Scrapbooking on a BudgetI have tons of pictures in photo albums but I recently met up with a new challenge, scrapbooking! While shopping this weekend I found a scrapbook at a tent sale for $2.00! It has 100 or more pages, is leather but has one drawback, it says Disneyland on the front.
Free Newsprint for Wrapping PaperMost newspaper publishers have tons of end-rolls (rolls of unused newspaper paper) that they'll gladly give you for FREE! Even a small roll could be enough to wrap an entire year's worth of Christmas AND birthday gifts.
Hand-made Paper MattingHave you ever made hand-made paper, and then wondered what to do with it? My husband bought me a paper-making kit years ago, and at first, I decided to use old Christmas wrapping paper rather than recycling. (I was learning, okay?)
Making a Square from a Paper RectangleI like to do origami with paper. Sometimes I need a square. Printer paper is rectangular. In order to have a perfect square, I will fold over the paper and cut off the excess.
Scented NotepadI love to dye papers for my handmade notebooks and journals. This week I found out I could scent these pages beautifully.
Save Scraps of Colorful Paper for Scrapbook CardsI always have extra scraps of beautiful paper. I tear them into quarter size pieces for gluing onto cards. They make very pretty additions, to keep in journals, which is what I do with them. This would be fun to do with seasonal wrapping paper too ;)
Sprucing Up Cheap Greeting CardsMany of the the 3D and pop-up style greeting cards start with a base price of around $7. My mum and I buy budget cards (2 for $1) and spruce them up. Here, we've created paper pumpkins, added them to a thick line of string, then glued it on the inside of the card.
Use Paper Scraps to Enhance CardsMy dear friends and I made 300 greeting cards to give to senior facilities. There were a lot of leftover paper scraps from all the shapes we were punching out. Instead of tossing them out, the leftovers ended up being a huge part of the stunning 3D shadowing of the cards by gluing them under other shapes of paper.
Recycle Leftover Gift Wrap into Birthday CardsDo not throw away leftover pieces of gift wrap! Keep them stacked somewhere, and when you need a quick birthday card, recycle them into a beautiful card. Here's how.
Make Confetti from Scrap PaperDo you ever use construction paper or even lined paper and after cutting or using the section of the paper you need, toss the paper in the trash? Stop right now. You can use the scrap pieces. You can use cute shape hole punchers and save those scrap paper into confetti!
Decorate Greeting Cards with Pencil Erasers as StampsI love to decorate every greeting card I hand out. My go-to items are stickers, markers, Google images, and stencils. I've also made a few pop-up cards. I'm always looking for new materials to use. Using pencil erasers worked really well. Newer ink is darker and requires fewer applications. You can add colorful polka dots, flowers, or anything else you can think of. Everything dries within seconds and becomes beautiful pastel colors.
Kindergarten Scrapbook OrganizationI am an educational assistant for senior Kindergarten. My teacher had been scrapbooking for the students all year. All the events that took place in the classroom, field trips, birthdays, academics, holidays, and funny antics of the children were put in this scrapbook.
Sharing Precious PhotosTo make a special card for my son's 40th birthday, I scoured over my precious photo albums. I scanned a particularly cute photo on my printer and printed it out.
Photo Birthday InvitationI searched Pinterest for 1st birthday invitation ideas, then created my invitation in Photoshop using elements that I liked from multiple examples. Then I saved the final design as a Jpeg and sent it to Costco to be printed as a 4 x 6 photo.
CD Cases for Scrapbooking Supply StorageI save everything. Tiny pieces of scrapbooking papers, cut outs, and anything else I can get my hands on. I have found a great solution to keep tiny pieces of papers and stickers organized.
Homemade Greeting Cards on Your ComputerI have been using www.snapfish.com to create greeting cards that I can print on my own home printer. Any kind of card stock or even good thick writing paper works well.
Use Leftover Wrapping Paper For Origami PracticeI use leftover wrapping paper from holidays to practice my origami sea turtle craft. I still have to perfect the feet on the sea turtle. I don't like to practice with the regular paper until I get it right.
