One of the easiest ways to cut down on your scrapbooking bill is to save leftover supplies. Typically, I purchase embellishments for specific layouts, so it’s rare for me to have a ton of scraps. However, the leftovers I have are meticulously sorted and placed in an accordion file. You could sort them by color or manufacturer, but I find dividing scraps by theme is the method that works best for me.
If you your scrap stash is dwindling or you just want to beef up your reserves, consider looking for extras in every day places. For example, wrapping paper, old maps, brochures, calendars, greeting cards, photos from magazines, newspapers and programs can be modified to give your layouts a unique look. What’s more, most of these items can be collected in bulk, so accumulating leftovers is easy. Just remember that not all paper goods are suitable for scrapbooking. If you are worried that a brochure or calendar page may compromise the archival safety of your album, be sure to test them with a pH pen before adding them to your page design. It’s also a good idea to get into the habit of checking your leftover stash before you begin a project, so you don’t waste money purchasing items you already have.
Avid scrapbookers usually keep a large stash of paper on hand since they are constantly crafting new layouts. If you are new to the hobby, then you might not have a large inventory of supplies to work with. One way to fix this is to invest in paper stacks. These convenient and cheap scrapbook supplies can yield a bunch of leftovers which you can use creating a plethora of page designs. My favorite brand for paper stacks is Die Cuts with a View. The company offers a variety of textured colored cardstock stacks, as well as themed patterned paper stacks. You can even buy mat stacks that are pre-cut to fit 4×6 and 5×7 photos. The best part is that you get two or three sheets per design, which means plenty of leftovers for future layouts.
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