear gel stamps, so that you can see exactly where you're laying them down on the page. True, these stamps are expensive, but they're a worthwhile investment that will save you a lot of money in the long run, when you don't have to keep buying new stickers and rub-ons.
Scissors and Pens: These items are great to have on hand for scrapbooking projects: scissors that cut in fancy patterns, pens in different widths and colours. Saving money here is simple: be choosy and buy only the items that you will get the most use from. Find scissors with patterns that will work for many different projects. Get pens in all basic colours like black and silver, and the other two or three colours you personally use the most. Later, you can expand your collection one or two items at a time, as your budget allows.
Sales: Always look through the sale items. There may be die-cuts in colours you dislike, that could be used as stencils to cut shapes from other papers. Or discounted albums with dull covers that you could cover up with your own artwork. Think creatively.
Around the House: See what is already available at home. Cups and lids can be used as circle stencils. If you have them, raid the craft and sewing drawers for buttons, ribbon, sequins, stickers, glitter, etc. Use wrapping paper and scraps of pretty fabric or old worn-out clothing in your projects. Cut out images from magazines and junk-mail catalogues.
Other Places: For things like ribbon and buttons, go to fabric stores, where these items are likely to cost less than at the scrapbooking store. Generic craft stores, such as Michael's and Hobby Lobby, often carry scrapbooking materials at slightly lower prices. Buy basic coloured paper at department or dollar stores, or in bulk from the nearest office supply store (this is often a much cheaper way to purchase cardstock, though colour choices are more limited).
Making the Best Use of Materials
Paper: When cutting out mats on which to mount photos, cut a frame instead of a solid square or rectangle. In other words, cut out the middle section of the mat. This won't be seen once the photo is mounted, and it provides a little extra matching paper to use for other decorations: flower cutouts to use as a border, picture captions, etc.
Scraps: Never throw away scraps larger than a few square inches. Keep a box or folder of these scraps and use them later for small shapes and decorations in other projects.
Longevity: Always keep the lids on things like glue sticks and markers when they're not in use. This will keep them from drying out and they'll last longer. Dried out stamp pads can sometimes be revived with a few drops of rubbing alcohol. Let it soak in for a bit, and you should be able to get a bit more use out of the pad.
Overview
Look for items that will get the most use over time. Try to buy accessories that can be reused, such as stencils and stamps. Find free stencils online for more unique, unusual shapes. Get creative and make use of things already sitting around the house. And cut carefully to avoid wasting paper and to get the most possible use out of your materials.
Select papers to use together
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