Making Paper from Shredded PaperI shred a lot of documents and I reuse the paper by making my own paper.
Crater Lake Scrapbook ThemeA few years ago, my family drove from Portland, OR to Crater Lake. As my boys can't get enough of volcanoes, we stopped at the Newberry Volcanic Monument on the way there. Of course, we took lots of pictures.
Playa Del Carmen Scrapbook ThemeFor our 10th year Wedding Anniversary, my husband and I took a romantic vacation to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. I like to pick a theme for each event's scrapbook or section. For this one, I used a map of Mexico that I had saved out of a National Geographic insert.
Use for Anchor on Rosette CraftingRight now a "hot" trend in crafting and rubber stamping is to make rosettes for putting on a card or package. That consists of scoring and folding lightweight paper (like scrapbooking sheets), gluing and accessorizing.
Grass Skirts From Tissue PaperIn the old days when they made pom poms we used a form of tissue paper. Well I thought to be easy and so children can help, use tissue paper of any colors. You can use the same color or different colors.
Use Hole Punch to Attach Decorative BradWhen attaching a decorative brad, it is better to punch a hole first (I use 1/16 inch hole punch) and then insert the brad, rather than jamming the brad through the paper. You can also use a craft knife to cut a small slit.
Decorating Scrapbook Paper And CardstockI love buying scrapbook paper, but some seem a little pricey, especially the glitter paper. I got the idea to add my own touch to the paper with glitter glue and dimensional fabric paint.
Score Cards with Ballpoint PenMany of us make our own cards. When it comes to using commercial scoring tools, you end up having a lot of money tied up in such a creative hobby.
Document Historical Events with PhotographyOne way that I document historical events in a personal way is to take a photograph of the television screen when major events are being broadcast. I started this on 9/11.
Create Memory Book with Child's ArtOur children live in other states, but we always get together in the summer for a reunion at one of our homes. This year, I am making each one a memory book using all the pictures/drawings from their earliest years.
Glue for EnvelopesAfter you've made your homemade cards and matching envelopes, here's an easy to make glue.
Photo Note CardsI'm not a scrapbook person, but some of my friends who are encouraged me to try to make these note cards. I used old vintage photos of family members to make them special. I scanned the photos and had copies made.
Dishwasher Utensil Basket for Scrapbook StorageA couple of years ago, I came across an old dishwasher basket. Since then, I have probably added a half dozen to my scrapbook area for all types of supplies.
Make Gift Tags from WallpaperWe bought a house that needed to be decorated, so we bought a ton of wallpaper. When we were finished we had 20 rolls left. My daughter and I decided to make gift cards out of the leftovers for every holiday and birthdays.
Use Envelope Backs For ScrapbooksJunk mail just got useful! Since I starting scrapbooking, I began saving colored, large backs of envelopes from my junk mail. It is great for backgrounds. I have also used these "scraps" for card-making.
Make Your Own Embossing InkFor embossing ink, use any color of Rit Dye, 1/4 tsp. alcohol, and 5 Tbsp. glycerin. Carefully blend dye and alcohol till it is the consistency of thin cream; starting with 1/2 tsp. of powdered dye.
Grungy Paper For ScrapbookingEasy way to make your own grungy background paper for cards or scrapbooks.
Save Paper Scraps For CraftsI do a lot of card making. Stock paper isn't really cheap, so if I have left over sentiments or papers from cutting out projects. I put them all in a basket next to my computer desk. Then if I need something, it is usually right there in the basket.
Bookmarks From Recycled CardsI grew up with my mother recycling things out of necessity. Now, many years later, it is not only out of necessity to save money, but also to help the environment. I collect up old greeting cards and make lovely bookmarks to give out to friends at Christmas time.
Use Wallpaper Samples for ScrapbookingHere's a money saving tip for all you scrapbookers out there. instead of buying those expensive scrapbook paper pads, get something for free and is earth friendly - wallpaper books!
