cardmaking/scrapbooking

scrimping_steff

Not sure if this is the right place for this or if it has already been covered so apologies if so. I am an avid carder and although I am involved in a forum for this, unfortunatly most cardmaking forums are affiliated with cardmaking shops. Thus you can't actually tell anyone about your bargains. So I wondered if anyone here does this hobby and would benifit from my own moneysaving ideas and vice versa?
Firstly the poundshop, poundshop, poundshop. I am amazed at what you can pick up from photographic paper to shaped scissors and stamps. Well that is my starter to see if anyone elses is interested, there are plaenty more where that came from.

bargainaddict

hi, I love making cards. My youngest started and now I'm hooked. can't beat the look on people's faces when they see they got something hand made. We only got 2 shops locally and they are both quite expensive. Most of my bargains have come from e-bay so if you any good tips they would be much appreciated. We have a pound shop where I got some decent gel pens, but they don't have much usually. We have an outlet centre half hour away and they have a paper shop where you can fill a box of A5 card for £3.99. I manage to get about 200 cards in there. :j

I had to buy a card for 14 year old nephew cos didn't have anything to make something suitably humorous for him. Have forgotten just how expensive shop bought cards are.

KK

I am also a newly keen card maker - currently making just for friends and family. A friend from Hong Kong recently sent me loads of origami paper in return for me making her a selection of cards. I buy cheap coloured and plain envelopes from supermarkets and plain card from places like Woolworths and make my own cards. I use all sorts of bits that have been given to my daughter in the past like punches, confetti (foil type). I think some of the crafting outlets charge a lot for stuff and you need to shop around. I recently discovered Sussex Stationers (in the SE) and One Stop Stationers do really nice stuff which is fairly inexpensive. I also save all sorts of bits and bobs from everywhere to make into cards. S

ome of my nicest ones are digital photos I have taken at places like the Eden Project and National Trust houses and print them 8 to a sheet on matt photo paper (a bargain from the internet) and then mount them in hand cut window mounts. Lots of people have said I should make them to sell, but I can't be bothered at the moment. Also glitter and pearlised paints, and watercolour pencils can be used to great effect. Yellow Moon (Baker Ross) do fairly inexpensive crafts stuff by mail order and party shops can be great sources of embellishments, ribbons etc.

Wilkinsons do loads of craft papers, glues etc. Tesco also do lots of lovely punches, papers and paints which can be adapted. Ebay have provided me with some good deals on papers and ready made cards, plus mulberry papers etc. I'm not sure that I am saving money yet but I am really enjoying myself and have been on a course for ideas, plus borrowed loads of books from the library for ideas.

scrimping_steff

I agree craft shops tend to be on the expensive side, for a particular itme say for e.g vellum, I got online and check the going rate in most shops and then normally go on ebay. You can always find things cheaper there and I often find if you buy in bulk its even better. Especially for peeloffs, I have had oneof the 50 sheets of mixed peeloffs deal and its brilliant. Out of the 50 there where only five I didnt really like.

I have also just started having a go at making my own paper. If you want to try this, DON'T get the kit, there are plents of instructions online for free on how to make it, and when I got my kit the actually 'frame' was an embroidery frame and the mesh was just netting like you would get in a childs fairy dress etc, available from most markets quite cheaply. My kit did include colourants and other bits but not enough to merit the £15.99 usually charged. (Glas a a moneysaver I shooped around and only payed £8.50 on ebay.) Its messy but fun and very effectuive once you get the hang of it, you can recycle all your paper and that annoying enemy JUNKMAIL, also use bits from the garden, herbs flower petals etc.

lazylins

i started out as a scrap booker. i joined creative memories as a consultant, you get a great kit at a low price, placed one order for a few bits then quit. as i have 2 small children i found it hard to make the business side of it work.

i then started to but stuff from everywhere, poundland, colemans,wilkinson, ebay etc etc. then i found a really good mag out called papercraft inspirations and this started me on card making, i subscribed cause i knew i wanted all issues and got a fee gift with each issue plus some chalks as a joining gift. i try to find bargains every where, i buy stuff i like on offer, just so i can use it later on. and keep scrap bits of ribbon or paper all in a file.

one thing i found good also, is i joined the craft club, and got a great joining offer. it had a gorgoeus pack of moondust papers, a pack of 50 assorted coloured cards and envelopes, brush felt tips, rubber stamp bible, rubber stamp set by inkadinkado, some craft scissors with different blades, a heat gun, two embossing powders, 4 coloured ink pads and a clear pigment ink pad too. all for 22 pounds including postage.

i know i will have to buy 4 more books or kits from them, but that will be easy, as i love the stuff in their catalogues, after that i will end my subscription.

but the stuff you get here and there soon adds up to be boxes full!! and thats the best thing, you have lots to play with and experiment with, its great!!

my favourite at the mo is heat embossing. if you like tea bag folding and other types of folding i found a great website here, where you can print your own papers for free!!


paper folding site

scrimping_steff

thanks for that link, excellent, the black and white designs will come in handy for vellum dry embossing this is my big thing at the moment. All you need is an embossing tool, vellum and funky foam as a embossing mat and your away.

Just realised if you are a moneysavers like us, carmaking is the perfect way to get the most out of things. Its recycling to the max.lol

lazylins

i found it a usefull site too!! there are so many different designs on there its amazing.

Allexie

lazylins wrote:

if you like tea bag folding and other types of folding i found a great website here, where you can print your own papers for free!!


paper folding site

Oh my goodness...I have just discovered Tea Bagging thanks to lazylins site!!!!! One card done second well on it's way..... :T :rotfl:

scrimping_steff

lazylins wrote:

one thing i found good also, is i joined the craft club, and got a great joining offer. it had a gorgoeus pack of moondust papers, a pack of 50 assorted coloured cards and envelopes, brush felt tips, rubber stamp bible, rubber stamp set by inkadinkado, some craft scissors with different blades, a heat gun, two embossing powders, 4 coloured ink pads and a clear pigment ink pad too. all for 22 pounds including postage.

Where did you find out about this? Sounds like a good deal.

lazylins

i found out about the craft club from a leaflet out of papercraft inspirations mag. ive thrown out the leaflet i had with the offer code, they dont seem to have a website, but if you buy craft mags in tescos look through to see which one has the leaflet in.

or.....the only details i now have for it are these.

enquiries number 0870 442203 if not the right one they will put you through to the right place.

the offer i applied for is called the rubber stampers bible pack at 14.99,(it has everything i listed in it) then for replying in 10 days ask for the heat it up embossing set for 3.99. say you got the details from a friend thats why you dont have the offer code to hand, they should be able to sort you out. then postage for all that was 3.99 but its all worth it. so its all for 22 quid, a heat tool is 19.99 on its own!!!!!!!

p.s i think they do change the offers, but i think this should still be available for now.


hope this helps

scrimping_steff

yes thanks, and nice to know I made a new friend today. Lol