Any Hobby Craft Experts out there?

beachbeth

Thanks a lot for that Madmummy! I will definitely take a look at QVC and those websites. I could do with some lessons! Thats a great help.

Queenie

It IS possible (if you want to try the heat embossing technique MadMummy suggested) to do it without a heat gun to see if you need to invest in a Heat Gun or not ...
I began by using my pop up toaster as the heat source (and a peg so I didn't burn my fingers!!!) I then realised just how often I would use that method of embossing and so last year, dh bought me a heat gun for my birthday.

The *real* trick when going to craft stores for supplies is this:

Have a project in mind and ONLY buy what you will need for THAT project! Cardmaking and scrapbooking supplies can soon add up to a not so frugal hobby if you buy all the gadgets/gismo's/latest trends.

Start with:-

1. Card (a pack of card blanks may well be enough to get you started - come in all sizes, shapes and colours AND with envelopes)

2. Glue (chances are you will want to stick something down at some point to embellish your work).

3. Rub-Ons: Ok maybe not quite as versatile as stamps, but, with stamps you will need more than one, different inks, perhaps embossing supplies. Begin small and then you can add to your supplies bit by bit.

Now trundle off to your local haberdashery shop! Buy their little cheapo bundles of ribbons and in some cases, odd balls of wool (lengths of wool and ribbons can add a certain panache when added to the "spine" of the card.

Next, raid your button box, jewellry box and partners tool box!!

For my dolls houses, card making and scrapbooking, old necklaces, odd earrings, fancy buttons and yes, even washers from the toolbox have been used!

Now, if ALL you want to do is to print of pix of your dogs to post off as cards, do NOT go to Hobby Craft ... go to PC World or other supplier of computer stationery and you will find packs of card blanks and also photo paper, which is all you would need to print off cards on your PC for posting off.

HTH - oh, and have FUN!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

beachbeth

Now, I keep hearing the term "scrapbooking". What exactly does this mean? ???

Queenie

Now, I keep hearing the term "scrapbooking". What exactly does this mean? ???

Good question!!! (Took me a couple of years of www searching before I got an answer I could actually *understand*!)

In the old days, we would buy our kids (or selves) a sugar paper "Scrap Book" from good ole WHSmiths and grab a bowl of flour and water paste (see! Frugal always!) and stick in bits of leaves, ticket stubs etc., from days out, school outings and so on.

*Now* it is far more "upmarket"!!!!!
(for "upmarket" do please read: EXPENSIVE!)

Todays term means (this is my own quote btw): "Creatively arranging your best and most precious photo's in an artistic manner into an acid free album, using acid free products and heaps of acid free - expensive - embellishments, with a paragraph or two of "journalling" explaining the occasion/event, to last for generations to come".
More sophisticated, complex, creative and expensive than a mere photo album.

Trust me, type "scrapbooking" into Google and you will be blown away with the number of websites, ideas, "latest products" blah, blah, blah!

I do the creative/acid free/arranging bit ... but, I do *not* fall into the trap of needing/wanting all the latest gismo's and gadget that society's "commercialism" absolutely *assures* us are the "must have's"

If you are that way inclined, it's a fun hobby and a great way of presenting your photo's than a run of the mill sticky sleeved album. Also, as I do geneology as well, it combines the two in an interesting presentation which (I hope!) my kids and G/kids will appreciate.

Word of warning: I adore this hobby - it is addictive - but do NOT get sucked into all the must have's/can do without's.

Hope you manage to understand a bit of my description. Sadly, to "scrapbookers", once you *know* what the term means, you tend to take it for granted it *needs* no explaination! LOL ;D

beachbeth

Thanks for that, Queenie! I had no idea it had anything to do with photos!!!

Plumpud_3

Thanks for your suggestions but I think Hobby Craft is my only craft shop.

If you have a Hobby Craft nearby, you must surely have other craft shops.

I personally love Hobby Craft, and find it quite competitive, and often cheaper on their special offers and sales. But I love independant craft shops too, as they often carry different ranges or items. Nearly every village around here has a small craft shop (not selling tourist crafts), as they nearly all have online sites or mail order.

I've also bought from Lakeland Limited who are very good - excellent customer service - and have quite a few craft things in their sale now.

I have also bought from alot from Ebay, with no problems, but can be pricey if you add in the p&p.

Don't forget your local independant stationers either. Good for specialist glues, coloured card etc. Ours even does a small range of stamps, sequins, etc.

I've even bought some of the craft kits aimed at children, from Aldi and Lidl. They have some good things in.

Happy crafting.

lazylins

hi,

i love crafts and till last year i was a consultant for creative memories (the memory album lot)

iam doing two scrap books at the mo and have draws full of craft stuff, most of it un touched, i collect things thinking iam going to use them and never do ( like my heat gun and embossing powders) i havent got a clue what to do with them as i dont make cards, but thought i liked the effect, so i agree with everyone else, you dont need the latest fads, you can easily find everyday things to use that look wonderfull!!

my next project would be to try tea bag folding, but i cant find any where to get the papers from, could anyone make a suggestion? ive seen them on ebay but thats about it

thanks for any help!!
oh just thought i raid the childrens craft sections in shops like wilkinson and the works,, got great stuff at low prices, just watch that they r acid and lingin free if you want to use them with precious photos

Queenie

Try this link lazylins: http://members.fortunecity.com/zrosemarie1/index.html that should get you started with some papers to practise with.

As for the heat gun/embossing powders/scrapbooking - if you like the effect, use them on -
Shaker Boxes in your scrap pages
to create your own scrap papers (use them on a plain paper to create the effect you'd like) either complete background papers or just the mats.
Use them to embellish your embellishments! (ie, on your tags)

If you enjoy scrapping and not card making plus with such an amount of supplies, have a go at Altered Books (do a Google search and you will see heaps on the subject).

Or, decoupage your own gift boxes with embossed designs (I was given a Dove gift box for Christmas - good sturdy box. I liked the box enough to hold it back and sometime this year I will decorate it to use as a gift box for a birthday/Christmas. )

Just remember: "Waste not, want not."

You'll find a use ... one day

beachbeth

my next project would be to try tea bag folding, but i cant find any where to get the papers from

???What on earth is this!!! :-[ ???

lazylins

hi,

thanks for your help Queenie, youve given me a new burst of inspiration,,and that site is brill!!

ill print my own tea bag papers from now!!

Beachbeth, iam not very good at explaining things, but ill try, if not look at the site queenie posted or do a search for it in google,

its quite an old technique, and has been used for many years, but basically you have lots of small squares of paper and use techniques to fold them into say, a rosette, its similar to origami, but u use the folded papers to make designs. youll find folding techniques in papercraft magazines!!

again sorry if i havent explained too well, but iam not very good at explaining my thoughts!!

thanks, iam glad i looked at this thread!!