Reuse Cardboard From Tissue BoxOpen up the glued end of an empty large tissue box so it is now flat. Trim off the logo area. You can use the plain white area if you wish. Trim off ends and save them. You can get three tiny gift tags from the ends.
Make Envelopes From MagazinesOur library has magazines in their bookstore for a quarter each. After I read them, I make envelopes from the most colorful pages and tear out all the cologne ads that have the scent under the flap.
Newspaper FlowersReuse old newspapers or magazines by making them into flowers. Choose a few of your favorite images or texts (old poetry works great). You can even dye regular newspaper using the water from boiling beets. Cut paper into different sizes of circles with wavy circumferences.
Make Your Own Greeting For Any CardOur granddaughter is graduating from preschool Friday. She has a house kitty that she adores. Whenever I find a card with a picture that looks like her Cookie, I buy it. I found a birthday card but not a graduating from preschool one.
Embellish Inexpensive Greeting CardsEmbellish dollar store greeting cards with bargains from the scrapbook or discount stores. I find items on clearance (recently 3 packs for $1.00), that can really dress up a plain greeting card; bows, emblems, tiny gems, flowers, words, the choices are endless.
School Bulletin BoardThis is a science bulletin board. The background paper is made from paper bags the students collected, and the letters and flowers are made from scrap construction paper.
Using Greeting Cards for ScrapbookingI cut and save the fronts of all of my received greeting cards. These are great for scrapbooking. I use my scissors to cut flowers, words, scenes, tiny birds, holiday scenes, etc. It saves so much money.
Photograph Your Card or Scrapbook LayoutWhen you make a card or scrapbook layout you like, take a photograph and you will be able to repeat it in future.
Scrapbook In A Box"A scrapbook-in-a-box is mini-scrapbook that folds into a box to house your photo memories." This is surprisingly simple to make. I made it in a couple of hours time.
Paper Towel BowMany of you remember the crepe paper or tissue bows; this is the same principal but made from paper towel with a twist.
Wax Paper EnvelopesIf you are a card maker, you can save money on envelopes. You will need an envelope template or just cut it out free-handed. Grab a roll of wax paper and make your own envelopes.
Make A Blank ScrapbookA fully made scrapbook with no pictures. For that person who doesn't have time to scrapbook, but would love to have one to show off their pictures.
Scan Bulky Items for Your ScrapbookIf you don't want to put bulky items in your scrapbook, scan them and cut them out. My daughter did this with some game coins, and some Mexican coins, from our cruise earlier this month.
Silhouette ButterflyI used Amy Butler's butterfly silhouette template to trace the butterfly outline onto Amy Butler fabric. The butterflies were cut out of the fabric using fine sewing scissors and then glued to a Creative Memories frame using a clear glue stick.
Use Your Scanner to Make Custom Scrapbooking PaperFor custom scrapbooking paper line your scanner or copier bed with a sheet of clear plastic (to protect it). Next take anything you'd like to copy like shells, small stones, pasta, flowers, grass, cookies . . .
Scrapbooking Material From Surprising SourcesWhile I don't scrapbook, my new sewing machine gave me tons of scrapbooking materials, if I was inclined! The manufacturer published a second full manual in a language I don't speak or understand.
Scrapbooking Children's School ProjectsAs our children grow, we save a lot of the "odd" things they make at school, church, etc. In scrapbooking, it is impossible to include most of those items. So do the next best thing and then you can scrapbook it and "scrap it" too!
Saving Money on ScrapbookingHere are tips and tricks for saving time and money on organizing these materials and clearing out the storage space, as suggested by the ThriftyFun community. Post your own advice here.
Use Photos to Make Greeting CardsI have not bought a greeting card of any kind for more years than I can remember. How easy it is to make all kinds of beautiful cards with personalized photos from your own computer.
Frugal Embellishments for ScrapbookingI scrapbook all the time and I use them as gifts for family and friends. This is a hobby that can be very expensive, after you purchase paper and embellishments. I decided to save money on supplies I started cutting out objects and lettering from catalogs that we receive in the mail.
Creative Paper Ideas for the MailThis is about paper. Any and all kinds of paper. The appearance of it; the feel of it; even the magic smell of it. Newspaper. Catalog paper. Wrapping paper. Wall-paper, but most of all stationery. That is writing paper. I love the history of papyrus, Chinese paper, Japanese paper.
Family Vintage Photo Gift IdeaThis is an inexpensive gift idea. I found a vintage photograph of a great-great-great aunt of my husband's riding a bull. It was too fabulous to do nothing with so I scanned it, made prints (about 18 cents each), and glued the photo to the front of blank note cards....
Homemade Holiday CardsI buy plain cards and envelopes and a stamp for my holiday cards. I use clear fixative on the stamp, stamp the card, sprinkle with glitter (usually silver) and then use a heat gun to set the design. I use a smaller stamp and do the same thing on the envelope.
Thrifty Spoon Rest As ArtworkThifty Art Work. I found this bargain name brand spoon rest at a thrift store. Put the photo on the front of a card and sent it to a long distance bargain hunter pal.
Recycled Paper PyramidI opened a pen package today and was going to save the white board inside for signs, then realized they had little folds in the ends and the middle. Curiosity took over and I folded them, to find that they make a perfect little pyramid!
Origami BasketPrintable step by step instructions for making an origami basket by Maricel.
Use Children's Artwork for ScrapbookingUse children's art work as a basis for a scrapbook with headings, other related pictures, etc.
Use Cat Treat Containers for Organizing Craft SuppliesI believe in recycling everything, To organize all my flowers for my scrapbooking, I use my cat's Pounce cat treat bottles and put each color of flower in their own bottle. I have a nice shelf unit I got free from a neighbor that they fit in just right.
Tissue RoseThis was purely by accident. I had no wrapping paper, so I used several pieces of tissue paper and twisted it up and it formed what looked like, to me, a rose. So I stuck some silk leaves I had on both sides and it looked like I did it on purpose.
Perfumed Handmade CardThis is a Perfumed Handmade Card.
Be Creative When ScrapbookingWhen scrapbooking, use your creativity. In this example, I cut the photo I was referring to in my journaling into several long strips.
Making Basket StuffingI use pinking sheers to cut up all old magazines, candy wrappers, colored paper of any kind and keep it to use as basket stuffing when giving a gift or making baskets for friends.
Make Your Own Decorative PaperI just had to share my technique for making my own decorative paper. All you need is copy paper (white or colour), pencil crayons or markers, and craft glue (glitter, white, 3D paint, etc.).
Recycled SentimentsI love stamping and giving greeting cards to all my friends and family. These cards are made from wallpaper books that are normally discarded by paint stores. I got the books and made lovely cards using the wallpaper samples. Added a sentiment inside and I have instant cards that are beautiful.
Use Foam Shapes and Alphabet Blocks to Make StampsAlphabet blocks can be used to make rubber stamps from precut foam shapes. If you don't want to use the block that way you can cut new ones from scrap wood then glue or use 2 sided tape to attach the foam shapes on all sides of the wood block.
Homemade Stationery As A GiftThis is a tip for homemade Christmas (or other occasion) presents: I am a rubberstamper and cardmaker. Last Christmas, I came up with the idea to make packets of stationery as presents.
Making a BannerTips for making a banner for a birthday, holiday, or any celebration. Post your own ideas here.
Buy And Use Miscellaneous Craft Scraps to Embellish Greeting CardsOne woman's remnant, is another woman's reward. Every single garage sale/estate sale I have ever been to has had at least one bag of miscellaneous sewing notions: buttons, lace, beads, and threads for cheap.
Scrapbooking When You TravelTips from the ThriftyFun community about collecting items for your travel scrapbook. While on vacation, pick up free brochures advertising 'things to do' in that area - and then correlate them with your photos for that vacation page.
Memory BasketWhether or not you are into scrapbooking, you should appreciate this tip. I use a fairly large (12 inch diameter), pretty basket, which sits in my kitchen. When I receive a letter from a friend, thank you, birthday, anniversary, invitation, etc., I drop it in the basket.
Buy Flexible Rulers In Craft SectionWhile looking for a flexible ruler to use in scrapbook or card making projects, I found they were quite expensive. Even checked the drafting supplies. Then my husband wandered over in the fabric section and found exactly what I wanted at a much lower price!
Mylar Balloons for ScrapbookingRe-use old Mylar balloons by cutting out the outer balloon designs; tape next to, and around photos for scrap booking. You can also cut the balloon apart to make a background for the picture in a frame, or as a border around the picture.
Buying Scrapbooking Supplies on eBayeBay is an inexpensive way to stock up on paper and supplies for scrapbooking. I bought several packs of paper with 200 sheets for under $10.00, with shipping it was still cheaper than the Dollar Store or Dollar Tree.
Odd Photos for ScrapbookingHave photos of odd items or backgrounds? They don't have to sit in your photo storage any longer! They make great backdrops for pictures or items in scrapbooking.
Make Bookmarks Out Of ArtworkDon't want to throw away your children's artwork? I cut up my 2 1/2 year old twins artwork they made on posterboard into bookmark size strips and laminated them.
Baby Book PicturesRemember that baby books are not complete without a "pre-labor" picture of the expecting mother.
Making Your Own Greeting CardsYou can make your own greeting cards by savings up interesting pix you find and then mounting them on computer card . . .
Homemade Thank You CardsI came up with this idea. I let my two year old loose with a bucket of acrylic paints (you can use any paints you want) and a pad of newsprint paper. Construction paper works as well....
Dealing with Paper Crafting MessDealing with Paper Crafting Mess Tip. I am a crafting and paper-craft nut but when I sit down to create, I end up with paper everywhere. Short of having the garbage can underfoot constantly, I came up with a better idea. . .
Decoupaged Box Lid Using Old Calendar...This is a paper mache box bought at WalMart, painted outside blue and inside off white. I like to save my calendars, I really like Victorian, farms and landscapes.
Scrapbooking for 21 Kindergarten StudentsI use hanging files in a metal hanging file holder. Each student has a file with a plastic zip loc bag stapled on the inside. I have files for scrapbook pages which are purchased...
Recycled Clothing For ScrapbookingI just started "scrapbooking" and have found you can make picture frames with old colorful clothing. I also used it to do the cover of my scrapbook. It looks professional and great.
Simple Wedding Scrapbook PagesScrapbooking can be fun, but when you have all that stuff from a wedding, it can get overwhelming. However, that "stuff" can make for more interesting pages.
Affordable Scrapbooking SuppliesAfter getting into scrapbooking myself I have come to a conclusion that this would be the perfect gift for a special occasion, and I am starting now to build up my "stash" for my daughter-in-law's Christmas present.
Taking Photos for ScrapbooksTake lots of pictures using several different angles. You never know which ones will be perfect and which ones will have their eyes closed.
Using Glue When Scrapbooking or Making CardsWhen scrapbooking or making greeting cards I was tired of the mess created when trying to get the glue to cover the edge of a piece of paper.
Homemade Gum StickersMix together in a small bowl. One part white vinegar & one part white school glue.
Scrapbooking Tip - Storing StickersI know a lot of people who do scrapbooks. I love to make them, but have a limited budget, so I've come of with some ways to make my money go further. Instead of buying expensive sticker binders, I use the envelopes that come with my credit card offers.
Homemade Cards and Stationary with Flowers and LeavesWant to make a great gift that will remind you of spring all winter long? Go out and remove the last of your pansies and daisies and press them in a book. You know that lacy looking weed that took over? Well go pick some of those leaves and press them also. Just don't pick the poison ivy. :)
Handmade Stained Glass CardsYears ago we made cards with Elmer's glue, black construction paper, and chalk. You take black construction paper and drizzle the glue in a design on the paper.
